New York Couple Spends $5,000 On A Couch Built To Survive Two Giant Dogs
Melanie’s Bushwick apartment is stunning, but its true beauty lies in how every inch was designed to honor a beloved dog who is no longer with the family.
Meet The Unlikely Crew
Melanie’s Bushwick apartment is bright, stylish, and filled with life. But the most striking feature of her New York home isn’t the carefully curated decor—it’s the massive, joyful dogs that take up most of the floor space.
Sharing a city apartment with giant breeds requires patience, humor, and a lot of love. The household is run by a surprisingly diverse trio of personalities, starting with Cowboy, a massive Great Dane who acts like the baby of the family.
He is joined by Lucas, an older Great Dane who prefers to spend his days lounging comfortably on the furniture. But the true ruler of the house is a much smaller dog named Brooklyn, who is undeniably the queen of the castle.
The Portrait On The Desk
While Cowboy, Lucas, and Brooklyn fill the apartment with joy, a beautiful portrait in Melanie’s home office tells the story of how this pack came to be. The painting features Apollo, Melanie’s very first Great Dane.
Apollo was the special dog who introduced Melanie to the magic of the giant breed. Tragically, Apollo’s battle with cancer ended in 2020, leaving a massive hole in the family’s hearts.
Instead of closing themselves off after the heartbreak, Melanie and her partner Albert chose to honor Apollo’s memory. He is the very reason they decided to open their home to two more Great Danes, ensuring his legacy of love continued.
Designing A Home For Giants
Living “two Danes deep” in a Brooklyn apartment means traditional decorating rules have to be thrown out the window. Melanie and Albert had to be incredibly mindful of the pieces they brought into their space.
They invested in a $5,000 couch specifically chosen because it is water-resistant, pet-proof, and features washable covers to handle Great Dane slobber.
They also swapped a traditional entryway table for a remarkably skinny console. This clever adjustment ensures that when the massive dogs get the “zoomies,” they can sprint down the hall without knocking into the furniture.
The Tiny Kitchen Thief
With kitchen counters that sit perfectly at Great Dane height, one might assume that Cowboy and Lucas are the biggest threats to leftover food. However, the giant boys actually know better than to counter-surf.
The real culinary mastermind of the family is little Brooklyn. Because she loves food so much, she will literally scale the kitchen furniture to reach the countertops.
Melanie has to keep the surfaces completely clutter-free to prevent any heists. It is a constant source of amusement that the tiniest dog in the house is the only one they have to worry about stealing a snack.
An Unexpected City Oasis
One of the most surprising features of Melanie’s apartment is the private backyard, a rare luxury in New York City. This outdoor space was the ultimate selling point when they were looking for a home.
When the weather is nice, Albert often takes his work outside, sharing the patio with his furry coworkers. The dogs have their own dedicated spaces to lay out and sunbathe.
When their thick coats get too warm, Cowboy and Lucas simply move to the cool concrete to relax. It is a peaceful little oasis right in the middle of the bustling city.
Souvenirs From A Shared Life
Melanie loves to travel, but she always keeps her dogs in mind, whether they are on the road with her or waiting at home. Her travel wall features beautiful paintings from trips they’ve taken together as a family.
When she travels without them, she makes sure to bring back a special souvenir. Her dogs’ toy basket is filled with treasures from around the world.
They have a plush toy from Cape Cod, a special find from Boston, and even a squeaky baguette brought all the way back from Paris. Every toy is a reminder that they are always in her thoughts.
The Bedroom Wrestling Match
Despite the peaceful moments in the yard, the apartment is often filled with hilarious chaos. The home office frequently turns into a wrestling ring where the giant dogs playfully tumble around.
The bedroom is another favorite spot for their antics. Cowboy is famous for leaping onto the bed and violently flopping over, completely unaware of his massive size.
Melanie often has to curl into the fetal position just to avoid getting knocked out by a flying Great Dane. Through it all, Lucas usually just watches his little brother’s crazy behavior with quiet amusement.
A King-Sized Love
To accommodate their giant family, Melanie and Albert upgraded to a king-sized bed. Melanie jokes that it’s actually the dogs’ bed, and the humans are just lucky enough to be allowed to sleep in it.
They even adopted the Scandinavian sleep method, using two separate duvets. This ensures that when the massive dogs inevitably wedge themselves in the middle, they aren’t pulling the blankets off their parents.
Waking up squeezed into weird yoga poses is just a normal part of life for Melanie. For her, true happiness is having a space where her entire family fits perfectly together, honoring the dog who started it all while living their absolute best lives.
