DONNER--When I first got him in November 1995

DONNER and STORM Playing November 1995"

On the first day at my house, Donner found a stuffed toy that he carried around for days. Perhaps it gave him a sense of comfort. Storm outweighed him by 60lbs but was very gentle when playing. He never played as roughly with Donner as he did with Sasha. He also never took the toy away from Donner. Just a game to welcome him into the family.

Aw Mom, Do I have to sit still? I wanna play ball!

DONNER--A Big Boy Now June 1998

As you can see, Donner has done pretty well in almost 3 years that I've had him. He is a loving & happy member of the family. He has appointed himself as protector against birds that dare land anywhere within sight. He also protects us against thunderstorms by barking at the thunder and lightening. In case you're wondering about his name, DONNER is a variation of the German word for Thunder. He has a deep voice for barking. He is also a talker like a lot of Rotties. He tends to mutter a lot when he feels slighted. He's my self-appointed alarm clock in case I dare sleep past 5:00am. His other objective in life is to meet and greet everyone and everything he sees. Not the least bit aggressive except for the birds. It does get a little noisy sometimes because we live near the Oceana Naval Air Station. Jets are classified as birds and therefore must be run off. He has a perfect record since no jet has landed in our yard!

Please don't think that this was the easiest makeover ever tried. Donner was starving for food and love. He also needed obedience training. Left alone for more than a few minutes, he would clear off the counters and eat things I didn't know were edible. Twice, he opened cans of Campbells' soup that my husband left out on the counter. I mean he took those teeth and bit the cans in half. Then cleaned out each side. He ate part of a bacon press and chewed the handles of a set of Eversharp knives. It took weeks of intensive training to get him so I trusted him alone in the house. For one week, I took him to school every morning (thanks! Canine Training Unlimited) and picked him up at 9:00 every night. Would I do it again? YES!
I would not have missed this transformation for anything. He has returned my love and care many times over. Do you have room in your heart and home for such a treasure? You will change if you give it a try.

My Favorite Links

Favorite Rottie Site
Prayer For The Animals
The Purina Dog Chow People
Lotta Dog Sites