Update on Timing of Next Schnoodle Litter

Loveable Coco is as cute as ever!

Hi all!

I hope you are having a wonderful summer!  I am sorry that I have not written an update on what is happening with the doggies lately.  I have actually been super busy redecorating the puppy/office room.  I ripped up the carpet, installed a new floor (by myself!) and got some used furniture.  I am currently in the process of painting my old bookshelf to freshen the place up a bit.  (...and it is a BIG bookshelf).  I still have a ways to go before I have completed all my ideas for the space.  But really the best part, as far as the puppies go, is that the room has waterproof flooring.  So my dogs can whelp in that room and raise their litters there.  And that AWFUL ugly carpet is no more.  Yah!   I will put up a post to show the before and after, when the room is finished.  These things take a while for me because I am doing it all myself with the help of Craigslist and several cans of paint. 

 So what is the status of our next litter?  Well, we are STILL waiting for Coco to come into heat.  It has been 8 months since her first heat....so she has longer spaces than Dixie did.  That often happens with smaller breeds.  My friend who raises Shih Tzus has 10 months between their heats. I do hope Coco is not quite that long.  But it is all up to Mother Nature!

So please be patient.  I am not checking my email too much since I doing so many things this summer.  But I will certainly let you know when I breed Coco!

Thanks for your patience!    ----Mary

...Coco loves to give kisses!

Kiss puppies NOT boys, dear daughter!

LIAM'S Best Puppy Product Picks ....and 1 year update!

Hi Mary,

Happy June!  The pups are 1 year old.  How time flies!  Liam is doing very well.  He started his Canine Good Citizen training last week.  We are hoping he will be a model citizen by the end of the summer. Ha ha!  He is still struggling a bit with the barking, but it has improved a lot over time with clicker training and the citronella bark collar.

Poor Liam got Kennel Cough from daycare in April, but it was a mild case because he had been vaccinated.  His cough lasted about a week. The vet told me the vaccine is only about 80% effective.  Liam also got his first tick bite.  Ticks are out in crazy numbers this year!  He has been vaccinated for Lyme and tested negative at the vet for Lyme as well.  Having a good vet really does put your mind at ease.

Liam is at his adult size.  His height and length have not changed at all since his 7 month measurements but he has put on a few pounds, weighing in at 20 lbs even.  Here is his growth over time for future puppy parents...

Liam's favorite game is fetch.  He could literally play for hours on end.  I am so happy the weather is FINALLY NICE so we can play, go for bike rides, and really enjoy being outside.  He is such a great dog, so smart and lovable.  We are so thankful to have him in our family.

I also wanted to send you a list of puppy products that I absolutely LOVE and have helped make the past year much easier as a new dog owner.

1) Petsafe Easy Walk Dog Harness (small) - has helped significantly with loose leash walking and making our walks more enjoyable..
http://store.petsafe.net/easy-walk-harness

2) Winter Coat for cold Boston winters, and Tummy Warmer for fall/spring/rain.  As well as the Rubber Booties that I wrote about in a past letter. These can be purchased from K9Apparel.

3) Chuck it - will save your shoulder and tire your pooch.

4) Bike Tow Leash - excellent way to tire out your puppy.

5) Neater Feeder - for some reason Liam has a tendency to bury or cover up his food and water, which became a very MESSY endeavor.  This product saved me from cleaning dog food off my floor daily.

6. Petsafe Elite Little Dog Spray Bark Collar - citronella collar has improved barking in the house substantially.

7)  Chews like hooves and bully sticks, as well as treats like the ones in your shop, and we also like Spot Farms Hickory Smoked Turkey Bacon treats because I can break them up really small.

I realize some of these products are on the expensive side, but I just wanted to share them because they have helped me significantly as a new puppy mama.  So excited to follow the new litters! Talk soon!

Yours, Erin


Thank you so much for all your recommendations, Erin!    We appreciate that you have tried these products out so we know that they work!   Sometimes just knowing a product exists is half the battle!  And I think most of us would agree that is is definitely worth getting the right products to make our lives with our dogs better.   So thank you again, for your thoughtfulness in taking the time to share them with us!   
Best wishes to you!

---Mary

Oscar the Schnoodle turns 2 years old

I received this awesome letter from Jen, Oscar's mom.  I know you will all enjoy it......

Hi Mary!   Happy belated Mother's Day to you and Dixie and Happy 2nd Birthday to all of Oscar's sisters and brothers from his mother's day 2012 litter!!  I can't believe my baby boy is already 2!

