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Miniature Schnauzer Training Sites

These are some sites to help you with training your new family member from Happily Ever After. These sites are only to give you ideas because we do not recommend you take your puppy out to "pet related" stores, functions or classes until they are fully vaccinated. We suggest this in the best interest of your new puppy.  Just remember repetition is the key.

http://www.schnauzers-rule.com/dog-training-tips.html

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/training/miniatureschnauzers.htmlhttp://www.mydogbreed.com/miniature-schnauzer/miniature-schnauzer-training.php

Miniature Schnauzer Websites 

http://www.schnauzers-rule.com

http://www.mydogbreed.com/miniature-schnauzer/index.php

Are there children in the family?

How many? What ages? Some breeds are good with children, some prefer older, considerate children, and some don't get along with children at all.  This is not the case of a typical schnauzer. I have 7 children and one is handicapped and our dogs are wonderful with her. We breed for this family oriented quality in our pups! Schnauzers are excellent family dogs. Now with saying that, they have their limitations and tolerances as all breeds do. Below is very good reading about what kind of breed is good for your family, when is the right time for a dog with your children's ages and the appropriate playing that children should have with dogs or around them. Never leave any dog unsupervised with a child. These are some of the sites we like and are pretty informative about children and dogs. 

https://www.dreamdogproductions.com/livingwithkidsanddogs

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1278+1495&aid=628

http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/kids-and-dogs-how-kids-should-and-should-not-interact-with-dogs

Do you live in a house or apartment?

If an apartment, does the landlord allow dogs? Some breeds do quite well in confined spaces, while others need room to stretch and wander. Schnauzers were bred down to Miniature Schnauzer size because the people wanted a house dog that could be versatile. Schnauzers do quite well in all environments as long as they have the proper nutrition, exercise and guidelines.

Manners, but they are so cute!

Remember when you take your Miniature Schnauzer home you have a clean slate! This means they should not have bad habits or any fear. You will mold their personality in the next 16 weeks, the key socialization period for all dogs, by how you react to things with them watching, if you coddle them too much, if you discipline beyond your voice. How much time you spend with them, if they learn rules and guidelines in their new environment, also last but not least if they are left to their own imaginations too much. This is a vital period in their life, 2-6 months of age, is when they form "habits". It is easier to not let them form rather than correct the bad habits after they have already become a ritual. Example if you let your puppy run through the house with the toilet paper decorating your house and do not correct this and think it is cute, do not be surprised when you come home and it looks like toilet paper was shot through a blower at 90 miles an hour all over your house. Or just perhaps it is cute when he runs out of the bedroom with your panties in his mouth at a puppy stage, well it won't be when Christmas dinner rolls around and he comes barreling out of the bedroom with that pot of gold called your undies and parades his trophy to everyone at the table and is very proud of himself. Always be careful of what you "let them" get away with, this is the same thing as teaching him it is alright to do this on a regular basis. Your schnauzer has been doing this since he was a puppy and you laughed and didn't properly reprimand him then so now he doesn't understand why you are so upset with him. So you understand your motivation to give him guidelines and rules as a puppy this way he will be a well-mannered adult that everyone will gladly like to be around. Do not expect your schnauzer to understand when you ask him to do something in a full sentence. Sit, down, stay, release, come, fetch, leave, potty, off, up, take and pull are all acceptable forms of communications to your dog. They can relate the word when heard to the action that needs to be done a lot more quickly if you ask it appropriately. Remember your dog is what you teach them!!!

Do you have other pets?

Some breeds are naturally aggressive to other animals, including dogs and cats, and some get along very well with all God's critters. Cats and schnauzers usually get along quite well. We socialize our puppies to have happy healthy introduction to cats. Schnauzers themselves can on occasion be very "cat like". Most schnauzers do not have a back down and run button. They are fearless and do not mind showing this in situations. Always be aware of situations with your dog and other people’s dogs. All dogs have the drive to chase another animal. Schnauzers were bred to do this, so do not be surprised if your cat gets a devious streak and zips past your schnauzer and the schnauzer follows suit and chases the cat. It is natural for them to do this, but when that cat stops and ends the chase or jumps up on something away from the schnauzer then he/she needs to walk away from the chase. If your schnauzer does not walk away and will not listen to you then you as an owner need to reevaluate who is the pack leader in your house. I like Dr Ian Dunbar and he always has great tips and knowledge, the second site is general information on the do's and don’ts of a household with dog(s)

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/topdog.htm

Do you have a fenced yard?

