Giant Schnauzers

Giant Schnauzer Behaviors

This afternoon Fiona was standing in the front door looking outside.  Roger and Hank heard the garbage truck coming up the road.  Hank walked to the door and with his head, moved Fiona out of the way.  She moved back and said nothing.  You need to know that our giant schnauzers are nothing if not verbal most of the time.  They talk and grumble and complain like teenagers.

Roger the pepper salt giant schnauzer moved in and moved  Hank to the side and Fiona further back, again with no sounds from anyone. 

Roger stood briefly with Hank and then by himself  like it was his doorway.  This seemed obvious from the back as well as the front I am sure.  Roger just watched the garbage truck outside without a sound until the truck moved on.

That is Schultz in the bottom of the top picture  just watching the process.  Tom says that is what  a Sergeant does... they stand back and observe the underlings at work.  I am not really certain which dog is the underling. 

It was just interesting to watch the body movements of the dogs as they moved in and out of position and never made a sound.

Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue Fun Day

Today was the day!  It was the Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue's Fun Day.  It was our first Fun Day at Deer Creek Animal Hospital in their great facility.  They have an acre of grass out in back with place for the dogs to run and with the shade we put up, a place for the humans to sit and visit.  The dogs were treated to an agility demo with Tango the giant.  If was fun to watch and they both did a great job!

Here is a little video of Tango showing how to use some of the equipment.

Download tango_agility_video.wmv

The dogs loved the hot dogs in water.  Bella, one of our newest rescues couldn't wait to start and scooped those hot dogs out of the water like a vacuum sweeper.  She would have put many a pool cleaner to shame.

There was a kids' pool where the four legged kids could cool off in the heat.  It was 85 degrees here in the Phoenix area today.

People sat in the shade and in the sun to catch up on all things dog.

Our newest rescue looking for homes.  Big Red is an honorary giant or a giant wanna be. She is certainly giant in size.

Ms. Greta Girl Whines For Her Dinner

Greta is our pepper salt giant schnauzer who is the oldest member of our schnauzer clan.  She will be nine years old on November 25 of this month.  She is a food hound if ever there was one.  Her focus on food is extreme and continuous.  She whines when it is close to putting the food down for the dogs.  Should one dare to walk away and leave the food on the counters, Greta will start singing for her supper.  This video really doesn't do her justice. She is most restrained in her demands for her dinner.  She is a hoot to watch and listen to.  She can always make me laugh.  Enjoy her antics..........

Download greta_talking_to_eat.wmv

A Visitor From Germany

This evening we had the delightful experience of meeting a gal from Germany who comes and travels all over the United States in her RV.  This time she is going to leave her RV here with us while she goes back to Germany.  When she returns to the US next time, she will fly into Phoenix and pick up her RV and head on her way.  This evening she got to meet lots of German dogs, the giant schnauzer.  She said she hadn't met many in Germany and had to travel across the ocean to meet so many in one place!

Our gift to her was that she got to meet our giant schnauzers, but her gift to us were these incredible cream puffs that did not have any sugar or fat in them.  They were amazing and so delectable!  And she made them in her RV in her little stove. 

Under the table Hank and Celtic, the best buds, slept peacefully side by side.

Best Buddies

Download hank_and_celtic_playing.wmv

A few years ago we adopted Hank, the giant schnauzer, after he became a foster failure.  He came to us weighing a little over 50 pounds and skin and bone.  He was so thin you could see all of his ribs and his coat wasn't that short.  He couldn't run around the yard once without panting.  Now three years later he has grown several inches and is strong and sleek.  He also has a wonderful compassionate side for his friend Celtic, another giant schnauzer.  Celtic is a rescue who was turned over to us by a wonderful lady with many sudden health problems.  After Celtic arrived, VSGSR discovered that Celtic had severe hip dysplasia and would have to have at least one hip replaced if he were to survive more than two years.  This little boy with his disability has a heart of gold.  His eyelashes stand askew on his forehead and he always has the schnauzer wiggle butt in motion and a smile on his face.  Before he had the surgery, he would run around the yard with the big boys and his hind end would give out and he would do a face plant in the dirt.  He would jump right up and run to catch up.

