Anyone have a Mini Schnauzer?

[Jax172]

We are looking into getting another dog. We currently have a 4 year old yellow lab and two young boys (who LOVE animals and are around them a lot as family members also have pets so they know how to treat them). Otter is not a typical lab though he is purebred so it is weird. He is SUPER lazy and hates retrieving. He will do it a couple times and then stands at the door to go back inside. He is a pretty laid back guy and kinda goes with the flow. He is fine with other dogs so I'm fairly certain he will do ok with a new dog. I am considering a mini schnauzer as I like smaller dogs and I have heard they are good with kids. Plus they are cute.
So if you have one, what do you think? Good second dog for us?

Otter - just as he is right now.

 

[Harpertoo]

We had a miniature schnauzer growing up. (We did not have his ears clipped - which I thought made him less intimidating.)
Our dog was wonderful, but very barky and territorial. He was wonderfully tolerant with kids, but not so much other dogs. That may have just been due to lack of socialization? I'm not sure. I never had the impression they were good with other dogs generally.
As an adult my husband and I have had chocolate labs, and like your lab, they were quite laid back. I will not have another terrier simply because of their more high-strung demeanor. High energy and barky were not a combination I care to replicate in my house, but as a kid I adored our schnauzer! He was a great dog for our family. And they are a nice compact, but not fussy, size.

Your lab looks adorable.

 

[Enerchi]

We have owned 2 mini schnauzers - the first one was PERFECT... the second, not so. She was not meant to be anything other than a solo dog - she did not mix well in a multi person/multi dog household.

Yappy is an understatement!!! They can be busy or not busy, so I'm pretty sure it would work with your 'lazy lab'! LOL!! We've owned 2 mini schnauzers, an airedale (BEST DOG EVER!!!), a retired racing greyhound and 2 labs - yellow and our new chocolate lab puppy. Is there an option for having a second lab? Our two play so well together - enough that Lily (the puppy) just focuses on Ava (the older lab) and totally ignores our airedale - but he's A-OK w that!!

Mini schnauzers will need clipping to keep their coat in the breed cut; there can be staining on their white beard from the food; they are prone to a few illnesses one of which is diabetes, which ended up with complications and was what caused our first dog's death.

They are easily trained and love to please their family. They play well with (WELL BEHAVED) children and are a real 'family' dog, much like the labs.... but yappy!! (Did I mention that???)

 

[Jax172]

Ok so you are talking me out of the schnauzer with the yappy comments. LOL

No, I don't want another lab. I'm not a big dog person. I like Otter, but if we get another dog it's my turn to choose and I want a smaller dog this time. Otter also has a ton of allergies so I'm not willing to roll the dice getting another lab with more allergy issues. The poor dog scratches himself raw if not on proper medications.

Any suggestions on less yappy smaller dogs?

 

[Octavia]

We had a miniature schnauzer growing up. (We did not have his ears clipped - which I thought made him less intimidating.)
Our dog was wonderful, but very barky and territorial. He was wonderfully tolerant with kids, but not so much other dogs. That may have just been due to lack of socialization? I'm not sure. I never had the impression they were good with other dogs generally.
As an adult my husband and I have had chocolate labs, and like your lab, they were quite laid back. I will not have another terrier simply because of their more high-strung demeanor. High energy and barky were not a combination I care to replicate in my house, but as a kid I adored our schnauzer! He was a great dog for our family. And they are a nice compact, but not fussy, size.

Your lab looks adorable.

My parents have a mini schnauzer and Harpertoo's description fits him pretty well. He isn't what I'd call "yappy" but he does bark when he thinks someone or something is encroaching on his territory and when he's roughhouse-playing with my dad. He's definitely not good with other dogs, though he has always been an only dog and lives out in the country where there aren't many opportunities for socialization (i.e. obedience classes, dog parks, etc). He's unfortunately getting old and has skin issues and a brain tumor that's causing seizures . I don't know if this is common to the breed or not. I have a soft spot for mini schnauzers because of him, but I don't have the time and energy to deal with one of my own so if I were to get a dog, I would definitely look for a breed that's similar in size but of a more laid-back temperament.

