Being a Schnauzer Puppy Parent
When you’re thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, it's essential to make sure that you choose the right breed for your lifestyle. Miniature Schnauzers make excellent family pets; they're the smallest of the Schnauzer breeds and generally
weigh 11-20 pounds. Miniature Schnauzers
grow 12-14 inches tall; they're sporty and muscular dogs initially bred as farm
dogs and ratters.
Diet and Exercise
Miniature Schnauzers are lively and energetic dogs that require daily exercise for their mental
and physical health. They enjoy going on walks and outdoor activities with
their family. Miniature Schnauzers have a medium energy level, making them a
good fit for city or country living. Miniature Schnauzers should be fed high-quality
dog food.
For
specific dietary needs, consult with your veterinarian.
Grooming
Miniature Schnauzers have medium-length, wiry double coats. They shed
minimally but require daily brushing. They should be bathed monthly and have
their hair and nails trimmed by a professional groomer every five to eight
weeks.
Temperament and Training
Miniature Schnauzers are quick learners and eager to please. Schnauzers are smart dogs, and they may get bored with repetitive training, so make training fun with a mix of tasks and activities. Miniature Schnauzers are friendly dogs that get along with children and other dogs with supervision. Schnauzers are family-oriented, enjoy plenty of playtimes, and make excellent watchdogs. Miniature Schnauzers are energetic and excel in canine sports, such as agility. Caution should be exercised outdoors, as Miniature Schnauzers may be prone to chasing small animals running away because they were initially bred as ratters. A fenced-in backyard is best for the safety of your Miniature Schnauzer.
PetSmart and Petco offer basic, intermediate, and advanced pet training through scheduled weekly classes, and common commands such as sit, stand, stay, touch, down, and heel. The key to resolving almost any problem behavior concerns you is to help your dog behave better. Please take the opportunity to communicate with your dog trainer about what worries you; they'll offer additional one-on-one training to solve problems with your Miniature Schnauzer.
Socializing
Make it a point to take your Miniature Schnauzer with you in as many places as possible. Provide your dog access to new places, people, and experiences. At the age of 3-12 months, they accept new things and willing to investigate their environment. At 16 weeks and beyond, let your puppy warm up to people, places, and things because they become more cautious. Try always to make sure you know your surroundings and position yourself, so your puppy doesn't get scared. Taking treats with you is a good idea so they can associate the new thing with something positive.
House Training
Housetraining is about empowering your Miniature Schnauzer by teaching them the proper places to use the bathroom. The key to successful housetraining is paying attention to when your puppy starts sniffing on the floor, bed, or in their playpen. That's your sign they're looking for a place to go to the potty, and it's your cue to bring them where you'd like them to eliminate. Once they understand your expectations and how happy you're by praising them, they'll continue to comply and practice by informing you they'd like to go to the potty. For example, our male Miniature Schnauzer will sit by our patio door looking back at us, and our females will climb on us and sit on our chest to let us know they'd like to go to the bathroom. Don't get upset or mad if you become preoccupied and don't recognize the signs your puppy is giving you. Use the opportunity to interrupt them while using the bathroom and take them outside immediately to show them where to go.
Let us say your puppy has had a bowel movement in your home; move them to another location where they can't easily see you cleaning up the mess. Witnessing pet parents cleaning up a mess causes a pet to believe that is your job. Miniature Schnauzer has a strong sense of smell, so use a pet-safe household cleaner to eliminate stains and odors from severe urine, diarrhea, vomit, feces, blood, mud, grease, and many more! This unique formula also helps prevent pets' attraction to repeat marking. To reinforce the designated location, you'll need to protect your hands, take a small piece of a stole, and place it where you would like them to go. Making sure you maintain a routine will avoid accidents in your home.
Dog Playpen for inside your home and Bedding
A pet playpen provides a safe, enclosed area for your Miniature Schnauzer to exercise and play indoors. It can become your Mini Schnauzer's own space and keep your puppy out of trouble when you can't supervise or need to run out for a few errands. Dog playpens are foldable, making this an ideal, portable dog enclosure for travel. Some pet parents prefer to have their pet companions sleep in their playpen; we recommend not using a stuffed bed. Stuffed beds, which can be found at local pet stores, feed stores, and department stores, aren't chewing-proof and will be ripped apart in a matter of minutes, leaving you with an explosion of stuffing to clean up.
