Dugan the Dog (he's a mighty fine hound!) "The Prince of Irish Wolfhounds"

Dugan the Dog Learns a New Skill!

2011-12-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

People who are not familiar with dogs of the giant breedsare surprised to learn that the expected lifespan of these dogs is relativelyshort compared to the smaller dogs. Sadly, most Irish Wolfhounds live about 8 years or so. I have seen some a little older and they reallyshow their age. Most succumb to heartdisease or cancer. Almost all olderWolfhounds get some joint problems.

I have noticed that Dugan the Dog is starting to show hisage at 5-1/2 years. Dugan has troublejumping up into the back of the truck as easily as he used to. Dugan gets to ride in the back of the truckafter his occasional bath. This allowshim to dry off quickly so he won’t get filthy outside while he is wet or smellup the house with his powerful wet dog smell if we were to keep him inside tostay clean while he dries off. He nowseems unsure of himself when trying to jump up there and I am afraid he couldseriously injure a leg by banging it on the edge of the trucks tailgate.

So I took some scrap lumber and constructed a ramp so he canwalk or run up into the truck bed. First,I the set the ramp up in the back yard propped up on one end a little with someblocks. I then would take Dugan by thecollar and lead him up the ramp and off of the end as I enticed him with atreat. He was reluctant to cooperate at first because he could see no sense in it. After all, he could plainly see perfectly good solid ground on each side of the ramp, so why bother going up a ramp? After some days he got the hang of it so I raised the end up a higher tomake it steeper and we practiced some more.

Then at last I figured he was ready to graduate to going upthe ramp into the truck. I set the rampup and tried to get Dugan to go up into the truck as I held his collar. At first he would get nervous and rear backlike a scared horse, but after a little encouragement and some enticement withtreats he started going up the ramp like an old pro!

Who says you cannot teach old dogs new tricks?

Dugan the Dog Chomps A Chicken!

2011-06-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Dugan stands next to the chicken run. He shares the bucket with the chickens, so I tell him he drinks "chicken water".

Well folks, the world is minus one laying hen. Unfortunately she was laying eggs for me. Dugan the Dog has on occasion managed to catch a bird like a sparrow or dove, and he used to eat them. They really give him a major case of the gas! Nowadays he does not make the effort he has in days gone by to catch birds. But the other day he caught his biggest bird yet, one of my chickens!

Dugan is always envious of the chickens because they get almost all the leftover food we would otherwise throw out.

It was entirely my fault. I have been keeping my chickens behind a five foot chain link fence, and that’s not a very tall fence for chickens because they can fly. In order to keep them from flying over the fence I would use scissors to cut the feathers off the tips of their wings. Funny thing, if you cut the feathers off just one wing, they go in tight circles when they try to fly. I like to cut them short on both wings and they can never get off the ground for several months.

Dugan looks longingly at the leftovers the chickens are eating as he gets a cool slurp of "chicken water".

Time really flies and I did not pay attention to how long the wing feathers were getting on my chickens. I was out in the back yard doing some weekly chores when I heard a chicken making the noise frightened chickens make. I looked over to see Dugan chasing one of my chickens in the yard. I hollered at him and started running over in his direction, but I was too late. Dugan has a big mouth, plenty ample enough to clamp down on any average size chicken. Much to my amazement, Dugan chomped down on the chicken with such force that an egg squirted out of her onto the ground! When I got over to Dugan I tried to talk him into letting her go, no luck. I tried pulling his mouth open but I may as well have tried to pull a vise open. I got a look at the chicken in his mouth and there was some vital parts hanging out of her, so I gave up trying to get her away from him.

I immediately took a pair of scissors into the chicken run to trim the remaining chickens’ wings. I had to chase the chickens around in order to catch them one at a time and trim them. It must have been a ridiculous sight. It so excited Dugan to see me take up chicken chasing, he must have thought he inspired me to “go over to the dark side” and start chasing and catching chickens too. Whenever I finally caught one they would squawk like they were being killed. This really excited Dugan, so much so he dropped his catch and ran up and down the chicken run with me.

I cannot blame Dugan, he did what dogs do. But I will praise him for this: Dugan has never in his lifetime ever snarled, growled, or bared his fangs in anger! When I tried to forcibly open his mouth to take his prey from him, he remained the Gentle Giant he has always been. I am just glad I am not a chicken!

Dugan the Dogs pictures from older posts

2010-04-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun pictures from previous posts. To view an older post, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on "Older Posts"

Dugan the Dog at 5 months takes a break from his many doggie duties to relax on the grass. (from “Blog, what kind of word is it anyway?/Dugan is Cool blog 04/04/08)

Dugan the Dog as he leaves the breeders house July 2006 (from How Dugan came to be at our house post 04/06/06)

Uhm, yummy!(from Dugan the Dog brushes his teeth post 04/13/08)

Dugan is all relaxed from his tooth brushing and ready for the weekly nail filing.(from Dugan the Dog gets his nails filed post 04/20/08)

Just below, click on "View All Images" to see a slide show on bath time for Dugan.

(from Dugan the Dog gets a bath post 04/29/08)

From left to right: Horse, Dog. (from Dugan the Dog is not a Horse post 05/04/08)

Hey Master, you might want to cut back on your tooth brushing, I like to smell a little stronger breath! (from Dugan the Dog Eats post 05/12/08)

Dugan sez: "What do you mean I'm not a lap dog?" (from Dugan the Dog had a birthday post 06/01/08)

Dugan chomps his snake.
Dugan has a "little" spring in his step. (from Dugan the Dog Plays post 06/08/08)

Dugan tries pulling April with his tail. (from Dugan the Dog is not a Crotch Sniffer post 06/15/08)

Ha Ha Ha Master, that was a good joke! Tell me the one about the one eyed, three legged Cat again!

"Dugan the Dog: Defender of the truth, protector of the helpless, feared enemy of all evil doers". He's got an eye out for you!
"Say friend, can you spare a treat for a dog who's down and out on his luck?" (from Fun Pictures of Dugan the Dog post 07/07/08)

Dugan prepares to smash a picture or two with one mighty swish of his awesome tail. (from Dugan the Dogs Tail of Destruction post 08/17/09)

I kid you not Dugan, that mouse I killed was this big! (from Dugan now has a Playmate post 10/20/08)

(from Dugan goes on a Walk post 11/27/09)

Dugan the Dog pours on the charm as he is surrounded by this bevy of beautiful babes and sez: "It's good to be a chick magnet".(from Dugan on Parade post 03/15/09)

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2010-03-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

Once again Dugan the Dog participated in the St. Patrick Day parade in Phoenix, Arizona. The parade was held on Saturday March 13, and Dugan along with some of the other Irish Wolfhounds of the Desert Irish Wolfhound Association showed the people what real Irish hounds look like. We forgot our cameras, but got some cell phone pictures. As usual, Dugan figured that all those people were lined up for a mile along the road just so he could personally greet them. He had fun.