 

[4ever]

My old boss had her dogs at work every day, two black miniature schnauzers.
She had young gran kids and both dogs we very very good with the kids, very tolerant of being dragged around! They were both really good with other dogs too. As for yappiness, the boy barked a little but wasn't any more vocal IMO than most dogs. The girl I only knew as a puppy and she was extremely annoyingly vocal when her owner would leave the room. That drove me a little crazy at times but other than that they were really good, friendly, intelligent dogs.

 

[rubybeth]

Not that familiar with schnauzers, but can I suggest using a dog breed selector or two to get an idea of the type of dog that would best for your family?

http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html

Good training and socialization is important for any breed, but getting a breed with an energy level and need for attention that fits your family is a good idea.

 

[Jax172]

I did research them, but my research didn't say they were super yappy as personal experience suggests

 

[pinkjewel]

Havanese- BEST DOG EVER!!!!! I've had lots of dogs growing up and been around lots of dogs- I used to paint dog portraits. By far the best small dog I've been around or owned is a Havanese!! They are playful but are not hyper, loyal, intelligent, sweet, gentle,healthy, and most are fairly quiet and great with older children. They come in tons of colors or combos of colors. Mine is a chocolate Havanese-so she is a little more unusual having a brown nose and hazel eyes. My Mother also has a Havanese and she's wonderful,too. Unfortunately, they have been increasing in popularity resulting in lots of backyard breeders, so I am now hearing of some bad tempered dogs- but if you stick with a good breeder you truly cannot find a better tempered dog. Here are pics of my Cocotini and my Mom's Hav.

 

[yennyfire]

OK, nothing to add on the mini schnauzer front, but I had to comment on pinkjewel (and her Mom's) dogs...they are TDF cute!!! They look like play dogs they are so cute!! OK, m own standard schnoodle is sulking now because Mommy is cooing over someone else's dogs and ignoring her.

 

[Jax172]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will look into those.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

We have a mini schnauzer! His name is Chewi and he is 9 months old. He is THE BEST dog I could ever ask for. He is happy to run around like a crazy dog when we want to exercise him but he is also happy to lay on the couch all day if we are watching tv. He gets along well with other dogs, although when we come across big, strange dogs he does bark at them which worries me a bit because I don't think he realizes just how little he is! He plays well with other small dogs (haven't really let him play with anything bigger than a staffy cross, and he holds his own well with her) and he gets along and plays with our two cats fabulously. He loves kids and is pretty well behaved around the ones that are his size for a puppy. He doesn't shed hair which is a huge bonus for us.
He has an amazing little personality and is a fantastic watch dog, he lets us know when someone is here! I wouldn't call him yappy although I have heard stories of other schnauzers being vocal.
He loves the water and would swim all day if you let him. He loves going on our boat and is very adventurous for a little dog.
All in all we are extremely happy with our choice to go for a mini schnauzer. When I get to work ill see if I can post a couple of pictures of him.

 

[pinkjewel]

OK, nothing to add on the mini schnauzer front, but I had to comment on pinkjewel (and her Mom's) dogs...they are TDF cute!!! They look like play dogs they are so cute!! OK, m own standard schnoodle is sulking now because Mommy is cooing over someone else's dogs and ignoring her.

thanks, yennyfire! I thought since Jax172 was asking for some other non yappy small dogs suggestions I'd tell her about the Havanese-the perfect small dog in my (somewhat biased) opinion.

 

[Jax172]

We have a mini schnauzer! His name is Chewi and he is 9 months old. He is THE BEST dog I could ever ask for. He is happy to run around like a crazy dog when we want to exercise him but he is also happy to lay on the couch all day if we are watching tv. He gets along well with other dogs, although when we come across big, strange dogs he does bark at them which worries me a bit because I don't think he realizes just how little he is! He plays well with other small dogs (haven't really let him play with anything bigger than a staffy cross, and he holds his own well with her) and he gets along and plays with our two cats fabulously. He loves kids and is pretty well behaved around the ones that are his size for a puppy. He doesn't shed hair which is a huge bonus for us.
He has an amazing little personality and is a fantastic watch dog, he lets us know when someone is here! I wouldn't call him yappy although I have heard stories of other schnauzers being vocal.
He loves the water and would swim all day if you let him. He loves going on our boat and is very adventurous for a little dog.
All in all we are extremely happy with our choice to go for a mini schnauzer. When I get to work ill see if I can post a couple of pictures of him.

