What You Should Know About Caring for Your Miniature Schnauzer
Food
Brutus and Pixie eat Blue Bison dog food. Juliet eats Nutro Ultra (though I am looking into other more natural diets). These foods are great because the main ingredients are more holistic meats and vitamins that are more natural and good for dogs. Tip: if a grain like corn or wheat (or anything that is not meat) is the first ingredient in a dog food, stay away from it. There is less nutrition in it, and there will be lots more poop in your yard! There are also good holistic food approaches with dogs. Find a vet that is knowledgeable and can help you learn a safe holistic diet if that interests you.
Water
My local tap water is pretty corrosive. I believe that my pet’s health improved after I switched them (and me) to distilled water from WalMart. Tip: if the bottled water does not specifically say that the water has been processed or filtered somehow, it is just someone else’s tap water bottled for you.
Annual Check Ups/Vaccinations
If you do not already have one, find a vet that you can trust. Some vets are closer, some are cheaper, some are entirely too expensive, but what is important is that you feel comfortable with them. Do they listen to you? Do they answer your questions? Is their staff competent? Then go from there. Acre View Pet Hopsital provides a list on their website of the care puppies need though their first six months.
Regular Preventatives
My dogs take Interceptor monthly heartworm preventative medications. I use Interceptor because it also prevents other types of worms. For flea control, I use Advantage/Advantix. I have tried Adam’s flea spray and Frontline and Advantage/Advantix. I don’t like using any of the chemicals, but with Adam’s I found that more chemicals ended up in me than in the dog, and it was not nearly as effective. In my experience Advantage works better than Frontline for eliminating fleas. Recently, non-prescription flea preventatives have been found to be toxic. Please consult your vet before using any chemicals or chemical collars on your pet.
Schnauzer Surgeries
Many schnauzers have their ears cropped (cut to a point to stand up) and their tails docked (amputated a few vertebrae up from the spine). I chose not to have Juliet’s ears cropped because I think ears are the best part of the dog, and I do not approve of the practice. My puppies are pets, they are not show quality, so what you choose to do about their ears is up to you. It is an expense to you and painful to the dog, and some vets do not know how to do it properly (my aunt’s MS was given a doberman pinscher crop and looked like a bat all her life because of it). Tails do not need to be docked on a pet-quality MS, but if that is the intention they must be docked by the time the puppy is 3-days-old. Dew-claws are removed at the time the tail is docked. Dew-claws frequently get hung up on things and can be torn off the dog’s leg. I do strongly encourage you to spay or neuter your puppy as soon as possible if you do not intend to breed. They become sexually mature by 5-6 months old, and it is important to spay or neuter prior to that time to prevent bad habits being formed that come with maturity (males marking their territories, chewing up your things, etc.).
Dog Gear
I keep it simple and inexpensive. Schnauzers have plenty of energy and intelligence, and that means they need toys. Knotted up men’s tube socks (“sockies”) are a cheap thrill for them. I have found that plastic toys are not acceptible because they get chewed up and bits swallowed. (ER visits are not my idea of fun.) I’ve also found that stuffed animal toys make the dogs think that my family’s personal stuffed animals are chew toys–also not ok with me. One of my schnauzers used to chew up a shoe or hat that was left on the ground if he was bored or mad at me. As a diversionary alterative to chewing my things, I keep packages of large rawhide dog bones to keep their little jaws highly entertained. Bones are a great chewing preventative, and the dogs go nuts over them. Be careful not to give them rawhides in too small pieces so they do not choke and what brands you use (some have been known to make pets sick). My dogs sleep on king size pillows with pillowcases. Dog beds are expensive and many times difficult to wash. The pillows solved both problems. I can bleach them to kill germs and replace the pillowcases to match my décor.
Grooming
Ah, the pride and joy of a schnauzer! They don’t shed, but this means they do need regular hair cuts. Grooming them yourself is pretty simple and cost effective. After trying several groomers, I found a wonderful groomer who works in Bethany, OK: Russ Robinson, 405-787-9080. My decision to pay someone else to groom them has to do with my busy schedule and my desire for the dogs to be socialized, get used to kennel environments, and give them a break from mom! In the summer, I request that instead of a regular schnauzer cut that they be shaved completely on the back and their skirt cut shorter to keep them cooler, and in the winter I let them go longer between cuts. I bathe my dogs regularly with a fragrance free, hypoallergenic dandruff shampoo. (Some schnauzers have skin allergies, and it is best to avoid tempting fate by using shampoos that are as natural and less irritating as possible.) It is very simple to groom your schnauzer yourself, so if you have the time and a good hair trimmer, go for it. Be sure to get the hair out of their ears to prevent infection and keep their toenails trimmed to prevent injury.
Obedience Classes
While they provide basic education and socialization for the dog, the most important benefit they provide is they will educate YOU. I urge you to consider attending some obedience classes, especially during the first year with your new pup. PetSmart offers Puppy, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classes, and there are other local organizations that provide the same and can offer you a canine community of support. Classes are great for learning how to potty train more painlessly, learning the basic commands so your dog will be “polite” around company, socializing the dog as well as yourself. It’s always nice to know that you are not the only one facing the joys of “parenthood!”
I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you read, watch and follow the work of dog trainers Tamar Geller and Cesar Millan – even before you purchase or adopt a pet to help you better prepare yourself. Tamar’s book and Cesar’s tv show (Nat Geo’s The Dog Whisperer) are essential tools for happy pet ownership. No animal — or owner — is beyond hope.
