Ice

I have an 8 year old malamute that I rescued roughly 7 years ago. He was 
bought as a pup, but kept running away, so the owners got tired of chasing 
him and decided to just let him go. Animal control was not happy about this. 
I don't know technically if he's a "giant" mal, but he is huge, about 150, 
34" at the withers. He was too big and fierce looking for anyone's comfort, 
and his puppy playfulness was intimidating to almost everyone. Having been a 
volunteer at the shelter for a long time, I was used to being asked to 
"foster" pups and cats of all sizes and kinds. This one was the biggest, and 
supposedly was too rough with the other animals, so they asked if I could 
keep him at home for a time.  I went to the shelter to give him a look over, 
and as soon as I walked out to the kennels, he busted the door and made a run 
for me. Having completely no sense whatever when it comes to dogs (and no 
fear) I kneeled down and held my arms open. we've belonged to each other ever 
since. 
At one point I thought a pup so active and playful needed a playmate, and 
even called the shelter to see if that had any other good sized opposite sex 
dogs that I could try him out with. He settled this issue himself, however. 
He decided to do a rescue of his own, having found a 2 or 3 week old kitten 
behind a dumpster down the street. oddly enough, the kitten has the same 
markings, open face and all, as the mal does. (Ripley's?) For his kitten, he 
was a true dad. For those who know how wolves feed their young, you know how 
messy that was! Thankfully, this stopped after the kitten hit about 6 months 
old. They have both been together for 7 years now, and are totally 
inseparable. Much to the cats disdain, he still gives her baths and wants to 
pack her around in his mouth. 
I had my son last year, and due to past experience, was very worried when I 
brought him home. My brother has a lab, and when he and his wife had their 
baby, the lab went a little nuts. didn't want anything to do with it, tried 
pushing it out of the bed, snarling, etc. The lab ended up outside almost 
year round in a kennel. My dog likes the outdoors, but I knew as active as he 
was, he would never make it in a kennel for long periods of time, and that it 
would not be right for me to ask him to. So when I had my son, I was 
terrified that I would have to choose between my dog and my baby. Ice 
however, is assured that he is the father, that the baby is his and not 
"ours," and also that I am completely incompetent when it comes to giving him 
a bath (he insists on licking him all over again as soon as I get him out of 
the tub). He slept under the crib when josh was in it, and having graduated 
to a toddler bed, the dog sleeps at the foot of it (with head hanging over 
one side and feet hanging off the other). One thing that has totally amazed 
me is his tolerance and patience. Josh is 16 months old now, and about 28 
pounds, yet Ice still lets him ride around the house on his back, sit on him, 
and play "giddeyap."  This is not to say my dog is a pushover. When the baby 
gets too rough, the dog will correct him, usually by holding one of those 
massive paws of his on the baby's hand or foot (depends on whether the baby 
is kicking or smacking), or nudging him to the side. This bothered me some at 
first, as I was not sure who to discipline first, the baby or the dog. I 
didn't want josh getting rough with the dog, but still being a baby he didn't 
know better, but I didn't want the dog to get rough with the baby either. I 
didn't know quite what to do, but Ice pretty much settled it for me. He now 
basically gives me a look that says "You wanna get him or should I?" and if 
it's a little thing, like sitting on him when he doesn't want to be sat on, 
I'll let Ice handle it, which he usually does by rolling over till the baby 
rolls off (gently), and then pinning the baby with his paws and licking him.  
This of course sends my son into peals of laughter, and not only do I not 
have to spank him, he takes the dog as an authority figure too!