| This is Crescent Diamond Casper the Friendly host.
He was the subject of an article on living with a deaf Dane that I wrote for the Great
Dane Reporter, published in the January/February 1997 issue. Like many white Danes, he is
deaf. He was, however not very difficult to train. He is very smart, and has learned
approximately 20 signs for commands. He is also very attentive to light. If he is upstairs
and I want him to come down, I can turn on and off the hall light and he will come. The
same is true if he is in the back yard. His biggest trick however is the ice machine....he
pushes it with his nose, causing the ice to fall on the floor for everyone to gobble up.
He has the true double recessive merle gene...causing deafness and visual problems. he
also has had 3 seizures in his life...but none in 2 years. Many harlequin breeders will
euthanize any white pup immediately, due to the problems I have outlined above. I would
never criticize that decision...special homes are very hard to find. Thomas F. Riley MD
Gregory J. Alaimo
63 Crescent Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 831-9201
trileymd@buffnet.net
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