Mak's Story

Ebonstern Maverick Von Musquaw CD

My love of Rottweilers goes back to early April, 1982.  I had been showing my Lhasa Apso in obedience and a few friend's dogs in conformation.  I decided that I needed a "show" dog too. Not knowing where to start, I made a list of what I wanted in a dog.  Love, loyalty, brains and beauty.  Between the AKC book and dog shows I kept checking out several breeds.  Although,  I talked to a variety of breeders of other breeds, my eyes and heart kept going back to the Rottweiler.  Now in this time period, Rottweilers had not soared to the popularity (and over-breeding and poor breeding) that we see today.   After almost a year of searching for that special temperament, a close friend of mine introduced me to a very nice lady that had two Rottweilers and only lived about 90 miles away.   To say I was smitten by the male is an understatement.  His name was Hahn and he was everything I was looking for.  

I discovered that Hahn came from a breeder in Washington State (which is a long way from Texas).  After extensive research into her breeding practices and ethics, I knew that I found a breeder that could provide me with a dog worth being a part of our family.  I wrote a letter to her for more information.  As luck would have it, she had a  litter of two males that just happened to be full brothers to Hahn.  As I would discover this was a repeat breeding of Mak's handsome father CH Ebonstern Olympus V.D. Liebe and his beautiful, wonderful mother Ebonstern Megan V.D. Frau CD.  This one letter put me in touch with one of the most knowledgeable  and reputable Rottweiler Breeders in the United States  (and as I lack the special required knowledge to be responsible for bringing a life into this world, the only person I have ever bought my Rottweilers from) and also Megan's  "mom", who has become my best and dearest friend in the whole world.

Flying a puppy from clear across the country for the first time was so scary. (It actually never gets any easier), but I will never forget the very disgusted puppy that marched out of the crate when I opened the crate door.  "What the heck are you people doing to me?" But in a few seconds he was ready for hugs and kisses and he was the most beautiful sight I ever saw.   










Mak never finished his championship.  There were not many shows close to home and Mak was not fond of the show ring. He grumbled about it a little.  Back in the early to mid 80s, most judges understood Rottweiler grumbling. Even though he was major pointed and only lacked a few points from finishing, I let Mak retire from the conformation ring. This same dog that would stand straight as a statue, but voice his opinion about a stranger touching his private parts, would walk out of the ring and be met by a multitude of children ranging in ages 4 to 14.  He would plop down on a down stay and in total ecstasy, languish in all the love a group of children can give.  He was a true kid's dog. (which was amazing as we had no children at the time). What he did have was a group of neighborhood kids that would ring the doorbell to ask if Mak could come out and play.  Whether Mak got to come out to play depended on my time schedule, as even though I trusted him 100% around kids, and I trusted the kids 100% around him, I never wanted to take a chance.  Adult supervision is a must around any large dog (and actually a good idea around ANY dog) as dogs are not meant to be babysitters.

Also this same slightly grumpy conformation dog was normally perfect in the obedience ring.  He loved showing off.  He, of course knew the difference between the two rings because he had two different collars to wear, or uniforms so to speak.  He would never have complained on the stand for examination in the obedience ring! This was different! Mak got his CD in 3 of 4 tries all with scores in the mid and upper 190s. He blew his 3rd attempt when he decided that the spayed female Weimaraner next to him on the sit and down stay was the love of his life.  He howled at the top of his lungs, and without moving an inch of his body touching the floor, managed to crane his neck waaaaay over and lay his head on her shoulder and serenaded her through both the sit and down.  During this very embarrassing moment of my life, I whispered to the female's owner that I was so very sorry.   She smiled at me and replied "Oh no! She has never made it through the sits and downs before, this will be her first leg! Are you going to be in San Angelo next weekend so we can be beside you again?"

Mak would have gone on to get more titles, but by the time we were ready for the CDX ring, a bond had formed between the two of us that I would not have traded any title for.  The idea of letting mom out of his sight on a sit or a down was just something the poor boy could not do.  For as long as he could stand to stay, he would howl and cry and whine. After what he thought was a long enough time period, if his "calling" to me did not bring me forth, he would simply get up and go look for me. Unless someone knew him, to reach for his collar to hold him, he would barrel right through the gate going to look for mom.  Being no dummy, he knew the direction I took off in as he had watched me leave.  I can't tell you how funny it is now, to remember him turning the corner where we stood waiting for the ring steward to call us back, coming in to me as if on a perfect recall, waiting for the finish to go to heal position.  Again, this was back in the days when the Rottweiler PR was not so bad, so most people found it amusing.  We went on to work on scent articles and hand signals just for fun.  He loved obedience and he loved working for me as long as it was not in that one dang ring with all of those other Rottweilers, running around in a circle, waiting to have his family jewels and teeth counted by a total stranger.  












 

Mak was the first to know when I was pregnant.  He began to lay his head against my tummy at night and gently wag his tail. Not sure what he was doing, we soon discovered that Mak knew he was fixing to have his  very "own" kid. 




And had he been given the chance, would have been the best nanny dog ever.





































Time passes so fast.  Mak started having health problems (Picture above was taken a month before we lost him) Re-living that loss even 8 years later, is too painful to talk about.    I still miss him so.

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