ADULT DOGS FOR ADOPTION AND RESCUE DOGS
As you probably know, I have been breeding schnauzers for 50 years, so it’s been a lifelong dedication. I love the company of dogs and it’s been a challenge to improve my dogs, not only in looks, but also their character and physical health. I realize that 50 years is a drop in the bucket when it comes to evolution, and changes in genetics comes very slowly.
After starting out as a kid wanting to breed a few champions, it was tough, going and winning 3rd in a class was even exciting in the beginning. Eventually my dogs got more and more competitive, and the group placings and Best In Show started happening. Well, today I’m very excited to say I have bred 1000 + Giant Schnauzer champions, I stopped counting at 1000.
It is no question that the structure is far better than just 30 years ago. The health has improved a lot more, because of proper nutrition than anything else. Most of our dogs turn out to be wonderful family dogs, well loved by all. If I had kept all the wonderful letters over the last 30-40 years from puppy buyers who love their dogs, I could fill up many thousands of pages.
However, not all dogs turn out to be perfect. Occasionally, all the poor genes may effect one animal. Almost every dog who turns aggressive or stubborn to a fault, or noisy, or jumps on people, or runs away, were created this way by their environment. Any pup that is abused will eventually turn nasty, especially an intelligent breed like the schnauzer. Any dog that is left alone all day in a back yard with no company will eventually dig or jump out and go find friends, especially if he is not taken into the house at night to spend some quality time with his owners.
Any dog that is fed just dried kibble will eventually develop some weakness, whether it being hip dysplasia, bad skin, thyroid deficiency or cancer, the list goes on. Therefore, it is very important for us to educate our puppy buyer, teach them how to housebreak their pup, feed him, exercise him, etc. We have over the years put together 6 audios, which we give to every puppy buyer; that’s 6 + hours of advice in every field. Also, we loan out a training video and tell you where you can get books and videos about how to train your dog in whatever sport you may take up with your dog. We give a book about how to keep your dog healthy, as well as a manual, which covers training, feeding, possible health problems, etc.
Most of the puppy buyers love all this material, even if it is overwhelming when just received. I promise you that if you listen to all the audios, look at the 2 videos, and read the manual, the book, and all the loose flyers, you will learn from all my mistakes and feel confident about how to best care for your new friend.
We often get calls from people asking to buy an adult dog. Unfortunately, we never have them, because the demand for our dogs is so great, they are often sold as soon as they are born. Also, I find that this breed does best if raised since a young pup (3-5 months old) by his own family. Schnauzers are smart, sensitive and quickly adjust to their new homes. If there are children, they grow to love them, if mainly dogs, they love that lifestyle, if raised on a farm with horses, cattle, chickens, etc., they soon learn who belongs and which strange intruder should be chased off.
Our adult dogs are so used to having mainly schnauzers around them that they become deeply depressed and very scared if taken away from us. Because I have this experience, I make sure all my pups have homes of their own before they get to be adults. However, eventually after their show careers or breeding time is finished, usually around 4-5 years old, they like to slow down, sleep on a couch and stop being wild kids, we will part with them in an adopting program we have found very successful. People who have a one-two-three etc. year old schnauzer from us, often call and tell us how much they love their dogs, how much they would love to have another as a companion for their dog, but they do not have time to raise another pup, or they do not want to face puppyhood again. As I mentioned in many places, raising a giant schnauzer pup is like living with the devil for the first year. Their activity level is very high, they want to play, eat, chew on everything nonstop, but at the end, once they grow up, all that hassle is well worth it.
So we do adopt out most of our dogs as 4-5 year olds to homes we know LOVE their dogs, understand and love the schnauzer character, are willing to feed as we do (raw meat, bones, vegetables and vitamins, etc.) and truly love this breed to take good care of them. No registration papers are provided on any adopted dog. This adoption program is very popular and there is always more demand than dogs available. For those of you thinking you would like to adopt one of these retired girls, let us know early.
Finally about rescue dogs. These are the unfortunate dogs that ended up in a pound or the street, but someone luckily found them and took them in. These are the dogs from families who divorced, moved or just plain got tired of their dogs, and in some cases the dog bit someone. I wish I could predict who these type of families will be so my dogs don’t have to be abandoned. Unfortunately, we cannot always predict our own future, so if you ever get in a position where you cannot keep your schnauzer, we urge you to let us know, and not just drop him off at the pound. We have calls daily from all over the US, from people who would love to rescue or adopt a schnauzer. Every dog we hear about usually has a new, great family in less than 3 weeks. As it is very expensive to ship big dogs, we try to place them close to where you are. But shipping them to new homes is often done too. If no one adopts or rescues the dog in 2-3 weeks, we will, of course, take them back to the ranch and find a home out here.
We usually have a couple of people waiting to adopt or rescue a schnauzer, and I’m happy to say it is not very often they become abandoned. It is very easy for us to determine which dogs were born here, as all are tattooed. We have a great rescue system in that if someone finds a dog, tell us the tattoo number on the inside of his back leg, we can tell you who he belongs to, how old he is etc. Several dogs have been reunited with their owners through the tattoo, dogs that got lost for whatever reason.
We breed quite a few litters every year, not because it’s an income or financially lucrative, it’s actually very expensive to raise a litter properly. Our whole operation is in the red; it’s just a great big hobby. I have many times wanted to cut down and eventually stop, as it can also be heart breaking. Puppies get parvo, and despite vaccinations and all the best veterinarian care, they die. They may have problems whelping and caesarians are necessary, all kinds of things can go wrong when you take care of live animals. But there are so many wonderful people who love their dogs, more than anything in their lives. These dogs provide companionship to sick children, the elderly, the lonely. They give joy and excitement to young people and adults who enter them in dog shows, trials and train them for search and rescue. Many are trained and are used to give a diversion to children and sick people in hospitals and old age homes. Some are used for police dogs and for U.S. Customs to use as drug dogs. There is no end to how much love, pleasure, excitement and plain old companionship these dogs can offer. So, as long as I can help to provide joy to any family, I will continue to breed the best dog possible and educate the puppy buyer how to feed, raise and train his new pup.
For all those loyal puppy buyers who in some cases are on their 4th generation and love these schnauzers and their friendship as much as I do, I like to give a great big thank you. 50 years are not much and eventually I’ll have to give up this great hobby, trying to breed the most beautiful schnauzer, with a great character, highly intelligent, so healthy he will live to be 12-14 years in perfect health. Then I hope the next generation will take over, perhaps it will be a young child who just got their first schnauzer.
Most of our dogs are sold from recommendations by schnauzer owners, breeders, veterinarians and people who just admire and know our dogs. I truly appreciate all the support, loyalty and respect I continually receive, and I promise I will still be around for a few years. After all, I do not only take care of and improve the health of my dogs, but as you know through Neolife, I also try to stay healthy and happy, and hope you do too.
Sylvia
Receiving an Adopted Schnauzer
Realistic Expectations of a Retired Dog: Roscoe’s story
A true story about spaying your retired female…
Skansen's Youthful "Sojie" A STANDARD SCHNAUZER’S STORY
Women over 30
Application to Adopt
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