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Part of the “Why I Chose” series where ScoutKnows brings you stories from dog owners in their own words about why they chose the dog they did.
Are you one of the lucky people currently thinking about finding a new canine member for your family? There are few things as exciting as bringing that new dog home for the first time. To many people it’s much like bringing home a new baby. You will undoubtedly spend countless hours preparing for the blessed event, adjusting to the addition in the home, and spoiling your new family member. However, if you don’t spend time up front researching the right breed for you and your family, the results could be disastrous.
When we were ready for a new a dog I spent weeks researching breeds to find the right one for us. There are many great websites full of good information on the various breeds. One of my favorite resources is The American Kennel Club. After a lot of discussion, we finally decided on a Mini Schnauzer, and these were our most important considerations.
Size
Size was very important to us. We knew right away we wanted a smaller dog. We traveled a lot, especially road trips, and we wanted a dog that would fit easily in our compact car. Security was not an issue for us like it is for some people when selecting a dog. Generally larger breeds are better for intimidating other people, but we lived in a very safe neighborhood where we felt it wasn’t necessary to have a dog for protection or security. The lifespan of our new dog was also an important consideration. Smaller dogs generally live substantially longer than the larger breeds. For example, studies show the average lifespan of a Chihuahua is about 17 years versus a typical Great Dane that lives only to be about 7 years old. We wanted our new family member to be around as long as possible, so we agreed to get a smaller breed.
Temperament
We knew that particular breeds have certain tendencies, so we spent a good deal of time learning about the temperaments of the various breeds. We researched Mini Schnauzer pro and cons. We really didn’t find any cons except that they require regular grooming. Some breeds are more aggressive and some are very passive. Some breeds are known for being highly intelligent while others are……well, not so bright. According to the AKC Mini Schnauzers are bright, friendly and easy to train. They are playful and family oriented. We had a neighbor that had one and we really liked him so we felt the breed was a good fit for us.
No Shedding
Mini Schnauzers don’t shed either. That was important to us because my husband had allergies. I also didn’t want hair all over the furniture. So this was an important consideration.
Cost
Are you wondering how much it costs to buy a Mini Schnauzer? We didn’t have a lot of money to spend so unfortunately cost was a factor. Our little Mini Schnauzer was very affordable at only $400, compared to some other breeds that cost over $1,000. One also has to think about cost over the lifetime of the dog too for food, essential gear and other things.
Appearance
I have to be honest, appearance was a factor. To us, Mini Schnauzers were just incredibly cute! Everyone is attracted to different breeds. Some people might think one breed is ugly while others find that breed gorgeous. To us, there wasn’t a cuter puppy than our little Annie. She was the runt of the litter and absolutely adorable!
Continue reading:
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