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Should we get a Schnauzer?



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 16th 05, 10:09 AM
Irene
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Default Should we get a Schnauzer?

I would like to get a dog soon, but our youngest son is only 19 mo, so
I guess it is better to wait a year or two. On the other hand a dog
companion would be nice to have around when my husband is away.
Therefore we don't want a small dog.
We live on the countryside, no neighbours and no roads nearby, but a
lot of deer, hares etc. A hunting dog would not be a good idea?! I
do have time for dog walking and training every day, - unless the kids
are sick or something like that.

The breeds I have considered are the following:

1)Standard Schnauzer, because I had a mini before and I like the
personality, the looks and the non-shedding. I understand they require
a lot of education time, and are not recommended for young children.
But if we manage to get the right female puppy and REALLY teach the
children how to behave around the dog ...?!

2) Soft coated wheaten terrier.Supposedly better with children, I have
never met one . I don't like the silky coat so much. What are Terriers
like compared to Schnauzers?

3) Catalan sheepdog. I like the looks (like berger de pyrenees), and
the descriptions sound nice, but what are herding dogs like compared
to Schnauzers? Restless?

Or is the one and only dog to get a Labrador or Golden Retriever? Any
other ideas?

Thank you

Irene
  #2  
Old March 16th 05, 06:01 PM
Ronna
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First off, good for you for researching your breeds So many people
don't do that and end up with a dog that is not compatible with their
lifestyle.

Secondly, yes it is very important to teach children how to treat dogs.
IMO, any breed will do well with a well behaved child. I don't know
of any breed whose breed standard says "Absolutely hates children"

Terrriers and Schnauzers have similar traits, but I believe Schnauzers
may be a bit less "driven" then most of the hardwired Terriers.

SCWT's, if you get a well bred one, are very nice dogs.

Standard Schnauzers are also very nice dogs, I don't see as many of
them as I do the Mini's.

Herding breeds are in a whole 'nother relm. They need a job to do,
period, are very active and definetly need an owner who can give them
proper outlets. They tend to like to herd things, which can be
annoying to playing children But if you keep them right, they are
also great dogs.

Whatever breed you choose, make sure you buy from a reputable breeder,
not a petstore or a byb. You might even want to check out breed
rescue, although I don't think you will find the Catalan Sheedog

Good luck!

  #3  
Old March 16th 05, 06:28 PM
Tee
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Irene" wrote in message
om...
I would like to get a dog soon, but our youngest son is only 19 mo, so
I guess it is better to wait a year or two. On the other hand a dog
companion would be nice to have around when my husband is away.
Therefore we don't want a small dog.
We live on the countryside, no neighbours and no roads nearby, but a
lot of deer, hares etc. A hunting dog would not be a good idea?! I
do have time for dog walking and training every day, - unless the kids
are sick or something like that.

The breeds I have considered are the following:

1)Standard Schnauzer, because I had a mini before and I like the
personality, the looks and the non-shedding. I understand they require
a lot of education time, and are not recommended for young children.
But if we manage to get the right female puppy and REALLY teach the
children how to behave around the dog ...?!


Standard Schnauzers are not larger Miniature Schnauzers. Its a common
mistake and one I made which caused me to study them some more. If you like
the personality, energy level and trainability of the Miniature then you
aren't likely to find the same in a Standard. Besides them not being
recommended for homes with young children (due to being very physical and
energetic) *or* someone who isn't a very dominant leader (due to being very
strong willed with a tendancy to try and rule the house) they tend toward
dog and other animal aggression. There's a pretty good website that gives a
little more detail on breeds than you'll find at AKC or even some breed club
sites.

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/rev...chnauzers.html
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/rev...chnauzers.html



--
Tara


  #4  
Old March 16th 05, 10:04 PM
Christy
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"Irene" wrote in message
om...

1)Standard Schnauzer, because I had a mini before and I like the
personality, the looks and the non-shedding. I understand they require
a lot of education time, and are not recommended for young children.
But if we manage to get the right female puppy and REALLY teach the
children how to behave around the dog ...?!


The standard Schnauzers that I know are serious working dogs. They can be
goofy and playful but they are definitely not a dog for an inexperienced
owner. Overall, I like the breed but they may not be right for your
situation. Their personalities are vastly different from the minis. Why are
you not considering another mini - size?


