10/01/2026
The Story of Yesterday......
It was a perfectly normal Wednesday morning at Casa Dane. The silver bowls had been licked clean, bellies were full, and the soothing, dramatic courtroom cross-examinations of Perry Mason were playing quietly on the television in the Dane Den. The Krewe was deep in the throes of post-prandial bliss, snoring in a synchronized, heavy-jowled chorus.
Outside, Papa Tom was tackling the morning chores, puttering around the yard and tending to the immediate horticultural needs of the estate before heading into his home office.
Her Royal Highness, Duchess, was supervising from the patio when she noticed a shift in the atmosphere. Papa Tom emerged from the laundry room carrying fresh towels. Every dog knows the universal meaning of the Towel: Someone is getting a bath.
With a sharp, aristocratic gasp, Duchess quickly discerned that she was that someone.
Before she could retreat to the safety of the AC, Papa Tom knelt beside her and pulled out the ultimate trump card. "Bella Duchessa," he murmured softly.
Duchess melted. Her resistance evaporated into the humid Mobile air.
"You have a very big afternoon ahead of you," Papa Tom explained as the warm water began to flow. "We are going over to WKRG, Channel 5, and you are going to be on TV with Devin Walsh to help spread the word about our upcoming festival, DaneToberfest! In addition to that, Dolly is going to be coming too. I need you to show her the ropes and help her behave like the little lady I know she can be. Can you do that for me, Highness?"
Duchess’s chest swelled with immense pride. Broadcast television! Finally, a medium large enough to capture her magnificence. And to be officially appointed as a royal mentor? It was a heavy burden, certainly, teaching the bouncy blue merle peasant how to navigate high society, but a true Queen leads by example. She would show the world, and Dolly, what absolute canine perfection looked like. She accepted the suds with regal dignity.
Next, it was Dolly’s turn.
Dolly found this turn of events deeply unfair. I just had a bath a few days ago! her spunky internal monologue protested. What is his fascination with making me smell like lavender?! But she was a good girl, and she was learning to trust, so she tolerated the sudsing with a minimum of fuss. The absolute best part of the ordeal, in both girls' estimations, was the vigorous toweling-off—a glorious, full-body massage that resulted in high-speed zoomies.
To preserve their pristine coats, Duchess retired to the Royal Pawvillion, and Dolly borrowed little Bessie’s crate to relax and wait.
At 2:30 PM on the dot, Papa Tom walked into the Den to collect his television stars. Duchess had already briefed the rest of the Krewe on the afternoon's itinerary. While they were all very excited for the girls, a distinct air of quiet disappointment hung over the room.
From his orthopedic bed, Dexter Monroe let out a long, suffering groan. He pretended that local news was entirely beneath his dignity, but secretly, he knew his distinguished, graying muzzle would look absolutely striking in high definition. Mo, the ink-black velvet knight, sat perfectly still, wondering why his own talents were being overlooked. I can catch a tiny rubber chicken in mid-air! he thought, thoroughly bereft. Does Channel 5 not enjoy sports?! Bessie Mae, meanwhile, was mostly relieved she didn't have to go to a scary studio, but she did feel a tiny pang of jealousy over missing out on the car ride.
The ride to the station was short and thrilling. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Auntie Katie, who had driven all the way over from Pensacola just for the spot.
Inside the WKRG studio lobby, they met a very nice man named Leon, who ushered the giant entourage through to the bustling news floor. There, they met Devin Walsh, who was doing the interview. Instantly, the girls were fawned over by Devin and the entire afternoon staff. Duchess accepted the adoration as her rightful due, offering polite, aristocratic tail wags. Dolly, on the other hand, worked the room, unleashing her signature calm-but-deeply-flirty charm on every human holding a microphone or a clipboard.
With a half-hour to kill before their segment, the girls relaxed in the back studio. Then came the wardrobe change. Out came two adorable Superman costumes to perfectly match their Superman-themed collars!
The costumes sent a ripple of electric excitement through the pups. Duchess, as a fully mature Dane-of-a-certain-stature, took a deep breath and maintained her rigid composure. She was a professional.
Dolly, however, was a teenager. She had been good, clean, and relatively calm for ninety whole minutes. The puppy timer in her brain was flashing bright red.
Finally, they were ushered into the studio. They were directed to sit on the BIG RED COUCH while the live broadcast was being produced. Duchess arranged her long fawn legs elegantly, projecting an aura that clearly communicated, Yes, this is interesting, but it is certainly no big deal for one of my pedigree. Dolly, conversely, watched the swinging cameras, the bright lights, and the bustling floor directors with wide-eyed, absolute fascination.
"Three, two, one..."
They were live! Devin Walsh, Papa Tom, Auntie Katie, and the pups were on the air. Duchess immediately struck her pose—friendly, majestic, and perfectly regal.
Poor Dolly, however, had officially crossed the absolute limits of her ability to remain calm. The camera light clicked on, and the spunky, flirtatious puppy exploded into action! She wiggled, she bounced, she offered kisses, entirely abandoning the Queen's masterclass on television etiquette. Devin Walsh was a phenomenal sport, laughing through the enthusiastic Dane affection, and everyone agreed it made for an incredibly cute, heartwarming segment.
But most importantly, Papa Tom and Auntie Katie delivered a critical, breaking-news update to the community.
Because of the high probability of severe weather this coming weekend, a major CHANGE had been made to the Tenth Annual DaneToberfest schedule. The event was moving two weeks into the future! The festival will now take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026! Everything else remains exactly the same—the food trucks, the raffles, the merch, and the location at Seville Square in Pensacola.
The Casa Dane Krewe is officially putting out the call: Her Royal Highness Duchess and her goofy velvet brother Maurice are hoping that their many fans will adjust their calendars and make plans to come see them on the new October 17th date! They would absolutely love to meet you (and they wouldn't mind at all if you happened to fill out an adoption application while you were there—hint, hint!).
Duchess's Petfinder bio ⤵️
https://www.petfinder.com/dog/duchess-29591396-8d76-4515-beac-626002f548ed/fl/pensacola/nw-florida-great-dane-rescue-inc-fl141/details/
Mo's Petfinder bio ⤵️
https://www.petfinder.com/dog/maurice-aka-mo-8dbefeee-ca4b-4abc-955d-17a92697ce84/fl/pensacola/nw-florida-great-dane-rescue-inc-fl141/details/
