Miniature Schnauzer - Good kid dog?

[raynjen]

Does anyone here have experience with Miniature Schnauzers?

We would like to get a dog when we return to the states and are researching different breeds. We are looking for something sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of a preschooler (obviously we are going to train our daughter on proper handling as well), but still be small enough to travel well (under 30 pounds I'd say). We would like a dog that doesn't shed OR whose shedding can be controlled by weekly brushing sessions. We need a dog thank can be socialized to be with our child, our cat, visiting children, and other dogs (we go to visit my father and his boxer on a regular basis). Finally, we want a dog that is fairly laidback indoors that enjoys running around outdoors.

The miniature schanuzer seems to fit this profile exceedingly well, but my only experiences with them included my aunt's dog who had an aversion to anyone outside her imediate family and particularly hated children. Can anyone give me some advice?

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who just turned three, Noelle!

[hjdong]

My general impression, from friends who had them as kids, is that they are not, as a breed, friendly to kids. I never had one myself, and of course, every dog is different. I had a couple of friends who had them. If I recall (it was a long time ago), one bit my friend and the other friend's bit a visiting child. But, I have no idea how well (or in this case, poorly) trained the dogs were.

We had a corgi, that more or less fit that description. My warning would be that, despite their size, corgis are working dogs. They are laid back as long as they get enough exercise. We lived on a farm so that wasn't a problem.

Just as a sort of aside from my own experience (we have four dogs - 2 too many as I like to call them); our female dogs seem to be better with kids than the males. Our dogs are all pound dogs, adopted as adults, with little kid experience. None of them has hurt a person. However, the male dogs reaction is to avoid DS as much as possible, whereas the females let him pet them, roll over them, give them kisses and generally torture them through excess love. I don't know if this is a coincidence or a trend of female dogs.

HTH,

[jk3]

We have a Wheaton Terrier + this breed seems to fit your criteria. They're great family dogs, love children and don't shed. Super cute too!

Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[JBaxter]

I grew up with a schnauzer. Ours was nice and played well but VERY hard headed. He was a great little watch dog ( the meter reader was terrified of him) he thought he was much bigger than he actually was but I guess that is a trait with any terrier. I am unsure if my mother EVER got him fully house trained. Again each dog is a little different. We also had a Westie she was a wonderful little lap dog. I dont remember her shedding much either. I currently have a minature pincher he doesnt shed to bad but is VERY hyper. He is great for 3 boys but we will not have another of his bread. Good luck choosing

[alkagift]

I think it's a matter of breeding--I think adopting as a puppy and knowing about the temprament of its parents would be important. We had a mini once that we adopted as a "senior citizen" and while we loved him dearly, he was clearly a dog that was a bit bull-headed and stubborn, especially with other dogs. He completely did not deal well with the cat. We had to give him away before the baby came, we just couldn't trust him.

My cousin, who lives alone in a huge house, has one (a female) who is a complete love to guests and terrorizes the deer on her property. The comment about acting bigger than their size is I think accurate. When my son and I visited, and DS was standing but not walking at the time, she completely lost her mind. She was not used to people her size and she couldn't stand it. She was obedient to her owner, but she growled and barked. I think schauzers are very much terriers--hunters!

The dogs that I've seen that are really great with kids are retrievers, shepherds and spaniels, but my experience is pretty limited and those aren't short-haired dogs!! One of the ones I was seriously considering is a Border Terrier. They are definitely scruffy, look just like Benji. They are ok with a family cat if they are raised from puppyhood with them. Pugs would also be great--they're not yappy.

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[HannaAddict]

I was just browsing the toddler site and saw your post. We are "dog" people and I wouldn't suggest a miniature schaunzer as a kids dog, they are certainly not laid back! My in-laws have had 2 of them, back to back, both females (new puppy after first one died of old age). Both from reputable breeders (not puppy mills) where they could see the parents. Neither liked cats but were able to co-exist, both were very, very, very "yippy" with high pitched shrill barking at anything and everything. Very aggressive with our much larger dogs (a lab mix and a sheperd/aussie mix) and just kind of "crotchety" for lack of a better term. I do not let the dog around my son, she seems to be aggressive and could be nippy. And stubborn in that terrier way (though my in-laws are not great trainers). My in-laws like the breed for their size and lack of shedding I guess.