Oscar Helping me study:)

We just got back from a fun weekend at the beach!  Oscar's absolute favorite thing is playing catch and he LOVES the beach, so I took him down to the beach for his birthday to give him one more final romp in the sand before memorial day (they don't allow dogs on the beach in MD from Memorial Day-Labor Day).  I attached a picture of my sandy little guy, that face was totally worth our 3 hour drive to play catch on the beach and the bath I had to give him later on :)  He is hysterical when it comes to catch, he never wants to admit or accept that he is actually tired.  When he starts to tire out, he will chase after the ball and then lie on top of it until he catches his breath (because he thinks if I know he is tired I will try to end our game of catch), and then when he is ready he will bring it right back for more.

Oscar at the beach

You gave me a great idea in our last correspondence about keeping him entertained during the day when I'm at work with my next door neighbor's dog, Lucy.  She and Oscar are total BFF's.  I wish I had a good picture of the two of them together because as I mentioned last time they look like twins (she is an apricot Cavapoo about 5 months younger than him).  My dog walker walks my neighbors dog as well, so we asked her to start walking the dogs together and she did one better for us and offered to let them have an extra 30 minutes of play time together during each walk!  So now he is getting over an hour of playtime with his BFF on the days I am not working from home and when I am home he knows the sound of our dog walkers car beep when she locks her car and knows exactly when she is here to get Lucy next door and immediately runs to the door crying until I let him out to see both of them :)  So needless to say he is finally getting tired out during the day and I was able to get him a dog bed for his crate that he doesn't chew!

 Our next training activity that I am trying to tackle is turning him into a running dog so we can go on runs together.  By no means am I a "runner" but when I start to pick up the pace with a jog he is so easily distracted by everyone and everything around him he has to stop and check everything out :)  So we are working on that now, but in the meantime very much enjoy taking long walks together in the afternoon especially now that the weather is much nicer!
 
I thought you of all people would appreciate the other two pictures I attached: Oscar on my mom's lap on the car ride home when we picked him up at 8 weeks old,......

.... and then Oscar on my mom's lap on our car ride to the beach at 2....you can see he is just a little bit bigger now for her lap in the car :)

Every time I check out your blog I am absolutely amazed at how long your waiting lists are!!  But I guess I can't say I am truly that surprised because you breed such wonderful and loving dogs so its only natural everyone wants one!!  I only hope in another couple years the list has dwindled so we can get back on and get a little sister or brother for Oscar!  Hope you and your family are all doing well and good luck with the upcoming spring litter!!

Jen & Oscar


Jen, 
Thanks so much for your update and all these beautiful photos!  Oscar looks like he is having a really good life with you!  And I am soooo happy that he has a good buddy in the Cavapoo!  I know it must be so much fun to watch those two dogs play!  I know Coco and Misty love romping around in our back yard for hours on end  Dogs sure enjoy having a playful companion.

I am glad you posted the pictures of Oscar in the car as a puppy and in the car today!  Wow!  He is all grown up isn't he! 

Best wishes, to you both!   We sure love having updates!

---Mary 

Happy Mothers Day Dixie!

Greetings sent from Liam to his Mama!  Such a sweetie!

Safely Ride a Bike with your Dog

The Bike Tow Leash

I just received a wonderful bit of news from Erin, Liam's mom.  She has a great recommendation for anyone wanting to exercise their dog on the bicycle.  I can see this would be a great way to exhaust your dog and help the owner reserve their time and energy!  Read Erin's letter.  This sounds fantastic!

  Hope you are well!  The puppies are now 10 months old! Liam is 18.8lbs and still FULL of ENERGY!  I was looking for ways to drain his energy that didn't require hours and hours of my day walking him, especially now that the weather is getting nicer. I saw a bike leash for the first time on Animal Planet and I immediately knew I had to get one. I did a lot of research online into different brands, and the Bike Tow Leash (http://www.biketowleash.com) definitely seemed the safest and most well constructed. The price tag was a little hard to swallow, so I asked for it for my birthday. Lucky for me, my wonderful parents got it for me!  (You can find the Bike Tow Leash in Our Store link above!)

My husband and I live in the city, but right next to a big reservoir with a large dirt path around it. Little Liam and I have used the Bike Tow Leash five times so far, and it has been wonderful! It was very
easy to install. I was worried about the height, as he is not very tall, but it fit just fine without having to adjust it. I was also concerned because he is a smaller dog that he would somehow manage to get tangled up in the bike. Although the design is flexible, it is very solid and will not let him easily get near the wheels. I feel
very safe riding with my little guy. He picked up the movement quickly. The look of PURE JOY on his face while running beside my bike is absolutely priceless. Like I said before, Liam LOVES to run (me not
so much).  I also love that we can cover a mile and a half in half the time! Tired puppy = happy owners. Everyone we pass smiles and I have already had a few people ask me about it! Liam is also getting a new
nickname of "the bicycle dog."  I figured I had to share our favorite new pastime with our extended schnoodle family!