Yes please do post pictures!

 

[Jax172]

Here is a picture of one of the little guys we are considering. He is 17 weeks old. I just love his face!

 

[Jax172]

We have a mini schnauzer! His name is Chewi and he is 9 months old. He is THE BEST dog I could ever ask for. He is happy to run around like a crazy dog when we want to exercise him but he is also happy to lay on the couch all day if we are watching tv. He gets along well with other dogs, although when we come across big, strange dogs he does bark at them which worries me a bit because I don't think he realizes just how little he is! He plays well with other small dogs (haven't really let him play with anything bigger than a staffy cross, and he holds his own well with her) and he gets along and plays with our two cats fabulously. He loves kids and is pretty well behaved around the ones that are his size for a puppy. He doesn't shed hair which is a huge bonus for us.
He has an amazing little personality and is a fantastic watch dog, he lets us know when someone is here! I wouldn't call him yappy although I have heard stories of other schnauzers being vocal.
He loves the water and would swim all day if you let him. He loves going on our boat and is very adventurous for a little dog.
All in all we are extremely happy with our choice to go for a mini schnauzer. When I get to work ill see if I can post a couple of pictures of him.

Was he easy to house train?

 

[WindyCitySparkle]

We had a mini schnauzer growing up. I adored him. We got him when I was about 10 and my sister was 5. He was not particularly good with really small kids (under 7-. He did bark a lot. But he was smart, low-maintenance, and affectionate. He died young ( of Cushing's disease and diabetes that could not be controlled. I miss him! I would consider getting another one when my kids are older.

 

[arkieb1]

Hi,

I have Scottish Terriers but a neighbour 2 doors down has a mini schnauzer. It's great when they are there, fine with the kids (who are a bit older), but when they are not home it yaps and yaps AND yaps. I vote that you train it not to yap when its young so it doesn't drive your neighbours batty.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

We have a mini schnauzer! His name is Chewi and he is 9 months old. He is THE BEST dog I could ever ask for. He is happy to run around like a crazy dog when we want to exercise him but he is also happy to lay on the couch all day if we are watching tv. He gets along well with other dogs, although when we come across big, strange dogs he does bark at them which worries me a bit because I don't think he realizes just how little he is! He plays well with other small dogs (haven't really let him play with anything bigger than a staffy cross, and he holds his own well with her) and he gets along and plays with our two cats fabulously. He loves kids and is pretty well behaved around the ones that are his size for a puppy. He doesn't shed hair which is a huge bonus for us.
He has an amazing little personality and is a fantastic watch dog, he lets us know when someone is here! I wouldn't call him yappy although I have heard stories of other schnauzers being vocal.
He loves the water and would swim all day if you let him. He loves going on our boat and is very adventurous for a little dog.
All in all we are extremely happy with our choice to go for a mini schnauzer. When I get to work ill see if I can post a couple of pictures of him.

Was he easy to house train?

Suprisingly, yes. I had heard that male dogs are harder to house train than female dogs, but he picked it up a lot quicker and was cleaner than his sister, who my mother has.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

This is Chewi, just after a clip.



This was taken out on the boat a couple of days ago (he is due for a clip)



and this is Chewi playing with the cat..

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Here is a picture of one of the little guys we are considering. He is 17 weeks old. I just love his face!

Oh he is gorgeous! I don't think they breed the white ones in Australia very often due to sun exposure and skin cancer problems.

 

[Octavia]

Aww, HOT, your Chewi looks just like my parents' pup. His ears were also left unclipped, they're SO MUCH CUTER that way!!!

To what I posted above, I'll add that their dog was really fun and pretty easy when he was young, it was once he got to be about 8 or so that he started getting crotchety and developed some health problems (he just turned 11). But most older dogs have some kind of issues, it's just what you have to expect and be okay with when you get a dog. They didn't spend as much time as they could have in training him, so although he knows the basics like sit, lay down, stay, etc he kind of decides for himself whether he'll obey or not. And his attitude toward other dogs is concerning because he totally has a Napoloeon complex and apparently doesn't realize that a lot of dogs could squish him with one paw... Even so, he has always been a good dog, very smart, and I believe he house trained pretty fast. I think mini schnauzers are a great breed for the right kind of family, just not for me personally.

