With two large dogs at home, Josh goes through a lot of dog food, but he doesn’t mind. In fact, he wouldn’t have it any other way! Josh is head over heels for his two Great Danes: Marley, a 2-year-old American female Harlequin and Daisy, his 4-month-old European female Merle Mantle.
The larger dogs – Great Danes can grow to be between 30-34 inches tall and 120-200 pounds – also take up plenty of time and are a lot of work, but the love and happiness they return is well worth the effort.
“These dogs are our life and honestly the most loveable and cuddly dogs I’ve ever owned,” said the 33-year-old IT professional.
Josh, Marley and Daisy can often be spotted around Charlotte, North Carolina at dog bars, on the trails or just driving down the road. Josh’s vehicle will be the one with the windows down and two Great Danes peeking out of either side.
Q: What made you want to be a dog dad?
A: We have always had dogs in our family.
Q: How did you and your pets meet? When did you know that they were the right pets for you?
A: We scouted about 30 different breeders and found the right pups. The breeders we got our pups from were amazing - very professional and they cared about the dogs. Once we decided on the right breeders for us, who had the needs of the dogs over everything else, we took a tour of everything and picked our oldest Dane, Marley. We fell in love immediately! We knew down the road we would have to get another. We went with Daisy, who is a bit different being a European Dane but the differences are what makes being dog parents the best!
Q: How did you decide on names that reflected their personality?
A: Marley was the very definition of a puppy. We couldn’t have asked for a more chilled out, cuddly, smart and playful pup. Her name came from when she decided to randomly once a day get the “zoomies” and wreak havoc, hence the name, Marley. With Daisy, on the other hand, the best word I can think to describe her is “tsunami.” We definitely named her too soon. She is so curious and into absolutely everything. Anything she can get her mouth on is gone. She’s starting to grow out of it getting older, but when I drank a few tall glasses of patience, I knew it would pay off soon.
Q: What are some of your favorite activities to do together?
A: We love dog bars, drives with the windows down and hiking trails.
Q: What is the funniest, weirdest or most surprising thing your pet has ever done?
A: Marley thinks she weighs 20 pounds, when in fact she is 140. So, you can only imagine how daily activities go when you have a 140-pound lap dog!
Q: What challenges have you faced as a dog dad?
A: Challenges only came from the puppy stage with our older Dane. Other than that, she is a big sweetheart. Our challenges are the usual, she can reach things on the counters without jumping up and she takes up half a couch. The fact I take her for car rides when my car is a mini cooper is a different story. She’s manageable and not so much of a challenge.
Q: What should people know about having a pet before bringing one home?
A: Do your research! Don’t get a dog you aren’t ready for! If you are chill people, don’t get a dog that needs a lot of exercise and activity. Make sure you can also have that breed before bringing it into your household if you have a homeowners association or apartment. Lastly, be patient! Every dog is different and comes with his or her own set of challenges, but as long as you are putting in the time it will pay off in the long haul.
Q: What’s your favorite part about coming home to your pet?
A: The cuddles for sure! There’s nothing like being able to pet a dog that you don’t have to bend over to pet!
Q: What advice do you have to offer new pet parents?
A: Don’t get frustrated! It’s a puppy or new dog with new surroundings. They are going to explore, most likely chew up something you like and do things you might not want them to do right away! Stay patient and introduce them to kids and other dogs early, along with touching their face and paws a lot when they eat or sleep so they don’t become aggressive during those times, and give it all the love you can! Dog lives are short! They make a great impact on your life so repay the favor!