With the increase in hybrid dog breeding, you might find yourself choosing to adopt a cute, cuddly Schnoodle. Schnoodles are an adorable, intelligent, tenacious mixed breed that is the outcome of a miniature Schnauzer and a Poodle. You might be asking if these cute and cuddly dogs are perfect for you and your family. It's essential to research and learn about a Schnoodle's specific needs before investing in their care. With any breed with "miniature" in the title, it's safe to assume you are dealing with a different set of expectations than a large dog. Consistent training and education are needed to keep your pup's mental health happy and healthy. Calming Dog offers the perfect products to assist you in your new journey as a Schnoodle owner.
Schnoodle; A Mixed Breed
Because a Schnoodle is crossbred, the American Kennel Club does not recognize them as an official breed. Therefore, to understand your pup, you must learn about Miniature Schnauzers and Poodles. This study suggests mixed breeds are a random combination of both parents. Your Schnoodle's physical traits and temperament are dependent on a random genetic draw mixed with a nurturing environment.
The American Kennel Club describes the miniature Schnauzer as highly affectionate, typically good with young children and other pets, playful, intelligent, and very quickly trained. Since this breed is smaller than the typical Schnauzer breed, you can expect this breed to grow around 12 to 14 inches. Miniature Schnauzers make the perfect city dog, not needing much physical exercise and fitting nicely into an apartment. They have a famously salt and pepper-colored coat that requires regular maintenance. Schnauzer is a German term meaning mustache and beard, which is a notorious feature on the typical Schnauzer. Often a Schnoodle will garner the size and snout of the miniature Schnauzer. Miniature Schnauzers also have high mental and emotional needs. They are a highly vocal breed, infamously known as growlers, so you can expect them to be good watchdogs.
If your Schnoodle fits the description of a miniature Schnauzer, his brain requires regular exercise. It will help if you create positive mental stimulation, or this breed will find disruptive ways to stimulate their minds. If your Schnoodle is chewing, ripping, or destroying your items, they are likely bored. When your Schnoodle is bored, it will feel anxious and stressed. This anxiety and stress can be avoided by giving your Schnoodle proper mental exercise. Mental stimulation can include interactive games with your pup, like learning new tricks, obstacle courses, or letting your dog sniff and explore. Typical rat-catchers and farm dogs, Miniature Schnauzers love to sniff and help their owners. Calming Dog offers the perfect product to stimulate the mental needs of your Schnoodle. Calming Zen Chews are perfect for adding to any brain teaser game. Hide the Calming Zen Chew throughout your house or apartment and have your Schnoodle search until they find these peanut-buttery treats. Also, use these treats to train your pup to learn new tricks. Made with natural, safe calming agents, these are the perfect treats to keep your Schnoodle's brain active and happy while reducing signs of anxiety.
The American Kennel Club describes the Poodle as highly affectionate, great with children, generally great with other pets, playful, intelligent, and open to strangers. This breed can be either standard, miniature, or teacup in size. More than likely, the Poodle size that breeds with a miniature Schnauzer will grow 10 to 15 inches. Poodles exuberate a diva-like stance, fit for a throne. However, Poodles are often athletic with a zealous take on life. Like the miniature Schnauzer, they are brilliant, which allows them to be easily trained. With high intelligence, they also require consistent mental stimulation. As an athletic breed, they also need regular physical exercise. Poodles, like miniature Schnauzers, also tend to be vocal when bored or anxious.
Does your Schnoodle have a slightly larger, more athletic appearance? Their physical traits might come from their Poodle genetics. Poodles require regular physical exercise, so they do not become bored and anxious. As with the miniature Schnauzer, boredom in a Poodle will result in unwanted behaviors. If your Poodle is chewing your shoes, clothes, or furniture, it could very likely mean they are bored. Try taking your Schnoodle on walks or jogs to fulfill these physical needs. Calming Dog has created the perfect product to assist highly energetic dog needs. The Calming Fountain Plus+ offers your pup the freshest, coldest water by using a triple filtration system. Holding up to 2.4L of water, it's the perfect size for Schnoodles. Never worry about your Schnoodle after a long walk or high-intensity game of fetch again.
