"Compact Dog" and my hurt "girlie" feelings

[StacyDub]

I was at the dog park a while back with Crash. Sitting on a park bench letting Helmet (my mini poodle) run around and do his "poodle" thing (peeing on EVERYTHING with a shadow) Crash was hanging out...laying on my foot and watching everybody run around. Some lady came up to me and said "oh! What a cute Dane!" then, her husband says "Oh..she's going to be so compact when she's grown!"

Excuse me?

Alright. I get that people, generally speaking, want to have HUGE GD's. Pardon the expression, but men seem to measure their ____'s by how big they can get their pup.

Now, I didn't get a Dane because I wanted a horse. I already have three. I got a Dane because I LOVE their personalities and adore the breed. But for that man to call Crash "compact"? I hate to say it, but it hurt my "girlie" feelings. I hopped online that nigh and pulled up a "puppy growth chart". Of course, dogssgrow at all different rates, but she was right at the lower end of "normal". The vet says she a healthy size and weight..

So I'm trying to rationalize....Why would he say that to me? He had a 6 month old Dane that wasn't all that big. My boyfriend thinks it's a status thing. He notices things I don't-like that he wife had a huge rock and carried a Prada bag into a dogpark. He thinks that they were just trying to knock down Crash to make themselves feel better-but really, how "high school" is that?

So I'm guessing I'm wondering...if somebody said "oh, you've got such a Compact GD!" what would you think? How would you feel? What would you say?

[Twin Bay Danes]

You sometimes need to have thick skin in life....being a Dane owner seems to be one of those times. You will always get these comments. No matter if Crash is big, small, or average for a Dane. Someone will always have or know someone who has one that is a foot taller (not kidding). I think it makes them feel better? I don't know. I really don't care. It's at this point that I usually state my case on health testing, etc. Then smile, nod, and walk away. Don't let them get to you. That's what they want.

[Greenmagick]

People (especially others with great danes) often tell me how small Ivy is...she really isnt...she is about 32". I almost got in an argument last summer with someone who was bragging about how much bigger their friends bloodhound puppy was than Ivy...whatever. Its just one of those weird things...

[StacyDub]

Thanks Nicole/Mari.

I just don't get why the only thing people see when they look at a Dane is a measuring stick. There's so much more there. But whatever makes their boats float.

Thank you guys. I'm going to do my best to think of some smartass replies for next time...maybe it'll roll off a little better. Thank you guys

[Adoc2be]

Storm is ... well... to be perfectly PC... he'd be more like Weir than Evan... he's small, he's "delicately boned", he flicks his paws...

And I love him.

And I get comments on how small he is, or asked "what kind of dog is that" or "will he get taller when he grows up" (no, he's 8 on the 22nd) or "wow, I had a great dane that was about 5" taller than he is, he's kind of small, doncha think?" (yes, and I think that man is "small" too or he would not notice such things )

I did not get Storm to be the biggest dane on the planet, I got him to show me the biggest idiots instead, and he does that quite well, including the dolts mentioned above

[LoMax]

Murray is a big guy, about 38 at the shoulder. I still get "My dane is bigger than your dane, blah, blah, blah all of the time." Both Murray's parents were compact and that was what I was searching for, but oh no I got gianormous. I just tune these people out now.

Funny story... My sister stopped by my house and we were chatting in the living room. Both of my dogs LOVE her, so they were up in her face begging for attention. She made the comment that you forget how big Murray is if you haven't seen him lately, but she was very thankful that he had a teenie weenie. "If his weenie matched his size, that would just be plain gross." All in all, it is the compact things that we are thankful for.

[intensgrl]

My last Dane was 40" at the shoulder and had a HUGE skull. His back was at my waist and his head was at my breasts (and i am 5'8"). I used to hear dumba$$ comments about how he was "too big". That he was a mutant. People would tell me they had "Dane experience", and in their opinion he was not bred well (DUH! we were his 4th home, rescued him - not showing him!). People used to cross the street to stay away from us because he was so imposing, even though a sweeter boy you would never find! All the time i had people stop and tell me they knew about Danes, and in their opinion it was bad that Harley was so big, and that he would die early, or have health issues, or yadda yadda... as if that didn't hurt and stress me out to hear!

Now i have differing opinons with Reich. He is 4.5 months old, and already i am hearing that he is not going to be big. Someone told me the other day (after only seeing a pic - for God's sake) that he was leveling out in growth and that he would ultimately be small. Lordy, people are so self-absorbed, and everyone wants to be an expert. They like to hear themselves speak, and don't take a moment to think about what is coming out of their gob, or how it makes others feel. Over my life I have had my dog's dissed, my sons (4) dissed, my home which i built dissed.. you name it. It speaks more about the moron doing the verbal vomiting and how insecure they are, and less of how beautiful and valued/adored your baby is.

