I'm sure you've heard many things about the breed- some that may have even discouraged you from bringing one into your home. The first thing many people think of when they think of a Schnauzer is that they bark a lot. This is, and isn't true. Some Schnauzers do bark at literally everything, and can be a bit uncontrollable. Part of this has to do with how you raise them and part has to do with where you get your Schnauzer from- most well bred lines do not have dogs who are massive barkers. I currently have five Miniature Schnauzers, 4 from a line I know very well, and one from unknown lineage. There is a huge difference in the amount of barking between them- the one from unknown lineage is a very vocal dog and the other 4 only bark for 'obvious reasons' such as someone at the door.

Another thing that you may have heard about Schnauzers is that they have a great deal of health problems. Again, this has to do with the breeding (lineage) and environment. If you get a dog from a reputable breeder who really knows the breed well and tests their dogs for health problems prior to breeding, you're much less likely to have problems. Those who breed Schnauzers without testing for health problems, those who simply breed their pets, etc tend to have more dogs with problems. You may pay a little more to get a dog from a reputable breeder, however in the long run you will save on vet expenses. Now, I also said that 'environment' was an issue. This is where you factor into your dogs health. If you feed a good food, keep your dog groomed on a regular basis, keep the dog at a good weight and have regular vet check-ups, dental cleanings, etc., you are doing great. However, if you feed a low quality food, don't keep up on groomings, have an obese dog, don't get his teeth cleaned or other proper care, you're most likely going to run into health issues.

What does grooming have to do with health care? Plenty! Schnauzers tend to get matted fairly easy since they have long hair on their beard, chest and legs. The matting can get so tight it literally pulls the skin away from the body, creating sores. Groomers also pluck the hair from the ear canals which allows air flow into the ear canal- a hairy ear can lead to ear infections. If their faces aren't trimmed the hairs can end up in their eyes, causing eye irritation and infections. The hair in the pads of the feet can become matted with fur, rocks, mud, etc causing foot problems. Schnauzers should be groomed no less than every 8 weeks, but it's preferred every 4-6 weeks depending on hair growth. Even if you don't want much hair trimmed, the dog still needs bathed and combed out, ears plucked, face cleaned up, etc.