Wy-O's
Miniature
Schnauzers
WHICH
BREED IS RIGHT FOR ME?
.
. . . . Miniature Schnauzers are alert, active, affectionate companions who
double as watchdogs - a well bred, trained Miniature Schnauzer barks
to warn, but not for recreation. They are house dogs who love the outdoors
(except when it rains, but they think snow is great fun). Schnauzers need
to be part of the family, and are usually found at your feet unless your
lap is available. They have a lively intelligence, and a streak of curiosity
that could be called just plain "nosy"! They don't shed, don't have a 'doggy'
odor, but do need regular brushing and grooming..
. . . . Speaking of which
-- Miniature Schnauzers and several other breeds of dog may be described
as 'hypo-allergenic'. Because they don't leave hair all over the furniture
and carpet, they may cause less problem for some people with allergies
or asthma. MS are easy to keep clean, and may have a weekly bath. But they
are living creatures, they will carry in dust, grass, or pollen from the
back yard, and they love to be close to you. Some people simply will not
be able to tolerate the dog itself or whatever gathers on their feet and
hair. Min Schnauzers are a house and people dog, and leaving him outdoors
is *not* the solution. If the allergies &/or asthma are that severe,
please consider a beautiful fish aquarium rather than any dog.
. . . . . A Miniature
Schnauzer
won't be as mellow as a Basset Hound, and he'll have a lot more 'bounce'
than a Saint Bernard. He'll greet strange animals with an initial feisty
bluff, but gets along well with his friends. Miniature Schnauzers can be
great with well behaved children, but they aren't willing to be hurt by
rough handling, child or adult.
. . . . . . More characteristics
will be inherited from the puppy's mom and dad than you realize, from basic
temperament down to funny little quirks. The most important thing to know
is that only part of your puppy's personality will depend on how you raise
it. That eight week old puppy already shows much of his adult temperament
- look for calm, outgoing, friendly, and playful. . . Miniature Schnauzers
are great, but do your homework first.
. . . . Your first goal should
be to decide if Miniature Schnauzer would fit with your home and family,
or if another personality would be better. One of my favorite resources
is an oversized paperback called, "Your Purebred Puppy, A Buyer's Guide" 2nd
edition by Michele Welton. Click here: http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/ .
Besides photos and information on size and grooming needs, she includes
a no nonsense page on each of the AKC breeds, and a number of rarer breeds,
profiling their personality, temperament differences, and suitability for
different homes and situations. Try to talk to people who have lived with
a particular breed for a long time. Go to a Dog Show or Match. Of
course, you can 'surf the Net'! -- but be very careful -- a fancy website
might also lead to the 'pups for bucks' crowd who will spin you a story. Double
check by going to the American Kennel
Club website. They can lead you to information on different breeds,
dog clubs in your area, national specialty breed clubs & breeder referral,
AKC registration, dog shows, and so on.
.
. . . A word (or three) about color -- The American Miniature Schnauzer
Club recognizes three,
and only three, colors - black, black & silver, and salt & pepper.
You may see other colors advertised as "rare" or "almost lost" on the internet
or in your newspaper. The Miniature Schnauzer was orginated as a
smaller version of the Standard Schnauzer, so any other color was selected
'against', deliberately eliminated, from the very beginning. When
you see a dog represented as a Miniature Schnauzer that actually more
resembles a Wire Fox Terrier or a long legged West Highland White Terrier
or a chocolate
Cocker Spaniel, it doesn't take rocket science to figure out what really
happened!!! ... maybe it was a couple of generations back, but... give
me a break!!!For fun, read Much
Ado About "Poo" or in our case, "Schnoo"
.
. . . And about "Toy" -
I suggest you talk with your own veterinarian about the health or
mental problems that might go along with the extreme miniaturization of "teacup"
poodles, "teacup" yorkshire terriers, and "toy" versions of breeds that
are normally fairly small but not tiny or "toy". My impression would
be that those producing "toy" schnauzers have used Miniature Schnauzers
who are for some reason abnormally small.... And what's funny, one
of those "breeders" talks on their website about crossing
with Toy or 'Teacup' Poodles or Pomeranians to produce "Toy Miniature Schnauzers"...
well, duh!! Actually, with the improved nutrition, improved health
care of dogs in
general over
the
past
30 years,
dogs are
more likely to grow bigger than before, rather than smaller, unless
there is some underlying health problem.... or some Toy breed mixed
in.
Which ever puppy you eventually
choose, be sure to buy it dependent upon your own veterinarian's approval
after a health checkup... get it in writing before you commit to the puppy.
WHERE
TO FIND YOUR PUPPY?
. . . . . Please understand
- puppies are not interchangeable. A clean, bright, healthy Miniature Schnauzer
puppy from stable, intelligent parents is not going to grow up the same
as a sickly, shy puppy from hyper, yappy parents. What you see in that
7 or 8 week old puppy is the basic personality that the dog will grow up
to have
.. . . . . When you go looking,
try to leave your heart at home for a while. Certainly, leave your money
and maybe too eager children home for the first visit. All warm, fuzzy
puppies are irresistible - you have to find the right one. Talk with the
people - the term "breeder" only means the person raised a litter of puppies
- you have to find out if they knew or cared about what they were doing.
Look for the people who try to have the best puppies they can, who have
taken the puppies in for a veterinary exam, shots, check for worms, who
ask you about the new home for their puppy, who can explain why your pet
should be spayed or neutered, and who will be there to answer your questions
for the life of the dog.
. . . . To read the Standard of what a Miniature Schnauzer should be, and
should look like, check out the and should look like, check out the
. . . . . American
Kennel Club - Miniature Schnauzer page
. . . . . American
Miniature Schnauzer Club
. . . . . Miniature
Schnauzer Club of Canada
.
. . . .Now this is important - which registry?? I'm talking about the American
Kennel Club, the "AKC". http://www.akc.org When
AKC started their program of inspections, requiring DNA verification
on high volume breeders, and requiring certain care standards, those people
who
couldn't
comply just started their own registries. Once the chain of history
through AKC registration & paperwork
is lost, you
can't
get it
back. So ask about "papers". Look at which registry. Is it the
American Kennel Club, the AKC,
or
is it
some alphabet soup wanna-be that will "register" a dog you
picked along side the road as long as you have the $10?? Do a little
research
on some these
and you'll see what I mean..
. . . . Listen to your own
common sense - if you are worried, you need to look elsewhere. Buy the
puppy on your veterinarian's approval. Get it in writing that you
can take the puppy in for a health check within the first couple of days.
If it passes, great! If not, you need to take the puppy back, get your
money back, and start over somewhere else.
.
. . . . And speaking of puppies - there is lots to consider before you
decide to breed your dog
when it is grown - try looking through some of the material here --http://www.akc.org/breeders/resp_breeding/Articles/breeder.cfm
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