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Anyone who has visited
the Daneline premises in Bristol could not fail to be impressed by Alfred.
Although he is not HUGE he is quite large indeed and appears to tower over
the other Danes and even some of the humans. This stature and his sage like
demeanour make Alfred a true patriarch of Daneline. His good nature is
challenged many times by the constant procession of sometimes (very)
troubled Danes through his domain but he seems to understand that his
laid-back attitude is the best way to demonstrate that there is nothing to
fear.
It might seem like Alfred has been a permanent fixture of Daneline
throughout his whole long life, but it wasn't always so.
Originally Alfred lived in a large estate house in Surrey. When he was 3-1/2
or 4 years old his owners decided to redecorate the house. Can you believe
that the wife then claimed that poor Alfred was not the right colour to
match her new decor!
So the man made the call to Daneline's co-owner, Lissi who agreed to take
Alfred in. He was driven to Lissi's house but then, the following day, the
Alfred’s former owners rang: they wanted the dog back. Lissi refused and
Alfred’s former owners offered any amount of money she wanted if only they
could have Alfred back.
Lissi thinks her response went along the lines of "This is one lesson you
will learn, that money can't buy you everything. If you can give up your dog
because he is the wrong colour you don't deserve to have such a wonderful
animal!"
Alfred has lived happily ever after with Lissi, and at 12 years old is now
in his twilight years. He is a wonderful ambassador for Great Danes although
with ears like this he should have been called Dumbo or Concorde!
In spite of Alfred's "laid - back" appearance he has shown a keen interest
in local archeology and it is suspected that he has even helped with the
restoration work at Arnos Vale cemetery.
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