Regular grooming of a miniature schnauzer is recommended approximately every six weeks. Clipping, using a mechanical clippers , produces a soft, silky, skin-close trim. Whether stripped or clipped, the coat is close at the body, and falls into a fringe-like foundation on its undercarriage, called furnishings, which can be left to grow, but must be combed regularly.
All schnauzers, whether they are miniatures, standards, or giants, often sport a beard, created by allowing the hair around their noses to grow out. Left unclipped or unstripped, the body hair will grow two to four inches, and will often tangle into mats and curls. Because we view our miniature schnauzers as a family affair, we understand the importance of adopter support.
We offer 24/7/365 support for all of our adopters’ questions. We know trainers and veterinary clinics can be extremely expensive, so we pride ourselves in being experts in all things schnauzers. This is certainly not to say we can replace professional medical and training services, but knowledgeable support that actually Miniature Schnauzer puppies cares can often times be priceless.
A major reason why I posted this thread however was to highlight the other end of the spectrum of breeding puppies from the deperately awful puppy mills/farms at the lowest level. A contract of sale will have full details of the puppy, its registration number and kc name, microchip details and a commitment to take back the puppy at any time in its life if circumstances require. The puppy will also have been endorsed against breeding or export at the kennel club and this will be recorded against its registration name and number. Copy certificates of the parents eye testing and a copy of the litter eye screening will also be provided. The more the puppy experiences at this stage the less distressed it will be in the future at any new experience even if it has not met that particular one before. Under-socialised dogs will be anxious, fearful, shy, defensive and may be inclined to bite. Dogs left alone for long periods and dogs who have never been left alone are both liable to suffer separation anxiety and destructive behaviour when they are left.
At this time the "Fear" response has not developed so it is the time to get them used to as many loud and unusual noises and objects as possible. It is good for the pups to be startled but they need to be able to recover quickly from the startle. They also need to learn that they are dogs, identifying with their mother, meeting other species if possible, as well as other dogs and humans. They also need to have regular contact still with their mother as without this they also fail to learn "Submission " skills which may be critical to their future interactions with dogs. The puppies should have the opportunity to meet other dogs in the family and belonging to friends / visitors and a variety of people. They should also be starting to be weaned from their mother's milk and being introduced to proper food.
The breeder will separate puppies for short periods - feed them on their own, leave them for a short while in a puppy pen on their own, play with them on their own. This is when pups begin to show more sophisticated play behaviour - chase and kill games, growling, wrestling - all part of their development at this age. They need physical and mental challenges - things to chew, to climb on and carry, tug toys. It is from this time on that the breeder is really taken up with the puppies as they demand a huge amount of attention and interaction as they grow and develop independence. They need to be exposed to different light levels, a wide variety of sounds, moving objects, colours, vibration.
We base the foundation of our breeding program on our health testing. Every miniature schnauzer adult is health tested to ensure they are healthy phenotypically and provide the best possible chance to produce healthy puppies. We also track the genetic makeup of our dogs through health records to the amount of recessive genetic problems within our bloodlines. This level of health focus is extremely rare within miniature schnauzer breeders. Most breeders simply breed their adult schnauzers without an extensive knowledge of their genetic makeup or worse, knowingly breed unhealthy parents simply to make an extra dollar. To learn more about our health program click here.
