Owning a Miniature Schnauzer can be a lot of fun. These dogs can keep pests away, form strong bonds with their human pack, and even have a favorite human in the family to who they grant their absolute loyalty.
But if there’s one thing most Miniature Schnauzer parents agree on, these dogs bark a lot. And if you aren’t prepared or used to this barking, it can get quite annoying.
If ever you start getting frustrated at how much your miniature Schnauzer barks, it’s important not to get mad or blame them for it. This is because Miniature Schnauzers are natural barkers. When they bark, they aren’t doing it to annoy you; they are doing it to protect you.
So, if you get mad at them when they start barking, you open up the doors to causing your dog some trauma.
To fully understand why you shouldn’t get mad at a barking Miniature Schnauzer, you need to understand why they bark in the first place. And in this article, we’re explaining just that.
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Keep reading if you’ve just adopted a Miniature Schnauzer that won’t stop barking and are looking to understand why they do it and if there are any ways to reduce it.
Understanding Miniature Schnauzers & Their Signature Bark
One thing that you need to understand about Miniature Schnauzers is that they are Terriers. Terriers are quite energetic and Spot and Tango even recommends some specific food choices for them.
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These are a group of dogs that were specifically bred to hunt and chase down vermin on the farm. These dogs would eliminate rats, weasels, and other pests that farmers would have to deal with.
Whenever these dogs would detect a small and unwanted critter, they will bark to alert the other dogs in the pack that there’s an animal they need to hunt. From there, the dogs chase all the vermin until they run away from the property or end up between their jaws.
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With that in mind, breeders made sure to focus on traits that could help them chase vermin more effectively. This is why these dogs are small and are instinctively intrigued by other small animals.
Whenever your Miniature Schnauzer sees another small critter, its immediate instinct is to bark and pounce. This is the reason they bark and is one of the things that you can never really eliminate. It’s just a part of their nature.
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With that said, there could be a couple of ways to reduce how much your dog barks, which we’ll explain in the next sections.
Can I Train My Miniature Schnauzer Not to Bark?
The thing about a Miniature Schnauzer’s bark is that it’s instinctive. This means that no matter what you do, a part of these dogs tells them to bark whenever they see small creatures. This means that dog owners usually have a hard time eliminating these barks.
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While this can be annoying, you must accept it if you own a miniature Schnauzer. But don’t worry, there are a couple of things you can do to try and keep the barks at a minimum, which we’ll be looking at next.
How to Reduce Barking in Miniature Schnauzers
So, how exactly can you reduce how much your Miniature Schnauzer barks?
To start, you need to find out why your dog is barking in the first place. While these dogs instinctively bark at small creatures, they could also bark at strangers they see through the window. This is a way of protecting their owners and themselves.
But once you determine the triggers, you can teach the dog that these are nothing to worry about. You can start by removing the triggers from their sight. For example, if they are triggered by strangers, you can close the blinds, so they don’t see them walking around the street.
Then, whenever a stranger enters the house, you can show the dog that the strangers are good people and have nothing to worry about. You can even give them treats when they start calming down to reward good behavior. This might help a lot when it comes to reducing barking.
Additionally, you can also train them to respond to a verbal command. You can choose any verbal command, but we recommend using “Quiet” as it’s easy to remember and understand. When teaching this command, remember to be as patient as possible and stay firm to show your dog that you’re serious.
Conclusion
The thing is, Miniature Schnauzers are naturally loud dogs. Barking at things is simply a part of their nature and something you can never fully eliminate. While some people get lucky, others are best trying to reduce the barking to the absolute minimum.
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And while it may take some time to do this, Miniature Schnauzers are very smart, and they’ll get it eventually. So, remember to take your time and stand your ground, and your pet will eventually understand what you mean.
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