After my sweet deSade and Mr. Dante crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in 2005, I turned to petfinder.org looking for a companion for Diego, my 125-lb German Shepherd - and came across 'Bowser,' the cutest puppy I've probably ever seen.

Although she'd never done an out-of-state adoption, Tonya just 'knew' mine should become his Forever Home; and within a week my friend Lori and I were on our way to Tennessee to pick up this new addition to my family.

 People often ask me if I knew what I was in for. While I certainly didn't know Titan would grow to be as tall as he is, Tonya did tell me he was deaf, as most dog breeds who shouldn't be white (for example: Boxers, Pit Bulls & Danes) usually are. 

But I'd done my research and was ready to share my life with a deaf dog. And Titan made it easy. In fact, it's usually love at first sight for everyone who meets this gentle soul - with Lori one of the first to fall under his spell, cuddling with him the entire five-hour drive home. To tell the truth, I was kinda jealous!

 The next step: meeting Diego, who chased me around the house with this 55-lb puppy in my arms. I wasn't sure if he wanted to play with Titan or eat him, but within minutes these two were fast friends.

The following year was filled with a healthy mix of challenge and success. Titan learned sign language - and I learned after several remotes, a couple of cell phones and several pairs of shoes that it's next-to-impossible to puppy-proof your house when that puppy is a 130-lb Great Dane. However, nothing could've prepared me for the next addition to our family - a dog who almost immediately earned the nickname 'The White-Eyed Demon'...