We lost dauber on Thursday october 20th. It was sudden and unexpected and this is the last thing I would be doing is posting him in a memorial column. I figured I had at least another year maybe 2 with him, but I guess the Gods had a different plan.
His name is Dauber Von Kaiser (translates to Dauber the king). He was a Mantle colored Great Dane Born Novemer 5th, 2000. I had always wanted a Geat Dane ever since I saw Max Dugan Returnes with Matthew Broderick... The dane that Max got for him... Plato (kept getting called Pluto). I was hooked.
I had been with Daubie since he was 3 weeks old. At the breeder's every week visiting and hanging out with him, getting to know him and him me, I really was smitten and couldn't wait for him to turn 10 weeks old. I remember the day we brought him home my Boston Terrier, Mr. Bean thought he must have been some wierd genetic freak of a boston being the same color and natrually took it upon himself to raise Dauber as a brother. So yes we had a 130 pound dog that would give up Alpha to a 30 pound boston in a heart beat... as far as Dauber knew Bean might as well had been his daddy. I knew he was something special...
Dauber had always been a Paws on learner and was an eager student and you could really see that he had a protective caring side for people. he really never wanted to see anyone get hurt so I decided to train him to work with Parkinson'a patients and to do animal assistedphysical therapy. he picked up on it great, and really loved the training. I knew he was ready to work one day when the director of adult protective services was trying to get over a snow berm to go to the hospital we were training around that day. She lost her footing and started to fall... well Dauber's training kicked in and he went to get under her and brace her from the fall. Since he was a little slow on the draw he turned and stood firm to let her use him to pull herself back onto her feet.... She was dumbfunded and asked "what the heck was that?" So I told her and she ws amazed... she said that if and when I decided to pursue getting this into the hospitals and start a working line to let her know and I had her full support and backing.
Well Erie Pa. being about as modern as Aztec ruins never gave it a chance. We contacted every rehab, every PT center, senior center, hospital, you name it. If it had to do with ailing unfirm people we called them... Only Schriners would consider it and at that they wanted him to be certified 12 different ways from Sunday (I can't even recall exactly what the certs were but WELL beyond just a CGC or the like). So crash and burn dream #1. Dauber's destiny was to be a highly trained pet, but that's ok... I remember I could put my hand thru the lower handle on his traffic lead, set my hand on his shoulders, on the busiest street in downtown Erie at luch rush and say ok big guy, lead me. I would close my eyes and we could walk a dozen blocks and never once did I have to worry about him walking into a street or walking my head into a construction zone. He was PERFECT!
Don't think Dauber was all about business... he had his fun loving clownish side too. He had a PASSION for laser pointers and would run himself ragged going after one. He loved playing with Diego... my 3 year old lab... he was like a cutting horse with Diego... Diego would run laps around him ini the dog run and Dauber would cut back and forth and head him off at the pass... then mug him... put his mouth over his ENTIRE shoulder and neck area almost as to say "ok who's the bitch now?" Then let him go and do it all over again. I think Diego is really missing him. He finally tried to play today. Running around the dog run the way he would with Dauber and trying to get our Boston to chase him, which Bean happily did, and you could almost see Diego smile.
I could go on and on about all the wonderful that Dauber was, and will always be in my mind. He had such power and presence (I think I miss that the most) you could just feel it when he walked into a room. He never had an enemy and stray dogs would cross the street just to avoid him because he would just exude confidence and that "I AM the king" attitude. I felt truly safe, but now I am just lost with out him. My 4 year old has a great look on things saying "even tho Dauber's dead mommy don't be sad. he'll stay up in the clouds for 20 years and then he'll come back to us"... oh how I wish it was true. I know we will meet again, and that he is up there Playing with Mojo and Honey Pie (whom we just lost August 22nd at almost 11 yrs old) and that we will be together again... someday. Until then I dunno... I'll just be miserable for a while.
I miss you terribly Big guy... you're always in my thoughts and in my heart...you left your size 9 paw prints everywhere you went and with all the people you met... and the slobber will likely always be on the ceiling, well because you were the only one that could reach up there
I love you!
In Memory of Dauber My Great Dane 