Sorry to sound negative, but your aunt's dog sounds like a pretty accurate rendition of a mini schnauzer in my experience. We joke that they are mini-me versions of my MIL.

Have you thought of a mixed breed, like a lab mix or golden retriever or mix? Our lab mix is about 35 pounds but looks like a yellow lab with very pale cream fur. She does shed, but has the sweetest most patient temperment with children, other dogs, cats, etc. and will sleep inside and then run like crazy for her ball at the park. Since she's a mixed breed we haven't had to worry about hips or anything. We found her on the internet at www.petshelter.org, now part of www.petfinder.com I think (at a shelter a couple of hours away).

Kimberly
DS 3/18/04

[raynjen]

Unfortunately it seems most of the dogs people recommend for kids are just too big for us. While I've owned (and loved) goldens, labs, and shepherds in the past that size just doesn't suit our lifestyle right now. We have considered mixed breeds but like the surety of a purebred (i.e. knowing general temperment, size, grooming habits, etc.) Same with adult vs. puppy - we like know that the dog has been brought up children, cats, and has been socialized well.

I am listening to all of your posts and looking up the various dogs recommended! Please keep up your discussion and we'll surely find the right one for us.

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who just turned three, Noelle!

[murpheyblue]

I tend to agree with the PPs on the schnauzers. DH had one as a child and my MIL was just saying last week that she felt bad that he and his brother never had a "real dog" because the schnauzer didn't like them and wasn't playful. That's not to say all schnauzers are like that one but that profile seems to crop up more with them thgan other breeds.

We had a cairn terrier as kids. Toto in the Wizard of Oz was a cairn. They're great dogs. They're fiesty and full of personality like most terriers but they're great family dogs and greta with kids. They love to be inside with you but will run and play (and dig) outdoors. Sizewise, they're about 15 pounds and they don't shed.

HTH!

[MelissaTC]

I love small dogs (although you couldn't tell by my Finnish Spitz mix and Sheltie mix girls that are currently shedding all over my house!). The BEST dog I ever had was Wooker. He was a Lhasa Apso & Shih Tzu mix. He had the best disposition. He loved to be loved. He was also totally fine on his own. He visited the groomer every 8 weeks but I honestly do not remember ever having a shedding problem. We kept his hair puppy length. Kids used to love him because he was so small and they thought he was a puppy. I used to let him curl up with me in my bed and we would watch tv and eat Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream. I *LOVED* this dog. Can you tell? He rarely barked and was quite personable to strangers. He did not like my cousins who were young tots at the time but we are completely convinced that it is because of my cousins, not the dog. (They can be rather bratty and he was used to loving affection, not bratty kid torture). He was fine with other kids, just not my cousins. He used to enjoy off the leash time outside and used to scare the pants off of the Boxer my neighbor owned. Eventually, he and Giselle became friends and he made his, um, doggie moves on her. Anyway, just thought I would throw this out there. He was a great big dog in a little dog's body....

[westgre]

I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in on the issue. I'm a veterinarian and get this question a lot. Again, the best dogs with kids tend to be Labs and Goldens. My 2 year old lays on, pulls the ears of, and generally terrorizes my lab and he just loves her to pieces.
As for female versus male -- most of the time it doesn't matter one way or the other AS LONG AS the pet is spayed/neutered.
In general, I would stay away from terrier breeds -- most are a little nippy. As far as mixed breeds versus pure breeds -- unless you pay a lot of money for your dog ($1200 or so), pure breds are a gamble. The variety of genetics in a mixed breed dog gives better odds of the animal being healthier -- something scientists like to call hybrid vigor.
A few breeds I would consider: shih-tzu, pug, Sheltie, French Bulldog.

Gretchen & Lyra (12/30/02)
Live with 4 beloved doggies -- 2 chihuahuas and 2 labs