Do Schnauzers make good pets? are they good with kids, elderly...(especially the elderly??)?

Question

do they jump a lot?
lots of grooming?
and is it the same for miniature standard and giant???

Answer 1

1. Miniature Schnauzers are known for their lively personality and mischievous sense of humour. They are also highly loyal to their owner and can be very energetic, but if not given proper exercise or a balanced diet, they will gain weight very quickly.

An excellent protector of his home, the Miniature Schnauzer is often guarded of strangers until the owners of the home welcome the guest. The breed is very good with children recognizing that they are needing gentle play.

Because a Miniature Schnauzer can take commands and learn quickly, they are easy to train. However, Miniature Schnauzers require a great deal of attention and affection from their owner, regardless if they are to be used as show dogs or home pets.

Should be combed and brushed three times a week and fully groomed every 4 to 6 weeks.

2. The Standard Schnauzer is sociable, highly intelligent and alert. Schnauzers can be comedians, formidable guards, and great family companions. Properly raised and trained, they are reliable companions with children. Schnauzers are a very enthusiastic breed and thrive on interaction with any family activities. Therefore they suit an active family with older children, but can be very gentle with young children if properly trained. If they are not kept involved in family activities, they may invent their own entertainment (which might not be a welcome one!).They are usually not unnecessary barkers but have a deep, intimidating bark which is useful as a watch dog. Schnauzers are noted for guarding the family home and for displaying devotion to their immediate family and their family's circle of friends. Consequently they may take time to warm up to strangers. They learn easily but can also become bored with repetition. They are often determined and may want to do things their own way, thus owners should be firm and consistent. However, schnauzers do not respond well to harsh treatment. Standards have good hunting instincts, and have been used as retrievers both on land and in the water. Standard schnauzers are also excellent herders of sheep and cattle, which reflects their orign as a general-purpose farm dog, and many have achieved AKC herding titles.

Should be brushed twice a week and fully groomed every 5-8 weeks.

3. The Giant Schnauzer is a large, powerful, dominant dog which needs a firm, consistent but friendly handler. Unnecessary harshness will only do harm.

Early and consistent training is necessary as the Giant Schnauzer tends to be very willful. Its ability to understand a command does not always translate into obedience.

Giant Schnauzers are very loyal and intelligent dogs. They often become so attached to their owner that they follow them around the house.

"The complexity of styling this breed is well above-average using both clippers and scissors."


No info on how they are with the elderly, but since it's noted that the Miniature and Standard Schnauzers do well with children, I would think they would also respond appropriately with the elderly. The Giant Schnauzer needs a firmer hand, so it may not be the best choice if you're looking for an animal who will be more easily trained and start off on the right foot with your children.

Answer 2

Office work, I've noticed from ads in the paper, now most usually hopes for computer familiarity, and I've not noticed many willing to train. I think most will assume slowness with age, and you'll have a hard time finding office work for that reason. I'm 62 and disabled too. I don't recommend WalMart, as someone else did, since you need to make as much money as possible. I think what you're good at is where your money will come from, and you should run your own ad under Job Seekers in your paper or elsewhere. Craig's List would be an idea too, for running your ad. What are you good at? With your very good education, you could perhaps tutor after school, charging by the hour in your selected subjects, deciding whether in-home or at the child's/teen's home.

Answer 3

I have had a minuture schnauzers I will tell you they do bark alot. They are very smart dogs and love to entertain. They are good with kids if they are raised with them. Each schnauzer size is a different personality and has different traits the smaller or larger breed does not have. The giant schnauzers are great dogs, but hard to find.

Answer 4

I have known and loved several miniature Schnauzers. They were lovable, they didn't jump up on people. They do need lots of grooming. I don't know about the temperament or grooming costs of the larger Schnauzers. They are beautiful though.

Answer 5

I have a miniature schnauzer and there is no yapping. He is very quiet: barely barks. He is very good and obedient. About the grooming I groom him every three months. He is very playfull though and requires exercise. He barely sheds. And he doesn't jump a lot but he does run around the house...

Answer 6

long hair is nice but requires maintenance and u have to grow that out for a long time

Answer 7

My family has had schnauzers for generations. We have had a lot of different personalities but there have been some consistencies.

Schnauzers are very protective and they seem to attach to one person more intensely than others. If you have kids they will GUARD them.

They are naturally barkers so you have to get on that when they are a puppy. No barking games and simple training will teach your dog proper manners. They will always keep those instincts though. It made us feel safer. We always knew when someone was coming up to the house.

Just like barking- jumping is a behavior that says more about the owner then the dog. With proper training a dog will have good manners. If you neglect this when they are young then you will have a jumper.

They shed VERY little- you would probably never notice. They do need to be groomed. We always let ours grow out a bit so they were cute and shaggy and then we would get them cut. It normaly meant every 3-4 months. Their coats are on the coarser side so we did relatively little brushing in between.

As with all dogs the larger you go the more expensive they are. More food, more clean-up, more dog.

My aunt has a giant while most of the other family members have miniatures. I prefer smaller dogs- just my preference. You need to sit down and figure out what size would suit your life syle the best.

Answer 8

They require routine grooming if you want them to maintain that special Schnauzer look. Jumping....no. Behavior is pretty typical across the board for all sizes. They are excellent pets, and they do not shed. They usually align themselves with one person in the household, and become very loyal. They seem to be easy to house train....because of their intelligence. They are great lapdogs.

Answer 9

well i own 2 miniature schnauzers and their the best!!! their calm an sweet an they r very playful. when u wana b energetic theyll b energetic when u wana relax theyll relax an fall asleep on ur legs or stomach. i love my schnauzers!! gunthor (the male an oldest) is a mommas boy so every time my mom comes home he cries for her 2 hold him. an skyler(the female an youngest) is a playful little puppy. shes bouncy an bubbly an loving. she loves 2 fool around with me an gunthor when its play time. and whenever i need 2 relax after a long day she crawls up on my stomach licks my cheek and falls alseep on my chest. i blve their the best dogs but thats my opinion. and yes their great with children and the elderly. an their every protective of their masters/owners. they have great personalities and tempers. unless their treated very poorly. start with a young pup and train it an love it so it'll be used 2 u an everyone u know. hope that helps!!

Answer 10

I prefer hair which is shoulder length or longer, As well as since that men who like ladies are more often then not straight, they like long hair because it looks more feminine, as most males have short hair.

Answer 11

Schnauzer make great pets. But like any dog they require attention. They like to play and love to be outside. They are great with kids. I don't have any kids. So my male Miniature is not around them a lot. But when ever I bring him, to a friends house with kids. He is awesome. They carry him around pull his tail, and he just looks at me. As if to say "Ok can we go home now."
Like the person before me said, they go off of your mood. My plays all day but when he come inside he just lays on the floor. In what ever room I am in. He will not leave my side when I home. The only time he really barks is outside. Basically because he wants to go play with some dog or person passing by. They do require about 5-10minutes of brushing a day. I also get mine groomed about 1 month. But is better then having oily fur from a lab shedding all over your house.
For what I seen the bigger ones are calmer. But they are Schnauzers, and that makes them a tough Loyal dog. My loves to play, but if another dog growls at him. He also loves to fight. They don't know size, and most will not back down from much.