Great Danes display size, beauty in Frankfort competition
By Jason Freeman jfreeman@southtownstar.com February 4, 2012 7:44PM
Chicago resident Kellie Nau readies her Great Dane, Von Scheer's American Woman, for judging during the Illini Great Dane Club Dog Show Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, in Frankfort. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: April 5, 2012 1:55AM
If you think living with one dog is tough, just ask Manhattan resident Laurie Lutton how she feels about living with five — all of them enormous Great Danes.
“It’s like having five teenagers in the house,” she said.
Two of Lutton’s dogs — Clark, 1, and Leah, 8 — participated Saturday with 70 other canines during the Illini Great Dane Club Dog Show at the Hallmark Sports Club in Frankfort.
The weekend-long event attracted the participation of dogs from across the Midwest and featured several competitions such as an obedience trial and a rally, which is similar to an obstacle course.
Other competitions included the Sweepstakes and Specialty shows, which awarded points to the dog who best matched certain criteria for what makes the ideal Great Dane in terms of features such as head size, ears and the contour of their backs.
Lutton said she had high hopes for Clark, who competed in the Specialty Show.
“He should do quite well, but you never know,” Lutton said. “Each judge has their own certain things that they like. Some like a fabulous head, and Clark has an incredible head. He does have his faults, so he’s not perfect. None of them are. But if they like a good head and enthusiasm, he should do well.”
Leah, who now is retired from shows, participated in a Parade of Champions.
“She loved showing so much when she showed that she was thrilled just to get in the ring again,” Lutton said. “It’s just kind of fun for her because all of my other Danes still get to show all the time.”
Rich Wnenk, of Oak Lawn, entered his dog Capone, 3, who’s won four Best of Breed awards in the past.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” he said. “I enjoy showing dogs.”
Wnenk said his other dog, a terrier named Oliver, regularly terrorizes the much larger Capone at home.
“The terrier just thinks he’s king of the house,” Wnenk said. “Capone will be laying in the crate, and his ear will be sticking out, and the little terrier will go up and nibble at it. Capone looks at me like, ‘Open the door.’ ”
Kathy Underwood, specialty and obedience show chairwoman, said the competition gives club members a chance to get a positive word out about Great Danes.
“It’s a competition, but it’s also about a love for the breed,” Underwood said. “It’s such a gentle breed. We try to get so much education out about just how kind and gentle this breed is.
“There are a lot of things in the news about dangerous breeds and legislation and stuff, and these dogs are almost always on it, so we try to do these types of shows for public education as well. We encourage people to come and see for themselves how gentle Great Danes are.”
For Lutton, Great Danes have been a lifelong love affair.
“I grew up with a Great Dane, and we had so much fun with him in the winter,” she said. “We’d pile on a sled, and he’d pull us down the street. We just had so much with him, and it took me 20 years to finally talk my husband into getting one.
“We had German shepherds, schnauzers and lots of other breeds and finally got a Great Dane. Now, my husband won’t have another breed.”
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