Arlo the Gentle Giant
Those who know me keep saying, “You sure went from one extreme to the other!” You see, my last dog was a miniature Dachshund. She was my baby for 13 years. I had always wanted a Dachshund and told me husband that if one became available at the local shelter, then, and only then, would I adopt one. A few weeks later, there she was, Zoey. A red mini-dachshund, 4 years old with fur that matched my hair color. It was love at first site for us both. But this isn’t about Zoey. I’ll save that story for another day. This is about Arlo.
After losing my Zoey-bear, my husband had made me promise no more dogs for at least 2 years when we plan on moving into a bigger house. But, after seeing how devastating it was for me to lose my baby, he made the mistake of asking me, “If we were to get another dog, what breed are you leaning toward.” I lit up. I grabbed my laptop and showed him a page all about Great Danes; how they are loving, loyal, great family dogs, and love going on walks. Next, I went to an online pet adoption page to show him more pictures of the breed. And, that is when we saw him, Arlo.
He was listed as a Great Dane/Lab mix. At the lab mix part, my husband perked up. He was at a Humane Society near our cabin in Michigan. Many had reported seeing him running in the woods near their home but no one could get him to come near them. A live trap was set to rescue him. 4 days and 2 racoons later, he finally gave in and allowed them to catch him.
We drove up the week of Thanksgiving 2025 to meet him and fell in love with his gentle nature. Even though he was clearly scared and wanted to just go back to his kennel, he never barked, growled, or got aggressive in any way. He would just lay down and look away - and of course try to make a run for it every time someone opened the room door.
Everyone involved in his rescue insisted on stopping in to say goodbye to Arlo. He had won all their hearts as well.
We are still in the 3.3.3. phase but have gotten past the first 3 - 3 days of allowing him to adjust. His personality has exploded out of him. He is a ball of energy and definitely doesn’t understand how big of a dog he is. We are working on his fears (cars and the dark) and on his manners. He is like a toddler and a teenager all wrapped into one right now: his curiosity gets him into trouble but so does him pushing the boundaries.
