OurSchnauzers.com

Puppies should never ever be impulse buys. Before you purchase any puppy please take a moment to think it over. Really think it over.  Adding a puppy to your family changes everything. You are adding another life. Make sure you really have the time to spend that a puppy needs. They need vigorous exercise every morning. They need training of all kinds.  Housebreaking, manners, leash walking, how to greet strangers, how to answer the door, riding in a car, sleeping in a crate and obedience. Whew! 

  Research the breed you are looking to buy. Our dogs are miniature schnauzers. They are terriers. They were bred to kill rodents.  Do not expect a schnauzer to become buddies with your pet gerbil. EVER.

They have a strong predator drive and can be willful. They need a calm and assertive pack leader. They need for you to be in charge. They need discipline without anger or frustration. They need lots of affection at the right time. They need to be taught manners. We know they are cute.  We love the cute but cute does not mean they should be allowed to rule you. Because they WILL if you let them. You need to know that they will test test test the limits- especially for the first 18 months to 2 years of their lives. They need for you to be consistent and fair with your rules. They need rules. They thrive with structure and schedules.

They need a healthy diet to help them to grow properly. There is never a need for a schnauzer to become obese. It is our responsibility as their owners to provide them with a nutritionally dense and satisfying diet and healthy treats. There are a lot of junk food diets out there.  Avoid them! As small as their bodies are every bite that goes into their mouths is important. 

Schnauzers need regular grooming. Before you purchase one we would like for you to contact a few groomers in your area so you have an idea of what the cost will be. A trip to the groomer is not all they need!  They need frequent brushing at home. They might even need their nails trimmed between groomings so they do not become overgrown. You will have to learn the difference between "Mom,you are really hurting me" and "Mom, I would really like to just eat that brush instead and if I protest loud enough will you quit already?" 

Our puppies go home with the proper brush - as a professional  groomer myself, I want you to be prepared! They also have their first haircut by me so they have at least 1 good grooming experience before they leave here. We play with their toes too so they get used to having their nails handled for when they need a trim. We are also happy to teach you proper brushing and combing technique.

We suggest you have your schnauzer groomed every 4-10 weeks depending on how perfect you would like for them to look. Please please do not wait 5 months or more between haircuts. Once their coats become that overgrown matting is very likely which is uncomfortable to live with and painful for the groomer to remove. 

If your schnauzer becomes matted - and it happens - please have your groomer just shave them and start over. Trying to untangle badly matted hair is really painful. The hair is already damaged and more likely to re-mat quickly. Better and kinder is to take the matted hair off and start over. The coat will grow!

Schnauzers can be prone to tartar buildup so we urge you to discuss dental care with your veterinarian and have your vet check their teeth at LEAST once a year. You can also regularly look into your dog's mouth for signs of tartar buildup or gum disease. Discuss with  your veterinarian the best methods for at home dental care.

Schnauzers are great with children. We know because we have 4 schnauzers and 3 children! They do need children to be kind to them and treat them well. We find that most families do very well with schnauzers as long as very young children are supervised when with them. Even the most tolerant dog cannot always handle the impulsive roughness some children exhibit. This is why it is very important that you make the decision to bring a new pup home together as a family and that the dog's needs for quiet time and personal space are respected. We find that having a dog really helps teach children responsibility, empathy and caring. The bond we see between our girls and our dogs is fantastic. We want that for every one of our puppies and their new families as well.