The lens should be clear, and when a dog has a cataract, it obscures the vision. There are however some common dog problems that you want to be aware of such as cataracts of the eye and hypothyroidism. Your Miniature Schnauzer is pretty healthy and he isn’t likely to cost you much in terms of vet fees. He is energetic, curious and alert and above all he wants the attention of his human family. As with any other dog, training and socialization will be important for him so that he is obedient. Intelligent and alert, the Feist is a dog that will respond well to training. Some Feist owners prefer the look of a docked tail and then docking is between the second and third joint of the tail. He is a sturdy dog with a medium length tail which he holds up. Perhaps because of so many genes being involved with this dog, it is more easily identified because of its hunting abilities. The coat of the dog is available in a variety of colors but they are essentially a bi-colored dog such as red and white, tan and white, black and white, while solid colors are fawn, white, light brown, black and brindle too. Standing at about 46cm to 56cm in height and weighing in the region of 10 to 15kg, the Feist is a short haired dog that doesn’t shed much and he is not hypoallergenic. He's protective of his human family and tends to be suspicious of strangers, and this is what makes him such a great watchdog. He is a loving, loyal dog, making a splendid pet. Whether watching TV, swimming or hiking, he’ll be there and turn every occasion into a festive event. He is full of life and extroverted and you can count on him to join you wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. Training and socialization makes him much nicer as he becomes more balanced and obedient. This is important for a dog like this as he can quickly show you that he is strong willed and independent.

They’re very intelligent dogs too and will learn quickly when you give him training and socialization. A draw-card with him is that he is considered as a low-shedder and being hypoallergenic. This is a tough little dog, fearless, cheeky, arrogant, alert and also friendly. The ears have been traditionally cropped but these days they are left and then they tend to be half-erect, half-floppy. In fact the word ‘Schnauzer’ means beard or muzzle. A noticeable feature with these dogs is the rectangular shaped head with alert slanted eyes and bushy eyebrows, mustache and beard.

This is a dog that will need to be groomed frequently to prevent matting. The dog has a double coat with the outer coat being wiry and the undercoat being a lot softer. Some people refer to the Miniature Schnauzer as having a salt-and-pepper coat – hairs that are a mix of black and white. The coat is usually a mix of black and silver. Because stripping is quite tedious, many of these dog owners prefer to have the coat clipped which actually gives the coat a greyish look to it. He has a sturdy body with a dense, wiry coat which most people prefer to have stripped. The Miniature Schnauzer is a small dog breed that stands between 30 to 36cm in height and weighs between 5 and 10kg.

Feist dog breed cost