PART 3 Considering buying a Miniature Schnauzer dog? Here's why you should.

PART 3
...of my Schnauzer dog blog post series. If you have not yet read parts one or two of my series, here are the links to them.

For part 1: http://mysteriousrosegabs.blogspot.com/2015/02/considering-buying-miniature-schnauzer.html

For part 2: http://mysteriousrosegabs.blogspot.com/2015/02/considering-buying-miniature-schnauzer_2.html

LOYALTY & HOME SECURITY
Schnauzers are very loyal. They develop an immense and deep attachment to the family they reside with. There's always at least one person in the home, however, that the Schnauzer is more deeply connected to than everyone else. But they love all of their family just the same! They will stick by your side no matter what. They can also tell when you are sick and seem to want to cuddle with you more during those times. Many times, they can sense when a woman is pregnant (even very early on), and they tend to lay their head on her belly and sniff around like they smell something you cannot see. Due to the general loveable and friendly nature of Schnauzers, your home owners insurance will not be affected by owning one as they are rarely known for harming someone, even when provoked, they usually deal with it unless they can sense real danger.

Which is why they are great guard dogs. They will not attack someone simply for being on your property. They will always bark and let you know someone is approaching your home. They can sense a person pulling up in your driveway, before that person is even out of their car. So you'll always know when someone is on your property, whether you know this person or not, but Schnauzers will not attack for no reason. However, if they do sense that you are in real danger, they will go into defense mode and will bite the person or animal that is potentially harming you if they feel it is necessary for them to keep you safe.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ISSUES
Some dogs are more prone to heart problems like pugs and bulldogs (due to being overweight), other dogs are prone to osteoporosis and arthritis like bloodhounds and beagles. Schnauzers generally do not have major health concerns however, one thing I will warn you about and it is crucial to know this to ensure the survival of your Schnauzer! Do not ignore what I am about to tell you. Schnauzers have VERY sensitive digestive systems. Their bodies absolutely cannot tolerate mass amounts of table food like other dogs can. It's okay to give them a tiny piece of chicken or turkey or ham on occasion but do not feed them table food every day. Even if they bum and give you that sad pathetic puppy face, ignore it.

One of my relatives, who is also a Schnauzer lover, ignored the veterinarian's warnings to stop feeding her dog so much table food. Long story short, she didn't stop. Her dog could not handle it and as a result, he suffered from a stroke and became paralyzed. He had to be put to sleep. It may seem harmless, but this is no joke. Schnauzers can die from overconsumption of table food. I have worked in a Vet clinic, I have witnessed this happen more than once. If you want to treat your dog to something different and special on occasion, here are a few foods that Schnauzers CAN tolerate (but still use moderation). Cooked Eggs (they LOVE eggs), potatoes (odd but true, most of them love potatoes too), half of a homemade biscuit with no more than 2 tablespoons of homemade gravy (a few times a year on holidays is okay). The gravy you make from scratch, do not feed them canned gravy or made from packets gravy, they contain too many sodium preservatives which they cannot handle. Do not feed your Schnauzer bacon, pork chops, fatty meats, and raw/under-cooked meats! An occasional small piece of cooked hamburger, is okay.

SKIN ISSUES
Schnauzers are prone to getting dry skin, which makes them itchy, and causes more dander if left untreated. If your dog gets a cut or scrape, treat it with antibiotic ointment right away because the dry nature of their skin can make small cuts get infected very easily. No need to buy expensive ointments or creams from a Vet clinic or pet store. Those are a scam anyway. They have the exact same ingredients as human anti-biotic ointment creams, so go to the dollar tree and buy a tube of their brand for $1.00. It's safe for your dog and works just as good as the kind you get from the Vet, but the vet will charge you $14.95 for the same thing! To avoid dry skin issues in general, bathe your Schnauzer at least once every 2 months. Once or twice a month is best. The moisturizers in the shampoo, will help him retain moisture in his skin.

Another tip: Don't buy dog shampoo! You're over paying. It's another gimmick, a way for pet supply companies to make millions of dollars when in fact, human shampoo is just as safe for your dog (any dog, not just Schnauzers), it costs less money, lasts longer than the small dog shampoo bottles, and your dog will smell a lot cleaner. The clean smell, will also last for a few months. With dog shampoo, the clean smell wears off in a few days. It's designed to wear off quickly, so you'll use more shampoo at a faster rate, and have to buy more dog shampoo. You just assume your dog stinks again already, because he's a dog. No, I'm telling you, the dog shampoo is designed to wear off fast. Try using Herbal Essences or even cheap Suave or White Rain on your dog for the next few baths and see how much better it does!

Thanks for reading PART 3 of my Schnauzer dog blog post series! I hope you found my series to be helpful, informative, and fun to read.