Dugan the Dog Visits his Scottish Cousins!

2010-03-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

Dugan visited with his cousins, the Scotts! On Saturday February 27, 2010 Dugan and his Master attended the annual Scottish Highland Games held in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a great event that gave the people of Scottish heritage a chance to get together for a lot of fun. Dugan has never seen so many men walking around in plaid skirts, although to protect their manly images they call them kilts (at least in Ireland they do). I noticed the men in kilts often had a little leather purse hanging on their belts too. One guy asked why Dugan was not attired in a kilt, and I explained that it was not in keeping with his macho image.

Anyway, the Desert Irish Wolfhound Association was pleased to attend, and our booth was very near the entrance. When people entered the grounds, the very first thing they would see was Dugan! Being a hound dog of magnificent stature and noble bearing people would naturally come over to greet him. Literally hundreds of people came over to see Dugan, and being a generous and magnanimous hound, he was pleased to allow everyone to pet him so they could have the special treat of touching one of the tallest dogs in the world! I answered hundreds of questions about the Irish Wolfhound breed, and many people were so excited to have a hands on experience with a breed they have heard about, but never before encountered in the flesh! We were only able to attend in the morning, and when it was time to leave, I could tell Dugan was tired from the 3 hours of constant attention. Being the Gentle Giant he is, Dugan was very patient and kind to accommodate the hundreds of people who wanted to greet him. I always say that the Irish Wolfhound is the King of dog breeds, and Dugan is the Prince of his breed. He was so patient to give so many a royal treat. A special thanks goes out to my daughter April, who so kindly has taken most of the pictures on this blogspot

Desert Irish Wolfhound Associations Treasurer, Chris Davis was on hand to collect donations for our associations rescue efforts.

Even though Dugan is one of the tallest dogs in the world, we could not get a close-up and keep the man in the stilts in the shot!

What on earth could Dugan be staring at?
Wouldn't you know, old Dugan has his eye on the cupcakes in the next booth!

DUGAN THE DOG HELPS CREATE JOBS!

2009-12-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

Dugan the Dog is pleased to lend his support to his new Irish friends. We wish them well and hope they have great success in their new business, The Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub at 16811 N Litchfield Rd, Surprise, AZ 85374

Much has been said lately about these difficult economic times we are in. In the true spirit of generosity and helpfulness, Dugan the Dog cheerfully gives his support to the opening of a new business in the Phoenix metro area. The Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub has opened it doors for business in Surprise, Arizona. Check out their website at irishwolfhoundpub.com The hounds of the Desert Irish Wolfhound Association converged on the restaurant for their Grand Opening. Dugan and all of the other Wolfhounds really enjoyed themselves as they met and mingled with the fine and friendly folks there. If you are around the northwest Phoenix metro area, drop in for a great dining experience. If you are not around that neighborhood, it will be worth the trip anyway. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

The owners, (real Irish folks), ceremoniously cut the ribbon to open their new business. As I understand, the dog pictured here is the model for the painting on the floor of the foyer as seen a couple of pictures down. This dog has an Irish name that I cannot pronounce even if I could remember it!

This lady was so amazed at the size and gentle demenor of Dugan. The lady in the background says she is Irish, but is terrified of dogs! Too bad for her, Dugan wanted to love her up.

The foyer in the entrance of the Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub has a life size painting of one of the owners Irish Wolfhound. Dugan illustrates it is a good likeness of his breed.

Some people are a little reserved about making the aquaintance of such a large dog. Little do they know, they are standing at the most dangerous end of Dugan!

Dugan the Dog looks on as a real Irish man greets an Irish Wolfhound!

Dugan sneaks a kiss on a pretty girl. That is the sly kind of dog he is!

Wow! This Irish Wolfhound is 10 years old! Considering the typical lifespan of an Irish Wolfhound, I figure he is about 100 years old in people years!

Dugan makes friends with one of the big guys who work at the restaurant.

As is the tradition with the Irish, Dugan celebrates this special occasion by hitting the bottle!

Dugan makes new friends with a pretty girl and an Irish Wolfhound simultaneously (and at the same time too).

It may seem odd, but Irish Wolfhounds are not all that impressed with each other. After a few seconds of the "ritual" circling & butt sniffing, they accept each other matter of factly.

Dugan takes a break in front of the patio area.

As seen in the 4 pictures above, Dugan is extra fond of kids!

The Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub invited the Desert Irish Wolfhound Association to their Grand Opening. We were pleased with the invitation and to lend our support!

Dugan the Dog Endures the “Dog Days” of Summer!

2009-08-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

Dugan sez: I was chasing a strange cat yesterday, but I couldn't catch it. It was walking too fast!

In almost all respects, Dugan is a mighty hound. But not when it comes to tolerating heat. When it comes to hot weather, Dugan is a wimp! Dugan always has access to the out of doors. But this time of year he spends most of the day laying on the cool kitchen floor. Except for going outside to do his business, the only time he spends any amount of time outside is in the early morning and late evening when it is not as hot outside.

Some people do not know where the expression about the "dog days of summer" originated, and mistakenly believe it is because dogs act lazy in the summer heat. The brightest star in our sky (after the sun) is called Sirius. You can see it close to the constellation Orion the Hunter, just a little to Orion’s right (your left if you are in the northern hemisphere) at his feet. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major which is “Big Dog” in English. An interesting thing about stars is that they rise about 4 minutes earlier every day, so after a months time any particular star will rise about 2 hours earlier. Consequently, while Sirius rises around sunset in the winter, it will be rising around sunrise in the summer. In the olden days people in the northern hemisphere knowing that Sirius was rising at dawn in the summer, believed this brightest star must account for the extra daytime heat they had to endure. Because Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major, they called the hot summer days the “dog days”. Just a little astronomy lesson for those who care, and useless drivel for those who don’t.

I am posting some fun pictures of the “Prince of Irish Wolfhounds”. Some show Dugan doing what he does best in the summer, laying around in the kitchen!

Dugan really appreciates a good chin rub.

"Hey Master, how many more days until its cool enough for a walk?"

Dugan demonstrates his skills at counter surfing.

Dugan really likes a rib rub, and gets a charge when you give his rear leg muscle a squeeze and exclaim "such big strong muscles!"

Dugan the Dog, The Prince of Irish Wolfhounds, our own resident "Canis Major" lays in magestic repose while waiting for cooler days.

"Dugan the Bed Headed dog.

Dugan the Dog has another birthday!

2009-06-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Dugan the dog plays with a toy his own size!

