Customer Reviews

A New Owner's Guide to Miniature Schnauzers

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
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I bought this book because we were considering getting a new puppy and were interested in Miniature Schnauzers. I liked this book because it gave a brief history and evolution of today's dog which helped me understand more fully the personality of the Miniature Schnauzer. It also answered my key questions about selecting a puppy, as well as, crate training and housebreaking. The book will give you a general feel for what will be needed to appropriately care for this breed. I feel that after reading this book, I can better converse with breeders and am more informed. Since I haven't read any other books specific to the Miniature Schnauzer, I cannot compare to other sources. But I have found it more than adequate for my current need - preparation for purchasing a puppy. One final comment, the book has glossy pages and has plenty of supplemental color photographs. I particulary enjoyed the photographs of a variety of dogs of this breed - it helps me tremendously in the selection process.

Based on other's recommendation prior to mine, I was looking forward to this as a definitive Miniature Schnauzer guide, but was somewhat disappointed in its lack of depth on certain subjects.

Not to say this is a bad book or has irrelevant information, but for new dog owners it has both its pros and cons.

As a plus, the explanation of the breed and characteristics is thorough, as well as picking a puppy and what to expect. This takes up the first 1/3rd of the book.

I found the grooming section to be great in some areas, but not so informative in others. There is very little information about cleaning ears (the proper and safe way) and why it's important (ear mites, bacterial odor, discharge, infection)....the best it says is pluck hairs and clean with rubbing alcohol in only two sentences. There should be much more on ear treatment. There is a section devoted to oral care which is good. This book more so concentrates on brushing the coat, baths, and clippering.

I would have also like to have seen more on body language as new owners may not always know what their dog is trying to communicate to them. This includes if the puppy or mature dog is not feeling well and what 'subtle' signs to look for.

There is a section describing ailments, parasites, and diseases...but not so much information on how to treat, other than: "See your vet." Duh!!

The only training really covered in this book is "house-breaking, which while important is one facet of a puppy/human relationship. I would have liked to see expanded discussion on other basics such as: Sit, Stay, barking, etc...

While I do recommend this book, it is a very high level look at the breed, but lacking in some detailed information on important day to day concerns of new dog owners.

This book is pretty well done as pet books go. The photos and the quality of the paper are excellent. I was a little disappointed not to have an anticipated weight as a function of age or the weight range of the mature dog. I would like to have known how much and when (what hours of the day and how many times a day is best)to feed the puppy as he matures. I got all this info and more from the vet, but more detail in the book, of what to do and what to expect from the typical schnauzer from puppy to dog would have been helpful.

There is a lot of information about showing and breeding, but these are not my areas of interest. The section on Housebreaking and Training beginning on page 80, is well done and quite helpful.

I am a first time mini schnauzer owner not interested in breeding or showing, just wanted to get some general information on the breed and training as the product description implies. This book was OK, but I felt there was a lot of inapplicable information in the book and not enough for the "new owner" about grooming, training, and what to expect from the puppy. It was more about what to expect when SHOWING your dog. For someone who is not interested in showing or breeding, DO NOT buy this book. I am still looking for a better one.

I read this book cover to cover in a couple days. I thought it was a great introduction to the mini schnauzer breed, including history, behavior and care. While it is not an exhaustive guide, it provides important information and can be a great starting point. Technical guides can sometimes be overwhelming, and I think this book is a good, quick read to provide yourself sound background information. It's also a handy reference to keep around.