Schnauzers...A Faithful Companion

   When I was a child my favorite aunt told me, "once you have been owned by a Terrier you will never have another breed of dog." That was better than sixty years ago and it is as true now as ever. I readily admit to owning a bunch of them, Fox Terriers, Scottish Terriers, Boston Terriers, and even a Poodle or two...but my favorite has always been Schnauzers.
   The breed originated in 19th century Germany during a time when the plague wiped out most of the cat population.Without the cats the mice and varmit population rapidly escalated and this is the way the Bubonic Plague was spread throughout Europe. Enter the miniature Schnauzer. Translated from German, the word 'schnauzer' means muzzle. Schnauzer's will chase varmits and dig them out of their holes using their muzzles to extract their prey. The dog comes in three sizes,..the giant, which is about the same size as a Great Dane,...the standard, which is close to a German Shepard in size,..and then the miniature. These were bred by crossing a Affenpincher with a standard to reduce the size. The result is a female 12 to 14 inches in height and a male 15 to 18 inches tall. The Mini Schnauzers are robust and energetic, and their wiry coat is a mixture of soft fur close to the skin, with a more sturdy coat on the outside.

    I have had my share of Schnauzers over the years. I even tried breeding them back in the 1970's with limited success. Even though I had customers coming from miles away for one of my puppies, I gave up the breeding when my 'momma' dog exceeded the puppy-bearing years. Her name was Trixie and I just couldn't introduce a new dominate female into the family and cast Trixie aside. She lived to be fifteen which is about the limit for a Schnauzer and was a robust member of the family until the end.
   I went without a Schnauzer for a while but then 'Cookie' came into our lives. She was a rescue dog that someone gave up on because she bit a grandchild. I went to the shelter and sat down in front of her cage and started talking to her and within ten minutes she came out of the cage and sat down in my lap. She came home with us and spent the next twelve years as part of the family. That is my wife holding Cookie while our white wolf, 'Schnapps', pants for breath.

 'Elmo' came next as he was abandoned in Oklahoma and the veterinarian called me knowing I was a Schnauzer guy. Elmo was a male dog and had basic instincts of a male.. guarding, doing security checks, and defending against outsiders. He was a great little companion and lived to be a lively thirteen before going to the great kennel in the sky.
  When Elmo died I admit I tried a cat for a friend. 'Gus' was a super cat and loved being around me no matter what I was doing at the time. While I was tinkering with the motorcycle he would be right in my lap...if I went outside to feed my big dog he would be right there. Unfortunately I live on a busy street and that led to Gus' demise.

  

   That brings us to Cosmo.. We brought 'the Cos' home when he was 8 weeks old and he has proven to be the smartest of all the Schnauzers I have owned before.

   He was a treasure to train and I don't remember him making a single mistake while being house-trained. He wakes me up at the same time each morning and keeps an eye on me throughout the day. If I sit down or decide to take an afternoon nap, you can bet Cos will be joining me in a matter of moments.

   Even on my birthday you can see who was watching over my shoulder,...and waiting for a piece of cake. I keep him on a strict diet. He eats about four ounces of a rice and lamb loaf in the morning and another four ounces in the afternoon. I try and not share my food with him...BUT it is hard not to take care of my good buddy..

   When I send him away from the table while the family eats he will go under the coffee table and sulk just like a little kid. Cos is now four and a half years old and will most likely be my last Schnauzer. They are a breed that shows a lot of loyalty, dedication, and happiness. There is not much else you can ask of a canine companion. Cos was born across the Red River in Oklahoma,..but since he has lived his whole life in Texas I think he thinks of himself as a Texan... I know I do !