  We present variational calculations using a Gaussian trial function to
calculate the ground state of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation and to describe the
dynamics of the quasi-two-dimensional solitons in dipolar Bose-Einstein
condensates. Furthermore we extend the ansatz to a linear superposition of
Gaussians improving the results for the ground state to exact agreement with
numerical grid calculations using imaginary time and split-operator method. We
are able to give boundaries for the scattering length at which stable solitons
may be observed in an experiment. By dynamical calculations with coupled
Gaussians we are able to describe the rather complex behavior of the thermally
excited solitons. The discovery of dynamically stabilized solitons indicates
the existence of such BECs at experimentally accessible temperatures.
