It was August 15, 2003, about 10 a.m.

A little dehydrated puppy was sniffing around the neighbor's house. His hip bones were sticking out - he looked like one of those poor rescue animals you see on Animal Planet's Animal Cops.

I approached him, and he barked at me fiercely, but then came to me. I picked him up, and amazingly, just like Zeus had done that first day, he dug his snout into my neck, and let out a puppy sigh. However, unlike Zeus, he did not go to sleep!

How big will he get?
His paws keep growing!!!!

I walked around the neighborhood, trying to see if anyone knew who this dog belonged to, but to no avail. Since I had to get ready for work, I took the puppy home.

Well, to make a long story short, after not finding any owners, I had planned on turning him over to the Centex Humane Society once I put some meat on his bones and got him hydrated.

I put him in the kennel, which is a partition off the main backyard with large cattle fence - where he easily could climb out of, but he didn't, because he was terrified of the 5 big dogs, who were waiting to check out this newcomer.

We have a doggie door into the house right next to the kennel, and the puppy stood there, head tilted, watching those big dogs disappear into the house.

The second day he dared come out of the kennel - and climbed straight through the doggie door into the house. No waiting, no experimenting, he had learned from watching!

Well... my husband fell in love with the "Lilshit" as I had called him so far, he named him Skeeter, and he is part of our household now. - Dog Number six.

The vet says he a Schnauzer/Lab mix, (I think pure Giant Schnauzer is more like it after studying Giants' photos all over the internet). He weighed 11.9 lbs on August 18. He loves to hunt, dig, and bug people (including dogs). He is the most active pup I have come across in all my years. Smart as can be, an independent thinker, learns easily from observing - and is a joy to live with. Now, if he could only focus on his bladder and bowel and not forget to go outside sometimes! LOL

October 5, 2003 - Skeeter is not yet 6 months old. His adult incisors came in, which the vet said was indicative of his 4-months birthday, but his canines, which come out at 6 months, are yet to show. On September 15, a month after he joined us, he weighed 35 lbs. He is slim and trim, and as tall as Taz and Tahssy (19.5" at the shoulders).

December 4, 2003
(picture) Going on 7 months: He weighs a bit over 60 lbs, is about 24" inches at the withers
He's wild, he's a thief, and he is wonderful.

January 20, 2004 - Skeeter at 8 months old - is 28" tall and he's a mix ... we are still trying to figure it out. There is definitely Schnauzer in him, but his features (ears and coat) point a bit towards Irish Setter

March 13, 2004 - two more days and he'll be 10 months old, almost 30" tall. The next page has more pictures.

Next Skeeter Page