Well, he did it again! Dugan the Dog had another birthday on May 29 and is the ripe old age of 3 years. Life certainly has been interesting and entertaining with the Prince of Irish Wolfhounds, and he is truly a genteel fellow. Just last week he caught another cat in his backyard and had it trapped against a fence. After he had chased it to the fence he did not attack it or try to torment it, but only wanted to play. Another thing he does to show he is a Gentle Giant is to take food directly from your hand without trying to be greedy and swallowing or biting your hand. He will gingerly and delicately take the food from your fingers (although he will still slobber a little on you).

I am posting some fun pictures of Dugan playing with a favorite toy. Dugan really likes to play with balls so we got him a ball that is more his size: a 36 inch soccer ball! It is actually more like a huge beach ball with a loose covering over it that looks like a soccer ball. It does not stay inflated tight for too long and it takes a while to inflate even with a small air compressor, so we don’t play with it too often. But he really likes get rough with it!

Dugan always looks cute when his ears set up tall.

Dugan the Dog on Parade!

2009-03-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday March 14, 2009 Dugan the Dog, the Prince of Irish Wolfhounds celebrated the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day by walking in Phoenix’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Dugan is a member of the Desert Irish Wolfhound Association, and the gang showed off some genuine Irish in the parade to the people of Phoenix. In Ireland, they say there are only two kinds of people in the world: Irish people, and those who want to be Irish. We did see a few fair complected people with red hair, but almost everyone at the parade including myself were wannabee Irish people.

Dugan walked with six other Wolfhounds, and they were a big hit with the crowd. Many of the adjectives sent Dugan’s way were: beautiful, handsome, majestic, huge. There were also the usual and inevitable references to horses, saddles, and riding and so forth. Any way, the Wolfhounds had a good time for the most part. The only problem was that while waiting around the staging area, it was full of noise and commotion from fire trucks, police cars and motorbikes, High School bands beating their drums and playing their brass instruments. By the time it was walking time, the Dogs had lost almost all sense of enjoyment. Next year we will wait till the last minute to show up in the staging area. We walked the Wolfhounds close to the people at the curbs. Dugan figured the parade was actually for his benefit, with a whole mile of people on the side of the road waiting for him to go by so he could greet them, and they could touch and pet him and lavish him with praise and affection. He really likes that!

The weather cooperated and it was a sunny day. Fortunately it was a relatively cool day and the temperature was in the high 70’s. Sometimes it is too hot for the Wolfhounds this time of year. All in all, it was a fun experience and we look forward to next year’s parade!

Much to his delight, the Prince of Irish Wolfhounds is greeted some pretty Human princesses.

The littler his admirerer, the more gentle Dugan the Dog conducts himself.

"Hey Master, is it time yet? I'm getting tired!"

Dugan the Dog pours on the charm as he is surrounded by this bevy of beautiful babes and sez: "It's good to be a chick magnet".

Dugan sez: " I'm just like the big strong men in this swat truck, I don't like flys too!"

This little dog looks on with envy as Dugan the Dog strolls by. In the world of dogs, there are only two kinds of dogs, Irish Wolfhounds, and dogs that wish they were Irish Wolfhounds!

As is the tradition with the Irish, Dugan celebrates the holiday by hitting the bottle for some much needed refreshment.

Dugan the Dog is a Lover, not a Fighter!

2009-02-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

Dugan shows off to a new friend who came to visit at our house.

Dugan the Dog is a lover, not a fighter. I have never seen him display any anger or hostility. I have never seen him snarl or bare his teeth. I have never heard him growl except when we play a rowdy game with one of his toys. If we are playing rough and I happen to find my arm or hand in his mouth, he never bites down. He is truly a Gentle Giant.

Recently he happened to corner a strange cat in the backyard against the fence. He would only stand close to it and jump around in order to try to stimulate some play from the cat, but wisely did not get too close. When he meets other dogs he is always friendly. But sometimes other dogs are not nice to Dugan, especially some of the tiny breeds. I think they are afraid of giant dogs and react with hostility out of instinct. Dugan is always bewildered if anyone is mean to him. Dugan does have one exception to being nice to other animals; if he can catch any bird he will eat it. It gives him a terrible case of the gas!

As I have already pointed out in previous blogs, Dugan loves the whole of Humanity. He takes the greatest pleasure in meeting and greeting people young and old. His only disappointment in life is that he cannot personally greet every single “hooman bean” on the planet earth!

Dugan the Dog is a ginormous hound dog. He measures 36 inches at the shoulder, 7 ft from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail if he lies stretched out on the floor. If he stands up straight, he is about 6.5 feet tall. His mouth is substantial and his teeth plenty big. At the last visit to the Vet, he weighed 150 lbs. Considering the magnitude of his impressive stature, I am very glad that Dugan the Dog is a Lover, not a Fighter. And if you have not figured it out yet, we think he is one nifty doggy!

Dugan the Dog is a Helper Dog!

2009-01-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

Having Dugan around is a lot of fun! One of the fun things he does is to take an interest in the things I am doing when I am working outside in the yard. This time of the year we have leaves falling off the trees, and it is necessary to rake them up. I usually put them in the garden area to decompose into the garden soil. Dugan likes to get in the middle of the leaves and paw around in them. Then he will lay down in them for a while and relax. He likes me to rake the leaves over the top of him while he lays there.

If I happen to be doing some shovel work he likes to start digging too. Sometimes he will start digging right where I am trying to dig, but most often he will find a convenient spot close by and start digging away. Dugan’s claws are industrial duty and he can really make the dirt fly.

It can be a little discouraging when Dugan gets in the way when you are trying to get stuff done, but I try to be patient and straighten things out later. After all, he is just trying to let that “Helper Dog” spirit shine through!

"Hold on just a minute Master, I need to teach this snake a little lesson before I help with raking the leaves."

"OK Master, get the trailer emptied out and I will help load it again."

"Here I lay with un-opposable indexes, and a perfectly good wheelbarrow at hand, whats a Hound Dog to do!"

The "Prince of Irish Wolfhounds" lays in majestic repose among the golden leaves, leaving no doubt he is a mighty fine hound.

"Oh Master, I am just a humble hound dog just trying to get by in the big world."

"Penny the Meower sez: No chance of finding a "helper cat" around here!"

Dugan the Dog goes on a walk!

2008-11-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

Dugan really likes to go on walks. It’s an adventure for him to smell things on the way, and he has some favorite spots he likes to check each time for messages left by other dogs. But the real thrill for him is being greeted by people he happens to meet on the way. He just loves it when people take a minute to speak to him and give him a friendly rub on the ears.

