Steadfast Standard Schnauzers

05/30/2026

The Rocket man picked up a Group 4 yesterday in OKC.

Congrats Pro-handler Joey Washnesky and Dottie Roach!!

05/30/2026

Bird dogs??

Hugo and Sami wanting that buzzard!

05/16/2026

🏜️✨ What a Mother’s Day Weekend for Team Steadfast at the 2026 Standard Schnauzer National Specialty in New Mexico! ✨🏜️

🌟Saturday – National Specialty Sweepstakes & Specialty Show🌟

Scarlett — Steadfast’s God Is My Witness! — captured the Sweepstakes Puppy Bitch win over an entry of 11 beautiful young competitors. Watching this young girl own the ring on the National Specialty stage was something truly special.

Then, in one of the deepest lineups in the country, her big brother Rocket — GCHG CH Steadfast’s Rockets’ Red Glare — earned an Award of Merit among ~70 of the nation’s top Standard Schnauzers.

🌟 Sunday – Scarlett Does It Again 🌟

Scarlett returned to the ring and took Winners Bitch for a huge 5-point major, defeating 8 competitors and officially finishing her AKC Championship! 🏆 This girl finished her championship in incredibly limited showing — and did it in style on one of the breed’s biggest stages.

Rocket also added another outstanding achievement to the weekend by earning Select Dog honors.

🌟 Monday – Rhett’s Turn to Shine 🌟

Rhett — Steadfast’s Gone With The Win! — took center stage and powered his way to Winners Dog for another 5-point major, earning his AKC Championship over 6 male competitors.

Like his sister, Rhett finished “faster than lightning” with very limited showing. ⚡And he wasn’t done yet… Rhett went on to defeat the class bi***es to claim Best of Winners from a lineup of 14 competitors.

To see these young dogs walk into the National Specialty atmosphere and rise to the occasion means everything to us.

Congratulations to all the exhibitors, breeders, and owners who made this National Specialty such a memorable celebration of our incredible breed.

04/24/2026

This post got me thinking about how the Standard Schnauzer is so often misunderstood.

Power isn’t always about size—and it’s certainly not measured in PSI or body mass. What really defines a working dog is mindset.

The Standard Schnauzer is a great example of that.

They’re often mistaken for “a big Mini,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Standard Schnauzer was developed as a **true working farm dog**—a guardian, a problem-solver, and a partner expected to think independently. Their mindset is much more aligned with traditional working and guardian breeds than with companion terriers.

And that distinction matters.

There’s a lot of discussion in the breed community around “aggression,” but I often think what people are seeing is something else entirely:
• **Discernment** — the ability to assess a situation before reacting
• **Aloofness** — a natural reserve with strangers
• **Environmental awareness** — thoughtfully processing what’s happening around them

A well-bred Standard Schnauzer should not be unstable or reactive—but they also shouldn’t be indiscriminately friendly with every person or situation. They were never meant to be.

Preserving that balance is intentional.

Responsible breeding programs focus on producing dogs that are **clear-headed, confident, and capable of independent thought**—not dogs that have been softened into a more passive, purely companion role.

Because here’s the reality: this is not a passive, “set it and forget it” breed.

Owning a Standard Schnauzer means:
• Providing **structured training** from an early age
• Being consistent and intentional in your expectations
• Teaching them how to **channel their awareness appropriately**
• Understanding that they will **think for themselves**
• Earning their respect as much as their affection

When that’s done well, you don’t just get a pet—you get a partner.

A dog that doesn’t simply react to the world around them… but evaluates it.

And that’s not a flaw.

That’s purpose.

And it’s exactly what we strive to preserve at Steadfast.

Power isn’t always about size… sometimes it’s measured in pressure.

From the crushing jaws of the Spotted Hyena to the relentless grip of the Kangal, bite force reveals a different side of survival.

• Puma: Precision predator with controlled power
• Spotted Hyena: Bone-crushing force built for endurance
• Wolf: Pack hunter with efficient, coordinated bites

• Boerboel: A guardian with raw strength
• Dogo Argentino: Built for pursuit and hold
• Kangal: One of the strongest bites among domestic dogs

Wild or domestic…
every jaw tells a story of purpose.

Because in nature and in partnership with humans…
power is never random.

04/20/2026

Rocket had an outstanding weekend in Montgomery, AL. bringing home a Group 4, two Group 2's, and his very first Group 1!!

Congratulations to Pro-Handler Joey Washnesky and proud owner Dottie Roach!! And, way to go Rocket man!!

04/18/2026

🚀🔥 TEAM STEADFAST IS ON FIRE! 🔥🚀

GCHG CH Steadfast’s Rockets’ Red Glare has been named 🇺🇸 America’s #1 Standard Schnauzer (Canine Chronicles, April 2026)!

And yesterday… 💥 GROUP 1 in the Working Group! 💥

From topping the national rankings to commanding the group ring — Rocket and Joey are bringing it!

Huge thank you to Joey for presenting him to perfection and being such an incredible partner in this journey. This kind of consistency doesn’t happen without a handler-dog connection firing on all cylinders.

Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it.

04/07/2026

Rocket picked up two Group 4's and a Group 2 in Alabama last week.

Congratulations to pro handler Joey Washnesky and proud owner Dottie Roach!

04/07/2026

Ranger's got mail!

CH Steadfast's Everybody Loves My Baby BN FDC CGCA CGCU TKN ATT has just won his Obedience Title Certificate.

Congratulations to proud owners Sven & Berenice Thillet!!

04/02/2026

Rocket picked up two Group 4's and a Group 2 last weekend at the Crawfish Cluster in Gulfport, Miss.

Congratulations to pro handler Joey Washnesky and proud owner Dottie Roach!

03/28/2026

BISS GCHS CH Steadfast's Rockets' Red Glare FDC CA DCAT ACT1 ACT1J CGC TKN

🚀Rocket 🚀 is on fire this week in Gulfport Mississippi.

Yesterday he won Best of Breed under Judge Linn Klingel Brown, and then a huge Group 2 under Judge , Mr. Dale Meyer. Thank you judges for recognizing the breed standard qualities that Rocket embodies.

Congratulations to Pro Handler Joey Washnesky and proud owner Dottie Roach!