Trainability

Being completely devoted to their human companions, the Mini Schnauzer loves nothing more than to make his family smile. In saying this, they are a true pleasure to train and are very praise orientated. This little dog will thrive in all types of training including dog sports such as agility and flyball. Like with all dog breeds early socialisation is very important to ensure your pup grows into a well-adjusted and tolerant dog. Enrolling in a good puppy-preschool is a great way to socialise your new pup with other dogs in a fun and safe way. This little terrier is well-known for getting along with other dogs and loves nothing more than a good play. Having your obedience up to scratch and working in a group setting will keep your wee Schnauzer happy and entertained.

Grooming

This little fellow will need some professional help when it comes to grooming – approximately every six to eight weeks. If you intend on grooming your Mini Schnauzer yourself, you will need to be shown how. Shedding is of bare minimum with this breed, their double coat contains a wiry outer coat that will need stripping or clipping depending on your dog’s requirements (show dogs tend to be stripped while house dogs clipped). A weekly brush will also be needed to keep your Mini matt free and healthy. Take special care around the face and ears, which may also need to be trimmed to keep the coat in good condition. As this breed simply loves to cuddle it’s a good idea to get them used to having their nails clipped from a young age. This will help prevent problems and scratches to his human companion.

Exercise Requirements

Despite his small statue the Mini is a very active dog and will require a good brisk walk daily alongside and energetic play to keep him happy and out of mischief. This breed simply loves to play and will happily do this alone if everyone else in the house is busy. Training is important to teach your pup to walk nicely on a leash so that exercising your dog is a simple and enjoyable process. They are generally very good with other dogs and will benefit from a good play with similar sized dogs.

Intelligence

The Miniature Schnauzer is an intelligent breed and if not correctly exercised and entertained can easily create endless mischievous entertainment, that may not please their human counterparts. This breed loves to play so alleviating boredom is easily achieved with treatballs, and rotating home-alone toys. Remember with your home-alone toys to remove them from your pup when you return home. Like with all dog breeds, adequate exercise is a must at helping prevent boredom. This breed is a great watch-dog so they do like to bark at sights and sounds. If you do not correctly entertain your Mini and set up some fun entertainment for when you are not at home, he may bark the day away to the frustration of your neighbours.

Family Friendly

The Mini Schnauzer is a people dog. They love people of all shapes and sizes, making them the perfect family dog. Again, like with all breeds, they need to be socialised with children and other pets from a young age. However, this pint sized fun loving dog is certainly a family favourite. Children should always be supervised around dogs and taught how to correctly play and behave around the family pet. It is also important to remember that the Miniature Schnauzer is a terrier, so has been bred for hundreds of years to chase and kill small animals like mice and rodents. Please keep this in mind and keep very small pets out of reach and sight.

Indoor/ Outdoor

This breed will only love to be with you. So, if you do not want a little shadow following you everywhere, this breed may not be the right match for your lifestyle. They will tolerate being left outside during the day, but as soon as you reappear your Mini will want nothing else than to follow you from room to room. Always provide adequate shade and water for your Mini and consider a good clip in the summer to help with the heat. A sheltered area in the winter is also recommended as this breed will feel the cold particularly if recently clipped. Many Mini owners use dog coats to keep their wee-one’s warm in winter during outside adventures. Mini’s take well to living in apartments and small areas as long as they are exercised daily.

Breeding

It is very important to only source your new family member from a reputable breeding establishment, to ensure your puppy is healthy. Ask all the important questions about hereditary problems and ask to see mum and dad. Contact your local breed club and research your chosen breeder. Your breeder should have proof that they regularly test their dogs for genetic diseases and to ensure that the dogs they are breeding from have sound temperaments. It may take a little more time than a quick purchase, but it can save you and your family from unimaginable heartache and pain dealing with a sick puppy.