'He's incredibly sweet and gentle': Wholesome neighbor impulsively adopts neighbor's Great Dane hours before move out, saving the poor pupper from life in an animal shelter

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  • 01
    This is kind of an impulsive situation, and I already have 2 cats but I've just taken in my neighbor's dog because they moved out today. I didn't even know they had a dog, never heard him bark, never saw him outside. He's a Great Dane, and I've never owned a dog before... let alone one this big.
  • 02
    He's incredibly sweet and gentle, and I'd really like to keep him, but I have no idea where to start. I called Banfield Pet Hospital to see if I could bring him in, but they said I'd need his papers. My neighbor is already gone, and they didn't leave me anything.
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    Cheezburger Image 10541887488
  • 04
    Right now, he's sleeping in my patio room on an old bed I put out for him. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things for him from here.
  • 05
    Tealover2704 12h ago Go to a vet and explain your situation to them. They should be able to help. Vaccinations might need to be a priority. I also feel like he is too skinny, as his ribs are very visible and his hip bones are protruding. Just do not feed him too much; let him gain weight naturally and do not try to speed it up.
  • 06
    pibonds 12h ago It doesn't look like he was well taken care of. You can take him to the vet and they will most likely assume that he doesn't have any vaccinations and give him everything he needs to be up to date with those. Take your time and let him decompress. He's in a new environment and will need time adjusting too.
  • 07
    Powerful_Put5667 • 12h ago Tell them your neighbors abandoned him because face it they did just that. He needs a check up. Do you know how old he is?
  • 08
    Reasonable_Minute_42 12h ago Make an appointment for the vet and just say he was abandoned and needs a health check. They may recommend starting over with vaccines, etc since there's no record and that's okay. Idk
  • 09
    how old he is, but if he's older than 6 or 7 he's considered a senior dog, so you'll want to pick up a senior dog food as it'll have stuff in it for his joints. He also looks quite underweight (hip bones way too prominent), so it should be okay to feed him extra until he's filled out more.
  • 10
    Other than that, just give him a nice quiet place to chill and get used to living in his new home! If you do want to upgrade his dog bed, try to get an orthopedic one. You're doing a great thing taking care of him.
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    Great Dane
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    Emotional_Ad_1403 • 12h ago He's so beautiful and looks at peace! He looks too skinny, though. May want to put a little weight on him
  • 13
    Sarprize_Sarprize ⚫ 12h ago Don't take him to Banfield. They're literally the bottom of the barrel veterinary clinic. Find a local vet on yelp with at least four star reviews. They won't turn you away.
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    ebonygoesdigital OP. 11h ago Thank you to everyone who's commented. I probably should've gone into a bit more detail: his name is Trooper and he's at least 5 years old. My neighbor was
  • 15
    having a yard sale, and I stopped by. As we were talking, he casually mentioned that he had a dog he couldn't take with him to his new apartment, and that 6 other people had already turned him down. He told me that if he couldn't convince someone to take him, he'd have to send him to a shelter.
  • 16
    So, I asked to meet him and was a little surprised at how comfortable he was meeting me, but he was super chill. I can't imagine him ending up in a shelter where, because of his size, he might not get adopted. So I just told him I'd take him rather impulsively.
  • 17
    They did say he's always been a pretty laid-back dog. I don't want to outright say he was abandoned, but it was basically just him at home, and he worked a lot. He feeds him twice a day, morning and night, and tries to get him an hour long walk every day.
  • 18
    Anyway, I've got him an appointment for this Friday, I did kind of lie and say he was abandoned so they'd think he was a stray.
  • 19
    As for the papers, maybe I misunderstood her, but she did say it would be more difficult to get him in without proof of ownership or vaccination records. But, I don't think my neighbor is done with the move, so next time I see him I'll ask for that.
  • 20
    Two Great Danes
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    Mindless_Divide3250 12h ago . can you do updates on this baby? id love to see his journey!
  • 22
    Heavy-Attorney-9054 12h ago That's half a great Dane. The other half will probably show up within about three months.
  • 23
    Piperbabybowman • 12h ago Poor guy!!! I'm glad he isn't with the old owners anymore, they didn't feed the poor dog
  • 24
    Aware-Experience-277 12h ago . Hi, I have a Dane! Like others have said, he needs to be eating a LOT more (but not right away). If he's younger and still growing it's also recommended to feed them food with a certain amount of protein, so that would be something to discuss with the vet. If he's not full grown he will grow RAPIDLY so buckle up!
  • 25
    You also want to look out for signs of Bloat as Danes are really vulnerable to it. Your vet can explain more about what to look out for but it's a good idea to not let him play too hard after eating and get him to the vet FAST if he starts acting like he's restless or in pain or has a swollen belly.
  • 26
    They are really wonderful dogs but I highly, highly recommend a lot of training as an out of control BIG dog is a lot to deal with. He will also be glued to your side 24/7... They are frequently called "Velcro Danes." Thanks for helping him out and enjoy
  • 27
    Skittle146 • 12h ago You can go to a tractor supply (mobile PetVet) to get vaccinations. They don't need papers. If they ask questions, tell them you have adopted a neglected/abandoned dog. You should be just fine. I went there when I got an unwanted dog from a family member. The dog had no papers and I got everything done, starting from scratch
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    Emotional_Ad_1403 · 12h ago I would figure out what boundaries you would like to have with your pet and research the best way to implement them. Obviously, it's going to be trial and error, and both of you need patience. If you open up
  • 29
    your heart, the love of a dog is one of the greatest gifts you can experience. I have two senior dogs, two small children, and 3 kittens. My dogs are my anchors. I also received my female in a very impulsive situation, and boy, am I glad I
  • 30
    did. It will take some time for both of you to adjust, and you'll start to see his personality shine more over time. It's very strange to me that he's such a big dog, and you didn't even know he was living there. Makes me question what his quailty of life was like. Whatever led him to you, or you to him, it can be the greatest friendship!
  • 31
    Odd_Hat6001 • 11h ago They are good boys. Relative to their size they don't need much exercise. Five years old is almost a senior for a giant. Talk to your vet about food. Very important the get at least one hour of quiet time after eating. Bloat, stomach flipping is dangerous. Make eye contact, show affection, speak softly and you will do great. Good luck.

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