Tired puppy = happy owners

Also, just wanted to let you know that Jasper and Liam are now best buds.  They nap together and play together all the time.  I am thrilled that my little guys get along so well.

----Erin

Update on Louie (8 months) and Remy (2 1/2 yrs)

Louie the Schnoodle at 8 months old

 I just received this update....

Louie is now 16.6 lbs.  That's probably one of the lightest dogs in the  litter.  Very funny since he was the biggest dog in the litter when we got him. He looks similar in size to Remy who is now 21 lbs but thinner boned.  I am beginning agility with him and feel he will do well.  Remy is doing very well in agility and we now have our Open standard title and have one more Open Jumpers qualifying run to get and he will have the Open Jumpers title as well.  Remy also continues to do well as a therapy dog.  I will eventually get Louie qualified as a therapy dog but he is a little too rambunctious now and he must also be 1 year old.  He is a real rascal.  

---Bob

Thanks for the news Bob!  It sounds like the dogs are doing very well.  Agility must be so much fun!   Maybe some day you will be able to send us a video!   This photo cracks me up.  Louie is such a cutie!
Thanks for sending us your update!  ---Mary

Miniature Schnauzers and the Genetic Disease PRA

.OPTIGEN is a service company established to provide DNA based diagnoses and information about inherited diseases of dogs. For many breeds their researchers have identified the mutations that cause the most common diseases and by working in cooperation with breeders  they track these mutations to help reduce the frequency of common diseases in breeding stock.  

I have checked with the Optigen website to see if there are any genetic DNA tests available at this time for the  Miniature Schnauzer and unfortunately there are not.   (I keep hoping researchers will discover it!)  So I asked my veterinary what kind of screening is currently available for Miniature Schnauzer breeders and she recommended screening for PRA.

Progressive retinal degeneration (PRD), also known as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)  is a gene that causes blindness in dogs.  Because it is recessive, both parents have to carry it, if it is to show up in the offspring.  Unfortunately, at present, the mutation that is the most common cause of PRA in the Miniature Schnauzer has not yet been identified.  Therefore, there is no genetic DNA test for the Miniature Schnauzer to identify dogs that may carry the gene for blindness.

Grooming your Puppy at Home --- Scaredy Cut Review

Sometimes I am amazed at the number of useful Grooming Tools that are available to help us keep our dogs looking their best!   I wanted to share the Scaredy Cut as an easy way for a novice to trim a dog without investing a lot in an electric groomer.  (See the Scaredy Cut in our shop...$29.95.)

Scaredy Cut combs come in #1,#2,#3, #4, #5, #6 sizes.

Although I always encourage my customers to get a puppy use to the motor of the Grooming Clipper at an early age.  It may be better to let the young puppy hear the noise of the tool and feel the vibrations without actually cutting the fur.  Because initially they will be very squirmy for grooming.

You will have a much easier time getting the puppy to stand still using the Scaredy cut.  And for the early trims most people want to leave a longer length on their puppies.  The Scaredy Cut Grooming Scissors are perfect for longer length cuts.  The Scissor comes with 7 easily detachable combs.   The large array of sizes means you can cut a close 1/4" length (great for the back) all the way up to a full 1" length (great for fluffy legs)

Grooming Your Schnoodle at Home - Andis Clippers

After hearing that a few families have begun grooming their Schnoodles at home, I decided to write several posts to discuss the various grooming tools that I use, and why I like them. I will begin with the Clippers and blades I recommend.

I use an Andis Clipper for fast professional looking grooming.
(you will also find this tool in Our Shop above.)

Andis are one of the top manufacturers on the market for grooming clippers.  You will buy this tool once, and it will likely last you beyond the life of your dog.  I like this tool because it is not the most expensive of the Andis clippers...but it is fairly quiet...and it has easily detachable blades.  Other models are more expensive because they run more quite, and they run cooler. Some are also cordless.  These extra features are useful for the professional groomer, who grooms one dog after another all day long.  But I do not feel these features are necessary for most home grooming)

The Andis Clipper comes with the #10 blade (1.5mm length cut) that is perfect for the ears, and face.  During the summer you can get away with also using it on the Schnauzer or Schnoodles back.....but it is a very close cut.

For the back of the Schnauzer I use a #4FC Clipper blade.  (3.2mm length cut) This blade costs $24.99. You could use this short cut on your Schnoodle too, if you want to increase the time between grooming. 
The FC next to the blade number stands for 'Finished Cut'.  This is a nice smooth cut for everyday.

