Meet Franklin The Mini Schnauzer!

Franklin entered our life back in 2015, after we saw an ad for schnauzer puppies at a home near St Augustine, FL--we were visiting family in Gainesville, so after a short drive we met the cutest little pups ever!!  Given our allergies, we knew we needed a dog that didn't shed, and we wanted a smaller dog that would be easier for us and our families to manage.  So, we adopted our little guy and my parents took his brother, Max.

After seeing these little guys in pens and crates, it made us so happy to be giving them a good home--in fact, when we first set them down in the yard to let them run and play, they began visibly shaking as if they had never been out of the house.  Their diet seemed to consist of Pedigree puppy food and MilkBone biscuits, but thankfully both were in good health.

Well, little Frankie quickly became our furry child, and was potty trained within a few weeks--in fact Marina trained him to ring a little bell whenever he needed to go out!  Schnauzers are said to be one of the smarter breeds, so he quickly learned that he could ring the bell anytime he wanted to go out, just to play etc.  Crate training, however, we did NOT conquer (nor did Max).  We did our best from day one, using a little blanket that he'd slept with previously, then transitioning to some of our own dirty laundry (actually our stinky shoes where his favorite), but the poor guy would just whine all night.  We would even take turns laying on the floor next to the crate to try and comfort him, but to no avail.  Finally when it came time to get Franklin neutered, we thought we'd share the bed with him for a few days while the stitches healed, just to make sure he didn't try to lick himself too much--and we've all shared the bed ever since!

We enrolled in obedience class at our local Petco and continued with class there for almost a year--mostly due to our wonderful trainer Pat, who since retired but still does training in her spare time.  Pat, like all good trainers, stressed the importance of patience while training your dog, and eventually Franklin learned a multitude of fun tricks too!  During our time at Petco we quickly realized that there is a wealth of options for dog food now, and our mission became to pick the best one for our little guy.  Of course, once you start doing research on something like this it is easy to become obsessed with making the 'right' decision!

The truth is that dog nutrition is widely debated AND what's good for one dog may not be good for another, and your dog may even suddenly get sick on a food they've eaten for years--the best thing you can do is research what foods have had recalls in the past, carefully read the ingredient list on ALL foods and treats, and just look for changes in their behavior, skin condition, and bowel movements as you try a new food.  It is shocking how many odd ingredients are in some of the most widely sold foods.

We do a mix of canned and dry, cycling through canned food protein sources, and soaking the dry food in water for at least an hour before feeding (this has helped alleviate constipation).  You generally don't want to completely change their diet overnight--this usually causes stomach upset--rather it is recommended to slowly transition a dog between foods.  That being said, you can't be afraid to try a different food if you have a suspicion that your animal's current food may be affecting them adversely.  But I digress...

This year Franklin is turning 3!  He and Marina have earned many ribbons doing dog agility competitions around our area, and as you can see he is quite the fashion model, too.  We love our little guy like a son, he's our pride and joy! 
Franklin itches himself a lot, and we've found that Vet's Best line of grooming products works great for him, from ear cleaner to hypoallergenic shampoo.  We also trim his nails at home, using the Dremel Pet Nail Sander -- if your dog hates the usual type of trimmers, give this a try and just be patient while they gradually get used to the sound and fell of it.

At Dog Training Club of St. Petersburg, Fl

Franklin and Marina at DACOF 2017

Two of our good friends also went and picked up another of Franklin's brothers, Django, who is now living the good life in Spain!

We are so blessed to have these wonderful little guys in our  lives.  Pets should be a commitment for life, just like kids--so before you go and add one to your family, think about the amount of time, energy and money that you'll need to put into these fuzzy friends to give them the quality of life they deserve.  No matter what the breed, they all need exercise each day, and larger breeds need a LOT of exercise to expend their energy or they will develop bad habits.  If you have a small home and no easy access to an outdoor area for a dog to run around, don't get a big dog that's going to be miserable.  Whether or not you agree with his disciplinary style or the idea of your family as a "pack", Cesar Milan is a great and easily accessed resource for encouraging info about working with dogs and improving your relationship with them, and it's good to consider his lessons before your dog arrives, so you are prepared to be consistent and patient with it. 

We love our miniature schnauzer so much, and are so happy to have him be a part of our lives.  Please comment below if you have any questions about schnauzers or dog training, and please share your cute dog photos too!