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  • Report:  #256819

Complaint Review: Superior/Guardian Great Danes - Parma Michigan

Reported By:
- Muskegon, Michigan,
Submitted:
Updated:

Superior/Guardian Great Danes
2581 Wendover Parma, 49269 Michigan, U.S.A.
Phone:
517-206-6833
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
On July 7 of 2005 we bought a male harlequin great dane from Davina Brown of Superior Danes. He was 9 weeks old and we were told we could get him half price because of his age. They didn't want him to get too attached to their family. Heres our story-with a very sad ending.

I've always dreamed of owning a great dane. My husband and I began looking on the internet to find a good breeder in our area with a reasonable price. We found a picture of Timber on puppyfinder.com and I got in touch with the breeder. I did as much research as I knew how to do at that time on spotting a bad breeder-however my desire to believe in the goodwill of people over took me and I admittedly missed all the signs. We drove several hours to meet the puppy and it's parents, as well as the breeder. The minute we saw him we fell in love with him and knew he was our Timber.

We met Timber's mother and were impressed with her size and temperment. We tried to meet his dad but he was kenneled up for some reason. I don't remember why. My 3 year old ran about 20 yards in front of the kennel to look at him and the dog instantly freaked out barking aggressively and lunging at the kennel door. It freaked us out but Davina said the poor dog is terrorized by the neighbor boy and as a result gets upsets around little boys. Weird I thought-but no matter-he wasn't my dog.

We took Timber home that day. We purchased him for 500 bucks-a steal since he came from champion lines. We were told his dad was a champion! She gave me a paper to look at and I marveled at all the names with CH in front of them, his dad included. Since we were buying Timber "without papers" I handed back the records and signed a bunch of papers having to do with her return policy and such. I got a few vet records and another story about how she had formerly sold Timber to a couple who backed out at the last minute (due to money). Thus explaining why some of the vet records said "Kane" and "Lightening". Now it occurs to me...why two names??

We took Timber home and fell deeply in love with him. Then all hell broke loose. Timber became completely lame. He couldn't walk, sit, stand, pee or poop. We diagnosed him as having hypertrophic osteodystrophy, a condition that affected his joints as he rapidly grew and was causing an incredible amount of pain. For 6 entire weeks he didn't move....we held his rump as he pooped and peed in our hands, we carried him everywhere and he became a constant fixture on our couch. Just as we thought we would have to consider some serious issues-he came out of it.

I called Davina often during this and was impressed with her willingness to talk with me and offer suggestions to help him. My vet had a weird feeling about her, but I had met her and thought she knew what the heck she was doing. She kept telling me to keep him on his puppy chow and I think she said to try vitamin C. I really can't remember. My vet was telling me that the food she insisted on was too high in protien and was actually causing the HOD. So we switched the food and within the week he cleared up. That was when I began to wonder about Davina. Everything I read on the internet about HOD was telling me to do the opposite of what she was insisting. I should have followed my gut.

Timber grew to be a wonderful dog. Loving, protective, sweet, silly, a little tempermental at times but still an awesome dog. He was gentle with my now 2 and 5 year old. Then one day I got a call that he bit someone. A complete stranger dressed in head to toe black decided to walk up to our fenced in back yard to pet the dog. He didn't talk to Timber or let him sniff his hand. He just reached over the fence and went for Timber's head. Timber felt protective of his human daddy who was with him at the time and turned on the stranger and bit his hand. No stiches were needed and the man admitted he made a stupid mistake and the event was over. However we weren't quite sure what to make of Timber's sudden move-it was completely out of his character.

This May he began to come up lame. Sometime on one leg for days at a time and sometime nothing bothered him. We had him checked out and our vet instantly questioned osteosarcoma (bone cancer). With just a little pressure on Timber's joints my dog would turn on him and bite at him due to pain. We went home to discuss what to do.

Timber began to snap at us and the kids. It didn't take much to make him mad or hurt him. So we decided to re-contact Davina after almost 2 years to see if she had any idea's. However we could't find her website or kennel name anymore. She had disappeared. But I did find a rip off report about her. You can read it if you'd like but it was bad bad bad. Sick dogs, aggressive dogs.....and low and behold a shocking report that Timber's sire was not a champion like I was told, but an aggressive rescue dog!!! What?? I contacted the breeder, Noble Danes, and was informed of the story. I was stunned. This breeder had proof.