Hank was very aware of Celtic's limitations and would play with him so carefully.  When Celtic was tired, Hank would lay down and they would wrestle on the ground or floor.  The night before Celtic's surgery, he had to go back to the clinic to get medications and spend the night.  Hank went with him and spent the night with him to keep him company.  Celtic is back with us for two months while the lady who has fostered him since his surgery is out of the country.  Hank and Celtic have renewed their friendship, and Hank is for the most part, his courteous self in playing with Celtic.  You can see them in the video.  It warms my heart to watch them.

A Giant Schnauzer Welcome Home!

This is how giant schnauzers welcome hubby home.  You would have thought he had been gone for weeks instead of a few hours.  Notice the toys being offered as gifts.  Pretty cute.

Hank just had to give him a kiss.

Can I be the first to get petted???

You can't see the wagging tails, but they are there.

It is Raining Giant Schnauzers

Tuesday Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue was contacted by two different people who had giants that needed to be placed.  One was from a very nice rescue here in the Phoenix area whose vet had talked a lady out of taking her young giant to the Animal Care and Control and had gotten him to a no-kill rescue.  This rescue realized that he needed to be with a breed rescue.  He seems as though he will eventually be a nice dog but needs LOTS of socialization and training.  Right now he is as wild as a mustang who has just been lassoed after running with a wild herd of horses and who needs some firm and gentle training and will then be ready to make someone a great companion. 

Meet Tyrus.......

While wonderful husband went to pick up Tyrus, a friend and I went to Wickieup, Arizona to meet and pick up Sophie Rae whose very nice parents had lost their jobs and their home and needed a rescue for their baby.  They had tried to place her but it had fallen through.  They called the local mini schnauzer rescue who in turn, called us.  Ms. Sophie is an older giant who needs some grooming and an adjustment period to take in all that has happened to her so quickly.  But I think she will make someone a wonderful pet.  She rode down in the backseat with an eighteen month old baby that she adores.

Meet Sophie Mae........

On the way back to the Valley, we had passed a sign that said "Pick Your Own Organic Apples" and since it was a nice day and fairly cool, a side trip seemed to be in order. When we reached the turn off, a wide dirt road opened before us.  It looked to be better than many of the roads around here that we travel, so we felt comfortable exploring.

There were Joshua trees all around with their interesting shapes and shadows against the sky.

We traveled several miles up this road and every mile kept telling us that Date Creek Ranch was further up the road.  Finally, we reached the entrance to the ranch and this sign was posted to the side of the road next to the cattle grate.

On the other side of the road were the cows and calves in one pasture and the bull calling to them in the next pasture.  The cows just kind of ignored him, causing him to wail louder.  All to no avail.

And the bull calling to no avail..........

After passing a tractor and a big pick up on the narrow road further up, we finally reached the orchards.  The ancient scale was there waiting for us to return with our apples, and off we went and picked twenty pounds.  We lugged them back across the orchard, weighed them, recorded the weight and put the money in the cash register.  After giving the dogs a potty break and water, we headed out to the highway again.

It was a beautiful side trip and a chance to see another part of this beautiful state.

Mr. Celtic, the Giant Schnauzer Comes to Visit

Celtic is one of the most unusual dogs I have ever met.  He just turned three years old on September 4th.  Last fall he was turned in to Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue from a lady who was unable to keep her giants because of sudden severe health problems.  Little Celtic is a pepper salt giant with the heart of  Superman.  After he had a check-up by our vet, it was determined that he had severe hip dyplasia and without hip replacement surgery, he had less that two years to live.  Our rescue group decided that Celtic was worth raising the money to provide him with a chance at life.  After fostering him for two months prior to surgery, we learned that few animals or humans have the heart that Celtic does.  He was always running to keep up with the big boys and sometimes his legs would just give out and he would do a face plant as he tumbled down.  He never made a sound when he fell, but got up to run to catch up with what looked like a smile on his face.  One of our own giants, a rescue himself, quickly identified with Celtic and would lay down and wrestle with him.

When Celtic came back to us last Friday from where he had been being fostered following his surgery last Spring, he resembled an Old English Sheepdog.

