I searched for a puppy with simple things in mind....was it cute? Did the breeder have knowledge of the Stud dogs lineage? Was it affordable?

Knowing what I now know, it would (and will be) a different search.
(see my Puppy Selection Considerations page)

We found a litter of 14 (FOURTEEN!?!) adorable pups. Apollo chose us, and after several visits,  we took him home. What an adorable little guy....he wanted to please, was eager to learn and showed great promise in obedience.

He began his training at 8 weeks old, enrolled in puppy kindergarten. A happy pup, he was attentive and enthusiastic, actively seeking new challenges. I entered him in his first Novice competition at 9 months, and he scored a 185. Knowing that he was capable of much more, I went back to training and fine tuned him before further competition.

At the same time, I was training him to be a Therapy dog. Being such an intuitive dog, he was an easy study. He loved people, applause and attention, so the rest was easy.

As many of you may know, my Great Danes, Apollo and Belle are Therapy dogs. While Belle is certified for TDI, and is a happy and friendly dog, she's too self absorbed to be really GOOD at it. Apollo on the other hand, seemed to have a sixth sense about who needed him, and also sensed those who truly are afraid, vs. those who only THINK theyare afraid of him. Many is the time I have seen a nursing home resident reply to myquestion, "Do you like dogs?" with a resounding "NO!", and minutes later be laying their heads and hands all over Apollo.

One day while visiting a nursing home with Apollo (Who, for your interest would not share his visits with Belle, he just wasn't the same and was possessive of the patients when she was there, but was GREAT when he could steal the show!), visiting the same patients we visit regularly, this remarkable incident took place.
 

At this particular home (Maple Leaf), there were 2 floors, and we had specific rooms where we would visit. Apollo had run of the place, and knew "his" rooms.  When visiting, he traveled from room to room with me in tow. This particular day, he bounced into a room on the 2nd floor, where his best friend Eva Moore lived.

Apollo sniffed the bed, the floor, the night stand and the closet. He looked EVERYWHERE, but Eva just wasn't home. All of a sudden he sat down real hard and started this God-awful howling, not loud, but eerie and long...I tried to stop him, but he continued to whimper. About a minute into this, the floor nurse came running into the room. She sat on the bed and tears just ran down her cheeks. She said to Apollo, "It's OK boy, she knew you loved her, she's happier now". At which point, Apollo rested his head in her lap, and tears were really running from his eyes.

As saddened as I was by the loss of sweet Eva, I was even more overwhelmed by Apollo's reaction. Imagine, he knew she had died before I knew! Every time we visited that home, he still turned his head to enter her room, and then checked himself and went on. The new resident was a gentleman who didn't like dogs.

Apollo went on to complete his American Kennel Club "CD" (Companion Dog) Obedience title in 1994.  Billyn's Buddy "Apollo", TDI, CGC, AM/CAN CD earned his AKC-CD with  195 and 191 scores consecutively.  He earned the latter 2 scores at Scituate / South Shore Kennel Club   9-17-94, with a First Place win (over a German Shepherd) in an All Breed Obedience Show and 9-24-94 at Saccarappa Obedience Trial at Portland, ME for a Second Place finish.  In November 1994 at The Canadian Kennel Club's 3 Day all Breed Obedience Trial in Montreal Apollo earned his Canadian Kennel Club "CD" Title in 3 consecutive days .  During the second day of the trial (this trial was part of The Great Dane Club of Quebec's' annual Dane Specialty), Apollo also captured the High Scoring Dane in Trial trophy.

Apollo takes High in Trial at All Breed Trial in Canada
(Mom grins proudly)

Just in 1995 Apollo completed approximately 25 nursing home and hospital visits, other years before and after were similar. He was awarded the Muscular Dystrophy Association "Cutest Pet" award for NE in 1995, by being the dog to campaign for the most contributions that year, he raised over $1200 himself, and presented the total check for the region at the Jerry Lewis Telethon that fall.

In 1996 Apollo was "arrested" by the Manchester police department for the United Ways annual "Jail and Bail", he had to raise $600 for his bail, and I had to raise $400 for mine...Guess who was bailed before me <G>? Throughout 1995, ‘96 and ‘97, Apollo was a "Demo Dog" during Manchester's annual "Thursday Night Live" street fair. In this street fair, the training school at which I work presents an obedience demonstration each year. Apollo was the star for the last 3 years, sharing the spotlight with a 5 pound Yorkshire Terrier. This Yorkie used Apollo as a "Jump" and performed tricks with Apollo. Apollo as well as other dogs in the demo, were given to youngsters to practice heeling work with...total strangers.

