Cross between a mini schnauzer and a soft coated Wheaten Terrier

[flipgirl]

Hi,
I've only seen one site that shows a cross between a Mini Schnauzer and a Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier. I love both breeds so in my uninformed opinion, this would be the perfect hybrid!!! Does anyone know if there are any breeders who breed this mix?

[Karen]

I hope no one intentionally mixes the breeds - you wouldn't necessarily get the "best of both breeds" but you might find one searching http://petfinder.org - worth a shot.

[flipgirl]

Ok thanks Karen! The only picture I found was on www.dogbreederinfo.com but they don't list any breeders. If they do exist, I would hope they would be responsible breeders. What would your objection be?

[Karen]

There are so many - many, many, many dogs that get put to sleep because of a lack of homes in this country every year. That breed mix might be cute as a pup, but would be surely a very high-energy dog, therefore more likely to end up in a shelter because people bought an adorable puppy not understanding the needs of the dog. A bored pup is a destructive pup, and the more energy they have - well, the more they'd destroy.

I have nothing against mixed breed dogs, per se, have loved and been owned by many of them. Just don't think it's responsible to be breeding mixes intentionally when so many are dying every day for the want of a loving home.

My friend's Wheaton - a much loved pup - ate their couch when left alone as a pup. They got a cheaper replacement couch, and a brother Wheaton for him to keep him occupied, and decided happy dogs were more important than lovely furnishings. Many people wouldn't have made that choice. Squeaky toys have a life-span of less than 26 seconds in their house - and once the squeaker is ripped out and the toy shredded, neither dog cares about it any more!

[luvofallhorses]

Ok thanks Karen! The only picture I found was on www.dogbreederinfo.com but they don't list any breeders. If they do exist, I would hope they would be responsible breeders. What would your objection be?

breeding a mixed breed on purpose just to experiment is anything but responsible or breeding a mixed breed, period is so not responsible.

http://www.jlhweb.net/Boxermap/reputablebreeder.html

why not adopt a mixed breed from a shelter or rescue locally? trust me, you are better off adopting a mixed breed than buying one AND you will save a life! You would not want to put money in the pockets of those that are irresponsible also known as "back yard" breeders.

I suggest to you that you look on http://www.petfinder.org like Karen suggested. Good luck and please do not buy a dog, especially if you are looking to buy a mixed breed and it's not good to buy from them. adopting will save a life, buying will not. there are so many mixed breeds in shelters all over the world needing homes because people breed mixes. please open up your home to a shelter dog, you will not be sorry! sorry this is so long and you will find purebred dogs in shelters, too.

here are how many wheaten terriers are on petfinder 114

and schnauzers 750

and I bet you there is more mixed breeds in shelters than anything. IMO mutts are the best, especially rescued mutts!

[applesmom]

Any one that takes two purebreds and deliberatly crosses them just to sell puppies cannot possibly be considered an ethical breeder! They are nothing more than a puppy manufacturer and belong in the same catagory as careless pet owners, BYB, puppy mills and pet brokers!

Flipgirl why would you choose one of these mixed breeds rather than a Miniature Schnauzer or a SC Wheaton Terrier? What would be the advantage?

[Genny]

I agree with everyone. I think you should adopt from a shelter and www.petfinder.com always has pets that need to be adopted in almost every area you can think of.
I have a mix dog--I bought her and I know there are tons of dogs that need homes, so buying a dog isn't the best choice, but she belonged to my mom's friend who accidentally let her dogs get together and have puppies by mistake. My little girl is a maltese/pomeranian mix. So, she isn't very hyper like a schnauzer/terrier mix would be. But, I wouldn't trade her for any other dog in the world
Just make sure you do your research on any pup you decide you want, and I suggest like everyone else to adopt from a shelter. I am definitely going to adopt my next dog from one.... Mix dogs are so wonderful--I think pure bred dogs are just as great!!

I haven't ever really heard of that mix of dog either though--I'm sure they're are some schnauser mixs or terrier mixes ready to be adopted at a shelter somewhere. It might not be the same exact 2 breed mixes you want, but it will be very rewarding I know to help a little dog/puppy and give him/her a great home where they'll be loved.

Let us know what kind you get if you get one.

