Stuff Kathi and Roy Do: Rafting, Rescue

Welcome to our web page! Thanks for giving us a click.

We are in Westminster, Colorado, USA, North America, Our Standard Schnauzer Planet.

As children, Roy and I always had dogs. Roy's family had the heintz-57 variety and my family had Miniature Schnauzers.
{Roy and Rex} {Kathi and Bridget}
When we decided to find a dog to fit into our very active - but childless (by choice) lives - the Standard Schnauzer fit the bill. . .intelligent, not a "sissy looking" dog, athletic (to accompany us on backpacking, rafting and general outdoor activities), and not too big. Shedding was also an issue with Roy's allergies. Standard Schnauzers DO SHED, to some extent, but they didn't bother Roy like say a Sheltie or Huskie would.

Thus, our love affair with the Standard Schnauzer began over 25 years ago with our first Standard "Weizer". Just like potato chips, and not being able to eat just one, "Schniken" joined our family the following year. It wasn't until "Himel" came into our lives that we actually got hooked on the dog show game. The first time Himel and I ever set foot into the conformation ring, we won a 5-point major over several specials! Day 2 brought us a 4-point major. . .that is all it took! I do most of the work with the dogs but Roy is always by my side cheering me on, helping with the lifting, and occasionally in the ring, when he doesn't have a choice. Roy likes to say that he is along for the strong back and moral support. You can find me in the conformation, agility, obedience, and rally-o rings. I have even dabbled in tracking and herding.

We have been owned by eleven Standard Schnauzers thus far (five have gone to the Rainbow Bridge but lived full happy lives). We have earned more than 50 tiles on nine of these wonderful dogs. Several of our SS have been ranked in the top 10 by the Standard Schnauzer Club of America, Canine Chronicle, IABCA, and Canadian Kennel Club (with multi-group placements and International Best In Shows/Gold Cup Best in Show). . .and we have had several Front & Finish rankings (top 10 SS in agility). We have showed and finished two dogs from the Bred-By Exhibitor Class. Several of the puppies we have bred have gone on to be group placers, Regional and National Specialty winners, High In Trial recipients, and have received invites to the Eukanuba Inventational. We are very involved and dedicated to our dogs. . .we condition, groom, train, and show all our own dogs!

On the "club" front. . . I am a past member of Colorado Kennel Club and Mountain States Dog Training Club. I am an active member of Mile High Agility Club of Boulder where I served as Secretary and now serve as Vice President and Judge Liaison. We are long time members of the Standard Schnauzer Club of America where I served as National Rescue Chair (designing and implementing the rescue program), served as Health Chair, and currently serve as Annual Awards Chair. Roy has done the SSCA Specialty Website for 3 past specialties - donating his time and talent. I have judged at obedience matches for UKC and 4-H. I have stewarded in conformation, obedience, and rally-o plus I have served multiple times as Agility Trial Chair, Chief Ring Steward, Hospitality Chair, and Trophy Chair. We even show cased our SS at the Colorado Garden and Home Show AND the Colorado Pet Expo, several years running, answering questions about the breed, demonstrating correct conformation, obedience, and agility. In February 2007, I gave a breed seminar on the Standard Schnauzer during the Colorado Kennel Club shows. We also help out with local rescue when needed. I am the list owner/moderator of the YAHOO StdSchnauzer list and co-owner of the EPIL-K9 list.

We breed occasionally with health and temperament being most important to us. All of our dogs have multiple health clearances such as OFA hips and elbows, eye CERF, OFA cardio, etc. Puppies are raised in our home and socialization is very important to our litters. Our interest in and commitment to our puppies does NOT end at the time of placement. We ask that the new owners keep us appraised of their puppy's growth, development, temperment, physical health, and conformation for the life of the dog. . . and send pictures often! We look at each and every puppy as an extension of the Himmlisch Standard Schnauzer family.

My professional expertise is in business administration and information systems with a degree in Business. I am fortunate to now be able to dedicate all of my time to our dogs. Roy is a web site designer/developer with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and graduate studies in Applied Mathematics.

Thanks again for visiting our web site. . .please contact us if you have any questions or comments.

Kathi and Roy and our wonderful Standard Schnauzers

Activities with our " kids ".
We are VERY proud of the accomplishments of our Standard Schnauzers.
We would like to share with you the ribbons and trophies that Himel, Aaron and YD have earned to date.

This is the Dvorak Museum in Prague, in the Czech Republic. It was taken by photo-journalist Jenn Dvorak (my niece) while on assignment for the US Air Force. According to my Grandfather Joseph Dvorak, he was a first cousin to the composer! This would make me a third cousin to the great composer.

Contrary to what you may think, our home is just out of the picture to the right. This photo was taken on a bright February day. The picture was taken with Kodak ASA 400 film with a Minolta x700 camera at 1/500 looking straight into the sun. The golf course turned their sprinkler system on this day - 2 weeks later we had a serious deep freeze.


Two owls have taken up residence in the canal area and around our home. These photos were taken in March 2005. We can honestly say that we have the neighborhood hooters. We believe that they have taken over an old Magpie nest in an evergreen tree just outside of our bedreeom window.


Another "boring" Colordo sunset outside our front window - Friday, March 11, 2005. Pictures taken with the new digital camera - thanks Mom and Dad !