Saturday, July 20, 2013

What Should You Look for in a Puppy?

What should you look for in a Miniature Schnauzer puppy? This is a bit of a tricky question.



First, you should agree if you want a male or female puppy. Miniature Schnauzer males and females are alike in many respects but there are distinct differences between the sexes that you should be aware of.

Miniature Schnauzers have a squarely proportioned build, measuring 13 to 14 inches (33 to 36 cm) tall and weighing 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) for females and 11 to 18 pounds (5.0 to 8.2 kg) for males. They have a double coat.

The exterior fur is wiry and the undercoat is soft. The coat is kept short on the body, but the hair on ears, legs, and belly are retained. Recognized coat colors are black, salt and pepper, black and silver, and pure white.

Temperament 

The Miniature Schnauzer is described as alert and spirited, yet obedient to command...friendly, intelligent and willing to please...should never be overaggressive or timid." Usually easy to train, they tend to be excellent watchdogs with a good territorial instinct, but more inclined toward barking than biting. They are often aloof with strangers until the owners of the home welcome the guest, upon which they are typically very friendly to them.

However, they will often express themselves vocally, and may bark to greet their owner, or to express joy, excitement, or displeasure. The breed is generally good with children, but as with any dog, playing with small children should be supervised.

They are highly playful dogs, and, if not given the outlet required for their energy, they can become bored and invent their own "fun". Miniature Schnauzers can compete in dog agility trials, obedience,showmanship, flyball, and tracking.

Schnauzers have a "high prey drive" (appropriate for a ratting dog), which means they may attack other small pets such as birds, snakes, and rodents. Many will also attack cats, but this may be curbed with training, or if the dog is raised with cats.

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