Obedience

Obedience training is ESSENTIAL for standard schnauzers. Many will say that its strongly encouraged but in our house we believe that it is a requirement for happy co-habitation.

Standard schnauzer are very intelligent, high energy dogs who will make their own fun if you don't find a job for them to do.

We started Kord in a basic obedience class three days after he arrived in our home. He was 14 weeks old at the time. Although I grew up with lots of dogs, my husband's family re-homed their small dog shortly after he was born and didn't get another until he was in college. So we decided to take the basic obedience class together and get our small family off to a good start. We LOVED it. It was something that we did together and because we both went to class, we both learned the skills at the same time, in the same way, and were able to be consistent in teaching and reinforcing our dog. Kord graduated from that first class in about 6 weeks.  Then he was off to a Cainine Good Citizenship class for another 6 weeks and earned his CGC certificate at about 7 months old.

Even though my husband no longer attends class with us, obedience is still very much an activity that we enjoy as a family. Kord and I have continued on in a series of courses designed to prepare us for obedience competition and my husband and son help with weekly homework and proofing practice (our two year old really excels at distraction :-)).

Kord and I wont enter our first obedience competition until sometime next year but this has been a great way for our whole family to enjoy spending time together.

If you haven't thought of it before please consider enrolling in a class of some sort with your family dog. There are all sorts of programs, for all different levels of experience and you are sure to find something that you and your family will all enjoy... With the added benefit that training will help to make your family pet happier, healthier and even more pleasant to live with.