>> For more info, call or fax Outi at +33.1.69.01.08.23

We are solely dedicated to the Black Giant Schnauzer (aka Riesen Schnauzer) as we believe this is the simpliest -and best- way to protect this wonderful breed.

To ensure the best pedigrees and avoid cross-breeding - sometimes an unfortunate side issue with the "mass-production" breeding- we carefully select each male and female and are ready to travel extensively to meet a champion from a different linage. We often drive one of our females to Germany, Holland or even Finland (because it's Outi's homeland) for that simple reason !

We usually have a new litter of puppies every two months but we obviously can't predict how many puppies there will be, so the earlier you contact us, the easier it is for us to reserve one.

At the age of 9 weeks, all our puppies are home-raised, tattooed, vaccinated and registered at the L.O.F. (Livre d'Origines Francaise : the French State Archives of Origins). We also make sure they met people and went into the different rooms of the house to make them more sociable with people.

Advice # 1 : your Giant Schnauzer will be your partner for many years so we highly recommend that you carefully select your breeder -and more importantly be patient.
If you want a dog "like yesterday", then we may not be the appropriate breeder for you, nor may be the Giant Schnauzer breed.

Advice # 2 : the best way to start selecting your breeder is to attend the dog shows. You will then be able to meet a dozen breeders or so. Take your time to observe the different dogs and talk with the breeders as well as the dog owners. Giant Schnauzers' breeders and owners are very passionate so you'll probably learn more in a few hours than in all the books or websites you can read.
Send us a mail at contact@schnauzer-scapmans.com or call us at + 33.1.69.01.08.23 (ask for Outi) and we'll tell you where and when are the major dog shows in Europe in the next month or so.

Advice # 3 : then try and visit the breeder's kennel. Ask to see the facilities and see the different males and females, especially the future mother if she's not too close to birth.
Don't accept to see ONLY the kennel's most famous dog, except if it's indeed the future father/mother. A proud and passionnate breeder will also show you his old dogs, even though they don't mate anymore. If not, it may be a sign of a very money-focused breeder ("If the dog can't produce anymore, then I won't continue feeding it for free") and that could be a good reason to stay away as his "making a sale" could be is N°1 priority.

Advice # 4 : if physically possible, visit the breeder again once the puppies are 6-7 weeks old so you can see them acting and playing together.
Thus, with the help of the breeder, you'll be able to identify the different personalities available in the litter. Chances are you'll see a whole range of behaviors in the litter, ranging from calm to hyper-active.
Make no mistake : a very active puppy which looks and interacts with everything in the room will probably remain so when adult (remember a female will weight up to 35-40 kg and a male up to 50kg) and will require plenty of daily exercise -and a large garden-, while a quieter one will probably be more suitable for a city life in a flat (of decent size and nevertheless a long daily walk in the park).
And a male puppy which keeps rough-playing with the others and/or steal their toys as soon as he sees them will probably be a very dominant male with all other males in the neighbourhood (translation : fights will happen if you let him go unleashed because a male Giant Schnauzer wants to be the leader of the pack, so be ready to handle it with the other dogs and their owners if you don't control your dog - but a good obedience course can fix that).
So try and choose your puppy then.
And you may want to walk away from breeders who impose that they'll choose the puppy for you when you offer to come and choose yourself.

Note : although we'd love you to come and take your puppy back home, we can ship him/her to your country. We regularly send puppies to all European countries and sometimes literally to the other site of the world (like Australia !) so don't be afraid about the french paperworks as we'll handle it.
But if you'd like to come, remember we are only 30-45 minutes from Downtown Paris so whether you come by train or plane, it's very convenient (and we'd be happy to help you find your way around if needed and get a cage -approved for air travel- for you, just ask !).

Outi Kerkela and Thierry Marquet
39 chemin des Hauts Chupins, 91310 LINAS.
(30-45 minutes south of Paris)
Road map : Europe, France, Paris, Linas
Tél/Fax : +33.1.69.01.08.23 (from France: 01.69.01.08.23)
Nous parlons Français, we speak English, wir sprechen Deutsch (and Finnish or Dutch if helpful)