I often read and enjoy this site but rarely write anything but just had to add a note today. I bought a mini schnauzer several years ago and had him from seven weeks old. I knew from day one I had a problem and tried really hard to sociallise him. He went out into many situations before and after the twelve weeks, when he was fearful of people I would get them to give him titbits, even asking stangers in the street. He was great with my family but I couldn't trust him with visitors etc and his fear was painful to watch.I have a fairly busy household and I wrestled with my conscience for months. I attend dog training every week and enjoy obidience (at which he was great) but after talking with the trainers there I made the hard decision to rehome him to a couple who lived a quieter life. I still wish the outcome had been different and have shed many tears in years since and blame myself because I didn't go to a reputable breeder and trusted a lady who delivered him to me. Believe me I have learnt from that experience and would not wish anybody else to go through it so take advice from the breeders on this site and remember you normally have to pay for good breeding.

Smiler. Thank you for adding your own experience on here. I am sorry you had such a bad time with your puppy. But please dont feel that you failed him. You did what was right and I hope the puppy settled in to his new lifestyle.

Thanks for that reply I appreciate it. I did check on him often to begin with and although he still had problems he settled in much better there. His new mom and dad loved him as much as we did and put up with my sobbing phone calls. It was also hard for my hubby and kids, especially my eldest daughter as he would hide in her room a lot of the time and they had a special bond. However the hurt had eased over time for us all and on a happier note we pick up a new pup this Saturday which we are really looking forward to. I have done lots of research this time and gone on recomendation and am keeping my fingers and toes crossed. I still have one dog and attend training and they have been a great support at class. It feels like remarrying after being a widow :D :D :D but I am sure the new fellow ( a border terrier) will fit in just great. Wish me luck.

Good Luck Smiler :D

I'm sure you'll be happy with your new pup and more to the point he/she will be ahppy with you.

Karen

good luck smiler---its a hard lesson learned!!!!! --but hopefully one youve gained from, - hope your borders in yer face :D

Well I know I said the last post was my last but !
Yes genetic make up does play its part in how and why a dog does wot and looks like they do.
However there are other reason too why a dog is aggressive!! Dominance,fear,protective,territorial.play and pain.
So to say its all the the genes is wrong and yes we all can say in all breeds there are good and bad lines.
Also Dizzy you main reason was of a attact by a male schnauzer and we know that males in both Schnauzers and Shar-peis can have a aggressive behavior mostly caused by dominance as in you own breed the males can be handfulls if not properly trained.
Has for the Schnauzer having only a small gene pool in England I dissagree there too There are dogs over here from many parts of the world even Russia now its just that most breeders seems to use the in dog at the time.
Im sorry to go on but like both of you I have been around dogs for a long time too but maybe not in the same way!!!!!
And as the org post only asked was a Schnauzer ok to mix with her own dog.
Looking forward to your replays!!!!!!

replys still the same------yes if your careful where you get it from-----and there are lines with poor temperament out there !!!!!
no-one said its ALL IN THE GENES!!!! -PLEASE read it all propely, before you post again, ---how much proof do you need .

For goodness sake. How many schnauzers are there in this country compared to say.....Golden Retrievers, WHWT, Shih Tzus etc. WE DO have a small gene pool in this country. How long have you been in the breed.....not that long I am sure. Most males of any breed can be dominant in their temperament but there is a difference in this to attacking a six month old puppy who was walking by minding her own business. Yes it was a bitch.....not a male so no show of dominance there when he attacked her. He didnt look fearful to me, perhaps he was being protective but as the Shar Pei totally ignored him cant see what he was protecting. It wasnt because of his territory because it was at a show and really dont think he was in pain. So perhaps you could explain why he attacked this puppy as you seem to have all the answers.

it wasnt just the puppy bitch he flew at, it continued throughout the day--------- i think your best bet kennelsitter is to try your best to get something sired by this dog -if anyones been stupid enough to use him, then prove your point, wether its upbringing or temparament. for someone who said theyve been around dogs as much, i find you very short sighted !!! as for bringing in shar-pei males, which i was waiting for you to do, -kinda tit for tat- i did say it can happen in all breeds, even mine!!!!!
you seem to have the argument all to yourself-dont see too many agreeing with you, do you think perhaps you might just be wrong,

This is all so sad ,how can us unsuspecting pet owners protect ourselves from buying a pup with a dubious sire? its not always possible to see him and we have to put our trust in the breeder unless were in the know.After reading all this i'm thanking my lucky stars.I did months of research before joining a waiting list.Read the book,asked the questions,surfed the net and contacted the breed clubs then waited and waited for her to be born.Not once was i told to be carefull.I agree you get poor dogs in all breeds but if you go to a breeder who activaly shows at this leval do you not think it reasonable to expect the temprement to be A1. I do i'm obviously nieve.Thank god i was put in contact with my girls breeder.Breeding from any dog with poor temprement is wrong breeding from a dog with poor temprement who achives in the show ring is disgracefull.Iwont breed from my dog i don't have the showing bug,but she is such a good ambassador for the breed in every way maybe weve got it all wrong.
Kazzstaff i'm sure with all the guidence your friends getting the pup will be wonderfull ,there are some excellent breeders out there and i'm sure your dog and pup will become best buddies.

