In an effort to help the destiny of our breed, we promote basic obedience training, wellness and nutritional studies and research,
knowledge and understanding of the illnesses, diseases and conditions that can affect Great Danes, preventive surgery for bloat
(gastropexy more commonly called stomach tack), well-planned and selective breeding, proper, in depth testing for congenital and
genetic illnesses and diseases common to Great Danes prior to breeding and a continuing education into the health, welfare and
longevity of this breed. We welcome your interest and encourage you to educate yourself as much as possible and join us as we share
our love and understanding for this wonderful companion breed.... You will not be sorry you made the choice... we are not sorry that
we did! Great Danes bring great heart ache when they leave our world, but the joy and love they contribute to our lives is more
rewarding and fulfilling than you can imagine.
knowledge and understanding of the illnesses, diseases and conditions that can affect Great Danes, preventive surgery for bloat
(gastropexy more commonly called stomach tack), well-planned and selective breeding, proper, in depth testing for congenital and
genetic illnesses and diseases common to Great Danes prior to breeding and a continuing education into the health, welfare and
longevity of this breed. We welcome your interest and encourage you to educate yourself as much as possible and join us as we share
our love and understanding for this wonderful companion breed.... You will not be sorry you made the choice... we are not sorry that
we did! Great Danes bring great heart ache when they leave our world, but the joy and love they contribute to our lives is more
rewarding and fulfilling than you can imagine.
What we think................
First let me tell you a little about DeWitt's Court, who we are, and why we have a Great Dane web page today.... Before I was
married, my family life included a canine pet including a Collie and then a Sheltie. It was not until after high school and living on my
own and with my then husband that I had the opportunity or introduction to the true world of purebred dogs, most specifically the
Great Dane. My interest and the encouragement of my friends and family led me deeper into the dog fancy .
Eventually, there was an ad in the local paper for a Great Dane... It was a snowy day, so I called my Mom, Carla, and talked her
into driving about 2 hours away to look at a harlequin Great Dane puppy.... before the day had ended, I owned a harlequin Great Dane
who was named DeWitt's Court Jester.... Jester began a great love for Great Danes.
During the next couple of years I eventually entered Jester in handling classes and tried my luck at a local match show and some
all-breed shows. I went to a dog show where I met Linda Scatturo of Countryrun Great Danes. Linda's love for the breed, and
particularly for blacks and blues, was deep and strong and she taught me all she knew and more about this wonderful breed, their
heritage, their health problems, their nature, their beauty and before I knew it, I was hopelessly in love with blue Great Danes. I
assisted Linda in delivering puppies, one of whom would become my second Great Dane... Countryrun's Eva DeWitt's Court... Eve was a
beautiful blue girl with a heart of gold... Although I had shown Jester and Joker, a puppy from one of her litters that Linda helped
me to deliver, with Eve I caught the dog fancy bug and soon found myself in the conformation show ring trying to get points...
unfortunately Eve's movement wasn't correct and I retired her from the show ring.. shortly thereafter Eve succumbed to a blood clot
during corrective neck surgery... My heart was broken, my beautiful Eve was gone...
After the saddness eased I found that Eve had left me something very valuable... a tremendous love for Great Danes, not only as
pets and show dogs, but as a breed apart.. Giant and beautiful, yet in so many ways fragile, I realized that I needed to know much
more about this breed if I was to continue..... and so I studied and learned through my job as a veterinarian technician, through
other breeder friends, through seminars, books, and my own trial and error.
Now many years later, I live in an old antique country home that was originally a log cabin built in the late 1700's. With several
additions over many years, it is now a 2-story country home with 1-1/2 acres of land. With the help of Linda Scaturro, who is now
deceased, I imported my next blue from France. Namour was just what I needed to heal my aching heart and she eventually gave me
a beautiful litter of puppies and my devotion to this breed was cemented in my heart. Since then, I have loved and lost Namour,
Malice and Jester, but my love for Great Danes endures and grows stronger with the children of my foundation family.
Having whelped puppies, having laughed at their antics and having cried and hurt deeply at their loss, and with 4 AKC conformation
show champions, 3 Canadian champions and 4 International champions what do I think....
I think that Great Danes are the single most people pet known to man today... With all their size, their tendancy like so many large
breeds to live short lives, these gentle giants have the nack to crawl into your heart and home like no other. They fit right in, they
take over the couch, and they bark at would be intruders so you know they will protect, they play with and adore your children, they
steal your food, they sleep in your bed, they understand your words and emotions... and life just wouldn't be the same without
them.... Even though we have said good-bye to Eve, Namour, Malice and Jester, we enjoyed their lives and felt deep sorrow at the
loss of each one of them, yet the memories they left in our hearts are immeasurable.......
