Meet Elphaba

January 1st, 2009

by Michael Wilcoxen and Megan Hundley

Elphaba came into our life at a time when Megan and I were spending a lot of time at work and school and we were very stressed. We went on a date for some dinner and Michael decided that it would relieve stress if we went to the pet store and played with the puppies. Well, there was a Great Dane there and it instantly stole Megan’s heart. The Great Dane has been her dream breed since she was a little girl, so there was no winning any argument about getting a dog. We did decide to use a local breeder as opposed to a pet store because we wanted to know where the puppy came from and that its parents were healthy and well cared for. The next morning, Megan found a breeder and we found Elphaba.

Elphaba was named after the lead character in the musical Wicked. Elphaba is the Wicked Witch of the West, but she is only known as “wicked” because she had a bad publicist and her reputation was tarnished by the Wizard of Oz. In reality, Elphaba is a sweet hearted but somewhat awkward and clumsy lady and that seemed to absolutely sum up the personality of our puppy!

Michael always wanted a Black Lab and Megan wanted a Great Dane, so we compromised and got a black Great Dane. Having a big dog was important to both of us. Megan likes to have something big to boss around and Michael loves to wrestle with the big dogs. Elphie is great at both. We discovered early, she is VERY food motivated. It all started in Puppy Class (which is really Puppy Owner Class) where we learned that Elphie would do just about anything for hot dogs or other smelly treats. Speaking of hot dogs, that is how we taught her to enjoy her bath… While one of us slowly feeds her a hot dog, the other one gets to give the bath… One way, you get your fingers nibbled and the other way, you smell like a wet dog.

Elphie has had one major injury. She was running on wet concrete and tried to swerve around a concrete post. Unfortunately, her feet shot out from under her and she slammed into the post. She got a few stitches and a bright pink cast for her efforts and we both got proof that this dog completely owned our hearts. Michael always plays the tough guy when it comes to the dog, but in reality, he is a big softie who only pretends to be tough when it comes to the dog.

Elphaba’s favorite toy is a $1.99 squeaking ball we bought in South Carolina. It has the most obnoxious and loud squeaker in the entire world and she love to chew on it for hours. The funniest times are when she starts howling while she chews the ball. It is a little canine concert that she shares with the entire apartment complex!

Elphie has recently received her AKC ILP listing that will allow her to participate in performance events. We look forward to Elphie’s first show before April of 2009.

We love working with K9TL. Elphie gets so excited when she sees the course and she starts jumping into the air like a rabbit when she finishes (which is especially funny considering her size!). Everyone is so friendly and very helpful as we try to learn how to make our dog look great. (Remember, the real training is teaching the humans… the dogs are WAY smarter than we are…) Elphie especially loves the tunnel and the jumps! Many people roll their eyes at us when we tell them we are doing rally and obedience with a Great Dane because they think the dog is too large for things like the tunnel and the weave poles… Well, no dog is too big to play and have fun, and ours does both of those with zest and zeal!!!

Breed: Great Dane
Place of Birth: Arizona
DOB: May 17, 2006
Nickname: Elphie
Likes: Squeeky Toys, peanut butter
Pet-Peeves: Vacuum
Quirky Tid-bit: Bites her toe nails
Our Similarities: Ability to ignore Michael when we are mad at him!
Trivia: Great Danes have no concept of their size. They are notorious for their desire to be a lapdog which has resulted in tow “Dane Specific” moves… The Great Dane Lean where they stand next to you and slowly begin leaning on you with greater and greater force. The Great Dane Lap Sit… if you are sitting, a Great Dane will face away from you and slowly back up until the end up sitting right in your lap, thus giving you maximum access to pet all of the best places!!!

Entry Filed under: Elphaba, K9TL Members