Sharlait Danes

Tribute and Memorial to

Islander's Black Dahlia (1976-1980)

Dally was and is the driving force behind my love of the Great Dane.

In 1976, as a sixteen year old girl, I held a summer job just as I had for the previous

two years.
I come from a large family, seven children, my parents, my grandmother and young uncle all lived together, and my father supported everyone. We had a huge garden and some food animals but we did not have any "pet dogs". The only dogs we had at that time were hunting dogs of various types.
When I was fourteen years old my father passed away suddenly, leaving the whole family to pull their own weight. So, each of the children old enough to get a work permit were expected to get a summer job if they wanted more than just new clothing to go to school with. We were responsible for purchasing the extras.... class photos, class rings, field trips, etc.
At sixteen a friend came to me and said her brother had a Great Dane pup for sale. He'd bought two and it turned out to be one too many. I had saved all of my summer earnings so I bought Islander's Black Dahlia with part of the money and banked the rest to fund her needs until the next summer.
"Dally" was a wonderful dog. Unfortunately I was NOT permitted to keep her in my mother's house so she was chained to a box just like the hounds :o(. I tended to her every need and she was my best friend and confidante. Every hope and dream, every broken heart, every joy, every smile, every tear I shared with her.
The bond grew so strong between us that she "knew" what I was thinking. She walked with me all summer, and pulled my sled all winter. I took her everywhere I could.
Then in 1979 I got married and had a child. Finally Dally could live in the house!!! She took her new job as "mother" very seriously, and would be by my son constantly. I could lay him on a blanket to hang laundry and she would stand over him constantly on guard for any thing that might hurt "her" baby. If she heard him make a sound she would take me by the hand and lead me to him to care for her young charge :o).
However, what should have been a wonderful time in my life was a nightmare. Dally, my son, and myself all suffered for that choice. My husband was severely abusive.
During one episode Dally witnessed the abuse and charged my exhusband. He ran and got a gun. Screaming and crying I hit my dog for the first time ever in her life, and tried to get her to run away. With the heart that only a dane could possess she defied me, also for the first time ever, and bravely stood her ground between myself and my husband.
The S.O.B. shot the first and best love of my life, and she "knew" he was going to hurt her and would not leave me. With her last breath I made her a promise. I would never again put a dane in a harmful situation and to this day I've kept that promise.
I have had many danes since, and I have loved them all, but none will ever have that place in my heart that only Dally has.

She was, in my opinion, the worlds greatest dane!
"Dally, I will love you forever!"
You were my best friend, my heart, my life...
and I let you down. My sweet girl, I'm sorry, but I
promised you then and I renew that promise, I will never
allow any such thing to ever happen again to any dog in my care.
Till we meet again my sweet lady..........

ps... a believe it or not for you .....
From the day he shot her until they day I left him, my
exhusband never hit me again. He told me Dally wouldn't let him,
and that he could see her walk with me and he could see her stand
guard over the bed that I slept in. He was afraid to come near me :o)
According to him she was visible, and never left my side.

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