Today I work closely with my mom, Carla Rotunda, and continue to show and breed blue and black Great Danes and a harlequin now and
then. Over 7 years ago I talked my Mom into taking a black female Dane puppy and she now shares my romance with this breed. Mom
has shared in my joys and sorrows, and has had some of her own with the loss of Piper and more recently, Penny. We have shared
some great joys with the accomplishment of our dogs in the Conformation show ring and in the breeding and birth of some beautiful
puppies who will be our future in the show ring and in our future breeding considerations.
married, my family life included a canine pet including a Collie and then a Sheltie. It was not until after high school and living on my
own and with my then husband that I had the opportunity or introduction to the true world of purebred dogs, most specifically the
Great Dane. My interest and the encouragement of my friends and family led me deeper into the dog fancy .
Eventually, there was an ad in the local paper for a Great Dane... It was a snowy day, so I called my Mom, Carla, and talked her
into driving about 2 hours away to look at a harlequin Great Dane puppy.... before the day had ended, I owned a harlequin Great Dane
who was named DeWitt's Court Jester.... Jester began a great love for Great Danes.
During the next couple of years I eventually entered Jester in handling classes and tried my luck at a local match show and some
all-breed shows. I went to a dog show where I met Linda Scatturo of Countryrun Great Danes. Linda's love for the breed, and
particularly for blacks and blues, was deep and strong and she taught me all she knew and more about this wonderful breed, their
heritage, their health problems, their nature, their beauty and before I knew it, I was hopelessly in love with blue Great Danes. I
assisted Linda in delivering puppies, one of whom would become my second Great Dane... Countryrun's Eva DeWitt's Court... Eve was a
beautiful blue girl with a heart of gold... Although I had shown Jester and Joker, a puppy from one of her litters that Linda helped
me to deliver, with Eve I caught the dog fancy bug and soon found myself in the conformation show ring trying to get points...
unfortunately Eve's movement wasn't correct and I retired her from the show ring.. shortly thereafter Eve succumbed to a blood clot
during corrective neck surgery... My heart was broken, my beautiful Eve was gone...
After the saddness eased I found that Eve had left me something very valuable... a tremendous love for Great Danes, not only as
pets and show dogs, but as a breed apart.. Giant and beautiful, yet in so many ways fragile, I realized that I needed to know much
more about this breed if I was to continue..... and so I studied and learned through my job as a veterinarian technician, through
other breeder friends, through seminars, books, and my own trial and error.
Now many years later, I live in an old antique country home that was originally a log cabin built in the late 1700's. With several
additions over many years, it is now a 2-story country home with 1-1/2 acres of land. With the help of Linda Scaturro, who is now
deceased, I imported my next blue from France. Namour was just what I needed to heal my aching heart and she eventually gave me
a beautiful litter of puppies and my devotion to this breed was cemented in my heart. Since then, I have loved and lost Namour,
Malice and Jester, but my love for Great Danes endures and grows stronger with the children of my foundation family.
Having whelped puppies, having laughed at their antics and having cried and hurt deeply at their loss, and with 4 AKC conformation
show champions, 3 Canadian champions and 4 International champions what do I think....
I think that Great Danes are the single most people pet known to man today... With all their size, their tendancy like so many large
breeds to live short lives, these gentle giants have the nack to crawl into your heart and home like no other. They fit right in, they
take over the couch, and they bark at would be intruders so you know they will protect, they play with and adore your children, they
steal your food, they sleep in your bed, they understand your words and emotions... and life just wouldn't be the same without
them.... Even though we have said good-bye to Eve, Namour, Malice and Jester, we enjoyed their lives and felt deep sorrow at the
loss of each one of them, yet the memories they left in our hearts are immeasurable.......
Today I work closely with my mom, Carla Rotunda, and continue to show and breed blue and black Great Danes and a harlequin now and
then. Over 7 years ago I talked my Mom into taking a black female Dane puppy and she now shares my romance with this breed. Mom
has shared in my joys and sorrows, and has had some of her own with the loss of Piper and more recently, Penny. We have shared
some great joys with the accomplishment of our dogs in the Conformation show ring and in the breeding and birth of some beautiful
puppies who will be our future in the show ring and in our future breeding considerations.
I hope if you have visited this web site looking for information, guidance and a good reason to buy and own such a large dog, that I
have given you something to think about. Great Danes are not a breed to go into blindly, they are a breed that will demand your
attention and your wisdom, and they will fill your life, your home and your heart like no other....
I hope you enjoy my web page and will return to it again and again as it is always changing.
Good Luck... I hope you find what I did! Leigh DeWitt
have given you something to think about. Great Danes are not a breed to go into blindly, they are a breed that will demand your
attention and your wisdom, and they will fill your life, your home and your heart like no other....
I hope you enjoy my web page and will return to it again and again as it is always changing.
Good Luck... I hope you find what I did! Leigh DeWitt