2) Soft coated wheaten terrier.Supposedly better with children, I have
never met one . I don't like the silky coat so much. What are Terriers
like compared to Schnauzers?


Definitely meet some before considering this breed. Most that I have met are
not well bred, as they have become a "yuppie - status symbol - fad" breed
and poor examples with bad temperaments are the norm. Terriers in general
are independent dogs that are high energy. This in combination with country
living is a bad idea, unless you have a fenced yard and are willing to put
time into training and exercising. On their own, they will find things to
relieve their boredom (as will any dog, actually.)


3) Catalan sheepdog. I like the looks (like berger de pyrenees), and
the descriptions sound nice, but what are herding dogs like compared
to Schnauzers? Restless?


Not familiar with this breed, and I don't think it is found in the US.
Herding breeds in general are high energy and need a job.


Or is the one and only dog to get a Labrador or Golden Retriever? Any
other ideas?

Of the five breeds that you mentioned, all will need training and regular
exercise, and you will need to teach dog manners to your child no matter
what. Labs and Goldens are popular, and they are more resilient and harder
to "ruin" than many breeds, but definitely have their pros and cons, as will
any breed. Since shedding seems to be one of your concerns, remember that
dogs that don't shed will have to have coat care beyond normal brushing, and
will probably need regular trips to the groomers.

Christy


  #5  
Old March 17th 05, 05:31 AM
terrier pines
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We have both a Soft-coated wheaten and a (miniature) schnauzer. I would
choose the soft-coated in your circumstance - bigger, more protective BARK
but a big softie, more likely to let a child have its way. Just a wonderful
breed.

Terrier Pines


On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 04:09:58 -0500, Irene wrote
(in article ) :



The breeds I have considered are the following:

1)Standard Schnauzer, because I had a mini before and I like the
personality, the looks and the non-shedding. I understand they require
a lot of education time, and are not recommended for young children.
But if we manage to get the right female puppy and REALLY teach the
children how to behave around the dog ...?!

2) Soft coated wheaten terrier.Supposedly better with children, I have
never met one . I don't like the silky coat so much. What are Terriers
like compared to Schnauzers?

3) Catalan sheepdog. I like the looks (like berger de pyrenees), and
the descriptions sound nice, but what are herding dogs like compared
to Schnauzers? Restless?

Or is the one and only dog to get a Labrador or Golden Retriever? Any
other ideas?

Thank you

Irene



  #6  
Old March 17th 05, 10:48 PM
Irene
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Default

Thank you for your insights!

Ok, the herding dogs are ruled out. The only job to do around here is
jogging, cycling, playing and guarding our house. I plan on attending
obedience classes. Who knows, maybe agility is fun, I have never
tried that. I am not a dog-sport-fanatic (yet, who knows).

A mini Schnauzer is too small, because I also want the dog to be able
protect us in the unlikely case of some moron coming all the way to
our remote house. At the very least it should *sound* protective. Of
course it should be nice to our guests and, most important, to our
kids and their friends. And I think a Standard Schnauzer could do this
job. Actually, first I thought about a Giant Schnauzer, but then we
would have to buy a bigger car first. BUT: The first and only Standard
I have met so far was a *very* energetic young male, and I will
definitely look at more Standards to find out if they also come in a
little more mellow version. Is it true that the black ones are
friendlier? Can you tell the puppies' personality in the litter?

If the only problem with Schnauzers and children is that the kids get
thrown over sometimes while playing, I think, that is something we can
live with.

We are not allergic to dog-hair, so that is not a must. It is just a
nice feature, which my MIL (future dog-sitter) would greatly
appreciate.

And one question about the SCWT: _Could they be just shaved twice a
year?

Irene, still looking for alternatives to the Lab
  #8  
Old March 18th 05, 12:52 AM
chickeyd
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Default


Irene wrote:
Thank you for your insights!

Ok, the herding dogs are ruled out. The only job to do around here is
jogging, cycling, playing and guarding our house. I plan on attending
obedience classes. Who knows, maybe agility is fun, I have never
tried that. I am not a dog-sport-fanatic (yet, who knows).

