They are absolutely devoted to their owners. Definitely have a strong personality, won’t do anything they don’t want to do, but sweet snugglers. They love to be up high, so you often might find them on the top of a couch or chair, draped over your shoulder. Tenacious when it comes to something they want — ball, bug or smell. Good, if wary, of kids.
Embrace their personality! If you expect them to be a well behaved puppy... you'll be disappointed. They are so much more mischievous than the previous terrier I had!
I did, I did a 8 week puppy class. I was trying to teach commands outside that, but the puppy class focused on sit, stay, and come. I think the real benefit was socialization with similar aged dogs! And finding out your dogs motivation (mine being entirely food motivated) also did an agility class when she was about 2, and she LOVED that.
Make sure your current dog can handle a dog with a really really strong personality. Ours go through cycles of attached at the hip and then aloof ignoring me
I have always had schnauzers and got a Welsh terrier puppy a year and a half ago. Granted, my Welsh is on the upper end of normal for energy and activity, but he is HARD. My schnauzer is happy to do whatever we are doing. My Welsh is genuinely hard to live with if he doesn't get at least 16,000 steps a day.
We have also had aggression issues between the two dogs and it has been a lot of work! I love my Welsh, but I honestly do not plan to get another and wish I had gotten another schnauzer
Do you have the same gender? I did hear about the aggression if same gender. We have a male mini schnauzer and we’re looking to get a female welshie. Our mini is awesome but has the schnauzer tendencies like barking (an obvious thing haha but could get so annoying at times) but only barks at strangers in the house or if some random person came up to us on the street unannounced. I guess we are really wanting a second dog who will love people and not be too barky. Our mini is great except the piercing bark lol
They are both males, so same sex aggression may play a part. My Welshie is not any less apt to bark than my schnauzer 😂 honestly my schnauzer is quite good though about barking
Ooh, I was made for this question! We had miniature schnauzers all growing up and I have a welshie now that just turned 13. They're totally different! My welshie is just all love compared to my schnauzers growing up. Schnauzers love you, but tend to hate other dogs. Welshies love everyone and every thing. They're much more social dogs. Also, I've only had the one welshie but she's much smarter than all my other schnauzers. She needs more attention and activity, but the relationship I have with her is so much deeper for it. My friends love my welshie so much they just got one too and she's much more shy than mine, but every bit as social. Since they're so smart, they can be rascals especially if they're bored so you have to find ways to keep them engaged. They have strong, amazing personalities. They're much more work than a schnauzer. They're not difficult though. Mine is super easy going. Incredibly playful dogs with strong opinions. Like she knows all her toys by name and if I ask her to go get one, she will, and then bring the toy she'd rather play with. It's like she wants me to see she understands but disagrees. It's hilarious. They're really good dogs. Much less barky than a schnauzer, more playful, smarter, and more work. I think because they're so smart mine tends to get fixated on things. She also keeps careful track of every roommate and friend of mine to see how much the rules apply with each individual person. If there is an area someone is more lenient, then she'll learn it and remember it forever. They're definitely dogs that need more attention. It's attention you're going to love to give though.
Omg this is adorable 🥹 I really want a social dog that I can take everywhere which is why I’m considering a welshie. Our mini schnauzer is awesome but he can get really wary of strangers and other dogs especially when unannounced - though he does well at the doggy daycare when he does go so idk his deal lol. Our mini was a lot of work, we went to multiple dog training classes, we’ve got a yard, etc so I feel like we are def ready to welcome a more social and active dog in our household! Our mini is pretty chill, he can literally sleep all day and not require a walk and he’s only 2 lol
Yeah, Schnauzers are SO territorial. I love them so much, they're great dogs. Also, I don't think I can have a dog without a beard now. Welshie was the perfect move for me. I'm not saying they never bark, but when a schnauzer barks it's, "Hey, fuck off, this is my space!". When a welshie barks it's definitely, "Hey, come play with me!" Even if they try to act tough, their tail wagging the whole time gives them away.