We usually take the same route each time and it is 1.8 miles long. Now that the weather is cool enough we will go about three times a week. He can’t take the heat, so he has missed out on walks until the last few weeks. I have seen the temperature at midnight still be around 100F during the hottest part of Summer. Dugan spends a lot of time on the cool kitchen floor in the summer and doesn’t stay outside for any length of time unless it is in the morning around sunrise.

Dugan has some favorite people he sees on occasion when walking, and they love to see him too. He likes the people that work in a dentist office close to our home and they are sometimes leaving work when we are walking through their parking lot. There is one little gal that works there that Dugan loves, and when he stands next to her he can almost reach up and sniff her chin. He loves to see “Big John” (who lives on the next street over) if he is outside when we go by. We call him “Big John” because he is a large athletic man who isn’t afraid to play a little rough with Dugan. Dugan also loves Melissa; she always loves him up too. And Dugan is always happy to see Mr. Cox and his dog Sage.

Earlier this year, around Easter time we were walking when Dugan met some little children for the first time. Even though they were only big enough to look Dugan square in the face, they were not afraid of him and within a few seconds they were hugging and kissing him. Dugan thought he was in heaven. He is truly a “Gentle Giant”. As I have said before, Dugan loves all people. It is beyond his understanding why everyone doesn’t want to make his acquaintance and love him up. But some people are afraid of any dog, and especially large ones. Not all dogs are as friendly as the Irish Wolfhound, so unless you are acquainted with a dog, it isn’t a good idea to expect that it will be nice like Dugan the Dog.

Here are some pictures of Dugan the Dog that we took today on our walk through the neighborhood. Because it is Thanksgiving Day, a lot of people were outside doing things. Dugan had a great time and showed his usual genteel manners.

Dugan is ready to go and gets a chin rub from Master.

Dugan likes these certain bushes outside the Dentists office, and he likes to run his open mouth over them. We like to say he is flossing his teeth.

Dugan the Dog has his favorite sniffing spots. He will never pass this spot without checking for messages!

Master stands Dugan up so the kids can see how tall he is. If he will stand up straight all the way, he is over six feet tall!

The walk is about overwith, and Dugan the Dog looks back longingly and with regret that he is leaving newfound friends behind!

Dugan the Dog goes to the Dog Park!

2008-11-15T17:46:00.000-08:00

The cooler weather has finally arrived! Even though Dugan is a mighty hound, he is not the kind of dog that can handle hot weather. During those hottest months from the middle of May through the middle of October the high temperatures most often exceeds 100 degrees and sometimes will climb over 110. Low temps are around 90. If we did not have air conditioning so Dugan can hide inside from the heat, he could not survive. During these months Dugan does not get to do things outside except during the coolest mornings or evenings. So he misses out on walks through the neighborhood and trips to the Dog Park.

Now that things have cooled off a little, Dugan went back to the Dog Park after a long absence. Dugan likes to meet people and other dogs. Dugan loves every person in the whole world, and regrets that he cannot personally greet each one! Most other dogs like Dugan, but some of the little high strung breeds are nervous about his size and are sometimes mean to him. He always is gentle with all people and dogs, and if his friendly overture is rejected he just moves on to the next friend.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

"Penny, I will going to the Dog Park shortly, and I am leaving you in charge. Please, be a good guard cat!

Dugan waits anxiously while the truck is readied for loading up.

Dugan sez: "Hurry up Master, daylight is burning and I have the whole world to greet!"

Dugan likes riding in the truck. You can not see in this picture, but Dugan is secured by a chain from the truck bed to his harness. He is too precious a cargo to risk falling out. You can see that the side of the truck bed is not much of a barrier for the Prince of Irish Wolfhounds.

This place appears to be the community canine poop-fest. Too many owners do not clean up after their dogs.

"Hey Master, I am getting a little hot and thirsty!"

"Thanks Master, I needed that!"

"Hi Dugan, how is the weather up there?

Dugan sez to the new people: "Just in case you didn't know it, I love you!"

Dugan the Dog mingles with the other dogs.

Dugan now has a playmate!

2008-10-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

I kid you not Dugan, that mouse I killed was this big!

Penny, Master gets angry when I get on the counter, maybe you had better get down.

Thanks for combing out my muzzle hairs Penny!

This is how I play dead!

Penny, does your Mother know you play with dogs?

Best Pals.

One inch closer and I'll get you!

Penny sez: I'm not sure which end of this dog smells worse!

Nap time!

Dugan now has a playmate! We have a new kitten at our house, and Dugan is very excited about it. Her name is Penny and we got her from the county’s animal incarceration center for unwanted animals (the Pound).

Dugan is very friendly with other animals. The only problem is he thinks that everyone else (animals and people) must be as happy to see him as he is to see them. Dugan shows that he is happy to make acquaintances with a puppy-like wiggly exuberance. To see a 150 lb dog dance around would frighten any dog-shy individual. It is hard for a cat to warm up to such an introduction, but Penny has made a friend of Dugan in less than 2 weeks.

Penny weighs only 4 lbs, and it is really something to see her fearlessly face up to Dugan when he starts to play a little too rough. Penny is very affectionate, she likes to be petted. When she starts to purr, it sounds like she has a little motor running inside of her. We are glad to see a warm friendship forming between Dugan the Dog and Penny the Meower!

Dugan used to be little!

2008-09-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Not so long ago, Dugan the Dog used to be a little fellow. We are so accustomed to having a giant dog, that we forget how fun it was when he was a little tyke. We were perusing some earlier pictures of Dugan and were remembering how fun he was when he was a little puppy! Dugan is a lot of fun now, but it was different to have a little puppy to watch grow and learn. We're going to post some pictures of Dugan from those early days and hope you enjoy these fun pictures, I know we enjoyed looking at them again. There's a video at the end of this blog, Dugan doesn't bark this much anymore. Dugan takes his last nap with a sibling before he comes to our house.

Dugan the Dogs "Tail" of Destruction!

2008-08-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

Dugan is a peace loving and friendly dog; he is a happy hound. But when Dugan is extra happy he unleashes the awesome and destructive power of his mighty tail. His tail is 26 inches long (28 inches to the tip of his tail fur). When he starts wagging that tail around vigorously you can hear some heavy thumping and clunking as he whacks furniture, cupboard doors, appliances, walls, and etc. If your legs are in the way, the blows are painful, especially if you get a direct blow to the shin!