A mini Schnauzer is too small, because I also want the dog to be able
protect us in the unlikely case of some moron coming all the way to
our remote house. At the very least it should *sound* protective. Of
course it should be nice to our guests and, most important, to our
kids and their friends. And I think a Standard Schnauzer could do

this
job. Actually, first I thought about a Giant Schnauzer, but then we
would have to buy a bigger car first. BUT: The first and only

Standard
I have met so far was a *very* energetic young male, and I will
definitely look at more Standards to find out if they also come in a
little more mellow version. Is it true that the black ones are
friendlier? Can you tell the puppies' personality in the litter?

If the only problem with Schnauzers and children is that the kids get
thrown over sometimes while playing, I think, that is something we

can
live with.

We are not allergic to dog-hair, so that is not a must. It is just a
nice feature, which my MIL (future dog-sitter) would greatly
appreciate.

And one question about the SCWT: _Could they be just shaved twice a
year?

Irene, still looking for alternatives to the Lab


I have never seen a "mellow" standard schnauzer. I have a friend
that's had several, and they've all been pretty hyper/playful most of
their lives. My friend does have three children, and they get on great
with the dog.

I, on the other hand, love my mixed breed. He was a "breeder accident"
- half black lab, half rottweiler. He was a bit hyper as a pup, but
mellowed by his 2nd birthday, he's protective of the yard and the
children, and only barks when strangers come on our property. He does
"herd" my kids - or he did, when they were younger - which isn't a bad
thing, to me.

The only bad is that he sheds like there's no tomorrow...even with
regular brushing. But he's 10 years old, and the vet doesn't see why
he won't live another 7 or 8 years! I think larger dogs are actually
better for small kids - they learn not to fear dogs, but also how
important it is to train dogs. You have to be committed to training
the dog - or going to training with the dog, however.

Chickeyd

  #9  
Old March 21st 05, 07:22 AM
AndreaS
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Default

"Orchid" wrote:
snip
Yes, I did just have a 'groomed twice a year' SCWT come into
my shop yesterday, why do you ask?


Doncha love those? Twice a year whether they need it or not.

--
-Andrea Stone
Saorsa Basenjis
http://home1.gte.net/res0s12z/



  #10  
Old March 31st 05, 07:33 PM
CarlJF
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Default

At the very least it should *sound* protective. Of
course it should be nice to our guests and, most important, to our
kids and their friends. And I think a Standard Schnauzer could do this

job.

Yes, Standard Schnauzer are excellent watchdogs. They not only "sound"
protective, they also have the attitude and the will to back it up. Any
stranger that put a toe in your house will face a barking, growling dog
in his way that will discourage any unwanted visitor. On the other way,
they're nice with your guests. You also have to know that, for a
Standard Schnauzer, "being nice" actually mean "not barking, growling
or jumping at someone". It doesn't mean that they will be playful with
stranger or let your guests pet them, unless it's someone that come
very often to your house and that the dog knows well.. Also note that
many SS will not let even a friend enter your house if you're not
there...

Many peoples make the mistake of thinking a SS is a funny, friendly and
playful terrier, which a SS isn't. Their personnality is much more
closer to a rottweiler, dobberman, GSD and, evidently, giant schnauzer
than anything else. Simply put, a fierce guarddog in a small package.
And, for their size, they're quite strong. Without training, a adult SS
can really drag you all around the town on their leash. And, as with
the other breeds named above, obedience training is mandatory and not
optionnal.

The first and only Standard I have met so far was a *very* energetic

young male, and I will definitely look at more Standards to find out
if they also come in a little more mellow version.

Well, even a relatively mellow SS will be quite energetic and active in
comparison to other dogs, particularly in their puppyhood. However,
with a lot of daily exercise, this can be manageable. By "a lot of
daily exercise", I mean at least two 30 min. walk a day and a play
session where the dog can run as much as he wants (chasing the ball,
frisbee, "catch-me-if-you-can"...).

If the only problem with Schnauzers and children is that the kids get

thrown over sometimes while playing, I think, that is something we can
live with.

In part, yes, SS play hard and rough. If they were human, they surely
all want to be football players, if you see what I mean... Another
concern I have with children is with SS puppies. A SS puppy can quite
easily become overexcited in play and hurt a small children by
accident. SS puppy not only play for fun, they basically play to win
the game. So, play with small children must be under close supervision
of an adult. It's true for any dogs but particularly so for SS.

 




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