Meet Your Schnoodle's Mental Needs
Regardless of the genetic draw, your Schnoodle is likely to be brilliant with a need for routine mental stimulation which can happen through training opportunities. You can also expect the typical features of a smaller breed. According to the American Kennel Club, smaller breeds are often less obedient, more excitable, and more anxious than their large breed counterparts.
Can you describe your Schnoodle as scrappy or skittish? A team of researchers set out to determine if this was because of a genetic predisposition or how owners treat small dogs compared to large dogs. Their study found that small dogs had a much more severe reaction to inconsistent training, lack of activities, and punishment when compared to large breeds.
Smaller breeds often "get away" with more unruly behavior than large dogs. It's vital to remain consistent when properly training your Schnoodle. Often smaller dog owners tend to avoid regular shared activities. Smaller breeds still need 1 to 2 hours of shared activities a day. Shared activities can look like obedience training, a long walk, a game of fetch, or hide the Calming Zen Chew. It's crucial to remain consistent with your shared activities and exercise. Don't allow behavior and then get angry whenever the behavior happens to become inconvenient. Punishing your Schnoodle by jerking the leash, hitting, scolding, or harshly grabbing it is never appropriate. These behaviors cause stress and anxiety to build within your beloved pet, which in turn can cause unwanted and unruly behavior from your pup.
Stress in Your Schnoodle
Healthline.org describes stress as a trigger for a biological response. Stress will send a surge of stress hormones and adrenaline coursing through your body whenever you feel your well-being has become threatened. What does this look like in small dogs? For smaller dogs, stress can present itself if you come face to face with a physical threat of violence. If you are sitting with your Schnoodle at an outside restaurant and a large breed happens to walk by, your puppy might exhibit a stress response. Its heartbeat will start racing; it will begin panting and barking at the larger dog. The large breed owner, the people sitting next to you, and your dinner mates will become agitated. This stress response does not benefit anyone, but it also doesn't mean your little companion is a bad dog. The poor little puppy is suffering, and if they experience constant stress it can affect their little bodies.
How does stress affect physical health? The heightened awareness from stress increases your heart rate and, in turn, releases the stress hormone cortisol. The overproduction of cortisol can affect your weight, sleep patterns, blood pressure, mental clarity, cause diabetes or osteoporosis, and result in a weakened immune system. Stress has the same effect on Schnoodles! The overproduction of stress hormones causes adverse side effects that are detrimental to your pup's health. Therefore, it's vital to manage stress before it can hurt your beloved companion.
Not all stress is bad for you or your Schnoodle. Being able to function at a higher level of alertness and physical strength during a traumatic experience is a biological advantage. However, it's essential to manage stress and not let anxiety rule your pet's life. Higher cortisol levels are responsible for negative impacts on your beloved pet's health and lead to many common disruptive behaviors. It's crucial to learn what causes stress to maintain the mental health of your Schnoodle appropriately.
What Causes Stress in Your Schnoodle
You might be asking yourself what causes stress. Why does my Schnoodle act overly excited when it sees another dog? According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the stress in smaller dogs directly results from fear, separation anxiety, and old age. Fear is a normal response to stimuli, but stress as a response to fear can damage your pet's health. The Merck Veterinary Manual estimates, " ...that ~14% of dogs have separation anxiety." Schnoodles fall into this percentage because although they may not like to sit in your lap, they are considered lapdogs. Lapdogs are often companion dogs that do not want to be left alone for too long. It's vital to understand what causes fear and anxiety in your beloved ped to work on stress management.
Fear triggers can be other dogs, unknown people, loud noises, and being left alone. Signs your dog is experiencing fear of some kind include lowered ears, tucked tail, panting, and drooling. When a stimuli that causes anxiety exposes itself to Schnoodles, they cannot physically escape because of their size. Most larger dogs can run away from the situation and hide or escape. Due to its size, a Schnoodle puppy would not fare well out in the world on its own. The significant side effect of unmanaged fear in Schnoodles is the development of aggressive behaviors. This learned behavior will be brutal to break in your adult dog.
Is your Schnoodle terrified of storms or loud noises? It's essential to catch this fear-based anxiety before it becomes severe. The likelihood of your Schnoodle barking during a storm (or any loud noise) is very likely because they are vocal creatures. It's essential (to your neighbors) you manage your puppy's stress when you are not home, especially during a storm or the Fourth of July. By providing the calming blanket plus+, you can avoid being bothersome to your neighbors. This calming blanket is a great asset to have in your home to soothe anxiety triggered by separation anxiety or loud stimuli. This blanket reduces stress and stops problem behavior. It will come with a calming insert of essential oils. Only safe essential oils, like valerian oil, vetiver, sweet basil, and clary sage, are used to calm and comfort your pet. Invest in your Schnoodle's mental health with this ultra-soft, cozy blanket today.