For the most part, Dugan is restricted to the kitchen area of the house. But if Dugan is extra clean we will let him into other areas of the house for short times. We have a long hallway that runs down the center of the house. It is about 3 feet wide and its walls are covered with pictures, in some places on both sides. Some of the lower pictures are only 2-1/2 feet off of the floor. If Dugan the Dog gets happy when he is in the hallway and if he runs down the hall for some reason like to greet someone, his tail is just thrashing pictures on the way sending them flying down to the carpet. It doesn’t seem to bother him any, he is oblivious to the swath of destruction left in his wake. Much to her consternation, it does seem to unduly annoy the Wife. I just chuckle and put things back together as best I can. About this time, Dugan is sent back to his “hole”, the kitchen. Dugan prepares to smash a picture or two with one mighty swish of his awesome tail.

Dugan with Master in the hallway.

c d b d iiii?

"Master, is that you down there?

Trouble for Dugan the Dog!

2008-07-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

I had written in an earlier blog about Dugan’s treatment at the Vet for allergies. Things went terribly wrong. We had taken him to the Vet because he had itchy front feet and he had started to lick and chew them. The Vet gave him a cortisone shot; that was a mistake! Dugan developed an abscess in his loin from the shot. This abscess didn’t become apparent until after more than two weeks after his shot, and then it appeared suddenly. It was so large that it looked like someone’s large hand was hidden under his hide on one side of his back. When it suddenly appeared I feared the worst and thought of cancer. Then it occurred to me that the vet may have given him his shot there, so I called the vet and asked if his file showed where they injected him. They said he was injected in the loin and leg. We hauled him down there and they drew fluid out and it was pus and blood. He had lost 13 pounds and was looking gaunt and was still licking and chewing his toes. Dugan took antibiotics and prednisone by pill form and the abscess disappeared within two weeks. He is fleshing out again and is livelier. I have taken some Aloe Vera we have growing here and made my own salve, and put it between his front toes a couple of times and he has quit chewing so far! Anyway, things are about back to normal for everyone. We are waiting out Summer for cooler weather. The thermometer read 110F a few minutes ago, so we don’t exercise Dugan except in the early morning when temperatures have plummeted down to 90F.

Here are more fun pictures and a video of Dugan digging for a gopher.

Master gets a juicy kiss.

"Hey Master, why don't you cut out the deodorant, you could smell a little stronger!"

"OK Master, what is it you want to talk about"

"Oh Master, I wuv you!"

Dugan has a little dirt on his snout from gopher digging.

Dugan sez: "I think my noggin is a little longer than a foot".

"Master, I don't know how I keep up with everything!"

"Lets see now, where is that gopher hiding?"

"Ahh, nothing like a stretch in the cool grass to sooth the savage beast."

Fun Pictures Of Dugan the Dog!

2008-07-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Dugan is a mighty fine hound. He is a lot of fun and we like him a lot. Here are some pictures of the Prince of Irish Wolfhounds, hope you like them.

What do you think Master, are my nails getting a little long?

Just because you put my food bowl up high, I'm not going to believe you when you say I'm eating high on the hog.

Master, I want to hold your hand, but this is the best I can do!

You know, they don't make playground balls like they used to!

Ha Ha Ha Master, that was a good joke! Tell me the one about the one eyed, three legged Cat again!

Keeping things out of reach takes on new dimensions with Dugan the Dog!

A fine example of what "Dog Tired" looks like!

"I'm a poor little hound trying to make it in the big world"

"Dugan the Dog: Defender of the truth, protector of the helpless, feared enemy of all evil doers". He's got an eye out for you!

"Dugan, you are one GINORMOUS hound. You come all the way up to my belt."

Dugan gets a real charge when master squeezes his rear leg muscles and exclaims: "OOH, YOU'VE GOT STRONG MUSCLES!!"

"In case you didn't know, Dugan is one mighty fine Hound!"

Dugan likes to stop at the gas station during his "blow dry" after his weekly bath. Other customers like to come greet him, Dugan likes that!

"Say friend, can you spare a treat for a dog who's down and out on his luck?"

Dugan the Dog goes to the Doctor

2008-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Whoodathunk! Dugan has allergies. Over the last months we have noticed that Dugan would spend some of his spare time licking his front paws. More recently he started to chew between his toes, so something had to be done.

Dugan likes to go places, even to the Vets. Dugan goes to the Aberdeen Animal Hospital for his medical care, and all the staff know who Dugan is and they always give him a friendly greeting. The Vet said that allergies are common in dogs and typical symptoms are feet chewing, scratching, licking, rashes. The Doc gave Dugan a cortisone shot and said we should give him fish oil each day along with benadryl. This should relieve the itching sensations and allow him to heal the small sores between his toes.

Hey Master, maybe you had better heft me up on the examination table before the Doc comes in!

I hear friends out there!

Whats all this stuff?

Dugan gets off the scale, he lost a little weight due to summer heat.

Dugan the Dog is not a crotch sniffer!

2008-06-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

Having a dog (especially a large one) means that you sometimes must endure the embarrassing and/or annoying things that dogs will do. Things like your dog drinking out of the toilette or sniffing peoples crotches. We hate it when Dugan sneaks into one of the bathrooms and drinks out of the toilette. He will come out of the bathroom drizzling toilette water off his beard onto everything. Yuk!

Dugan the Dog is a very affectionate dog. He likes to be petted, especially around his ears, eyes, and chin. He also likes his side rubbed while he leans up against you, and he likes you to reach down and squeeze his rear leg muscles while you exclaim: “you are a mighty hound, just feel those strong muscles!” He gets a real charge out of it.

Because Dugan loves getting his facial areas rubbed, and if you are next to him and he feels that you are not paying the kind of attention to him that such a fine dog deserves, he will take the initiative and rub his head against you! When he was a little younger and smaller, he would get a double rub by going between your legs so he was getting rubbed on both sides simultaneously (and at the same time too)! Now he is too big for that trick, so instead he will vigorously rub his face against you. If you have ever been around cows, it kind of reminds you of a calf trying to stimulate his mother’s milk by pushing his face and head against her udder. Anyway, it can be kind of embarrassing when he meets strangers because it appears that he his forcefully poking his face in their groin area, when his only interest is to get the obligatory face rub he feels he deserves. Unfortunately, when he ducks his head a little to bring it up for a rub, his head is at the same height as most peoples private zone.

So if you happen to come upon Dugan, do yourself a favor and save our family some embarrassment. Please, quickly give Dugan the attention he feels he deserves! It’s especially a lot less painful for the men folk!

Dugan takes a roll in the grass, reveling in the goodness of his doggy life.

Dugan tries pulling April with his tail.

Dugan with his favorite balls.

Dugan the Dog Plays

2008-06-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Dugan catches up with his "prey".

The soccer balls meets its maker.

Dugan chomps his snake.

"Tastes just like chicken!"

Dugan has a "little" spring in his step.

Dugan steals the ball from Master.

Dugan and his red "ball".

Dugan relaxes after murdering his soccer ball.

Dugan and his red "ball".