But after some grooming on Saturday, the old Celtic was back with us looking like the cute giant that he is.

It is good to have the boy back, even for a few months.  It reminds me of how special life is and how I should approach life, no matter the hardships I face.  This is my favorite photo of Celtic before surgery.

 

What Can Two Giant Schnauzers Do?

Two giant schnauzers after what they perceived to be prey of some sort (read some critter fleeing for its life and generally a lizard fleeing for its tail), can do a lot of damage in just a short while.  Roger, our big pepper salt giant schnauzer male was caught with one paw half way down a strawberry planter jar.  He looked up as if to say, "Oh, I am in trouble now!"  He turned and ran full speed away.  When told to come in the house, he only slowed down slightly at the door, hit the rug in the living room, moved it a few feet and went bounding up onto our bed and the door was shut behind him.

After going out to survey the damage, I found most of it easily stuck back in pots and most of all, the night blooming cereus cactus was mostly intact.  That plant has survived frosts and being upended by dogs several times.  I found the beautiful bloom only a little worse for wear and the other buds intact and should bloom in the next few day.

Enjoy!  Too bad I didn't get the picture of Roger with his paw in the "cookie" jar. 

The RIPS or Giant Schnauzers Having Fun

One thing the Wild Children of the Desert like to do is called the RIPS in giant schnauzer jargon.  They like to run around with wild abandon and make nasty snarling sounds that probably sound like a major dog fight to anyone within ear shot that doesn't know what is going on.  This is Hank our four year old playing with Greta who is almost eight.  She does prefer to have a solid surface under her.  One of her favorite things to do is to egg on the "boys" and get them running the way Hank is doing.

Download hank_and_greta_playing.wmv

Happy Birthday To Hank, Happy Birthday To You!

Today is Hank's fourth birthday.  Hank is our foster failure in giant schnauzer rescue.  He came to us at about 14 months of age weighing 52 pounds.  He was so thin you could see his ribs easily and he could only run short distances without coughing.  He had been dropped at a night drop box at a kill shelter where he probably got into a fight with another dog as the tip of one ear is missing.  He is afraid of certain male dogs still to this day.

But during the last three years he has filled out and matured.  He has left many of his fears behind.  Today all of the dogs were happy to celebrate his birthday with him.

We don't do dog cakes around here.  We feed a raw diet and they had an extra special one tonight.

Each dog got a piece of chicken leg, beef heart and a piece of beef roundsteak.  They were in Heaven!  In total silence they sat in the kitchen waiting for their bowls to be filled before going to their respective feeding stations.  Having big dogs means they all eat separately.  They have to sit and stay before being released to eat.  This evening I tortured poor Hank and made him stay even longer while I went to get the camera to take his picture.  We put in his bowl the biggest candle we could find.  Hank was NOT impressed and was most happy when it was gone.

That is drool that looks like a spider web coming out of the side of his mouth.  Poor baby! Hank is now a fairly well behaved giant schnauzer clown.  One of his favorite things to do is to open and close doors.  He use to shut himself in the bathroom because he liked the way the bathroom door swung.  But sometimes he swung it with too much force and the door would close on him.  Later we would hear this pitiful whine coming from behind the door.  Hank is always entertaining us.  We just have to remember to do a little obedience reviews so that he knows who is the boss in the house.  And it is not Hank!

 

Giant Schnauzers Run Amuck

About six years ago I had to put my beloved dog Davey down.  His legs and body could just no long support him.  He had seen me through an awful divorce to meeting the love of my life.  Davey completely approved of Tom and it was as if he was saying to me that he knew my life was definitely on track and now he could go. 

Not being one to be without a dog, I was determined to have another dog.  We visited the Arizona Humane Society and found a ten month old giant schnauzer pup so full of energy, it was easy to see why Schultz had been turned in to them. 

He came home with us that day and what a ride it has been with him.  Six years and four giant schnauzers later, we love the breed and devote a lot of our spare time to helping Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue rehome them. 

As soon as I figure out how to use this blog, I will be adding pictures to show the progress of Schultz, our first giant, and others that have entered our lives.

I think I figured it out!  What fun this will be!