Dog Grooming Hints

I have had a larger dog and five small dogs in my life. When I was a young child we had a dachshund. As far as I can remember he was a great dog. He was extremely tolerant of my little brother pulling on his tail and all of his antics. It was a shame though that we lived near a highway and he had a habit of roaming. Roaming and highways don’t mix.

The second smaller dog that we had was a basset hound. My mother loved her. I did too. She was so sweet and loved to curl up with us on the sofa. Her gentle nature and good disposition made her a wonderful family dog. There was only one problem with her in that whenever she had an accident or decided to eat anything besides her food it was always in my room or something of mine. Drove me crazy but she was so sweet you had to get over it. She was never aggressive with us and was always a great companion dog.

When I started dating my ex-husband he had a lab. When we split he left me and the lab. I loved and adored Maggie and it still breaks my heart to think about her. She lived to be 14 years old and was a true woman’s best friend. I would come home from work and she would talk to me and tell me about her day. As I lived alone after we split she would sleep across my bedroom door to protect me.

While we were married we added a second dog to our family. We got a Scottie, my first of three generations. Scotties are wonderful family dogs too if they are raised correctly. They can be aggressive and assertive if they are not bred well or handled properly. I raised her from the time she was 9 weeks old and she was a great dog. I got her from a very good breeder who had a good reputation in the local Scottie club. She was gorgeous too – black with a white streak on her chest and in her breed. When she was groomed she would prance around like she knew she looked good. Best of all was when she had a litter and I would be taking pictures of her puppies and she went over and sat behind them with her head up in the air – so proud. She was independent and would let you love on her but she didn’t have to be under foot every minute.

My next two small dogs are the second and third generation of my first Scottie. I have raised both of them from a few minutes after they were born. I have found that handling them a good bit when they are young really helps them be more compatible to people. I have also made sure to expose them to children in the neighborhood so that they are not scared of children. They have been wonderful around my God child and know not to be aggressive with her. My friends also can bring over their children and they are careful and respectful around them too.

The thing I like best though about a Scottie is that they are a big dog in a small dog body. They are not scared of much. They are loyal. They can be hard headed at times – my current dog would turn her back on me and hold her head up in the air when she had had enough training when she was little. What a bugger. They do have to be groomed though and that can add up. I have a good groomer and a visit every 6 weeks is $60. Scotties also live to be between 10-12 years old with 10 being the average age overall. My dog is 9 on Feb 14th and I hope I have her a lot longer as my other half says this is my last dog. NO!

Any of the dogs I have mentioned are wonderful family dogs. They all have their benefits and and issues too but overall they are 100% great. To my liking though I will stick to Scotties.

Why People Love Miniature Schnauzers

I believe the miniature schnauzer to be one of the great undiscovered pets of the large dog lovers of the world. Many a big-dog lover has scoffed at my little miniature schnauzer, thinking that because he is a small dog, he can’t be much fun. I believe in fact, that the miniature schnauzer often believes he is a big dog trapped in a small dog’s body. This is why all types of dog lovers can come to adore the miniature schnauzer.

My husband is a shining example of why the miniature schnauzer should not be judged for his size. When I brought our little mini “Max” home from the Humane Society, I could tell my husband was less than thrilled. Always having been a big-dog kind of guy, he couldn’t see how this 21-pound little guy was ever going to keep up. Boy did Max prove him wrong.

Athletic

The miniature schnauzer is surprisingly athletic for a little dog. Our mini Max can climb mountains like a billy goat, leap from a stationary position up to four feet in the air, and keep pace with a fast-moving vehicle. His athleticism does have its limits. Although he has learned to swim, his skinny stick-legs are rather inefficient at paddling through the water. Swimming certainly is not his favorite, but he still has the determination to do it when needed.

Temperament

The miniature schnauzer is a little dog with a big personality. Look into the eyes of a mini, and you will see what I mean. This dog will love you to pieces every time you come home, even if you just left five minutes earlier. He will sense when you are sad or ill and snuggle up against you to make you feel better. He also knows when it is time to play, and loves a good session of rough-housing.

Ideal Family Dog

The miniature schnauzer really is ideally suited to family life. He can play and rough-house with the dad, get tender loving attention from the mom, and be hours of entertainment for the wee ones. He will also keep the family in shape, whether it is through the daily walks that he looks forward to with glee, or trips to the dog park where he can run free.

Non-allergenic

In addition to all of these unique qualities, there is one aspect of this breed that really makes the “miniature schnauzer an ideal pet. Although you do need to take your mini to a groomer regularly, or “groom him yourself, his coat is ideal in that he does not shed! This means no dog hair to clean up after and no issues if a family member has allergies.

In the end, Max won my husband’s heart and to this day my husband insists that Max is now “his dog” even though I was the one that picked him out. I had to do a little convincing in the beginning to get my big-dog lover to open his heart to this small guy, but five years later they are the best of buds.