SCHNAUZERS

Fuzzy little heart throbs! Watch out, they will steal your heart very quickly!  They live in OUR world and theirs is second to ours. They are always trying to please, always clingy, always kissy-kissy and cuddly. Always trying to understand you and communicate.

The perfect pet.  Non-allergetic, non-shedding, odorless, non-yippity

Known as "The most affectionate
breed" and "...with a human brain".

 
       "THE CHIEF"
   ("Retired Police Chief Joseph J. Skonecki")
                 And the little Chiefs:
                                 "Chief's Lil'MSChief "
                                "Chief's Deputy Dawg"


            

               Here's the Chief's family

                               Left to right:
                  Joseph J. III, Joseph, Debra
                  (Marie), and Derek Skonecki

We are the Skonecki family, and this website is put together in honor of ALL family members, "Amen" and "Woof-woof".

                  OUR 
   FAMILY HISTORY
                    of
        SCHNAUZERS

Why we all love Schnauzers...

We all love the Schnauzer.  And as productive members of society, having our own successful businesses of sorts and websites (Police work, Christian Ministry, Hot Rod Quad, Flooring, Dogs, etc.), we all also have our wonderful differences, but the one thing we have in common is "Schnauzers".

Our Schnauzer family history goes way back to...
 
The early 1960's.

My Dad had a best friend whom he met at
one of the places he worked. "Reilly Lemay", but he went by the name "Doc".  Doc Lemay
and his wife Josephine raised the Standard
Schnauzers at that time. I remember my Dad
taking us to visit the Lemays and seeing these
BIG Schnauzers (almost as big as me), at that time I was about 8 years old. It made such an
impression that these Schnauzers showed up
in many of dreams! I remember hearing how
smart they are, and those were, they easily
did lots of tricks.

Why my Dad raised us with a boxer, fox
terrier, poodle, bird, cat, hampster, and fish, who knows? He always had eyes for the Schnauzer though he said.  All I can get out
of him was "Well, all those other pets I got
cheap." Considering Dad and Mom had us 9 children to provide for (late 40's through the
80's), I guess "cheap" was okay?

In 1973 (about 10 years later) was the day I
first laid eyes on a VERY small MINIATURE
SCHNAUZER and learned they existed.  I
would have given anything for that puppy! 
Of course, I was only 17 and didn't have anything :-(   This was within the year I was
on my own in this scary world.  One sunny
day, I ran out of gas and a wonderful elderly
man stopped and helped me.  He drove up
next to me in a beautiful convertable with a
Toy Schnauzer puppy in his arms. I FELL IN
LOVE WITH A DOG!  I promised to myself 
"Some day, I will have one of these!!!"

SCHNAUZERS for POLICE WORK?

The Schnauzer is a working dog, originally
used for guard duty.  After WWI, they were
used for police work.  They are highly intellegent.  The way things are going in this world, they will soon be working Intelligence! LOL!  Maybe run for President...with lipstick on!  Hey, now that's a thought! LOL!

In 1974, I graduated from High School and
got a job in the inner city of Toledo, Ohio. 
At 11:30pm, all alone working the counter
in a carry-out, 2 armed/masked gunmen
rushed in and stuck guns to my head and
chest demanding all the cash!  My husband
-to-be (unbeknown to me at that time) was watching with binochulars across the street
in an unmarked Toledo Police car (he was a
Toledo Police officer for 14 years). Let's just say, The robbers never made it out of the parking lot with the cash!

Got married in the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge by a Justice of the Peace.

Then, a year later, I found the clipping from
the newspaper of the hold-up in the top
drawer of Joseph's dresser.  I said "I was in
this hold-up!"  He responded "I was too!"
(We met in a hold-up!)  Now I know why he
and his partner kept visiting the carry-out!

Joseph's dream job was to become Police
Chief somewhere, he had a very powerful resume that the University wanted to use
it for a model.  His dream finally came true,
he became the first ever University of
Toledo Assistant Chief, then later became "CHIEF" (without an assistant)!

He retired after many years as "Chief" (long-story-short). Thirty Five plus years in law-enforcement of all kinds, his degrees are stacked about 10 inches thick. He is now Commander in Chief of the American Legion/FOP Lodge.  I recently found out
that my Dad was in Security work in his
early years and my Grandpa was a Toledo Police Officer, and I have many other
relatives in Law Enforcement. (Then our
eldest son became an Arizona State Highway
Patrol Officer). < Wow, didn't realize all of
this until putting this website all together.

Our first Schnauzer...

