You saw one at a dog show or walking with their owner, and now you want one. You might name it Harley, or Deiter, or Max. You and your puppy will live happily ever after, and he will charm you forever with his intelligence and antics. Right?

Think again. Giants are not for everyone and unless you have a LOT of time to devote to your new Giant puppy for the next 10 years, this breed is not for you.

The Giant Schnauzer is a working breed with a terrier temperment. Historically, they were specifically bred to guard herds against prey, protect their families and used as draft dogs to pull carts and small wagons. Add the terrier temperment and you have a large dog who is very prey driven. They will chase any fast-moving critter, burrow and dig, and bark furiously, to annoy that prey out of its safe haven. When the prey is frightnened out of safety it usually loses it life.

The very characteristics that make a Giant Schnauzer a champion are the same characteristics that make it unsuitable for many families. They bark, they are relentless when they want something. (Prey, food, a sock, a Barbie Doll's head, food off your counter tops, you get the idea) They are extremely territorial, they often don't get along very well with other dogs, especially dogs of the same sex. And according to many sources, they will kill your cat. It may seem like the dog and cat get along beautifully, but there are many stories of owners coming home to find their cat slaughtered by their Giant.

Giants also need enormous amounts of exercise. The most common phrase echoed around the country from breeders and trainers is "A tired Giant is a good Giant." An hour a day of running, playing chasing, swimming, digging is the bare minimum. Ask any self-respecting Giant himself, and he will tell you three hours is more like it. Do you as a family have this much time to devote to just playing with your pet? Do you have a fenced yard to keep playtime safe? If you don't have time to play, your Giant puppy will invent his own fun; shredding your furniture, digging craters in your yard, chewing every sock, shoe and toy he can find laying around.

Are you prepared for a 70-100 pound dog to live in your house as a family member? Giants do NOT make good "yard/outside" dogs. They can bark loud enough to wake the dead when they are unhappy....and they WILL let you know if they are unhappy or NEED you to do something. They are relentless and and very demanding of your time.

. Giant Rescue is a nationwide network of caring Giant owners & people who literally rescue Giants that owners cannot deal with. We will first encourage an owner to seek out behavioral training for the dog, to correct any problems, if that is unsuccessful, we will try to place the dog in a new home. As a last resort, they will take in and foster any dogs that are in danger of being "dumped," or dogs at shelters that have already been dumped.

Our adoption criteria is very strict; no children younger than 10 for first time GS owners adopting a rescue from a shelter (because we know nothing about the dog), no same sex dogs in one household, and we reserve the right to check on how your dog is doing for the rest of that dog's lifetime. But our motive is very simple; to place a dog in a permanent, loving, forever home. Adoption fees vary from organization to organization, from $250-$400, but for that fee you get a dog that is spayed or neutered, up to date on all shots, and heartworm tested. That fee may also include flea treatment and microchip identification. In comparison, a new puppy from a Back-Yard-Breeder or a Puppy Mill will cost you $500-$1500, just for the puppy, and that's whether it's a well-bred OR a poorly-bred puppy. THEN you go to the vet with your checkbook open.

According to most any Giant owner, most rescue dogs would make wonderful family pets, for families familiar with the breed. "Most of the dogs we get in rescue aren't given up because there is something wrong with them, but rather just because they're Giant Schnauzers and people didn't research our breed before purchase. The dog is FINE, it's the owner that just shouldn't have gotten this breed.

Giants are notoriously stubborn. Training is a MUST. Professional training, with a trainer who specializes in this breed is recommended. Any antics that you find amusing in a ten week old puppy (oh, listen to that cute little snarl) and ignore, will most likely escalate into major problems later on. By the time you realize it's a problem, that dog has had YOU trained for quite a while.

If you still want a Giant puppy after doing all your research, you need to find a responsible, reputable breeder. What do you look for? A good breeder knows the history of both the Giant Schnauzer as a breed, and also has full and complete history of his/her own dogs. You should be able to see the mother (if not the father also). You should see clean, healthy pups, in a clean environment. A reputable breeder will be able to show you proof that the mother and father have been tested for genetic problems, CERF, (eyes), Brucellosis, hypothyroidism and OFA (hips).

The breeder should ask YOU a lot of questions about your family, your lifestyle and your current pets. A good breeder will truly care what type of home his/her puppies go into, and s/he should be willing to take the puppy back if it doesn't work out for you.

What type of breeder should you avoid? Your first clue will be a newspaper ad. If the ad says "AKC Giant Schnauzers, champion bloodlines" chances are that you would be dealing with a Back-Yard-Breeder (BYB), looking to make a fast buck, or worse, a puppy mill capitalizing on the fame of a "rare" breed. Remember, this is a working breed, not a "status symbol" of the latest fad.

Anyone who says Giants are not dog aggressive, anyone who can't or won't show you the mother, anyone who doesn't know the history of Giant Schnauzers, ONLY WANTS YOUR MONEY. Run, do not walk, away from this type of breeder. Do your research on Giants, so YOU can quiz them on how much they know. Don't be afraid to ask the breeder questions about their dogs, ask for names of previous puppy buyers, medical problems that are breed specific or characteristic of their particular blood lines.

Remember, when you choose any pet, you should be willing to make a commitment for that animal's lifetime. In the case of a Giant Schnauzer, a lifetime is easily 10-12 years on average. Do your homework, and lots of research to find out if this type of dog is really right for you.