The rescued dog had bitten people but despite that, John Brown, Davina's husband insisted that Noble Danes let him adopt Maverick. He said he had owned Danes before and could handle Maverick. He was even bit by him the day he got him! Noble Danes had him sign contracts to have him neutered and not to breed him. Want to guess what he did? Of course he bred him if I have Timber! Noble Danes called to inform the Browns that they were coming to get the dog because they breeched the contract. Upon arriving they were told that Maverick had suddenly died and had been cremated. I've also heard through the grapevine that the vet the Brown's used is now out of practice and is nowhere to be found-a personal friend of the Browns'. I can assure you that this is not all a conincidence.

Given the news of Timber's bloodline we were devestated. We have toddlers in the house! Timber had suddenly been snapping at us and he was in pain. What were we to do? We put him on pain meds to see if he would stop biting at us. He stopped biting at us, however he suddenly became very aggressive with strangers-even people in my extended family that he knew. He was completely unpredictable. I sought the advice of family, friends, my vet and the breeder at Noble Danes. Everyone said the same thing:you can't take the chance of him hurting the kids, or God forbid even killing one.

Two things made the decision for me. One was visiting Annsley Kast, the breeder of Noble Danes. I met her danes and was shocked to discover how calm and docile they were. This was the true nature of the breed. The physical differences were amazing as well, they were tall, strong and mighty. Timber was top heavy, had crooked legs and had a horrible slant to his back. It's no wonder the boy had so much pain, he was the equivilent of a human with scholiosis!!

My second decision maker was that poor Timber was not himself. He would seek solace away from the family. He woulndn't play as often. He slept constantly and groaned, cried and whined even on pain meds. He was not enjoying life.

On June 20 I lay on the tile floor at my vets office and sobbed. I was saying good bye to my baby. This dog saw me through two miscarraiges, protected me from weird strangers, cuddled with me in bed, laid with me when I cried. How could I possibly have to do this?! Because of Davina Brown and her lies. She lied to me about giving me a great dane with a great blood line. She doesn't even know his blood line!! And she got 500 bucks for it!! I could have given Timber back to her for his aggressiveness-but you couldn't pay me to leave him with that witch. She'd hurt him I have no doubt. I could have given him away to a stranger and lied about is past-but I'd be no different from her. A rescue wouldn't take him due to his biting. I only had one option.

As I sat on the floor trying to find the words for my puppy, he dropped his cherished stuffed toy and taking notice of my tears came to me to console me. He stood there licking the tears from my eyes one by one as they dropped. Usually he'd choose to lay with me while I cried, but this time I'm sure he knew that this pain was deeper than even my miscarriage's. He wanted to love on me and make me happy. That's the Timber I'll remember. Not the one that was a victim of Davina and her lies.

Please please don't ever buy a dog from this woman. Even if you have one now, I'd question what she's told you about their blood lines. I know you may have a good dog, but that can all change in a heart beat. As I found out, the only thing worse than an aggressive dog is an unpredictable dog. I pray that you'll never know the pain of having to put your best friend down.

We have a new little girl coming to us in July. I've come to trust Annsley Kast of Noble Danes through this process. She had nothing to gain and nothing to prove accept the love of her breed. I hate to have to pay that much for a dog-but I know that her dogs are the real deal. Every penny I give her will be worth it, I have no doubt. I hope I can love this little girl half as much as I did Timber!! I'm sure I will, but she has big paws to fill!

If you're in the market for a dane-check them first. I guarentee you won't be here two years later writing a rip off report.

As for Davina-I hope she's miserable right now. Funny thing is I can't even find her to be able to tell her all this. She went AWOL. Coincidence or guilty as charged??

If she responds to this-I know it will be all lies and I will not spend my time arguing with her. There are two of us now that have been hosed by her. I'm sure there's more. I have nothing to gain by reporting her, just the hope that no one else has to go through this.

Jenna

Muskegon, Michigan

U.S.A.


2 Updates & Rebuttals

Jon

sacto,
California,
U.S.A.
Jenna I feel your pain Losing your Dane

#2General Comment

Thu, February 18, 2010

Dear Jenna,

 I do not know where to begin.your story   touched the deapths of my heart. WHen it comes to Animals and people,,,, anymore I'd choose  an animal for loyal friendship before most people.Because that woman had to lie she very well  could have  gottn your    children harmed. She could  have save so much pain and suffering.