As our 2 sons were growing out of their crib
and small bed, we expanded also.  Without knowledge of what is called "Poor breeders
Vs Reputable", I struggled to find an
affordable very small Schnauzer.  But there were only expensive Miniatures.  Then pressured and determined to raise our boys with a dog (but not just any dog!)  I persued
and sacrificed size and $for a (poorly bred) Miniature Schnauzer, he did look allot like a schnauzer though (but only lived 1 year). 
For years I tortured myself, thought it was
my fault for not paying more, attention, food, vet, etc.

Our second schnauzer...
One day, we visited my parents and Mr. and Mrs. Lemay were there!  She asked if I ever needed a babysitter, for which I said "YES!"  We became closest friends, her being a minister and Schnauzer lover also.  The Lemays were now into breeding Miniature Schnauzers and ocassionally would have a litter.  And the boys wanted one but we couldn't come up with the $yet.

At one Christmas time, I got a phone call "Come get this last pup...we are going out of town and couldn't sell him fast enough...pay me later!"  The boys came home and I immediately said "Guess what's under the tree!"  They replied "A puppy!"  We called him "Stashu II" ("Stashu" - the first one died and we still liked the name, means "Stanley" in Polish)


Here's "Stashu"...
    
The boys taught him so many tricks, and he could say "I love you"!  Stashu was very smart and lived to be almost 15.  But the boys grew up and left the nest too, and my heart ached so bad, our house wasn't the same without Stashu!  My heart cried and cried for months, and I begged to get another, this time we had the $and time to choose wisely a reputable breeder other than my best friend, Mrs. Lemay who had died years prior,  and Mr. Lemay with Alzheimers, had been put in a nursing home.

"Deputy" is the Chief's retirement gift, and was named for him.  Then we got Lil'MS for breeding (something I've wanted to do for years but couldn't).  Now we are retired and enjoying them as the Lemays did!  They are our children (granddoggies).  Besides, the way things are going, our sons will probably never have grandchildren for us!

Started out, we had 1 Miniature Schnauzer, then 2 (breeding), now we have 3 Miniature Schnauzers for the last 3 years ("Popeye" is almost 3 years old now). 

It's Popeye the Navy Dog...
"Popeye" is the Toy I always wanted. We have Popeye mainly because my Dad wanted him but ended up in a nursing home before he could get him at 6 weeks old. He is Pop's and we are taking care of him, for him.  I told my sister "I'll bet he will name him Popeye."  And he did! (Popeye's other sibling...I named her "Olive", sold and went to another law enforcement family ;-)



The nursing home(s) welcomes my minis at any time, the elderly love them, especially the puppies!  My Pop is one of the few WWII Navy Veterans left, he is 84.  After Pop lost everything in the downsizing his life to the confines of nursing home life, Popeye comes to make his day!  Pop spoils Popeye with REAL bacon (from having breakfast with me on ocassions).  That's why Popeye hates Beggin strips and anything of the like!

Before Popeye was born (Lil'MS was pregnant here in this pic)



           Here's the "Chief" and "Pop"... 
 
                                
                              and "Popeye"...



 
   Along came "Asher" (our happy one)


        "ASHER"

When I look at Asher, I think of a tuxedo!

Joseph (our oldest), got married (to a Chicago Retired FBI Agent's daughter "Zabrina"), they met in Kosovo as Security Guards for a US Military Base in Kosovo.  They now finally came home after many years of service.
Whew!

Soon, Joe wanted to get a BIG dog as he settled back in the states.  I said "No way! I hate big dogs...unless it's a Schnauzer!"  ;-)  (meaning, I only have eyes for Schnauzers! And will not watch THIS granddoggie when they go somewhere).  He replied "Then...are there any Giant Schnauzers?!"  Zabrina said "No way... WAIT until we get a house!"  ("Giant Schnauzer" on hold)

Zabrina fell in love with a pup from one of our Mini litters and she took ownership to him soon after he was born. She did not want the tail docked, said she wanted to always see it wag when he is happy, and named him "Asher" < (means "Happy" in Hebrew). We did not like the idea at first (thought it was because she was use to other kinds of dogs she grew up with), but "Asher" is sooo perfectly fitting for look and name (always a happy-go-lucky personality).

We like the look so much that we will have
this new litter August 2009 with ears and tail untouched (unless requested differently before it's too late).  No vet will clip tail after 5 days old.  No vet will clip ears after 6 months, also.

Maybe soon, there will be a Giant Schnauzer in the family!  Ohhhhhhh boy!  (my cousin had a pair of them for over a decade)  And, Joseph is considering breeding the best Giants he can find (even if he sends over seas for them), as a side business in his life.  But he can do the grooming, I will pass on that!  LOL!