Bryson

BRYSON




After losing Bella in July, 2007, in an attempt to fill the vast void she left in our lives, we contacted the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League and after a rather arduous application process and were finally approved, we brought Bryson home for a trial run. We became extremely attached to him--especially Olivia and me.





















He's a beautiful harlequin, very large, he weighed in at 140.





























Intimidating, huh?













Typical evening at the Shumates! That's Bryson, Zoe and Gabby relaxing with Mama.









Much to our disappointment, we were unable to keep Bryson. Did he EVER have issues with strangers! And he was so very, very large that I was actually afraid of him. Grant was too. When someone came knocking on the door, he just went nuts! Ferociously barking and growling and I could not contain him to my satisfaction. We had him over a month and that was certainly long enough to get very attached to him. After Jug was home for Christmas he helped me to see we just couldn't keep him. We couldn't have such a large animal that would could not completely trust. We miss you Bryson!






We actually tried another Great Dane after Bryson that also didn't work out. He was fine with strangers--he just had a problem with the other pets. After he attacked Zoe and the fight required after-afters stitches for poor, very traumatized Zoe, we returned him also.






Then Jug said what I needed to hear: Kim, you have two good dogs, Rosie and Zoe. You're looking for a GREAT dog. A Bella, a Max. When he put it to me like that, I knew I needed to stop trying to replace dogs that can't be replaced. I also realized we were/are financially responsible for six animals (our three and O's three) and that's just enough!