Meet Our own deaf
Dane  Ambassador
Xander
RIP our sweet Xander
I just heard from Xander's adopters that they had to have him put to sleep.

 
6/28/2011
Hi Marc,
...I want to let you know that Xander passed on April 5th.  I cannot even write this without crying.  It has taken me this long to acknowledge it - I have not actually come out and said it.  I am so sorry.  You have no idea.  I am so lost without him.  My heart is broken, and I feel so empty.  I miss my boy so much.  It was so sad how it happened. You probably know that I (moved) on April 1st... Xander did not take the change well.  His hind end was not holding up (neuropathy), and he was constantly anxious and could not leave my sight, I was having to walk him on leash in my parents' neighborhood (where we have been living since then), his toes were bleeding constantly, and both he and Sequoia were just shutting down.  I made the decision to let them both go as Sequoia's larynx was paralyzed, she was 16, she could no longer hold her urine at all, and she was going downhill fast, also.
Oh God, this is hard.  I had no idea it would be so hard to put this into reality - see it on a screen. ... I miss my boy like I never even imagined I could.  I know it is a huge gift that I got from December, when I thought I was losing him, to April.  But I really thought he would live forever.

Amy Jo
    Adopted 11/16/04!!



  • Gender- male
  • Age/DOB - 01/14/03
  • Height  at the shoulder -
  • Weight - 125
  • Spayed/Neutered -yes
  • Taken in on  - 07/23/03
  • Available as of - now
  • Housebroken - yes
  • Obedience trained - yes
  • Good with other dogs - Yes
    •
    • with cats - yes
    • with kids - yes
    • with the elderly - Yes
      •
  • Temperament - Very affectionate can be headstrong and spoiled. Used to getting his way. Mostly pretty laid back.



  • Comments
    •
Xander is a sweet affectionate dog, though not quite as affectionate as his sister Lilly. He is obedient when he wants to be, but is very headstrong and has had success in the past at throwing a tantrum till he gets his way. He will need someone who is firm but loving, and patient. He wants to please so he is easy to train. His back legs (we think his hips) are not good. He will likely develop arthritis in his old age, and he will always be a bit weaker in the rear than the front.

Update 12/20/03 - Xander is really starting to mature. He has gotten much more affectionate, and is a sweet goof of a dog. He has gotten over his tantrums, but he still whines like crazy when he wants something. He is crate trained and is in our basic obedience class right now. Despite his "bad" back legs, he is am immensely strong dog. He will need to be kept well trained, and his owner will have to be consistent with him or he will eventually be pulling them all over the place. Xander is a great dog overall. He will develop into a wonderful couch pal for someone. Or a great walking/hiking companion. The more exercise he gets at this point, the better. He is not on any medication and aside from some poor conformation and weakness of the back legs, he is healthy as can be. Xander tends to be very stoic. He broke a dew claw playing one day when he first got here, and never made a sound. And not too long ago he broke off a nail completely. Not sure when it happened except that it was while I was outside feeding some other dogs. Again he never made a sound, never seemed to be in any discomfort and pretty much ignored it entirely. If it hadn't been for a little blood on the floor I wouldn't have even noticed it for days I am sure.

Update 4/3/04 - Well Xander is a young adult now. He is no longer subservient to the "big dogs." He isn't aggressive or anything, he just stand up for himself when they try to dominate or bully him. And he is very powerful, so he usually puts them in their place. His back legs have gotten better with all the exercise he's been getting and he has become quite the young man. He still has his petulant side, like when he is locked away from the action, but he is generally well behaved. His one big "problem" is he gets so excited when folks come over that he can barely contain himself and so he tends to jump up on people. This can easily be trained out of him once he is in a new home.  He is very affectionate and loves to cuddle or bury his face in your lap. He has matured into a very nice dog and will make someone a wonderful companion.

Update 8/13/04 - Xander is a full grown adult now and has really blossomed. He still gets a little manic when we have visitors, but other than that he is a quiet, well mannered dog. He is patient and puts up with a ton of abuse from the puppies, but when he has had enough, he lets them know without getting too rough. He is very affectionate and loves cuddles. He is generally quiet and well behaved, though he does sometimes still raise a fuss if he is locked away from the action. He has become a great family pet and will really make someone very happy. Xander has an extremely balanced, well adapted personality. He is a real pleasure to be around.

Click here to fill out an application to adopt Xander or any of the DDRI dogs.
We will post additional photos of Xander as time goes by, so check back often.
And if you have any questions about Xander or any of our dogs, email us or call us at 541-782-2242


 

Video Clip

click on images to see full sized version
 
The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool out of himself too.  - Samuel Butler
Website © Copyright DDRI, 2002-2011