Duchess Great Dane & Shepherd Mix Minneapolis, MN

Note: Duchess will not be attending the 11/29 adoption event. To request a meet and greet at your home with Duchess, please submit an application via the link below!

To sumbit an application please go to:
http://www.pethavenmn.org/adoption-3/dog-adoptions/dog-adoption-application/

Age: 3 years old (estimate)
Good with dogs: most dogs, after a slow introduction
Good with cats: yes
Good with kids: yes - all ages!
Weight: 75lbs
Name/Nicknames: Duchess

My Story: Duchess came to Pet Haven from the Red Lake Reservation and she was in rough shape when she arrived. She was emaciated and in attempts to hunt for food, she received several porcupine quills in her face, neck and feet, which required removal. Eventually one of the toes on her back foot had to be amputated, which causes her to drag her foot a bit; this is only an issue when she goes for walks on a hard surface. Duchess spent many months recuperating physically, and is now healthy and ready to go to her forever home!

Hobbies: Duchess's favorite pastimes include walks with a gentle leader, rides in the car, and just hanging out with the family no matter what they are doing!!

Commands/Tricks: Duchess knows sit and down. We are working on more commands. She is a quick learner!

Crate / Potty Trained: Yes to both! Duchess does have separation anxiety though and will scratch on the crate and whine when you leave, making her unsuitable for apartment or townhome living.

Activity Level: Medium - Duchess would require daily exercise but is very calm indoors. She gets spurts of energy but settles quickly.

Fun things I do: When sleeping she will lay on her back with all legs up in the air. Being such a big girl it does bring a smile to her foster family every time.

Socialization/who I currently live with: In her original home, Duchess was an outdoor dog that was left to fend for herself when it came to dinnertime. Due to a lack of proper socialization, this has created some dog/dog anxiety which causes her to be aggressive until she has gotten the chance to be around another canine for several minutes. For all of her physical recuperation and frequent vet visits, Duchess stayed in a foster home that included two adult women, one resident male dog, and two resident cats. The foster home also ran a doggy daycare business out of the home so she got lots of introduction opportunities with new dogs. Now that her physical healing is done, Duchess has moved to a home where she can receive more one on one work. The home has two resident cats, six children ranging from 5-19 years old, and two adults. She gets lots of structure and boundaries, which she thrives off of.

My Ideal Family: Duchess needs a dog-experienced home who is willing and able to work with her through her dog/dog reactiveness or keep her in an environment where it won't be an issue. Additionally, her separation anxiety makes it hard for her to be home alone for long periods of the day, so a home with someone who works typical 9-5 hours outside the home wouldn't be the best fit for her. Separation anxiety usually fades away as a dog comes to understand that they are not going to be abandoned again, so we anticipate that with some time and possibly professional consultation, this issue will not be a lifelong battle.


Duchess will not be attending Pet Haven's adoption events but we will do individual meet and greets. Her adoption fee is $220 (cash or check only) and includes spay/neuter, heartworm check, current vaccinations, and microchip and registration.

Due to post-adoption services provided, it is Pet Haven's policy to only place dogs into homes within a 60-mile radius of the Twin Cities area.