Schnauzer Personality Part 3- Schnauzers are not Labrador Retrievers
As a kid we always had black labs. We bred black labs, my dad hunted with his labs, I threw tennis balls for our labs. Actually, notably, I threw the ball and they retrieved the ball, bringing it back to me ready to go again. So I threw it again and they retrieved. Then I threw it again and they retrieved. And so on. For as long as I could. The lab would never tire of this game. If I was sitting in a lawn chair by a lake this game could really go on for hours. It's not a hard game for people to play. And, really, besides love and food, it is all a lab needs.
So, as I said, schnauzers are not Labrador Retrievers. Don't get me wrong, schnauzers LOVE it when we throw toys for them. They really go crazy for it. So far, though, I have yet to meet a schnauzer who will bring the toy back to me-- as in all the way back to my hand. No, unlike our labs who would retrieve the soggy tennis ball hour after hour and consistently, eagerly return it to my hand, wag their tails and wait for me to throw it again, our schnauzers will retrieve their toy and bring the toy 10 feet away and then sit and wait for ME to go get it from them. Schnauzers are not Labrador Retrievers. We, the schnauzer owners (in my experience) become the retrievers.
And if a schnauzer is really going to have it his way, we'll chase after him to get the toy. That is their gig. Schnauzers love to be chased. It's exhausting. But that is a schnauzer for you. When people say "You can never have just one schnauzer" I wonder if it is because you need a second one to chase the first one because people just can't play chase for very long.
Their other favorite game: kill the toy. It's a rodent in their schnauzer imaginations. I like this game because they literally will kill rodents. Since getting schnauzers we have never had a mouse in the house. Or a snake. By the way, I'll get to the story about snakes. If you hate garter snakes-- get a schnauzer. But that is a different story for a different day....
Schnauzers are not Labrador Retrievers. No, they are not people-pleasers. While they do love a good snuggle and they will push other schnauzers away to gain your attention, those stubborn German's have a reputation to uphold. They are too smart to play simple fetch all day. Yes, they'll chase a toy like most dogs but then they kill it. And then they get their people to retrieve the toy. Schnauzers keep things interesting.
If you ever have the pleasure of owning a schnauzer I guarantee that you will forever be shaking your head with a chuckle saying, "Yep, that's a schnauzer for ya".