FoxMemorial

Fox passed away on Friday November 30 2012. He had been battling an illness for a couple of months that we couldn't readily identify. He stopped eating which was very unusual for Fox. After several weeks of prednisone and dexamethisone, we got Fox eating pretty well. However, when we came home on that Friday, he was laying down and wouldn't get up or eat. He was desperately trying to get our attention and tell us it was time. We listened and helped him cross the Rainbow Bridge that evening.

Fox obtained his United Kennel Club (UKC) Championship in 2005, finishing with several group placements and the UKC's #5 Great Dane. He continued to show into the next year and finished as UKC's #6 Great Dane in 2006.

Fox completed his adult IABCA Championship in 2007 with excellent comments and another group placement!!

Fox obtained his American Kennel Club (AKC) Championship at the age of 3 years 6 months (May 2008). He was completely owner-handled from first point to last. Fox didn't particularly like to show so we did not "special" him after he completed his conformation Championship. Instead, we let him be a couch potato for a while. However, I couldn't let it stop there so we completed his Rally Novice (RN) title in June 2009.

Along the way, Fox also entered the Junior Showmanship ring with Brenden. Brenden had to really work with Fox since Fox didn't want to be there. But they did all right, earning a Best Junior handler award together.

The American Kennel Club introduced the Beginner Novice obedience class in 2011. It was something I thought even the "oldsters" such as Fox could compete in - it was mostly on leash and included no jumping. We did not finish in the ribbons at any trial, and it took us more than three... but in January of 2012 - at the age of 7 - Fox completed his BN title!

The Great Dane Club of America offers a Versatility Award to all Great Danes that complete their AKC Championship and two other AKC titles. Because Fox also had his RN and BN, we applied for his Versatility award and in November 2012, we received it in the mail! We love versatile dogs!

Over the years, we completed all of Fox's health testing needed to get his CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) number. In 2009, he passed his OFA hips (good), his OFA elbows (normal), his OFA thyroid (normal), his OFA cardiac (normal), and his CERF (normal). We redid his thyroid, eyes, and cardiac in 2011 (all again normal).

Never one to let the dogs sit and do nothing, we brought Fox out in 2012 to compete in Veterans at our specialty. To our great delight, he won a Best Veteran in Specialty award at the first specialty of the day. He then went on to win Best Opposite in Veteran Sweeps.

Fox was a wonderful example of a healthy, obedient, conformationally correct Great Dane. His personality was ALL Great Dane. His passing has left a gigantic hole in our hearts that will never be replaced. He was everything we wanted in a Great Dane. We love you Fox. We miss you Fox. But we know you are out of pain now and happily playing at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for us.