How to Breed a Schnauzer
The Schnauzer is an exceptionally unique dog. Schnauzer dogs were bred to work as guard dogs on farms in Germany. Schnauzer dogs were trained to kill rodents and let their owners know when there is trouble. Most purebred dogs are susceptible to illness, and the Schnauzer is no exception. Keep this in mind when breeding full breed Schnauzers.
- Run a health panel on the dog that is being bred. There is one serious problem with the Schnauzer breed: myotonia, which is a muscle disease. A DNA test can be ran to see if your dog has this disease before breeding. Schnauzers are also prone to diabetes, pancreatic cancer, epilepsy, bladder stones and allergies. Have the male checked before breeding begins.
- Check your dogs' personality traits; make sure that the traits they exhibit are strong traits and not destructive ones. Schnauzers are known for their aggression, which does not come out until 18 months of age. If these traits are present in your dog, do not mate it, because these traits can be passed down to the puppies. Make sure your female Schnauzer has all her vaccination. If these are done she can pass the immunity to her pups. Next, choose an experienced Schnauzer male. It is beneficial to have one animal that knows what to do.
- Have the dogs get to know each other. When the time is right put both the female and the male together into a gated area outside. Watch and wait for the dogs to mate. This process can take up to 45 minutes to complete. Repeat the process three to four times to make your chances better that your female is pregnant.
- Rub the female's tummy. Wait around a month to see if the mating worked. There will be other signs, like weight gain and enlarged nipples. Take the female to the doctor for an ultrasound to find if the female is pregnant.