12/14/2025
Introducing Bodie!
Bodie is a typical Great Dane who hasn't had an easy life so far. But all of that changed in Nov. Bodie was found wandering the streets of West Virginia looking for food and a safe place to curl up. He was picked up and taken to the local shelter where he was scheduled to be euthanized because they were (and often face) being completely out of space. He hitched a ride to NJ where he landed in foster care with a family who already have 2 dogs: a 36lb spaniel mix and a 14lb Havanese. Bodie was delighted to be inside and have a full belly. The foster family has children that live in the south, so after a week's respite in NJ, Bodie was packed up, along with the 2 family dogs and hit the road for a 2 week road trip to visit the kids and their dogs. Bodie is a Great traveler. He smoothly shifted from one stop to the next as long as he had his humans in tow. He rides great in the car (although likes to rest his head on your shoulder while riding). We visited a house with a fenced back yard as well as a townhouse where he needed to be leash walked and Bodie handled it all like a champ. He doesn't love his crate as he would much rather be sitting on the couch next to you, but on the few times we weren't able to bring him along he waited in his crate for our return. Bodie has visited 2 separate off leash dog parks where he felt everyone, both human & canine were simply friends he hadn't met yet.
The estimation is that Bodie is about 4yrs old. He came into foster care stiff and sore but over time he has loosened up and has started to act more and more playful. He is incredibly affectionate and seems to believe he is "lap dog" size. He thrives on attention and will happily lean into you for hours of pets and cuddles. What Bodie wants most in life is to be where is people are, so if you prefer your personal space, Bodie is not the dog for you.
Having a Giant Breed dog is different than even the largest of Golden Retriever or Lab. He can rest his chin on the stove top and currently believes if he can reach the food - he should have the food. We spend some time each day wiping off counters.
We think there was a significant amount of time where Bodie didn't know where his next meal would come from, so right now we are feeding him 3cups of dog food, 3 times a day and he still always seems to be hungry. He could stand to put on a few pounds, but we don't want him to put on too much weight as that wouldn't be great for his structure. Because he takes mealtimes seriously, we feed Bodie in his crate in a puzzle bowl so he knows his meals are just for him. That being said, he shows no signs of food aggression and takes treats sitting next to the other dogs with zero issues. We just want him to know he's safe and will always have a full belly.
There were some concerns about his hips while he was in shelter so they ran blood work and x-rayed his hips, and everything appears to be where and what it should be. Bodie is a bit of a drooler when he drinks but the only time we "duck for cover" is when he shakes his head just after drinking.
We cannot say enough amazing things about Bodie. He is an absolute love bug. But we want his adoptive home to be his final home - so please think carefully if a giant breed is right for you and your household. Our 14lb. Havanese is not a fan of Bodie as he gets stepped when Bodie isn't paying attention. So please consider anyone or animal in your home who might not appreciate Bodie's size.
Whoever is lucky enough to adopt Bodie will have a loyal companion and friend for life. Are you who Bodie's been waiting to find?
