Who knows about mini-schnauzers?

[murphymom]

We lost our dog last summer to old age and are finally getting around to considering adopting another one. Our last 2 dogs have been Airedale Terriers and I dearly love the breed, but some health problems I've had the last few months make me wonder if I have the stamina and endurance for a big, bouncy terrier, plus the fact that I haven't seen any Airedales available locally. I've checked out the local animal shelter online, and it seems like a lot of the dogs are pit bill crosses which I'm afraid might be more than I could handle.

From what I've read, mini-schnauzers seem to have some of that independent terrier personality, but are a smaller dog and adapt well to being with a family as a mostly indoor pet. I'm also partial to dogs that have fluffy rather than smooth coats. My husband and I are self-employed and work at home, so our dogs have always been with us pretty much 24/7. Anyone have experience with the breed?

[lukasahero]

1. I had two growing up

First, I'm very sorry for your loss.

I had two minis and I had an Airdale as well! Obviously, yes, the mini is a lot smaller than the Airdale. And I can certainly understand wanting that smaller package - we lost our 110 lb Lab a few years ago and opted for a smaller dog just because, once he got older, Beau started having trouble getting around and it was very hard for us to help him.

So, I had two mini-schnauzers growing up and two distinctly different dogs. One, Fritz, my dad bought. One, Buster, was bequeathed to us from a very stern and not very loving man.

Fritz was an absolute delight. Yes, he had that inquisitive terrier demeanor but was basically an intelligent, eager to please, affectionate little guy who I loved dearly. I taught him (I was just a kid of 8 or 9 at the time) to "give hug" and "give bigger hug". He was a little darling.

Buster, on the other hand, had been roughly handled and was not a pleasant little dog. It wasn't his fault because he had been sternly raised and learned to fight back. He was also dropped into a family he didn't know - the only people he'd ever known were gone and, while we meant well, we didn't really do anything to ease his transition. He bit me - twice. :wow: (It really was my fault.)

So overall, given the right upbringing, these little guys are charming and affectionate, smart as a whip, generally good with children and other animals, and wonderful little family dogs. Those raised under different circumstances need a little extra care.

They are small and easy to handle, although they require routine grooming. They can have quite a few health issues (liver problems, thyroid issues, epilepsy) but I would still highly recommend the breed. They're darling little dogs.

As your profile notes you are from Oregon, I took the liberty of googling some breed rescue information. There is a mini schnauzer club in Portland that has a page on rescues here: http://www.pmsc2.org/rescue.html Please consider rescuing a dog that needs some love and a good home.

[Warpy]

2. My experiences have been positive

and my parents had a schnoodle, a mini schnauzer got under the fence at a toy poodle breeder's operation. That dog had more personality than just about any other dog I've ever known. While I'm not a fan of miniature dogs, that little guy won me over.

I've also had friends who have had mini schnauzers and I've never met one of them with a naturally nasty disposition, unlike other small breeds.

Mini schnauzers are terriers and will need a place to run, whether it's a big back yard or a nearby dog park. They're reasonably intelligent and easy to train. They're gregarious with people and generally non combative with other dogs.

It's one of the breeds I'd recommend. It's the only miniature breed I'd recommend.

[murphymom]

3. Thanks for the responses!

You've pretty much confirmed my impression of the breed. One of you was kind enough to give me some links for rescue groups in my area. One thing I've noticed, though, when I was originally looking for Airedale terriers, was that the rescue groups seem to require a fenced yard, which we don't have. I'll check whether the mini-schnauzer groups have the same requirements.

[lukasahero]

4. Some do, some don't and some can be negotiated with

I volunteer with a Lab rescue and we don't require a fence. One of the shelters in my area 'officially' does but I have one of their dogs and I don't have a fence. :) Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue here does and will not negotiate.

I would recommend giving a lot of thought to how you will answer if they ask. Why don't you have a fence, how will you exercise the dog, how much time will you be able to devote to walking your dog, are there dog parks nearby you can utilize? The more educated your response, the more likely they are to negotiate if they have a policy.

(FTR, the way I got my dog from the local shelter without having a fence is I volunteered there and they were thrilled to give me a dog - they knew me. Regardless of the fence situation, they knew the dog was going to a responsible owner. That's mostly what the groups are trying to address with the fence rule.)

FYI - I checked the website. They do ask if you have a fence but they have no posted policy about fencing being a requirement so you might be good. Schnauzers are kind of small and they make good apartment dogs so you're more likely to get away with that than you would a Golden Retriever. Again, I would think about how you want to answer that question if asked just to let them know you understand your obligations and will be a responsible pet owner.