All About the Breed: Schnoodle

The Schnoodle is an active, intelligent, and affectionate breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.

History

The exact origin of the Schnoodle has not been well documented. Enthusiasts believe that the breed has existed within the United States and Europe since the 1950’s, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.

The Schoodle was created by crossing the Poodle and the Schnauzer.

Throughout its history, the Schnoodle has been most commonly kept as a companion, proving its superior abilities to provide both entertainment and gentle companionship.

Today, the Schnoodle has attained a world wide popularity as a family pet, companion, and due to its low-shedding and hypoallergenic coat.

Personality Traits

Best known for its energetic and spunky nature, the Schnoodle is a genuinely happy breed that is full of character. These dogs thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans, and love to play the role of lap dog. This breed is very intelligent and generally easy to train. As a pet, the Schnoodle is obedient, loyal, loving, and very affectionate. The Schnoodle adapts well to full-time indoor or apartment living, and views spending time outdoors as a special treat.

Train-ability

Due to its intelligent and eagerness to please and impress its owner, the Schnoodle generally responds well to basic training and commands. These bright dogs have the ability to learn to perform most any task their trainer is willing to take the time to teach.

Establishing immediate trust and respect is key to successfully training the Schnoodle. This breed requires a confident and patient handler with a stern yet gentle approach to repetitive exercises and tasks.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed

There are many benefits to owning a Schnoodle. This spunky and curious breed is always on the move, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. These dogs are very bright, easy to train, and capable of learning to perform many impressive tricks and tasks. When properly socialized from a young age, the Schnoodle gets along well with small children and other pets, known for its ability to make friends quickly with other pets. The Schnoodle is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent family pet and companion alike.

Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Schnoodle. Like many companion breeds, these dogs are known to suffer from separation anxiety. Individuals wishing to purchase this breed who travel frequently, have full-time work, or are away from the home on a daily basis are advised to begin researching another breed. During an attack of separation anxiety, the Schnoodle will act out of nervous destruction and may destroy property, chew, dig, bark, whine, and ignore basic training such as housebreaking.

The Schnoodle has a thick and wiry coat while requires almost constant attention such as bathing and grooming in order to prevent matting and maintain its attractive appearance.

This breed is known for being somewhat excitable when greeting humans and while at play. Excessive barking, jumping, and full-body wags can often lead to headaches and accidents. Proper training can reduce these behaviors in the Schnoodle.

Designer and hypoallergenic breeds are currently very popular. Individuals seeking to purchase the Schnoodle often encounter such challenges as extremely high prices and being placed on long waiting lists.

Common Health Concerns

While the Schnoodle is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: hip dysplasia, patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, digestive issues, skin allergies and sensitivity, cryptorchidism – failure of one or both of the testicles to fully descend, and various dental issues.

Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Schnoodle? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.

Sources:

http://www.heydogs.com/s/schnoodle.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/schnoodle