Apollo was welcomed in most places of business in Manchester, including restaurants and stores. Everyone who knew him loved him, if I went to the post office, bank or hairdressers and he wasn't with me, I heard, "Hey, where's Apollo?". More people knew his name, than knew mine.

I am trying to paint a picture here, one of a dog who was very social, and well adjusted.

In November 1996, my husband and I rescued a nephew of ours from a very bad situation and have been fostering him since. Immediately upon his entering our home, there became an "issue" between Apollo and the child Eric. Eric was not very dog smart, and Apollo had never had to share "his" home with a child before. Children outside were great, but at home it seemed there was a problem. The fact that Eric did not react properly to dogs did not help matters, and it took a long time to educate him in proper behavior around dogs. Belle and Molly, our other 2 dogs, seemed accepting and forgiving of his childish errors, Apollo was not. A behaviorist was brought in from outside and his opinion was that Apollo resented Eric's' intrusion, but that Eric working with Apollo would help solve the issues. We followed the suggestions of the behaviorist and some of them worked, though the matter between Apollo and Eric never fully resolved itself.

This past summer, Eric and Apollo seemed to have come to an uneasy truce, basically avoiding each other. Occasionally, Eric would challenge Apollo for space or a toy, and win but it was always an uneasy situation. During the same period of time, Apollo began to challenge the other two dogs for territory, toys and food. This had never occurred before, as he was basically easygoing and though he was the boss or alpha dog in our home, he was gracious about it. All of a sudden, he would not back off and I had to start refereeing dog squabbles. The squabbles escalated and even the cats became wary of Apollo, avoiding him even outdoors. Previously, they had slept together as buddies.

As you can see, the signs of a problem were presenting themselves, but we did not see them clearly. We didn't want to believe what we DID see.....Apollo grabbed a chicken bone one day from the garbage. I yelled for him to "drop it" and he quickly complied. As I reached down for the bone, Molly was sneaking up from behind me, in an attempt to steal it. Apollo nailed Molly, and got me as well. Fortunately my wound was small, but I was put on alert. Again, the behaviorist was consulted. He suggested that there might be a chemical imbalance affecting Apollo's brain, and took blood samples. The results were inconclusive. A brain scan would not have shown visible tumors, nor was one available locally, so that wouldn't mean much either.
 
Apollo's behavior continued to get worse, I had to discontinue his Nursing home visits, as I could not trust him. I did continue to take him for rides around to our usual haunts, but less frequently. When company visited, I crated him. Finally the blow I was trying to prevent occurred...on my birthday.

On October 7, 1997 (my birthday....) my husband decide to treat me to Taiwanese food. We carried the food home, and were avidly opening boxes, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the enticing smells. Eric gently elbowed Apollo away from the counter, the better to see the food, and BANG- Apollo bit Eric. No provocation, no warning. It was over in a second.

No, it wasn't. For 2 days...long harrowing days, we agonized. We did not see how we could possibly allow Apollo to remain with us in this condition. We did not see how we could possibly decide to end his life. Oh, how I still cry over that decision...my best friend, who trusted me with his very life...to take it from him while he looked into my eyes with such trust.

But, honestly, the dog whose eyes I looked into after he bit Eric, was NOT the dog whose eyes I had looked into for the last 5 years. The real Apollo was gone, and in his place there was a stranger sometimes. Not always, but when these episodes took place, I looked into "empty" eyes, not the eyes I knew and loved. The day after the bite episode, Apollo attacked our Pointer Molly, savagely and with no apparent cause, hours later he went after Belle our female Dane, fortunately neither were harmed. But, it was obvious, we were left with no choice. I could not see this lovely dog, who wore the reputation of an emissary of joy, being saddled with the onus of a savage beast, locked away from the people he loved. He would never have understood the isolation and would have been lonely and sad.

I could not see this lovely dog, who wore the reputation of an emissary of joy, being saddled with the onus of untrustworthiness, locked away from the people he loved. He would never have understood the isolation and would have been lonely and sad.

On October 9, 1997 we said good-bye to Apollo. He went to sleep with quiet dignity, but he didn't want to die and went out fighting. I will always remember my buddy this way. Apollo wanted to live and live he did, well and happily. Making others lives happy as he gathered his kudos and pats, trotting happily from place to place.

(Authors note: Apollo was diagnosed post-mortem, with a brain tumor.)

Someday, I know he'll be standing with quiet dignity, gently waiting to welcome us home. Until then, fare thee well my sweet boy, I'll be dreaming of you with love.
Mom
Lyn Richards, 1997