Be sure to check out the videos at the end of this post!

Dugan really likes to play, and he has many toys to play with. I think his favorite toy is a red playground ball that is not even a ball anymore because Dugan has punctured it with his teeth and has ripped chunks off of it. All that is left of it is a floppy scrap of red rubber. Dugan likes to bring this ball remnant to me and play a little tug-of-war game, and when I finally get it away from his vise grip jaws he likes me to tease him with it so he can leap up and try to grab it away from me. Then I throw it out across the yard and he runs and snatches it up on the run and brings it back for more. Sometimes Dugan will let me know when he thinks it is playtime by bringing this toy into the house and poking it firmly against me until I notice him and go outside with him. He likes his soccer ball a whole bunch too. He likes me to dribble it around the patio while he tries to steal it from me. He also likes me to throw or kick it across the yard, where he catches up with it while it is still rolling, and instead of grabbing it, he trips it up by running over the top of it (like he was chasing a rabbit or other small critter on the run, tripping it up). Then he likes to hold it down on the ground between his front legs, chest, and mouth, growling all the while. Then he likes me to poke the ball with my foot while he is holding it down and he makes an extra fierce growling. He will then let me pull it out of his grip (he is growling all the more) so I can throw or kick it again. Dugan has a lot of fun with a large diameter rope that hangs from a tree. He enjoys doing battle with it by whipping it around with his mouth while he makes leaps this way and that. I think he imagines he is locked in mortal combat with a giant snake. Its one toy he will play with by himself, but he enjoys it if someone joins in the battle and tugs on it with him. It makes you feel “little” if you are standing by him when he leaps up with the rope in his mouth and see him towering over you. He like Frisbee type toys too, although he never has taken to trying to catch them before they land. It's too hard for him to catch up with one in flight. He can run fast once he gets going but he is not quick to get off the blocks. He likes to run and pick it up and bring it back. He will carry it off and chew on it when he has had enough. We cannot leave any Frisbee out in the yard or he will destroy it in a short time. Dugan likes to play tug-of-war with just about anything. An amazing thing about Dugan is that he will not accidentally (or on purpose) bite you. During our rough playing his teeth may collide with some part of you like your hand or arm, but he never bites down! He has some way of sensing that his teeth are in contact with a human and not a toy, and will not clamp his jaw shut. That’s real nice! During play time, Dugan will reach a peak of excitement and drop whatever he is playing with and start running for the joy of it. He will run big circles around the yard and make close passes by you so you can just barely touch him and growl at him as he speeds by! It’s something to see.

Dugan the Dog had a birthday!

2008-06-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

Dugan had a birthday on May 29 2008. He is now 2 years old. He has been a lot of fun in the last 22 months since he came to be at our house. He is a very fun and loving hound. Always so gentle unless I start playing rough with him, and then he is still very careful not to hurt. We hope that he will be with us a long time. It is typical of the giant breeds, that the expected life span is only 6 to 8 years. But remember that all dogs go to heaven, and when his time comes they will be saving him a front row seat. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Dugan Eats A Carrot Yum Yum!!!

Dugan Shakes Hands

Dugan Snuggles

Master, I Love You

Dugan says: "What do you mean I'm not a lap dog?"

Dugan says: "Nice to see you again"

Happy Birthday Dugan! You're a Mighty Fine Hound!

Dugan the Dog Eats!

2008-05-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

It has been an amazing thing to see Dugan grow! He will be two years old on May 29, 2008, and when he was at the Vet about 3 weeks ago he weighed 150 lbs. As he matures he may get a little heavier, but we do not expect him to get any taller. He is 36 inches at the shoulder and can rest his chin on the kitchen counter. He could easily drink out of the kitchen sink standing flat footed. When he relaxes on the vinyl floor in the kitchen, you can count seven 12" squares from the tip of his tail to the tip of his nose. If I stand Dugan up on his hind legs and put his front paws on my shoulders, he is taller than I am even though he is leaning forward a bit and is not standing up perfectly straight.
Hey Master, you might want to cut back on your tooth brushing, I like to smell a little stronger breath!

How was Dugan the Dog able to attain his majestic stature? Quite simply put, he ingested massive volumes of organic materials (AKA dog food) and water and his magical Irish Wolfhound body assimilated this stuff, converting it into dog matter such as bones, muscle, guts, etc. on the largest scale almost beyond comprehension. There were some weeks between Vet visits that his weight gain averaged a pound per day! The Vet was concerned; his bones were growing too fast and had the potential for problems with weak bones and joints. The Vet had me take him off Large Breed Puppy Food and put him on Large Breed Adult Food. We didn’t need to be in too much of a hurry, the giant breeds take about two years or more to grow to full size so we throttled his growth rate back. Strenuous exercise is discouraged during the first 18 months or longer to prevent damage to joints, so we did not encourage a lot or running and jumping.

(If the slide show stops, click your refresh button. Also put your mouse pointer on the picture for the caption)

Depending on how hot it gets outside Dugan the Dog eats about 40 pounds of food in a month. He slacks up a little if it is during the hottest part of summer. We have always put his food bowl up higher so he doesn’t have to reach to the ground to get his food. This is recommended for large and giant breeds to prevent medical problems i.e. eating disorders. He gets fed morning and evening, about every 12 hours. When I was a Scoutmaster, we would comment that hungry boys could eat “with the gusto of hound dogs” (that’s something to visualize isn’t it?). He has never been one to bolt his food down like most hound dogs, which I attribute to not having another dog to compete with at meal time. Most of the time he lets part of his food fall out of his mouth onto the porch, and often leaves food in his dish till the next meal. He will bolt down leftovers from masters table, but we usually throw them to the chicken. If he leaves food in his dish, he gets shorted on the amount I put out next meal, so he doesn’t get extra. I figure he has about the right amount of fat on him, and it is too much trouble to get an overweight dog back into form.

We used to keep water on the back porch for him, but with his noble looking beard, we soon tired of him coming into the house with water drizzling off his muzzle, especially as he got taller. Now we keep a water bucket out in the middle of the yard next to the chicken pen. This allows him time to drip off the water if he heads to the house after a drink. We always kid Dugan about drinking “chicken water”.

For a few weeks earlier this year he had a distressing problem with gas (Dugan didn’t seem too distressed, just the people in the house), and loose stools. After some experimenting with different food we gave him some probiotic pills called Culturelle (they are really for people). They keep the live cultures encapsulated until it gets into his intestines and away from stomach acids. They worked! He doesn’t need the pills now but I keep some on hand for emergencies. Your dog could have these problems if they have been on antibiotics. Dugan also eats a large raw carrot every day, and now his stools are well formed and solid, making for easy cleanup. (Those “pudding piles” are bad, especially if you need to clean up on a walk in the neighborhood!) Some people give their dogs raw apples or canned pumpkin to keep things firmed up, that works too.