Genny

[Giselle]

Hi flipgirl, I ditto everything everyone else has said before me. However, I want to point out one thing. I'm now the owner of a puppy who is exactly half Doberman and half Labrador. Unfortunately, genetics doesn't play out the way we always want to, and this puppy looks and acts 100% Doberman.

Keep that in mind, please. Crossing Breed A and Breed B will not give you a puppy exactly half of each. Genetics is more or less a shot in the dark and you get exactly what you pay for - a random mix.

[Flatcoatluver]

From my experience with both breeds, mixing those breeds together your going to get a VERY hyper and big time barker. The wheaten terrier is so active, at work I must have thrown a ball for 30 mins. and then let him play for 30 mins with other dogs and he was still wanting to play. Schnauzers are the exact same way.

Now I am not saying there bad breeds, but not a breed to mix, let alone mix a dog on purpose. I can't even imagine what they would look like as adults, and are you sure it's a mini and not a standard or giant schnauzer mix? That also wouldn't be healthy. Adopting is a great feeling and most of them are already tested if they are going to be good with children, cats, and dogs. Another plus is there already spayed and neutered, microchipped, and updated on all there shots.

[luvofallhorses]

Bre,

not all shelters microchip. however, I know most rescues do microchip.
we microchip at the shelter where I volunteer and animals that
are re-claimed as well, of course it's optional for them to microchip, but
we do microchip, because a lot of people are losing their animals these days.
It doesn't cost extra..it does for the cats because it is optional for the cats to be microchipped as we are hoping they will be indoors..

it's included in the adoption fee with the dogs, though, as long with a free month of health insurance, a free exam from your vet that is good for 2 weeks, and we include a small bag of food as well and a identification tag.. and of course they have to leave spayed or neutered, too and we give them shots for distemper and bordetella (kennel cough) and worm them. all you have to get is rabies and if they have to be on meds because they get tapeworms or whatever, we include a copy of the med sheet to take with them to the vet.

[Reachoutrescue]

I, too, agree. You should not cross breed different breeds, it can really have some bad side affects. Not mention (as everyone else did) there are so many unwanted pups and dogs in shelters and pounds just days away from being euthanized. Remember....DON'T BREED OR BUY WHEN A SHELTER PET DIES... Words to live by. We microchip here as well, it is safer for the pet if he/she gets lost.

[xVelvet_FuzzButtx]

I'd like to add that that they are NOT hybrids. I *hate* seeing websites and BYB breeders say their mutts are hybrids because they took two pure bred dogs and mixed them. Its as bad if not worse than designer dog "breeds". It misinforms a lot of people. The guy who started massbreeding puggles says he "invented" the hybrid breed!! geez.

Sometimes you get luck and find exactly a half & half cross:
our Alaskan Malamute x Cardigan welsh corgi is a perfect example.
she IS however very stubborn and Very hyper/active. like both breeds.
an SPCA rescue.

[xVelvet_FuzzButtx]

I checked www.petfinder.com really quick and found several schnauzer/wheaton mixes btw..

[flipgirl]

Thank you for all your replies and now that I've read them I will surely not go looking for a breeder of such a mix. I'm a new dog owner and I would love to have both a wheaton terrier and a mini schnauzer as I love both breeds...well there are not many breeds I don't like. I would certainly not like to contribute to the many dogs that are killed or abandoned due to their unpredictablity and am aware that people will mix breeds for money...I was just wondering what other objections there would be. But thanks for setting me straight....a wheaton/schnauzer mix would certainly be more than a handful. If I had to choose between a wheaton and a schnauzer, I don't know which one I would choose! But that is not to say that I wouldn't rescue a dog either! Again thanks for the information...

[Jakesmom]

Both are terriers, and hence, well, they're terriers--stubborn, smart, and active. Personally, I love wheatons. We had one who had been raised by someone who was up to raising a terrier (that wouldn't be me), and we got him when he was 8 (his original owners couldn't keep him anymore). He was a wonderful dog, very sweet, loving, determined as all get out, an incredibly mentally tough dog. My observation is wheatons are very determinted and energetic, but not as hyper as the mini or standard schnauzers (though I've never owned a schnauzer, just observed them in dog parks).

Wheatons do have some health issues, however, especially congenital renal disease, so if you go with a wheaton, check into the breeding carefully.

jake's mom