 

[audball]

I have had two. My current one I adopted last year and she is a senior girl (will be 11 in September). Both of mine have been wonderful!

The first one (who lives with my now ex), will be 4 in September. We had adopted her together when she was 6 months old and she was a breeze to housebreak and teach tricks too. She LOVED walks. LOVED toys. LOVED people and other dogs. HATED kids. I tried to get her around them to help from when we got her, but somehow even at 6 months old, she'd already decided she hated them and would bark aggressively, particularly at boys under 3ish years old), from YARDS away. I still miss her daily.

My current one I've had just about a year now. She is a total doll. I don't have a lot of history on her but she RARELY barks. Like, seriously only if she gets startled or VERY excited. Other than that, quiet as a mouse. Very smart, came to me already housebroken and LOVES toys. Seriously heavy chewer, my other one was too. Mimi is good with kids as long as they're respectful and gentle (she's not into the roughousing...) and great with our cat. Dogs she comes across in the neighborhood she is always friendly with. The only ones that make her nervous are REALLY big dogs that are very hyper (we have a few young dogs that are 3+ times her size). She's also a little protective of me and doesn't like me paying too much attention to other dogs (though she isn't that way with our cat in our home). I think this is due to her rescue background, though.

As others have said, they can be prone to some diseases. Pancreatitis is one of them. The rescue I got Mimi from recommended keeping her on a diet of food that has <10% fat to help her chances.

Grooming depends on each dog. My first's hair grew so quickly she needing grooming every 6-8 weeks. Mimi can go 10-12 weeks between haircuts. But that's a cost that adds up (usually $50 a visit in my area, bay area FL).

That being said, they are great little dogs. Smart as a whip, and love being with their families. If you're concerned about certain personality temperaments, I couldn't recommend going through a breed specific rescue any more highly. The one I used is in the southeast, but there are others. They typically have rescued dogs from puppy aged to adults and since they require that they live in a foster situation for ~3 months before placement, you have a good idea of good/bad behaviors, whether or not they're already housebroken, whether or not they get along with other animals (usually tested with both cats and dogs), as well as children.

Not sure what state you live in, but I used Schnauzer Love Rescue, Inc.
http://schnauzerloverescue.org/

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Octavia~ I had to go research what the clipped ears were. it's illegal to clip their ears here in Australia and tail docking was outlawed in 1994 as well, so he has a long tail too. I love the floppy ears! He melts my heart every time I look at his face.

Audball~ I had no idea the dog you had to give up to your ex was a mini schnauzer. I'm sorry. That's great you were able to adopt one. We will look into that when Chewi gets older, although I don't know how successful we would be as there are only a very small handful of breeders in WA and M/S's are very hard to find.

 

[arkieb1]

Hi have you tried www.dogzonline.com.au - they are the largest site in Australia with registered breeders, there are about 8 listed in WA that have mini schnauzers and a couple currently have puppies.

 

[audball]

Octavia~ I had to go research what the clipped ears were. it's illegal to clip their ears here in Australia and tail docking was outlawed in 1994 as well, so he has a long tail too. I love the floppy ears! He melts my heart every time I look at his face.

Audball~ I had no idea the dog you had to give up to your ex was a mini schnauzer. I'm sorry. That's great you were able to adopt one. We will look into that when Chewi gets older, although I don't know how successful we would be as there are only a very small handful of breeders in WA and M/S's are very hard to find.

Tail docking is still standard here, but ear cropping isn't required. I wouldn't elect to do the ear cropping personally. My first schnauzer had floppy ears and I adored them. The girl I adopted last year came with cropped ears. She looks adorable too, but I wouldn't have chosen that if she'd always been mine.

And yeah, my Molly went to my ex. I still miss her very much. My cat, Darwin, is 11 and my now fiance and I decided to adopt an older schnauzer to give one who needed a good home, a home, and also so our two pets would be of similar age (ie: both being older, less active, less bothersome to each other). It was the right choice for us this time. My last schnauzer was from a breeder, though. We got her for less money and when she was older (6 months) because the breeder had kept her with intent on raising her to be a new Mama dog, but by 5-6 months she was not meeting their breeding stock standards so they listed her for a pet home. Which was great for us then, too.