First you must decide what breed of dog suits your lifestyle, and your own
temperament. There is much to consider before you make your final decision.
Buying a puppy on impulse is not recommended put some thought and love into the
decision. Look for a clean, active, bright-eyed puppy---one that comes readily to you without shying away. He should have been seen by a licensed veterinarian and have received his first inoculations for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus (leptospirosis and corona are optional). The puppy should have been groomed and bathed if over 10 weeks old.
For proper animal socialization, the puppies should be with their littermates THROUGH 7 weeks. NEVER BUY A PUPPY YOUNGER than 7 weeks of age, and more preferably 8-10 weeks. If buying an older dog or puppy over twelve weeks of age, make sure that it is well socialized and has been exposed to different surroundings. Puppies require individual attention each day to help build self-confidence. A personality defect caused by heredity or environmental deficiencies can be improved with very hard work, but will never completely disappear.
Tails and dewclaws are done within three to five days after birth. Ear cropping is usually done around 8-12 weeks. It is not common to see uncropped ears at the shows. Many Vets do NOT perform the procedure anymore, due to the fact that the flap protects the dog's ears from infection and debris. If you prefer an uncropped dog, a knowledgeable breeder should be able to select a puppy for you whose ears will stay down.
Reputable breeders have their breeding stock examined yearly by a board-certified veterinarian. If their stock is not test bred clear for Congenital Cataracts, the puppies should be slit-lamp examined after 8 weeks of age. These cataracts will be visible to the owner by about one-year of age. Miniature Schnauzers have several eye diseases (most hereditary) that can cause eventual blindness in the dog: Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) causes slow, progressive blindness, while Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration (SARD) results in sudden blindness. Low Amplitude Retinal Degeneration (LA) may result in night blindness or visual problems in an older dog. Watch your pet's eyes, have them checked by a veterinary ophthalmologist if you suspect a problem, and if anything abnormal is found, please contact your breeder and let them know the results.
As a purchaser, you should be permitted 3-5 working days to have the puppy examined by your veterinarian, and if anything is wrong with the puppy, be given your money back. A reputable breeder stands behind his or her dogs. Some breeders withhold registration papers until they get proof of sterilization or sell dogs with Limited Registration Privileges to insure that pet-quality animals will not be bred.
NEVER BUY A PUPPY AS A GIFT AND NEVER BUY A PUPPY THROUGH A THIRD PARTY! There are only three acceptable colors for Miniature Schnauzers. They are Salt & Pepper, Black, and Black & Silver. WHITE is NOT accepted by the AKC.
Feeding Your Puppy
Feed your puppy 3/4-cup of moistened dry dog food in the morning and again at night. Mid-day snack is 1-2 dog biscuits.
Moisten the dry dog food with approximately 1/4 cup of boiling water to the food. Mix so all the food gets wet then let it stand for a few minutes (allowing the water to soak into the dry dog food).
I recommend that you start adding 1 teaspoon of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats Oatmeal to the food before adding the boiling water. Oatmeal keeps your dog's cholesterol level and also acts as roughage for their intestinal tract. Gradually increase to 1 tablespoon of oatmeal daily. NOT QUICK Oatmeal. I highly recommend using Chicken or Lamb and Rice Formula from Nutro. It's an all natural dog food and I personally have found that it helps prevent schnauzer bumps. When adding or changing a dog food do so gradually, so you will not shock your dogs digestive system and end up having a puppy with a gastrointestinal problem.
Depending on your puppy, you can start feeding him once a day at the approximant age of four months. At the age of one year, switch to Purina Adult Lamb or Chicken and Rice. They can remain on this product their entire adult life because Chicken or Lamb and Rice Formula has less fat than most senior dog foods.
You can also give them treats in their dog food such as small portions of vegetables, potatoes, chicken, turkey, eggs (NEVER A RAW EGG), rice, cottage cheese, cheese, noodles, etc. You should not give no more than 3/4 cup to 1-1/2 cup of food daily, depending upon the size of your Miniature Schnauzer. Our dogs love raw carrots!
Always make sure that your new puppy has plenty of water at all times. This is very important! If something happens and you cannot get home, it's comforting to know your puppy will survive until help arrives! Better to be safe than sorry.
Bathing Your Puppy
While your puppy is young get them accustom to water, I use baby shampoo when bathing. I also use the baby shampoo on our older dogs because soap can get in their eyes. Any shampoo is good. Do not use a conditioner because it can cause irritation and clog their pores. If your dog has a flea problem use Head and Shoulders. I use oatmeal and aloe shampoo on all of my dogs because this helps control the dander. It also helps in the treatment of Schnauzer Comedone Syndrome (pus filled bumps). Always clean the ears first with a little hydrogen peroxide on a Q-tip before washing or pre-rinsing.
Your puppy will have quite a lot of hair growth in the ears. It is important that you make the removal of this hair part of the regular grooming regime. Use tweezers to pluck this hair out of the ear canal down to the bell. To make this process easier, lay your dog on their side before plucking. I recommend doing this every other week so the puppy becomes accustomed this procedure. The removal of the hair from the canal and the swabbing will keep your dog from getting any type of ear infection due to trapped dirt, wax, and/or moisture.
Remove the sleepers from the eyes daily. A professional grooming and bath should be done approximately every six to eight weeks. The legs and beard should be combed thoroughly, at least twice a week, to prevent the hair from matting.
Toenails should be clipped bi-weekly. When looking at the toenail, part of the nail is dull and part is shinny. The dull area indicates the vein is present. NEVER cut the nail past the shinny area. Always cut the nail leaving some of the shinny part remaining. I would recommend giving your new companion a vitamin daily, I use Pet Tabs as treats. If you have any questions about the care of your new family member, do not hesitate to E-mail me. I will be glad to explain any of the procedures.
I'm certain you will enjoy your new member of the family as much as we enjoy all of ours!
