The History of Yashanti Kennels
The two dogs shown above are Grand Ch Skansens's Great Gatsby and our very own "Yvette" they were bred in 2010 and produced our last litter of giant puppies (click link to go to puppy pages)
There is nothing more sobering, and rewarding, than looking back over pages frozen in time. Remembering great times with great people and seeing today where the breed has gone. New and old faces involved and continuing to share good times. we debated getting a show giant and Skansen picked out a beauty for us, but life has a funny way of stepping in and changing plans.
In the last year we have spent over 20K to keep our 2 year old import healthy and alive she is AIHA and we will lose the battle but as long as she fights we fight too. Our time in Pepper Salt giants are some of my happiest memories but I need to leave this in the past now and concentrate elsewhere..
For 2010 happenings click here
History of Yashanti Kennels
This is where it all began for Yashanti, with the giants, first blacks and then Pepper Salts. Then PBGV's and Irish Wolfhounds. These dogs will be featured on this page in and photos below. Today we own predominately sight hounds (with their own pages and tabs above) but we thought you might like to see where we came from
We bought our first giant from Cathy Williams in VA and soon met Maggie and Jerry Lewis, Tuxedo NY and Von Silber Wald giants. A life time friendship developed and we are where we are today through their friendship, mentor-ship, guidance and love. Our first giants were not show quality but they were loved just the same (Roxi and Kong). Several years later later Maggie gave us Theo whom we finished and Specialed. To his credit Theo had 139 BOB's in his first year as a special, he had several Group placements 2 Group 1's and he went BOS at the Garden in a class of 27 males! Theo was handled lovingly to his Championship by Sharon Phillips of Sykesville, MD and specialed as a Champion by Chuck Callahan. From Theo there were many other blacks, we had Yanni (Ramahill's Mit-su-yan) from the Adler's, We had Kohlbe (Ch Debrics Giant Kohlbe) presented by Chuck Callahan and we had Lacey (CH Skansen's Rhodes Scholar) from Skansen presented by Carol Thordsen of Andover, NJ. All finished here at Yashanti.
When Lacey arrived from Skansen she arrived with UBU (CH Skansen's Summa Cum Laude) our first P/S giant. Ubu was finished handled entirely by Carol Thordsen. We also then had Eva (Mistag's For your eyes only) from John Tagliarino (Mistag Giants) and we had several yashanti pups, Keeper (Yashanti's Mistag'd for Skansen) and Classi (Yashanti's Top Secret) Classi was later leased by Marylou Hansen (Desert Hill's) for the litter that produced Jurnee. Keeper is the mother of CH Skansens Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Valli (Skansens Valedictorian)and Armani (Skansen's Xpertly Tailored for Vogue) arrived from Skansen. Valli won the national puppy sweeps 
from the 12-18 month classes repeating in her fathers (Ch Skansens Riccardo Montelban) footsteps
A mention of Yashanti Giants would not be complete without mention of our dear friends Jane and Bob Elias of Manchester, MD. Jane finished our first home grown Champion (CH Yashanti's Amadea V Manchster) Maddie. Maddie was an absolute delight to all who knew here and I will add her photo here in weeks to come. Maddie was momma to Watson and Star who also lit the lives of those who knew them and lived with Jane and Bob. Molly and Doc were also two of Maddies kids that we will add to these pages.
Today Barb and Ted Belzer own Aine aka CH Yashanti's Dancin up a storm, she is shown here winning one of several of her recent group placements lovingly and professionally handled by Carol Thordsen In September of 2010 she became Yashanti's first Grand Champion 
Carol specialed Aine sire Ch Skansen's An American in Paris
I finished Aine's Dam Ch Skansens Dancin Sabrina owned by Amy McGill Fitzgerald and we co-bred the litter.
Ada - CH Yashanti's Adagio v Silberwald was a Theo/Lacey daughter. She was handled to her championship by Pat Malan and figures in Pat's early breedings at Magna Giant Schnauzers she can be seen on Pat's webpages and we will add her here again as we build this site
Today giants come in Black and Pepper Salt these are the two colors that the Breed standard and the AKC recognize. However there used to be Black and Tan's and Red Peppers (or fawns as we call them in the USA) these are much more rare today though as few as 10 years ago your could still find them in Canada and several other countries. On the rise today in popularity as pets is the Black and Silver variety shown below. This is a pure black coat to the skin not just a dark pepper salt.
Yashanti Giants are featured on the cover of the Giant Schnauzer Breed Klub book with Yashanti’s Mistag’d for Skansen (keeper) and Mistag’s for your eyes only (eva) This book is full of page after page of our giants here are a few of the photos you will see featured in this book.
Madison as she was 14 +years ago with Yashanti’s Night Magic aka Warlock litter brother to Yashanti’s Adagio v Silberwald (aka Ada). All three of our girls made the book too. Something about kids with puppies.
Pepper Salt male with young pup (hudson and chloe)
Pet Department TV show in NYC
Left to right "Q" Ch Skansen's Secret Weapon, " Lacey" Ch Skansen's Rhodes Scholar, "Ubu" CH Skansens Summa Cum Laude and "Theo" Ch Theolonius Von Silber Wald
People left to right
John "Tag", Beth Blough, Mona Murphy, the pet department assistant
A mountain of memories and the dogs that gave them too us spanned two decades and the covers of multiple books, calendars and magazines. They graced the lives of strangers who we now call friends and we could not do what we do with out them.
Skansens Xperty Tailored - Armani Skansens Valedictorian - Valli
Yashanti Giants, it is where we started if you have one of our giants and would like it featured here please send us a photo and we will post it!