Magnum's combination of power and playfulness makes him a joyful force to reckon with.
His petite master and pal Tiffany Jones of Cornwall uses all her strength to hold the sturdy 10-month-old Great Dane in check as he tries to break free to greet another dog.
The good-natured animal is far more solid now than in his time leading up to surgery performed to address malformed bones in the dog's front left shoulder.
Today, there isn't even a hint of pain. Magnum can run with reckless abandon.
"It's fantastic,'' Jones beams over just how well the surgery went at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown on Sept. 29.
The surgery, though, came with a hefty pricetag — one Jones found to be quite prohibitive when first looking into what needed to be done to make her dog better. She earns a modest income milking cows and continues to tackle mounting bills not associated with her dog.
Islanders touched by her commitment to Magnum and other Great Danes — Jones has for many years embraced this majestic breed — were quick to foot the bill.
Money poured in. Stores in Cornwall collected change and larger donations for the canine cause. And Pilot House, a Charlottetown restaurant, pledged to pay whatever the donations didn't cover.
Jones brought Magnum — a deaf, white dog with black markings around his nose — home just one day after surgery.
For the next month, the dog was only allowed outside on his leash for the few minutes he needed, otherwise he had to be relatively confined. It's certainly not easy, notes Jones, to keep an energetic puppy settled for 30 days or so.
After checking Magnum's progress, the AVC gave Jones the green light to begin her dog on limited exercise. She gently eased him back into action.
During the recovery stage, Jones slept on the couch for two months because Magnum couldn't climb the stairs.
"We're never apart,'' she said.
"He's incredibly kind. He never growls...He has a beautiful temperament.''
Then, on Dec. 7, the vet cleared Magnum, who loves riding in Jones' truck and spending time with the two cows she raises on her property, to be a normal puppy again.
She looks forward hopefully to many years with her buddy as vets predict Magnum should lead a normal, healthy life with the potential — but no certainty — of arthritis coming later in life.
Jones is so thankful for the generosity of people that helped Magnum undergo needed surgery.
By way of gratitude, she sent Christmas cards to the three stores that collected money as well as to people who made donations directly to her.
Each card sported a picture of the lanky Great Dane lying on a bed of leaves in the woods.
She also included the following heartfelt acknowledgment, which was signed Tiffany & Magnum:
"We want to thank everyone so much for their generosity and kind thoughts. I was so overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers it has been an experience that I will never forget. I am so thankful to have met such beautiful people. You made a very difficult situation a life changing experience. Magnum and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking his pain away and letting him be a happy puppy again.''
While I support people having pets, I believe that if one is going to have an animal, they should have the disposable income to take care of one (no matter if the vet bill is expected or otherwise) and not have to rely on public assistance to look after a pet.