| 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. |
| 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 my husband, Brent, and I were married, he was in school in Philadelphia, Pa and one day he brought home and adorable boxer puppy.. yes a Boxer. Dach was our baby, our pride and joy... Eventually Brent moved back to Middletown, NY, and we set up housekeeping in a little bungalow behind his Mom's house and together we raised Dach and planned our future together... One day we decided it was time for Dach to have a 4-legged companion and since we had decided we would have a different breed each time we introduced a new puppy into our home, we looked for something other than a Boxer... 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 us about 2 hours away to look at a harlequin Great Dane puppy.... before the day had ended, we owned 2 dogs... a Boxer named Dach, and a harlequin Great Dane who we named DeWitt's Court Jester.... Jester began our love for Great Danes and we never again thought about the next breed we would bring into our home... we were hooked on Great Danes...... During the next couple of years I eventually attended a dog show, entered Jester in handling classes and tried my luck at a local match show. Brent and I were married, Jester had a litter of puppies and although he did not live with me, through a co-own arrangement, I started to show one of her offspring, Joker. All of these events eventually led me 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, 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, Brent and I live in an old antique country home that was built in the late 1700's as a log cabin. Several additions later, 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 3 conformation show 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, Jester, Namour and Malice and 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....... |
| DeWitt's Court is made up of three people who lovingly share their lives with Great Danes... myself, my husband, Brent, and my Mom, Carla, who I talked into having her first puppy over 7 years ago and who now shares our romance with this breed.... Mom has shared in our joys and sorrows, and has even had some of her own with the loss of Piper and more recently Penny.... but together we continue to learn and to improve, to work with all the serious and responsible breeders of Great Danes to insure the quality of the breed. |
| 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 |
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