Dugan the Dog IS NOT A HORSE!

2008-05-04T18:50:00.001-07:00

From left to right: Horse, Dog.

Dugan loves people. If you are a “hooman bean” he has the greatest affection for you! One of the greatest thrills for Dugan is to be greeted by people, especially new acquaintances. Unfortunately for Dugan, this source of great happiness is also ironically the source of his soul wrenching identity crisis. Sometimes Dugan has a dark fear that he is not really a dog like I have always told him; sometimes he doubts his dog identity and suspects deep inside that he is really a horse. Many a night I have had to console Dugan as he lies down to sleep “don’t worry about the ignorant things people say; you are really a dog. You are not a horse. I saw your mother and father, and brothers and sisters. Trust me Dugan, as you’re Master I would never lead you astray, you are really a dog. You are just a little on the large side.”
When Dugan meets people for the first time they are especially impressed with his size. It would be enough to say “that is the biggest dog I have ever seen” or “he is really huge” or “that is one ginormous hound dog!” One little kid who saw Dugan for the first time said with his eyes bugging out “now that’s a dog!”
Unfortunately, sometimes people unknowingly make comments that cause Dugan to doubt. He puts on a happy face and does a good job of hiding his hurting inside, and still gives all his affection to the person greeting him. But comments like “that’s not a dog that’s a horse!” or “you could throw a saddle on him and ride him!” really cut him to the quick. So puleeez, when you are greeting Dugan leave out any reference to a horse. Just in case you are not sure of the difference, look at the pictures of Dugan with the neighbor’s horse. A close examination of these pictures will reveal the subtle differences between horses and Dugan the Dog. Their horse is old and sick, so don’t think it is abused.

Dugan the Dog Gets a Bath

2008-04-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

Dugan the Dog gets his bath.

Dugan the Dog is a dog with some strong muscles. But after a week without a bath, it isn’t just his muscles that are strong. You could say that the atmosphere is very thick immediately around him. Dugan usually gets a bath every Saturday (whether he needs it or not). When he was a little fellow baths were accomplished without too much difficulty, I simply picked him up and put him in the tub and I knelt down beside him and used a shower hose to wet him down and rinse him off. I could easily turn him around to rinse one side and then the other.
But now Dugan is a little larger, he weighs 150 lbs and is about 5 ft long without stretching out his tail. It’s impossible for him to turn around in the tub. Nowadays Dugan gets bathed in the walk-in shower. Dugan has a pretty good attitude about it all; he reluctantly but obediently walks into the shower stall after the bathroom door is shut behind him. Then he plops down while heaving a huge sigh. After getting the water running at the appropriate temperature, I wet him down while he is lying there and when I need to wet underneath him I say firmly “stand up please”. It always amazes me but he will always stand up when I ask. After he is soaked down good, I lather him up good with a shampoo that is made for horses. This shampoo works well because it doesn’t dry his fur and skin out too much. I never tell him that he is using horse shampoo because he is very sensitive about being compared to a horse! I use baby shampoo around his eyes to make it a more tolerable experience for him. Then I rinse him down, going quickly when I rinse his face. He hates getting his face rinsed! Then I towel dry him with 2 large bath towels. He is very happy when he gets towel dried and he starts acting giddy.
It does not matter how good you shampoo Dugan, he always smells like a wet dog. This presents a dilemma. I have him all nice and clean, but I don’t want to put him outside while he is damp because he will roll around and get filthy. If I leave him in the house, he will stink up the place. It would take forever to try to dry him with a hair dryer. So the solution that works well and makes him happy is to load him up in the back of the pickup truck and drive him around till he is dry. He wears a harness (special ordered for his size) and is secured by a light chain that is fastened to the bed of the truck. You have probably observed that most dogs like the wind in their face during a car ride. Here is my theory on why they like this: Dogs take pleasure in smelling things, and the air being rammed up their snouts amplifies the sensation of smells. Dugan’s chain is just long enough to let him put his head around the side of the truck and get a 45-50 MPH wind up his snout. He likes it.
After the truck ride, Dugan gets brushed out to remove any loose hair. I use a brush you would normally groom a calf or horse on his smooth and flat spots, and a nylon brush for his more boney and delicate spots. After the bathing, drying, and brushing, Dugan looks quite dapper. He will usually lie in the kitchen and relax.

Dugan the Dog gets his nails filed.

2008-04-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

Dugan is all relaxed from his tooth brushing and ready for the weekly nail filing.

"Dugan, quit talking to me, you are making me loose count on the number of strokes"

The best tool I can find for Dugans nails, a 10" "fatherless" file

One of the many ongoing maintenance things that are commensurate with dog ownership is nail trimming. Dugan the Dog has a genuine set of dog nails! They are big, they are tough, and they grow fast. He doesn’t have dew claws, and I’m not sure if he was born that way or maybe they were removed by the breeder before we got him. Anyway, the sixteen claws he has are “industrial duty”. It is amazing to see him at work when he gets in a digging mood. He can really make the dirt fly. He never digs just for the sake of digging, but reserves his digging efforts for trying to get gophers, or if I am involved with some shovel work Dugan will join in and try a little digging too. I call Dugan my “helper dog” because he frequently tries to get involved in the things I am doing out in the yard. He means well and he has a good heart, but I usually need to straighten things out after he is done. I feel kind of mean if I discourage him and tell him to get out of the way. After all, he is just trying to let that “helper dog” spirit shine through.

Anyway, you would think that with all the long walks on concrete and asphalt, and having a big yard to play in, that he would wear down those nails, but not so! It is really painful if you are barefooted and he steps on your foot, it makes you utter an anguished cry of pain. The problem with Dugan is that he does not want you cutting those nails! Whatever type of nail clippers you have, he will not sit still when he feels those clippers touch his nails. You may say, “No problem, just hold him down or get someone else to hold him”. It’s easier said than done my friends. Dugan would be a great wrestler; he can get out of any hold you can think of. My vet said they would trim his nails for a small nominal fee so I hauled him down there. After a few minutes, the vet came out and admitted defeat. They had put him on a table and several of the staff (some of them strong men) tried to hold him down but he wouldn’t submit. Of course Dugan never gets mean or mad about all of this; he just wiggles out of anything you try and gets unhappy but never bites. The vet suggested sedating him and we did that a few times, but I didn’t like the idea of doping him up the rest of his life for nail trimming, so I devised a plan.

