How to train your Schnauzer

Tailor your training to suit the breed and achieve most rewarding results.

By Claire Morgan

Nancy ready to take on the next activity.

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Photo: © Claire Morgan

Nancy takes Gold.

Photo: © Claire Morgan

Nancy (Leebren Midnight Star Gazer at Hexenmeister) is my ninth Schnauzer. I have shown Schnauzers since 1989.

They have all been obedience trained at Kennel Club approved listed status clubs, and I became a dog trainer in 1992. I specialise in The Good Citizen Dog Training scheme Puppy Foundation level (for Schnauzers this is the most important phase.) and I am also a Gold Award level Good Citizen Dog Training scheme examiner.

Three-year old Nancy achieved her Good Citizen Dog Training scheme Gold Award in 2023, although food manners was a challenge! She is very food motivated, so to teach impulse control using food proved the most difficult part of the Gold test.

Generally, Schnauzers are food motivated, which makes training easier for most exercises. However, I use low value treats for her as anything too good breaks her concentration, and she is more interested int he food than doing the job at hand.

We compete in the Good Citizen Dog Training scheme classes at dog shows, which includes Crufts. I like to support these classes because it demonstrates the wider skillset of the breed.

Schnauzers are an intelligent breed, and exercise is important but cannot replace the need for stretching their brains and problem solving. Training and learning new activities will do this. Variation is the key to them not getting bored. Schnauzers will amaze as to how quickly they can pick things up, but equally be infuriating when they refuse to do something you know they can do easily!

Over the years we've had a few Schnauzers attend my training class, and we currently have a pepper and salt working towards her Silver Award level. As with a lot of Schnauzers, she does most things well but finds exercise 4 - Stay in one place for two minutes, difficult, as she loses sight of where she is and breaks it.

Nancy demonstrating a Level 1 exercise in rally training. Photo: © Sarah Kent

We've had a go at agility, (I take my agility equipment to Schnauzer events), rally entry level workshops and scent work which Nancy grasped really well. If I was asked to recommend one activity, apart from obedience training, it would be scent work. Using their nose is the fastest way of wearing them out mentally. It also helps reactive dogs, as the act of sniffing has a calming effect on them. We train with gun oil because it is a scent that is not going to occur anywhere else, thus ensures the dog gets it right. Similarly to rally, I like attending workshops as it helps me understand additional activities that I don't teach, and how they would best suit others. Rally improves the dog's focus - and along with communication from the owner, results in better handling.

Nancy is being asked to spiral left around the cones (Rally Level 2)

Schnauzers have a good nose and , in the morning, mine always smell my face to make sure all is well with my health. A while ago my daughter was quite poorly and was constantly being sent home from hospital. The dogs would sniff her face and neck and unusually would withdraw quite quickly. We knew something was wrong and she was eventually diagnosed as having an infection around her windpipe which resulted in surgery. I would say that most dogs can detect serious illnesses on their owners and each other. As dog owners, we should always listen to our dogs, as they might be altering us to something life changing. By trying different activities with our dogs, we are broadening their horizons and need to learn. it shows how much our canine companions can achieve and how rewarding it is for us.

"Schnauzers are an intelligent breed, and exercise is important but cannot replace the need for stretching their brains and problem solving"