Magnum Gewurztraminer, Happy 11th Birthday!

Dogs are miracles with paws. ~Attributed to Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy

Magnum Gewurztraminer Howell, born on July 14, 2000

Mags is my pup. Magnum is an AKC registered Doberman Pincher, his parents were Blue and Elvis. OK, I have to pull his AKC papers as to note the real names...

Sire: King Elvis Freedom O'Miller
Dam: Bluebelle Vesta O'Miller

Magnum was named after a police dog, and his middle name ,Gewurztraminer, it's wine I fell in love with on our honeymoon. With it being German, I thought it went with the whole German Doberman Pincher concept. After we named him, I realized his name basically means -"Big Bottle of Wine."  Yep, we are the classy ones (FYI- Higgins (our other Dobie) his middle name has to do with German beer). 

The breeder was my very good friend, Lara's, Dad.  Mag was a wedding gift from 2 dear friends, Lara and Susan.  He was probably the gift we have honestly used the most and he was not on our registry.  Talk about people getting creative with gifts... Nah, we were thankful for our little bundle of fur and HUGE feet. 

Today we celebrate Magnum's 11th birthday! Reaching 11 years is a pretty big deal for a Doberman, we are lucky he has blessed us with the last 11 years.  Sadly, we do not know how much time we have left with our Mag-pie.  He was recently diagnosed with bone cancer, and his tumor is growing.  This just breaks our hearts.  As much as I should say our cats were our first babies - let's be honest - the cats are pretty self-sufficient.  But, doggies like Mag, they need us.  Mag was truly our first baby.  Our first fur-baby as a couple.  God knows we treated him like one - puppy seat belt and all. 

I brought Magnum home on September 1, 2000.  I remember this day, as, it was the day I defended my thesis.  I traveled up to Michigan, stayed with Lara, then went to defend.  On my way down I-75, I stopped in Mt. Blanchard, Ohio at the Miller Estate.  A note about The Miller estate: it is the home where Chickens will balance on your head, and were mopeds get wrecked and college roommates pose for pictures looking 'mangled in a ditch' in efforts to re-created the moped carnage (Kel and Suz!).   Yes, lots of inside jokes occurred at the Miller home, including if I ever ate squirrel (nope), our two crazy black cats, Lenny and Squiggy, and the house is down the road from the famous Grandma Miller cookies (hope you are still baking cookies in heaven!).  Lots of fond memories of a place I only visited a couple times.

Anyway, I picked up Magnum, and he road with me for 2.5 hours in a puppy crate.  He cried the full 2.5 hours.  About 2miles from home, I went to check on him and ended up rear-ending the car in front of me. Luckily there was no damage and we were all OK, but, very memorable ride.  I remember feeling horrible that I ripped this puppy from the world he knew to come live with us.  But, I knew, with enough love and patience we would have this dog intertwined in our hearts forever.

Jeff cared for Magnum those first few weeks; we were still not married and Jeff was living at our house alone (insert reference to me being a 'good' Catholic girl - no shacking up for me- NO WAY (My Mother and Grandmother would have killed me, it simply was not an option)).  Anyway, Jeff and Mag really bonded.  When we returned from our honeymoon, we enrolled Magnum in puppy school.  We did puppy school and agility training with Mag for a few years.  I was on the road to becoming a crazy dog lady...but then, I went on the road for my new job. When I used to travel, I'd travel with 2 little picture frames, one of Jeff and I, and one of Magnum.

We love our Magnum and I wanted to take a moment to wish my puppy a very Happy 11th Birthday. He's the best office dog, best couch sitter, best leaner, worst farter, most loving, gentle and sweetest doggie ever.  I love you fuzz-butt Pup, pup, bestest pup-ever (just don't tell Higgins I said that)

Now for the Magnum Picture Parade....

About 3 weeks old, from his baby book (by Suz and Lars)

About 3 months old- Look at his paws!

Mag-pie and Me, Oct 2000

Super-Dog! First Halloween 2000



Christmas 2003ish?



Mag eats snow- 2002

Easter 20o3 iah

Pimp Dog 2001

Mag squishing up his nose

Mag and Higgins first meet Sept 2003

Hocking Hills 2003

Angelic Jeff, Gramma, and Mags

Meeting Connor July 2008

Mag and Calista- Nov 2009

Office Dog 2011



Mag 2011
Happy Birthday you beautiful ambassador of Dobermans