Who We Are

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Susan and Pat

WHO WE ARE

We - Pat Tonielli and Susan Daily - are the proud co-owners of three beautiful Riesenschnauzers (Americans call them Giant Schnauzers). These dogs have changed our lives, and if you should choose to bring one of these noble creatures into your life, they will change your life, too! Six years ago, we began our adventure with our first dog, Marta. We hope this web site will introduce you to the beauty, versatility, and dynamic power of the Giant Schnauzer. They are not the breed for everyone, as anyone who truly loves the breed will tell you. Investigate, research, and examine yourself before you embark on the great adventure of sharing your life with a Riesenschnauzer.

Portia with a Ball We trained all of our dogs from puppies and Skansen's Marta de Pichera has attained the Schutzhund II, andPortia der Verteidiger the BH, and is working toward her CD and Schutzhund I. Our dogs are our companions and members of our family first - and participants in dog sports second. Each is unique, and each is a good example of the breed. Like us, they are individuals with a combination of genetic, environmental, and personal characteristics that make them distinctive and irreplaceable.

We were first attracted to the breed because of its commanding presence, working lineage, and distinctive physical beauty. We liked the idea of having a large dog that was protective and that did not shed, liked water, and was of good temperament.

Despite many setbacks, our Marta (Skansen's Marta de Pichera) has attained her Schutzhund II title, with a highly respectable 274 score (out of 300), and with a 99 (out of a possible 100 points) in tracking. She is the only dog we know of from her kennel (Skansen Kennel) to have achieved this title, and is one of only a half dozen female giants to have gone so far in schutzhund competition in the USA. We hope to finish her to a schutzhund III in the future with the help of our training friends and trainer, Armin Winkler. Portia has achieved her BH (the obedience and temperment test of Schutzhund) and is training for her Schutzhund I and her AKC CD title. 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! Byron is also working toward his Schutzhund titles.