Schnauzer anyone?

[Imsosorryalan]

Hi all,
We are looking at getting a family dog. My friend has a scnauzer and is always saying how lovely he is. Does anyone have one as a pet?

I have a mini (pic in profile) what size where you thinking?

The mini is essentially a terrier, we chose a mini because I had read that they had "terrier looks without the terrier temperament" - which is just what we wanted, but mine is definitely 100% terrier! My DC were 4 & 6 when we got her and she was a very excitable, nippy puppy and at times I really wondered if I'd made a mistake but now at 6 she is still very excitable but totally non-nippy.

Schnauzers don't shed so you need to factor in grooming costs but of course that saves on the hoovering!

As I understand it the big Schnauzers have more of a guarding temperament.

Every dog is an individual, my schnauzer sounds very different to your friend's, and although researching breed characteristics can give you an idea of what to expect not all dogs will conform to that, as I learnt with mine!

HTH if you have any more questions.

Hi - we have a Mini who is 3 and have had him since 8 weeks. He is a brilliant family dog, DS2 was 2 when we got him and he has fitted perfectly into our family. Personality wise he is really friendly and non aggressive, we have lots of children round our house and he has never been anything other than friendly whatever games they play with him. He was a pain when he was a puppy but I think mostly all puppies are! He play bit for a 3/4 months but that's pretty normal for all breeds and he soon stopped. Schnauzers are a good size for young children, don't shed their hair and are lovely dogs. I can highly recommend them!

Thanks for replies, I posted then noticed the other long thread on schnauzers so thanks again for not ignoring me!
My dcs are 4 and 19 months. In your experiences do you think this is too young to get a puppy ( for the dogs sake as well as the kids)

I have a mini too, she is the most docile animal you could imagine. She rarely barks, and is incredibly compliant. I am fairly strict with mine, but to be honest she was a dream to train, I'd like to take all the credit but she pretty much did as she was told from day one.

Mothership's statement is true, they are all individual. Mine is nothing like a terrier, if she met a rat she'd probably try and make friends with it. (She follows spiders in the garden, wagging her tail at them.)

She'd make a shocking guard dog though, she'd offer the burglars a cup of tea and show them where the silver is kept.