I had been successful in training him for tooth brushing, so I started playing with his toes when we were done brushing and he still had his feet up while he is on his back. I gave up with the idea of ever “cutting” his nails, so I started devising ways to sand his nails down. After trying a few different ideas, it turns out the best thing is to use is a file that you would find in a metal shop. In shop tool terminology it is called a 10” Flat Bastard Cut file. It is a “course” file (that is why they call it bastard, it’s almost like an extra fine wood rasp) made for the quick removal of metal. For the sake of our more sensitive readers, I will hereafter refer to it as the “fatherless file”. So every Monday morning immediately after the tooth brushing is done and Dugan lies relaxed on the floor, each nail gets 25 to 30 strokes of the fatherless file. He does good putting up with it, but he does get impatient when I get to working on his rear feet. We get the job done anyway. Any other dog would be eager to display his masterfully filed nails, but Dugan being the kind of dog that he is, keeps his nails modestly concealed under his fur. Dugan is so humble.

Dugan the Dog Brushes His Teeth

2008-04-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Dugan says: Oh boy! Here come the toothpaste!

Be sure you don't miss a spot.

I think you missed one of those back molars.

Uhm, yummy!

Give my tongue a swipe while your at it.

Oh no, I think the toothpaste is about gone!

We all have routines. Especially when it comes to the things we do daily in regards to our personal hygiene. Most of us have a pattern of morning duties we execute with an almost religious devotion. We arise from bed, we bathe; use the toilette, shave, and fix hair etc. on a schedule that usually is much regimented. So it is with Dugan too. First thing every morning, after I come out to greet him, Dugan gets his teeth brushed. Dugan looks forward to this daily event, not because he thinks oral hygiene is nifty, but he thinks his doggy toothpaste is a treat! Dugan’s toothpaste is one of three flavors: beef, poultry, or peanut. He likes them all!

For his tooth brushing treat, Dugan has been trained to lie down on the floor and lay on his back with his feet up. Then I straddle him and kneel on one knee, keeping my knee and foot close to his sides. This allows me to keep him straight upside down without flopping over on one side or the other. I then take his toothbrush (already loaded with toothpaste) and move it towards his mouth presenting the back of the brush into his mouth first. If I try to put it in his mouth toothpaste side first, he always moves his mouth in anxious anticipation and gets the toothpaste all over in the fur around his mouth, what a mess! After the brush is in his mouth, I quickly give his teeth a brushing using a pattern of movement through his ample mouth so all teeth are scrubbed. I must go quickly and efficiently before all the toothpaste flavor disappears, or he will not feel the necessity of continued cooperation. After the tooth brushing is done, Dugan enjoys laying there and getting his ears massaged and his eyes and chin rubbed. While he is relaxed in this contented state of mind, once a week I will file his nails down. Nail care for Dugan is another interesting story for later.
Thanks for the chin rub Master.

Ahh, that eye rub feels great!

Nothing like a ear massage to sooth the savage beast, thanks Master!

After the tooth brushing and massaging is done, Dugan lays quietly and ponders how good his little doggy life is.

How Dugan the Dog came to be at our house!

2008-04-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

Dugan the Dog as he leaves the breeders house July 2006

Dugan the Dogs first day at our house in July 2006

Many years ago we had a problem with coyotes in our neighborhood. They would come into our yard and kill our chickens. Because we are inside the city limits, I could not shoot them with a rifle, and I am not clever enough to get close enough to shoot them with arrows. I was telling a friend about the problem with coyotes and he said I should check out the Irish Wolfhound. I thought to myself they must be a fierce and mean breed if they can kill wolfs, (the Irish Wolfhound was used to eradicate all wolfs in Ireland, there are none left) even the name sounds fierce! I started reading everything I could find on them. An interesting thing you will find in almost all books about Irish Wolfhounds, they all start with this description - “THE GENTLE GIANT”. It’s hard to believe that this dog that was trained to kill wolfs and pull men off of horses in battle could be at heart a gentle giant, but it is true!

Anyway, as my study of the breed continued through the years, my admiration of this great dog grew. Unknown to me, my wife was saving money so we could get one. Finally in the year 2006 Cheryl suggested we should get one for my birthday and surprised me that she had the money to do it. The coyote problem had abated because of housing development in our neighborhood. Still, I wanted one, even if we no longer had a practical reason to have one. I put up a good fence and we traveled south to Tucson to get our Hound.

Having Dugan is a treat. You get a special feeling being close to him. I liken it to the special feeling people get when playing with dolphins. The Irish Wolfhound and Dolphins are animals with a higher intellect, and you can tell there really is a “light on in the attic” when you look them in the eye.

Dugan the Dog now full grown prepares for his daily toothbrushing April 2008

"Blog", what kind of word is it anyway?/ Dugan is cool!

2008-04-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

Dugan the Dog at 5 months takes a break from his many doggie duties to relax on the grass.

Have you ever thought about it? Blog is kind of a funny word. It actually sounds ugly. I do not know where it came from, but somebody could have picked a nicer sounding word. A few years ago, if someone came up to me and said "I blogged today" I wouldn't have known what that was about. In my own mind, if someone said that to me, logical responses would have been "Well, I hope you cleaned up after yourself", or "I'm so sorry to hear that, is it contagious?", or "Thankfully your mother died giving you birth, if she found out she would just die of shame". Anyway, now I am more "edjumacated" on such things but I am still quite a dunce when it comes to computers and stuff like that. I actually believe that all computers are built with internal sensor circuits that can detect me when I get in close proximity and cause the computer to freeze up or otherwise malfunction! Its the only logical explanation for how they behave when I get close to one.

So here I go on my new adventure of blogging about a wonderful dog, Dugan the Dog! Dugan is a special dog from a special breed. In my own mind I would say that the Irish Wolfhound is the King of dog breeds, and that Dugan is the Prince of his breed. A couple of things that distinguish the Irish Wolfhound is that they are very large and very friendly. Dugan is almost two years old at this writing, and he is seven feet long from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail when he is laid out on the ground. He weighed about 150 lbs last time at the Vets office, and he is 36 inches tall at the shoulder and he can drink out of the kitchen sink standing flat footed on the floor. The Irish Wolfhound is supposed to be the largest breed, but others are heavier. You could think of the Irish Wolfhound as a ginormous, hairy Greyhound. Dugan is the friendliest dog ever and is always a happy hound. He loves the whole of Humanity and wants to be friends with all other dogs. He likes cats too but none of them are brave enough to warm up to him. Because Dugan is so friendly, since his birth on May 29 2006 all dictionaries are published with a snap shot of Dugans mug next to the word friendly! No kidding.

Dugan the Dog (he's a mighty fine hound!)

2008-04-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Introducing Dugan, an Irish Wolfhound. When you own a dog like Dugan, after a while you're not sure who owns who. I will occasionally blog some details about the different aspects of life with Dugan. To be continued...