Andis also makes a 3/4HT" blade  (1/2" length cut) which leaves a 'puppy cut' look when used over the whole body of the Schnoodle. This blade costs $37.46.  
The HT next to the blade number stands for Heat Treatment. Andis® UltraEdge™ dog clipper blades are made from high-carbon steel and processed through a unique carborizing heat treatment that actually adds carbon to the metal. More carbon on the metal means a harder cutting surface. Blades hold a razor sharp edge that will endure prolonged use and more sharpening treatments.

Liam's body was shaved using a 3/4" blade.

Some people use the 3/4HT blade on Schnauzer legs....but I like Schnauzer furnishings to be a bit longer than that.  Lately I have used the Scaredy cut with the 1" comb (#6) for legs.  Most plastic attachment combs will also fit on the Andis clipper to increase the length of the cut.  But I have found hair gets caught in the combs, and they don't work as well.  

Note:  You will notice when buying blades that the Ceramic Edge blades are a little more pricey than the Regular Carbon blades.   The Ceramic Edge is a higher quality material for the Professional groomer who is grooming multiple dogs throughout the day.  The high-quality ceramic cutters on these blades stay sharper longer and require less sharpening than standard steel blades. The low heat transfer and friction index of ceramic keeps blades running 50 percent cooler than steel. But for the single dog, home groomer, the Regular Carbon blades are also a good choice...and the UltraEdge Carbon blade will save you $5-10.00 per blade over Ceramic Edge Blades.

Here is a very useful Chart from Andis in a PDF format you can print.  It explains all the blades and what they are used for.

 

 Finally, always remember to oil your blades with Clipper Oil before you cut, and after you cut.  If the blades get hot while trimming then spray them with Cool Care.  Both these products lubricate the blades and will clean them and prolong their life.

My next post will be all about the Scaredy Cut grooming scissors with detachable combs.  In my opinion, this is the easiest way to start grooming a young puppy, or for any person or pet who is nervous about using an electric clipper....it is a great tool for longer 'puppy cuts'.  (more to come...)

Liam Graduates from Puppy 2 class - 8 mth old update

I just received an update on Liam.  Erin has shared so much good information about training, the Schnoodle coat and grooming.  Here is the note!

        "Just wanted to send you a note, the litter is now 8 months old!  Crazy!   Liam graduated from his puppy 2 class today.  He's so smart:)   We are going to have him do the Good Citizen training, but he has to be 1 year old to take the test, so we have to hold off for now.

Oh my goodness!  Liam sure appears to be enjoying his puppy class!  How adorable!

In terms of size, Liam has grown in every area:

Liam's Measurement                     5 months              8 months
Weight (lbs)                                                 14.8                           17.4
Chest                                                          17.25                         18
Shoulder to beginning of tail                           16.5                          17    
Floor to the top of shoulder                            15                             16
Floor to the top of head                                 18                             19
waist                                                           15                             15
leg space                                                     8.5 b                           9
neck                                                            10.75                        13 

         
Liam has not gotten a haircut since the summer and his hair is definitely fluffy but coarse.  Like Pukah's mom said, his coat has definitely changed over time, being light and thin when he was tiny, to thicker, darker and more curly now.  His hair is definitely straighter than his brothers and now we're noticing it's growing in lighter at the roots.  So who know what his 'adult color' will be! 

             I do all Liam's grooming which is not perfect, but does the job and will definitely save us money in the long run.  I bought the Andis clippers in your shop which comes with a 10 blade (very close cut) and then I bought a 4FC blade for his body, but that was still a pretty close cut (like a Schnauzer).  I'm going to purchase the 3/4" blade because I like the longer look on Liam, and his hair doesn't grow that fast.  It's a large initial cost, but at $50 per cut arround Boston, the clippers pay for themselves after a few cuts.

Liam LOVES to run.  So I try to take him to places where he can safely do so off leash.  We walk 1-3 miles a day, 2-3 days a week he goes to doggie daycare, and on Saturdays we go to puppy playtime and training.  He has so much energy, I wish he would give me some!   Initially, Liam really liked the snow, but I think even he is starting to tire of it:) 

The only issue that we continue to work on is his barking.  From the time he was little, he has been a vocal puppy.  He is a very good guard dog and protective of me in particular.  We have tried the citronella bark collar which works great (when he wears it) and then additional commands in training.  It is definitely a work in progress.

Liam is such a great dog, happy, smart, loving, affectionate and obedient.  Even my mom, who is not a 'dog person' has a soft spot in her heart for Liam."

---Erin

Thanks for your informative note, Erin!   I am so glad you have been able to give Liam so much exercise and training.  I am also glad to hear you are taking care of the grooming.  It's so much more convenient!  

You have given me a good idea to do a series of posts on all the different grooming tools that I find useful. 

Thanks again for the fun photos and news!  I am sure I can speak for everyone who reads the blog....We love it!