No dog should be left outside unattended or only be confined by an electronic fence. Schnauzers have been known to jump right through the invisible fences to keep running after that rabbit or squirrel. Miniature Schnauzers will even hunt small birds in the yard. These fences may or may not keep the dog in but they do not keep trespassing children or other dogs out. Also Schnauzers were bred to dig out rats on farms and hunt them down. Your dog may see a squirrel in the neighbor’s yard and it may be too much temptation for their prey drive to not run after it! No matter how much you call them they are driven now and they want that squirrel and they may not come back until they have gotten it. Just because your schnauzer listens to you in the house does not mean he will listen to you outside of the home environment. This is where walks and leash time come in and where you will have the time to work with them. You will need to build them up to the distractions of the outside by training with your dog inside and then on a leash in your backyard. What do you do for exercise? Schnauzers do better being mentally tired meaning a brisk daily walk or jog of a mile or more to satisfy their physical and psychological need for exercise. A tired dog at the end of a long day is a happy dog! Do you know the dog laws in your community? No responsible breeder wants to sell a puppy to a buyer who does not plan to obey leash and confinement laws. You can find these laws on your county websites. Schnauzers are smart, curious and inquisitive dogs. They do not do well when they become bored or when they family is away for long periods of time. This is why they do so well in earth-dog trials, agility, obedience trials, dock jumping and other highly motivating activities. Schnauzers are very observant and learn quick if anything is repeated involving them. This is AKC events site where you will find events that your schnauzer can participate in and all of you can enjoy being a part of with your new puppy or adult schnauzers. You can also look up in your area local Miniature Schnauzer clubs, these clubs will host shows and competitions related to the characteristics of schnauzers and oriented to their breed. AKC registers white, liver and partis as Miniature Schnauzers, but they do not recognize them in confirmation shows to win points. Someday they will understand that the colors have been around since the early 1900's! So everything is open for you to be involved in, but our puppies are sold on a spay and neuter contract so who needs points?

http://www.akc.org/events/index.cfm?nav_area=events

What food do you feed your Miniature Schnauzer?

Raw? Home Cooked? Kibble? Dehydrated bag of Holistic? There are all kinds of foods that you can feed your schnauzer. I am a test to this fact. If I feel like my schnauzers are not doing their best and look their best then back to the drawing board I go which equates to my computer and reading a lot! If my dogs are not happy, I am not happy. You can feed the cheapest food out there, but it will take its toll and run you hundreds if not thousands in medical bills. You will literally be your vets new best friend! So why not start out on the right foot and feed the proper food for a schnauzer in the first place. Just because your previous schnauzer lived to be 15 does not mean your current new baby will follow in those same footsteps. There are just too many factors that contribute to this, environment, food, pesticides, lack of vitamins, genetics and the list goes on and on. But you get the picture by this handful I have mentioned. Coming back to dog food I ask you, "If you ate a fast food restaurant everyday you may feel fine for a while", but then you start to lack on the outside at first and then you will see the effects on the inside. Well this is the same with your schnauzer, no different. There is a website, actually quite a few, that rate dog food and it explains why they rate them at the 1-5 star levels. Here are some good websites that rate dog foods. Remember only you know what is best for your schnauzer because you see him on a daily basis. Vets often recommend the brands they carry and have at their clinics. This may not be the best for your schnauzer so I encourage you to research the issue you’re having if any and find the best one for them. A lot of pet foods can be delivered to your door now. This is a convenient option for many that have to travel to purchase good dog food. These are two of my favorites and I often go to them if I am in need. I have also listed the Whole Dog Journal because they are a wonderful magazine that focuses on natural dog food and natural therapy and are a wonderful reference guide to questions. Here are several on line sites that are wonderful to purchase from, Huckleberry personally uses Mr. Chewy.

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/best-dog-foods-ranked.html

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com

http://www.mrchewy.com

http://www.petflow.com

http://www.wag.com

http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/protein-sources-dogs

Do you know the diseases a Miniature Schnauzer is more prone to acquire with the onset of age or have genetically inherited?

Before we go into a short summary of the more notable health problems in this breed, it should be noted that Miniature Schnauzers are overall a pretty healthy lot. Responsible breeders will be aware of the potential for hereditary problems and will try to eliminate known problems from their lines. Schnauzers have health issues, hereditary diseases and medical problems like any other breed of dog. They are no exception to the rule. These are questions for your breeder, good breeders know the diseases, genetic or not, that your schnauzer may or may not have in the entirety of his life span. I have seen schnauzers that are 22 years of age when they pass and I have seen schnauzers only months old when they have pasted. It is not about a "champion lined dog" that seals the deal on longevity for your schnauzer. It is about the breeder being picky and choosy about what they breed and what they breed into the current lines you already presently have that makes your foundation to your breeding program. This is what I believe provides the best lines and stock. From a healthy foundation and good pairing you have healthy puppies. There are exceptions to every rule. Here are some sites that list diseases for Miniature Schnauzers. Remember not every disease is genetic/hereditary some are brought on by environment, dog food or neglect of some kind. The diseases that are brought on with age or other unforeseen things can include cancer, pancreatitis, cataracts, allergies and tumors to name a few. Here are many more, but this gives you a general idea.

http://www.mscc.ca/health.html

http://schnauzerpup.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=4&id=25&Itemid=71

If you can answer all of these questions in a positive manner or have the ambition to learn the answers, you are a good prospect for one of the breeder's puppies. Remember though, the really good breeders have a sixth sense about people. They will scrutinize your behavior with their dogs, the dogs' behavior with you, and the behavior and attitudes of your children. If the children are rowdy and disobedient, chances are your dog will be too, and the breeder may not want one of her dogs going to your home. These websites are referenced as a guide to help you understand, expand your knowledge and a guideline. Always give your breeder a call if something comes up with your schnauzer. After all they know them best!!!