Thinking of Getting a Schnauzer?

Yes, I’m thinking of getting a Schnauzer. At some point in the next year, perhaps. So we are going to learn about the Schnauzer together! My Hunny wants a lap dog, one which doesn’t shed, something intelligent and loyal, so I’m considering the Schnauzer. If you are, too, look with me at the pros and cons of this pretty breed.

Agility Schnauzer — Schnauzers are such intelligent beauties. I met this one at an agility trial here in Tulsa.

There are three types of Schnauzer, according to the AKC site, but we’re going to focus on the Miniature Schnauzer today, since the lap dog is what we’ll be looking for. Here’s what the AKC has to say about the Miniature Schnauzer:

Known for his distinguished, handsome appearance, the Miniature Schnauzer is characterized by its whiskers and double coat, which has a hard, wiry outer coat and close, soft undercoat. Coat colors can be salt and pepper, black and silver and solid black. Despite his small stature, the Miniature Schnauzer can give an alarm just as well as a larger dog. That, combined with his naturally protective nature, makes him an excellent watchdog. He is also the most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, which include the Giant and the Standard.

So this little dog barks. Interesting. Sounds like watchdog is code for barking a lot. Hmm. It looks like the Schnauzer was originally bred as a farm dog, a rat dog, so that will work for us. The chickens attract mice and rats. Our old Aussies love to chase the rodents, but they rarely catch them anymore.

The Schnauzer breed seems to be cheerful and easily trained. I don’t know about you, but I’m amused by the cheerful statement. Look at that face!

Hotel Manning Schnauzer — Charlie the hotel dog, looking for treats – those eyebrows are fierce! I did leave Jones chews for Charlie.

That is a grouchy old man face if I’ve ever seen it, which goes to show that you can’t judge a dog by its facial hair.

Pros and Cons

Let’s go in-depth with pros and cons for the Schnauzer. We’re going to hit the Dog Breed Info site for this one.

Pros:

Intelligent, loving and happy – these are great adjectives for a lap dog and pet
Affectionate, devoted and docile – total lap dog material – they love kids, too
Good watch and rat dog, but not a yappy barker – yay!!!
Good apartment dog – not an issue for us, but if you’re an apartment dweller, make sure the dog gets enough exercise daily
Fairly long life – expected to live 15 years, not showing age until the very end
Requires some grooming, but not really a shedding dog, as well as being somewhat non-allergen

Lots of pros for the Miniature Schnauzer! I’m liking this breed. But let’s reserve judgment until we’ve looked at the cons for this dog, see if we still think it’s a good fit.

Cons:

Because we’re talking Miniature Schnauzer, the dog is prone to Small Dog Syndrome, which can occur in most toy and miniature breeds and is nearly always an owner issue, not a dog issue – read more about it here
Health – this little dog is prone to quite a few health issues, including, but not limited to, liver disease, kidney stones, diabetes, weight gain, hereditary eye problems – seems like half the issues, though, can be owner and diet controlled
Along the lines of Small Dog Syndrome, the Miniature Schnauzer needs an owner who will be the boss and train this dog, taking time to exercise and teach and socialize the dog regularly – intelligent, small dogs need more work than many other dogs, but the rewards are frequently far greater

Not a lot of cons. So if I’m looking for a lap dog for Hunny, this small dog with an easy going demeanor and farm dog background seems to be ideal. As always, please weigh in if you’re a Schnauzer owner and I’m missing something, or if you’ve spent a lot of time with the breed.

Which Jones to Choose?

And, as always, I conjecture what type of Jones chews I’d give a Schnauzer. Given that the breed is prone to weight gain and diabetes, I’m thinking bones, like a Knuckle or a Lamb Shank. I’m also thinking a lower fat longer chew, like a Bully Stick or Steer Stick. And a Hoof. A Hoof would certainly be a great chew choice for the Miniature Schnauzer, good for its teeth and gums.

I hope this has been helpful! Please, let me know what breed you’d like to know more about. Let’s learn together!

Until I write again …

Flea