 I wil try to make thhis short if I can as I do not  wish to swith the   letter from my desire to offer you my condolance to a subject soundin as if it's all me me me .

anyhow i am a lover      of great danes too. My most loved  of al dogs in my life and most closest companion ever passed awayin my arms last christmas followng a sickness she suffered afe r  the  county sewer lins backed up and flooded our home.Me and my 79 year old mother   instantly moved out to a hotel  untill the house was fixed five months later.

'Dinky'' My Great Dane and constant companion  is the reason my sister decided s  would get me another Great Dane.I told HerI did not get over a dog  by getting another dog, It is not that simple in m y  book. She said she found dinky's breeder, where she had bought Dinky 7 years before. I immeadeatly  agreed a  would love to have  Dinky's Bloodline.If I had the money I'd evan get her cloned but I do not believe that would offer the same soul>So anyhow, Dear compassionate sister Susan calls me and says.,'common, we have to go t the airport!"" Apparently thev story about  dinky's family was' nt true, But she ad found great danes on the internet from a breeder who  had sold her not one  but two puppies from the same litter.

 Yes sleeping at my feet are two of the most beautiful Great dane puppies, 1 and  2 months.  very large and capable f  knocking  any sized person down my stairs . I wory    about my mother      and this,

 But the probem with the lieing sack of(sh) who sold Susan the pups did  not tell her he knew about he problems with the eyes.Now both my pups. if not     expensive enough to feed must have surgury  on their eyes or they are going to go blind.. the breer breeds them anyway o get the colour blue and one pup is. I do not have fifteen hundred dollArs per dog and the vet wil not take payments. $1500.00 pe dog for entopin, a disease that the eyelids turn in causing the  lashes to rub  the  eyeballs untill ulcers form.I keep them with ointment everyday but untill I have  $3000.00 they will become worse.I have a hatred for liars too  , when it come to hurting the dogs and people my opinion of these kind of socialpathic  people.the breeders who careless, thee should be law. there are las protecting these inhuman lowlifes there should e   concerning thy animals we love. I cannot tel you how much i felt your pain when it came  to your  Great dane.

   I was watching a show with My Dinky.We were laying in bed. The masters i what she had all her life. in the show on tv people call in and ask questions  about the bible. The very question came in,"" Pastor Murry, Where do our dogs go when they die?'' he doccuented in scriptures that our   dogs go to heaven and we will see them there. the second he said that,, Dinky laid her head back  into m arms, onto my lap as usuall but this time she  for  the very first time,,,,, left me.I  was  more devastated than when I've had humans die before me., A dog is the only animal given to us that offer  such   companionship.i is too bad people

 cannot be as loyal;devoted and  offer unconditional love. I hope that breeder  you met gets hers too.

 

ps. ive spent moe time trying to correct  ty ping as this new keyborad   i  awefuly bad. it wont work right i just bugh it ndim sorry for teh    waqay it ommits   letters words   spelled wrongill ty to fix

 

jon from california


Samantha

Waldheim,
Saskatchewan,
Canada
The other victim

#3Consumer Comment

Thu, October 02, 2008

HI there, I am Samantha, my dane Hercules brought me to file a Rip-off report years ago. I was looking for my old report and accidently came to yours instead. I just want to let you know that I am really sorry for your loss and what you had to go through with your boy Timber and the Browns. I am really glad you posted here as well. I'm not sure if you contacted me, but I have been contacted by many people who have all gone through the exact same things that you and I did with their danes. They unfortunatley found my story after the fact... I am saddened by your story and the loss of another innocent dog due to back yard breeders. I know I also learned my lesson and will never try to save a buck trying to justify paying more for a registered dog. I will never again by a dog from some one who isn't registering their dogs. The high price isn't just for a fancy breeder name, its for peace of mind that your new family member was bred to be healthy and strong, and will live a full life as a dog should with your family... I really hope that people will pay attention to your story and others that clearly show it isn't worth it. My thoughts are with you and your loss, and my loss is again fresh in my memory. R.I.P Hercules my sweet boy, and Timber and all the other danes.

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