Close quarters with a growling Great Dane

From Alphonse owner... Alphonse underwent extensive socialization and exposure to various environments in accordance with COVID regulations during his critical developmental stages. However, it seems that the information regarding this was not accurately conveyed at the end of the video. It should be noted that there were a few inessential environments, such as a grooming salon, that were not explored. This is because Great Danes, like Alphonse, do not typically require regular grooming from a professional. They can be easily bathed at home, and due to COVID restrictions, it was not deemed necessary for his essential exposure to perform tasks. On the other hand, Alphonse was thoroughly familiarized with commonly visited areas such as hospitals, grocery stores, and other hectic public spaces. It is important to clarify that Alphonse is a legally and professionally evaluated mobility assistance service dog in the province of Ontario. He was specifically chosen by his reputable breeder for this role and was raised from a puppy with the necessary training. After the video was filmed, Alphonse was temporarily withdrawn from public access in order to reassess his temperament and behavior. This was done to ensure that he is suitable for his handler and to work on building his confidence independently. A preliminarily greeting before transferring the leash may have helped Alphonse feel more at ease with the groomer, however it's noticed how much he relaxed after the harness was removed. It is worth noting that growling is a normal and appropriate means for a dog to express their discomfort. Regarding the harness, it was discussed and deliberate to keep it on for the purpose of capturing footage. We recognize and acknowledge the areas where mistakes were made and are continually striving to improve for the safety of all parties. Alphonse has undergone professional assessment and has been deemed fit to continue his work in the province of Ontario under the guidelines outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) section 191/11. Your concern and support is both acknowledged and appreciated!

His face while Vanessa is introducing the situation. He knows she's talking about him, but he suspects it isn't all good, and he's thinking she's not so great herself. He's just so skeptical. 😂

I can’t believe you actually got to groom the world-famous Scooby-Doo!

I can understand why Vanessa thought she could handle this giant’s groom on her own. He’s a mobility service dog. One would have expected him to be seriously chilled. Not a nervous wreck because he’s being groomed. Bless him. His eyebrows had a life of their own. So animated. They told their own story. Vanessa as always was the consummate professional. Alphonse did his best considering his skittishness.

I'm not going to lie, his face at 0:36 had me rolling! 😂 He looks so confused, but sweet at the same time x

It's mindblowing how great danes are always so easily scared by everything while they are always the biggest dog on the playground :D

The motto on his harness is an accurate description of his mood 😂 “Unless invited, don’t approach”

i love when dogs move their little eyebrows like when she was explaining how he growled at her 😭🥺

The way he gave his paw is just so precious lol

His eyebrow lift & facial expressions when Vanessa was talking about him were hilarious.

I love that Alphonse is sitting on the shower in the classic "Ruh-roh" gentleman's pose. He's not sure what the heck is happening, so he's gonna try to Scooby himself as small as a pony-dog could possibly be. Edit: Oh, look. The Scooby Snax worked, too!

I can't believe it. She said he growled and I (having nearly lost an eye to a dog before) expected the muzzle. Vanessa is truly amazing, she established rapport and everyone benefited. She's is amazing and one of a kind.

as a st bernard owner... i freakin LOOOOOOOVE watching you with the big dogs. its absolutely amazing how you treat them with such care and patience... groomers are the unsung heroes of the pet world...

Vanessa is a very responsible dog groomer because she can see the dog’s reaction and acts appropriately to the situation . Hopefully Alfonze will be less nervous at his next appointment

As a Dane owner I will say they are afraid of everything. Mine had to be desensitized to leaves because those things were sketchy . Mine doesn’t like fast movement so children are scary too . Scooby is truly a great representation of the Dane

The way he looks taken aback that his growl was such a big deal as she explains why she didn’t get in the shower with him 😂 He’s looking like, “you just startled me a bit. No need to question my entire character to your audience. And why are you filming this anyway?!” 😂

I have lived with CPTSD my entire life and I don't know how to explain this but watching you slowly and calmly introduce Alfonse and wait for him to warm up to you was incredibly calming. Beautiful to watch ❤️

the zoom-ins on his indignant face are EVERYTHING

It’s amazing how his demeanor just changed on a dime. He’s like, “oh it’s just a bath… I get it. We cool girl.” 😂

"Tucked tail Great Dane" was funny to me because Great Danes naturally hold their tails lower and they're often tucked at rest. In this situation he was nervous, but a tucked tail on a Great Dane doesn't necessarily mean they're nervous. I get told all the time that my Great Dane service dog "must be scared" when he's not at all simply because of where he is holding his tail. I think he did great for a first time introduction to grooming. Remember, service dogs aren't robots; they are first and foremost dogs. Communicating his uneasiness with a growl doesn't mean he's aggressive. It means he's unsure of that weird situation and is letting Vanessa know that he's uncomfortable. He seems like a sweet pup. Thanks for taking care of your human, Alphonse!