Sorry to rant, but I am seeing more and more of this kind of insulting B.S. everyday, and it makes my heart sad. One thing is true, if your dog wasn't gorgeous, he wouldn't illicit stupid comments from insecure idiots! When basic people see something they value and envy, they tend to lessen its worth in order to make themselves feel less envious. Danes always elicit opinionated comments.. at least in my opinion.

i should stop it with the opinions though, i think i am starting to get a reputation.. lol

[Lacey]

Our friends dane is 39" and andross is always compared to him when it comes to dog park outings. It drives me nuts even his owners say storm is just big for a dane. But andross still gets told oh how small he is. HE IS 8 months old people and towers over your "big dogs" we were at the park the other day and a lady with 2 saint bernards was telling me how small andross was he was at least 4" taller than her saints. To me her saints were actually small because my old saint bernard is 33" hahahahahahha then someone who knows me and knew my saint was like damn you should see her saint because it is huge compared to yours. I know size doesn't matter but that comment still made me feel better and got that girl to shut up hahhahaha.

[Lacey]

And also I get told how andross has thin bones and how his paws arnt massive. Yes that's true but his paws are the same size as storms paws aka 39" dane friend. They are both thin boned. People just don't get that paw size is more about how much the dog will weigh not how tall it will be. With andross being 33" at 8 months old I don't worry about his size anymore actually I would be fine if he quit growing.

Sorry one more story back when I walked my saint bernard all the time this security lady at this high end closed community told me that the guiness book heviest saint bernard used to live near by. She said it was like 312lbs and it recently died at like 4yrs old. I was like ya cause they basically dug the poor things grave by making it that fat.

Why are people so impressed when they see a way over weight saint, dane or mastiff? I mean what is so amazing about the fact that you mastiff weighs more than mine but its belly practically drags on the ground? People who praise dogs for being over weight drive me nuts. Sure the mastiff was 30" but 250lbs I'm sorry not cute! I love my 200lb 34" boy mastiffs look a lot more than you very much. Ok sorry for the long rants.

[crdane]

I get it all the time with Carlie too. She is an average sized female. People argue with me that she is a lab because she is too small to be a dane. She is 32 inches tall and weighs 110 lbs. That would be a weird lab.

I saw the biggest beagle I ever saw the other day. The guy could have bragged that he had a 70 lb. beagle. The thing was so fat that it's stomach dragged on the ground. It was disgusting, but I could totally see it, "yea, my beagle is huge!!! He weighs 70 lbs!! Cool, huh?" That dog is gonna die of obesity.

[ouesi]

There is something about big dogs that brings out the inner competitor in so many people. Its like a magnetic force that compells people to "remember" their uncle's grandfather's brother who had one THIS big. Its like fishing stories

Lunar and Breez are "little" danes at 32/33 inches, yet they're usually the biggest dog most who meet them have ever seen. When I get one of those "bigger" comments, I just agree, pet the dane in question, and tell them what a little dog they are. When you're telling a dog who's head is at your boobs how little they are it usually puts things in perspective

Believe it or not, we also get comments on how big Bates is - the mutt who's only 26 inches!! With him I can't help myself - I tell people if they think he's big, they should see the two we have at home LOL!

[Dickie Best]

intensgrl said it very well. Pay no mind to such people they have no clue as to what they speak of and have only an axe to grind with a purpose of making themselves feel better. I would not even waste a breath with a response other than to tell them to grow up.

[angeldane]

Most people I have seen at the dog park want a compact dog, that's why so many people want a Euro Dane. I personally would view that as a compliment, When I was looking for a pup I sought out dogs with substance which is what most people mean by compact, I hear people say, "I want a Euro dane because they are much more compact and not as overly elegant as the American dog." A lot of people say Euro dogs are stouter and not as tall, but more 'original'
The word compact is most likely meaning your girl appears well muscled and has substance which is lacking in a lot of danes I see on average.
If some one came up to me and said you girl is tiny then I'd be a little mad, but I know she is above the minimum and not a male so I really don't care.

[DANEger]

Murray is a big guy, about 38 at the shoulder. I still get "My dane is bigger than your dane, blah, blah, blah all of the time." Both Murray's parents were compact and that was what I was searching for, but oh no I got gianormous. I just tune these people out now.

Funny story... My sister stopped by my house and we were chatting in the living room. Both of my dogs LOVE her, so they were up in her face begging for attention. She made the comment that you forget how big Murray is if you haven't seen him lately, but she was very thankful that he had a teenie weenie. "If his weenie matched his size, that would just be plain gross." All in all, it is the compact things that we are thankful for.

HYSTERICAL!!!

The people you met sound like they want to be the "Joneses" that eveyone wants to keep up with. And who really wants the biggest dane? We all sadly saw the health problems of Gibson.

[kcornel4]

I completely agree with Angeldane about the intent and usage of 'compact' in this case: "Well muscled and having substance". Also in the sense of having a good frame or outline (i.e., not having overly long back). I've heard it used more often in Europe, actually, but I would guess it was intended as a compliment. I would certainly have taken it as a compliment.

It might have helped ease your mind/clarify what he meant if you had asked asked him.