Meet Portia

Home  About Us    About the Giant Schnauzer    Upcoming Litters    Meet the Dogs   Articles    Friends' Pix

Portia was one of two females in a litter bred by Steven Maeck in 1998. Her brother, Star, is featured on our Friends page, and is a working police dog with several successful wins in his sport. Her impressive East German pedigree, (click here for Portia's pedigree) full of Schutzhund- and police service-titled working dogs, made her litter attractive to us. Iro's Gizmo V Bandit (Portia's brother) joined the elite group of Schutzhund III working Giants on 9/15/02. At a Tri-State hosted trial in Dallas Texas, Gizmo received his SchHIII with 96-83-92 for a total 271 pronounced. Gizmo also won High In Trial and High in Protection at the 2002 Schnauzerfest with scores of 88-81-96! In November of 2002, Gizmo added to his titles by recieving an IPOIII with the very good scores of 93-93-97.

Portia's grandmother, Farina v. Barbra Nigra achieved the highest possible titles in Schutzhund and police work (Sch III, PSH III and FH III). (This would be exceptional for any dog, but remarkable for a female). Portia's father is Bandit who we knew after his retirement from the Delaware State Troopers where he was a working dog for eight years, and saved his partner's life more than once. Portia is the daughter of Georgia Von Der Buchtenhoff and also the granddaughter of the international Schutzhund competitor Iro Von Sandokan, a dog with East German lines, who was thirteen times a Schutzhund III competitor, and who made it to the DVG National competition many times, and won it in 1995.

This time, we traveled to Florida to test the puppies and pick a promising working bitch. We knew we wanted another female, and beyond that we were open to what the puppies had to show us. We temperment tested the litter with lots of help from our knowledgeable friends.

Portia the Defender Portia showed enormous play and prey drive, was impervious to sound, full of energy and intelligence. Her personality at eight weeks old was dynamic, curious, and spunky. (I guess being the smallest one of the litter, with five brothers, helped her to become a fighter.) I named her "Portia the Defender" and we were inseparable for the first month. Taking Portia to work to my office in the city, walking on sidewalks and meeting other people exposed her to many learning situations, as well as increased her confidence and sociability. Portia now has her BH and we hope she will follow in her grandfather and grandmother's footsteps, eventually attaining the Schutzhund III title.

Portia shows more natural suspiciousness of strangers than Marta, has good food drive, but has intense prey drive as shown by her work with the suit and her "drivey" obedience for a toy. She is closely bonded to her "mom" Susan, and is very protective. Portia learned the stand for examination in only three weeks, and at her first AKC Novice match on August 17, 2002 she scored 192.5 out of 200 points and won a First Place blue ribbon!

Portia takes first prize

On November 22, 2002 Portia received the second leg for her CD title at the Northeastern Maryland Kennel Club with a score of 185.