You did all the right things. And you went to a very reputable breeder for your girl. The temperaments in her breeding are excellent. Temperaments as I have said before are of the utmost importance in any breed. The beauty points come a long way behind that. Enjoy her Callow.

Sorry I seem to have opened a hornets nest here. I am not getting a Schnauzer pup but I was asked to walk my (slightly bigger but still nutty at 10 months) Staffordshire Bull Terrier bitch with a friends Schnauzer pup when she gets it.

I am told it will be a dog and called "Bob" it is not from a source that has "unreliable" temprement, and it appears my friends husband knows about the dog you mentioned Dizzy and would not touch anything out of him with a bargepole! So he appears to have done his homework.

I understand that Scahuzer males can be dominant but they are obviously doing their best to ensure he will be "dog/people friendly"

My Staffie pup will be about 1 ish when they get him and she is so friendly at times she scares me, but she's not afraid of anything either so I forsee a long standing/happy friendship between the two.

Staffs don't have the best reputation with other dogs either but I wouldn't have a Staff (that I'd had from puppyhood rescue dogs exempt)that did not at least tolerate other dogs in a none aggresive way.
I would say though that breeding is at least 50% responsible for a dogs behaviour, and the other 50% down to upbringing>

Thanks for the advice everyone,

Karen

Thanks for your kind words Freddie it just concerns me that doing all the right things dosen't seem to be enough if you don't have insider knoledge.What breeder would admit to having a stud dog with poor temprement?

I would hope that a responsible and reputable breeder wouldnt even dream of using a stud dog with a dodgy temperament.

I agree with you entirely, Freddie! My 'mentor' taught me 30 years ago, that if a dog had a dodgy temperament, it could be the most perfect physical specimen in the world, but it should be put 6' under.

As i said before in a previous posting......temperaments are paramount in any breed. If I had anything with an iffy temperament then I am afraid it would be taking a one way trip.

Hi Freddie,

I am interested in getting a second dog and was considering a mini Schnauzer. I went to a dog show to help make my decision on breed. I asked if I could stroke one of the minis - it retreated and the owner had to hold it in place. I had been sitting beside the dog for quite some time, so it was not my approach that was the problem. All I was interesting in doing was feeling the texture of the coat.

Another owner and dog where standing between two rings. A women with a girl of 7 or 8 in hand walked briskly up to them - they were in a hurry to get somewhere. On their approach, the mini lunged and snarled at the young girl as she strode past.

I was really shocked at the behaviour of these two minis and it completely turned me off to the breed. I have a Cairn now, with an excess of "friendly", and whilst I do not mind some standoffish behavior with strangers, the reaction of these two minis is not what I am looking for in a companion animal.

Your posts made me think I may have been to quick to blacken the reputation of all Schnauzers because of the behaviour of just two.

Thanks,

Stacey

Oh stacy you were wrong to dismiss them so quickly but i would have done the same thing .the lady i got my standard from has a mini and he dident leave my daughters side when we collected our pup shes also 8.He was the sweetest thing and for months afterwards shes raved about this little man and has even wrote about him in her school news book.

Stacey. I think you were very unfortunate in your encounters with minis. Most minis are so sweet natured. They like to be the centre of attention and most love "Little People" having said that I wouldnt let a puppy go if there were children of 6 and under in the house. I have a 14 year old min who has been my daughters constant companion since her was 8 weeks old. He is her best friend and she is his (she is now 18) they have been through so much together (family break up.....bereavement etc). She has told him all her secrets and he has never told a soul!!!!. Never a cross word has come from him. He has been just perfect. (He has even appeared on stage in the local operatic society productions). So do think again about a mini.....they are not all like the ones you met.

I have 2 mini males now as pets & have never had a problem with my line of mini schnauzers but i do know of a definate line that breeds ill tempered dogs as i was a groomer & every mini schnauzer on my books were bred by this kennels & all hated being groomed & weren't too good with the owners either.
Never had a problem with my own though but i bought mine from reputable breeders & paid for what i got & thats a calm, easy going loveable bundle of joy.
I bred my youngest male myself & he has exactly the same temperament as his dad so IMO temperament is in the breeding.
Obviously if you have a pup & a child torments it's life out you will get a dog that dosen't like kids though.