Anxiety and Your Schnoodle
Just like humans, Schnoodles can and do suffer from mental health disorders. Healthline describes anxiety as a natural response to stress. Anxiety in humans represents itself through panic attacks, phobias, social or separation anxieties, and trauma-related anxieties. There are trained professionals that monitor and diagnose these behavioral abnormalities when they start to affect daily functioning. With modification and treatment, humans can manage their anxieties, which goes for Schnoodle's anxiety.
Is your Schnoodle suffering from anxiety? ASPCA explains that dogs express stressed-induced anxiety through urinating or defecating, barking, chewing or destroying things, digging, trying to escape, pacing, or preventing you from leaving. If your dog has been house-trained well, these unwanted behaviors can be coping mechanisms to fear and anxiety.
Separation Anxiety in your Schnoodle
Does your Schnoodle ransack your house whenever you are not home? Your pup is likely suffering from separation anxiety. ASPCA defines separation anxiety as one of the most common complaints parents have. Your new Schnoodle might have separation anxiety if they urinate, defecate, bark incessantly, chew, dig, or try to escape from your home when you are not there. You have worked so hard to bond with your beloved pet that it becomes loyal and dependent on your care. Schnoodles don't mean to partake in these unwanted behaviors. Signs they suffer from separation anxiety indicate your pup has an overwhelming sense of fear and worry when you are away. Make sure not to punish your pup for their emotional outlets.
It's entirely normal for Schnoodles to feel anxious at times. If they are excited to see you or go for a walk, you're likely to catch your pup having a physical stress response. A faster heart rate, panting, and barking are natural responses to stress. However, when anxiety changes or affects your daily life, your Schnoodle is likely experiencing an anxiety disorder. Separation anxiety is considered an emotional disorder. This emotional response primarily affects dogs when they do not socialize before they are 12 weeks old. Your puppy is learning to become a part of a new environment and experiencing various emotions. Always remember to work with your Schnoodle and train them in proper stress management.
Otherwise, Schnoodles will develop their coping mechanisms when they miss you. These are the negative behaviors that can leave you feeling frustrated and upset. It's your job as the owner to help your beloved pet feel calm and comfortable in the home you share, even when you are not there. Calming Dog has created the perfect bed to offer your Schnoodle the security, comfort, and calmness to reach peace of mind. The Calming Cuddle Bed assists in comforting your puppy when you are away. This ultra-soft, cozy bed is an investment in your dog's mental health. Show them you care by spoiling them with a luxurious bed for their area of the house. The Calming Cuddle Bed comes in the perfect size for your smaller pup, with a variety of colors to coordinate with the style of your home.
Overcome Separation Anxiety for Your Schnoodle's Mental and Physical Health
The Mayo Clinic promotes stress management for optimal physical health. One of the most successful ways you can manage stress is through meditation. Meditation can involve yoga, deep breathing, a deep massage, or tai chi. Since some of these, if not all of them, are hard for your Schnoodle to do on their own, you need to help them calm themselves down. Calming Dog offers a Calming Spray that is amazing at calming your Schnoodle under stressful conditions. Mist some spray on your Schnoodle's Calming Blanket Plus+ or their Calming Cuddle Bed when you notice your Schnoodle is starting to exhibit a stress-induced physical response. This Calming Spray is perfect for excursions with your Schnoodle, like dining at an outdoor restaurant, going for a walk, or going on pet-friendly transportation. These all-natural essential oils act as preventing stress responses. You can choose between Zen, Peace, and Tranquility scents to give your Schnoodle peace of mind.
Schnoodles are the perfect hybrid breed for you and your family. These loving, cuddly, and cute pups are the ideal addition to an apartment dwelling family. You will fall head over heels in love with your new cute and cuddly friend. Now that you know what to look for in physical and mental traits, you'll be able to overcome any mental health obstacle thrown your way. By using Calming Dog's unique products, you will have a happy, healthy companion for many years to come.