Miniature Schnauzer

Miniature Schnauzers are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a small dog that is moderately active, barely sheds and needs professional grooming on a cycle. Fine alone for a few hours.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

The Miniature Schnauzer was created in Germany as a farm ratter, scaled down from the Standard Schnauzer, and unlike most terriers it has continental rather than British ancestry — which is why it tends to be a shade more biddable than a typical terrier. The beard and eyebrows are working equipment, not decoration: they protected the muzzle and eyes from rats fighting back. They are alert, funny, extremely trainable and famously vocal, and they will tell you about every passer-by whether or not you wanted to know. The wiry coat sheds very little but grows continuously and needs professional grooming every couple of months. Schnauzers are also prone to pancreatitis, so fatty table scraps are a worse idea here than usual.

Day to day. Moderately active — a proper daily walk plus some play in the garden or the hallway keeps this breed happy. On noise, it is very vocal, so thin walls and close neighbours are worth thinking about.

The coat, honestly. This breed barely sheds and needs professional grooming on a cycle. That is the trade every low-shedding dog asks for: you are not vacuuming hair, you are booking and paying for a groom every few weeks, and brushing between visits or the coat mats down to the skin.

Being left alone. Fine alone for a few hours. A few hours is fine; a full working day, every day, is asking a lot.

Training. Eager and easy to train. That makes it a forgiving choice for a family training their first dog, as long as everyone is consistent.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• You would rather brush and pay a groomer than vacuum every day
• You are short on space and want a dog that fits your home
• This is your first dog and you want one that makes training feel possible

• Nobody has budgeted for a groomer every few weeks
• You share walls with neighbours who need quiet

Rough running cost: $$ (middle of the pack) — because the coat needs a professional groom on a cycle, and that is the bill people forget.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have Miniature Schnauzers and Miniature Schnauzer crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.