My experience

It is interesting that noone is writing in this topic...like noone have or doesnt want to say that they have agressive dog. Ok, good breeders should have calm and normal dogs, and here we have a lot of good breeders.
Im said cause, when I was deciding wich breed to take, first thing that I was looking for was caracter of that breed, and thats why I bought Standard Schnauzer. All size of Schnauzers should have more or less similar caracter, easy to learn and with calm personality.
In last one-two years, Miniature Schnauzers became very popular here, and we are seeing in the street many of them that are agressive...for example...Im walking with Willi, and 2 meters from us dog is passing, and barking or trying to atack Willi. I had a luck, and breeder from wich I took Wili is very rigorous about their temperament, and their dogs are very calm, not jelous at all and they dont have any type of agreesion in them. Offcourse, big problem are new owners of dogs, especially miniature, cause they think that bying mianiature schnauzer is like byuing any miniature dog, and they are taking them in arms when they are puppies and treating tham as cats, or, better to say-birds.
Few days ago, one breeder from another country came on the dog show with 2 gorgeous Standard Schnauzers, one year old, female and male. Very beautifull dogs, but, female tryed to atack one male that was trying to snuff her nose, and male was trying to attack every male aroung him. People were saying-"take thate dog away of our dogs" and simillar things. In the ring, they acted well, and they took prizes.
I would like to hear your oppinion about that. For me, no matter are the dogs looking well, they MUST have a good temperament, cause that is something that qualitative Schnauzer MUST have. Judges should wach for that. Dogs are trained for good behavior in the ring, but out of ring, their caracter is bad, and noone care about that, or I dont see that anyone cares.

Interesting topic!

Yes I am agree, judges should evaluate better the temper of the dog as a part of breed characteristics and should put out of the ring dogs aggressive in regards of the other dogs in the ring (often this doesn't happen - sometimes because there is just one dog in the ring! ). Even if I know Standard Schnauzer males well-socialized who behave with people, kids and bitches but still don't accept any other male in the surroundings, I think that a proper socialization (with adult dogs of both sexes, different breeds and sizes) in the puppy stage is basical (but sometimes not enough) to have a balanced dog, specially for a Standard Schnauzer. In my opinion it's more about how you raise a puppy than its genetics (excepting extremely aggressive or shy dogs of course).

ambientart wrote:
In last one-two years, Miniature Schnauzers became very popular here, and we are seeing in the street many of them that are agressive...for example...Im walking with Willi, and 2 meters from us dog is passing, and barking or trying to atack Willi. I had a luck, and breeder from wich I took Wili is very rigorous about their temperament, and their dogs are very calm, not jelous at all and they dont have any type of agreesion in them. Offcourse, big problem are new owners of dogs, especially miniature, cause they think that bying mianiature schnauzer is like byuing any miniature dog, and they are taking them in arms when they are puppies and treating tham as cats, or, better to say-birds.

Apparently this is universal. People buy this cute little puppy and forget or don't realize that it needs training just as much as that large German Shepherd Dog down the street. The biggest problem with miniature schnauzers is that they were bred to be watchdogs and they are very territorial. That pretty much encompasses most of the complaints people have about them when they don't train them. And *WHERE* did their love for paper ever come from??? I assume that is not just a North American trait*G*.

ambientart wrote:Few days ago, one breeder from another country came on the dog show with 2 gorgeous Standard Schnauzers, one year old, female and male. Very beautifull dogs, but, female tryed to atack one male that was trying to snuff her nose, and male was trying to attack every male aroung him.

I am wondering if that bitch was in season... or coming in or going out. That would explain BOTH behaviors.

Many years ago I was at an outdoor dog show, waiting under the very crowded tent for my class to be called. My bitch had *just* come out of season, so was very guarded about herself, and I had her on a tight lead. Some idiot with a male Bernese Mountain Dog was not being very careful about his dog, and was letting his male "lust after" *G* my bitch. His dog was pretty much standing over my bitch and drooling on her (she was about the size of his head), and he so wanted her! I saw my bitch's ears and tail go straight up in the air, and I said to the BMD's owner, "WATCH YOUR DOG!" About the time he responded to me.... "oh, he is okay...", my bitch exploded in his dog's face, and I smilingly said, "Well, mine is not...", as he finally shortened up on his dog's lead and pulled him away from my dog.

Just as we all have our own personal space surrounding us, so do our dogs. It is our responsibility to not let our dogs invade another's space when we are out in public. (I say this without having seen what actually happened at that show...)

for me, exept good genes, most important thing is to be socialized with dogs, not only when dog is young...thrue whole life (offcouse, we need and one stably owner) for example, breeder that have a lot of dogs, and space for them, in many cases dont take those dogs to socialization with other dogs, out of kennel (parks, etc.). all of them are well socialized mutually, but thats because they have their own horde, and if you take those dogs to meet other dogs, they are not so frendly with them.
owners that have only one or two dogs, are often doing the simillar mistake (for breaders is complicated taking a lot of dogs outside for socializaton with others, and i understand them, but owner with one dog should do that every day), taking their pet out only with a ball or with only one dog friend out of parks where they can meet other dogs. result of that is a dog that know only for a few friends, and evryone else is potential enemy.
i opened this topic cause i have that problem with other dogs. one swiss white sheppard, that grown with my willy, and knows only for 6-7 dogs in small park near their house, is good only with them, an if he come with us to a big dog park, where willy is every day with a lot of different dogs, that sheppard is agressive. the same for other dogs, no metter are they schnauzers or not, but im affraid that miniatures are in the worst possition, cause they are small and for some new owners..."so sweet as bunnies", and as alberto said, they are wachdogs.
kennel in which i bought willy have aprox. 15 dogs-miniature and standard schnauzers. from all those dogs, they have max. 3 litters every year, and they have a lot of potential owners that they rejected, cause those potential owners didnt know what is schnauzer, and how to behave with that dog. i think that is what all breeders should do, cause point of breeding is to keep exept good appereance, their great caracter
msbritmore...for me its normal that bitch react like your not only in those days. willy knows to be boaring, and they are barking and growling on him, even jump like they wants to bite him, but not biting. in this case she was acting like a mad dog trying to atack serious, and that dog wasnt doing anything special.

ambientart wrote:kennel in which i bought willy have aprox. 15 dogs-miniature and standard schnauzers. from all those dogs, they have max. 3 litters every year, and they have a lot of potential owners that they rejected, cause those potential owners didnt know what is schnauzer, and how to behave with that dog. i think that is what all breeders should do, cause point of breeding is to keep exept good appereance, their great caracter

Yes I think this is the point...people who want a schnauzer (or any other breed) must be educated by the breeder before they buy and followed by the breeder after they buy.
Breeders need to talk clearly about pluses and minuses of their breed, and to say straight what necessarily must be done to have a polite adult dog in the future; on the other side, you cannot pretend that all puppy-buyers know everything about the breed & dog behaviour before they take it, but I think a good breeder is able to understand if the person in front of him is willing to learn & spend time for puppy socialization and then stay in touch with him/her after the puppy has gone to check puppy's growth, receive feedbacks and give advices. It is a very hard work!

i agree with you totally. neither i knew a lot about schnauzers(and i still dont know a lot), but breder should see is someone capable for that mission

ambientart wrote:i agree with you totally. neither i knew a lot about schnauzers(and i still dont know a lot), but breder should see is someone capable for that mission

I agree with everything mentioned above as well. It's important to know what type of dog you will own by reading up about the breed, and especially talking to the breeder since they know them verywell. It's important to be an educated and good owner.