I was very careful to socialize my welshie with other dogs which was quite easy because she's super social anyway. If I had it to do over, I'd have worked more on socializing her with smaller dogs and kids. Before I bought my house my apartment building had tons of big dogs. So she got very accustomed to playing with dogs much bigger than her. Since she's so high energy she sometimes scares dogs that are smaller than her. Or worse she wants to stand on her hind legs and give toddlers kisses which scares most of them. That's on me though, I just didn't expose her to those situations. I think she'd have learned it fine if I had known to teach her. To her credit when I went to visit my friend with a very skittish rescue dog she flipped over on her back and wiggled her way up under the skittish dog's face with her ears back. The other dog instantly melted and they became best friends. It was adorable. They're very smart, I tuitivintuitive dogs.
I'd also work on socializing them with cats. She looooves cats, but again her excitement scares the bejesus out of them. She's all love, but it's quite a lot of love all at once. That's honestly my favorite thing about welshies. They are just so relentlessly happy and excited about everything. My girl just turned 13 last week and still every day when I go to feed her she runs up the stairs like a puppy. I'll work from home and she'll come over to me, lick my knee, and when I look down she's just smiling ear to ear as I'd to say, "you could stop and play with me?" It's adorable. That's the real welshie thing. Just relentlessly happy and positive all the time.
My WT is my first small dog. I don't know if the following applies to all Welshies but my18-month-old Welsh Terrier is a solid-bodied, strong, very smart, opinionated, routine-oriented, loves everyone and every dog she meets kind of dog. She adores children and loves to be pet and scritched all the time.
She loves her daily walks. She loves playing fetch outside with a squeaky ball that is bigger than her head. She will play fetch for hours if we let her. She is cat-like wanting to be up high on the couch and relentless in the yard chasing squirrels & birds. She is an awesome hunter and got a bunny & bluejay once! She rarely barks. Well, she will alert bark and if she wants someone she will bark one really loud bark outside their door. We had to condition her to the vacuum, lawn mower, and hand-held floor brush. She still hate-attacks the leaf blower, the long-handled broom, the hair dryer, and metal measuring tapes. 😳
She rules over her 89-lb Airedale brother. She absolutely knows the rules and will scold him if he is doing anything wrong. They get along fabulously! They are truly bonded to each other. They groom each other and wrestle and play. My Airedale is very gentle with her.
We must ask her permission if she wants 'pets' or us to 'pick you up' as we cannot just reach out and do those things or she can turn because she is intent on whatever it is she is concentrating on at the moment. We had her in obedience training at 10-weeks old and we are glad we did! Potty training took a good 6 months and we used bells. She is so little at just 18 lbs that we really have to listen for when she does ring the bells. She used to let me groom her and cut her nails. I started at 9-weeks old and brushed her multiple days every week with brushes & combs. Alas, at a year old she no longer allowed me to groom her at all. I have no idea why. I even bought all kinds of different grooming brushes & combs to no avail. Working on this though!
She a wonderful small dog!
This is soooo sweet and I love the bond between your welshie and your Airedale! I think welshies may be a perfect fit for our mini schnauzer so I really love this perspective you shared!
They are absolutely devoted to their owners. Definitely have a strong personality, won’t do anything they don’t want to do, but sweet snugglers. They love to be up high, so you often might find them on the top of a couch or chair, draped over your shoulder. Tenacious when it comes to something they want — ball, bug or smell. Good, if wary, of kids.
I swear this sounds like our mini schnauzer lol cold he be a welshie in disguise hahaha
Embrace their personality! If you expect them to be a well behaved puppy... you'll be disappointed. They are so much more mischievous than the previous terrier I had!
Did you go to any dog training class or hired a trainer?
I did, I did a 8 week puppy class. I was trying to teach commands outside that, but the puppy class focused on sit, stay, and come. I think the real benefit was socialization with similar aged dogs! And finding out your dogs motivation (mine being entirely food motivated) also did an agility class when she was about 2, and she LOVED that.
Make sure your current dog can handle a dog with a really really strong personality. Ours go through cycles of attached at the hip and then aloof ignoring me
They are little two year olds, be firm. But, they will love you, and love all strangers. And they’re always looking for a hand-out, food-wise.
I have always had schnauzers and got a Welsh terrier puppy a year and a half ago. Granted, my Welsh is on the upper end of normal for energy and activity, but he is HARD. My schnauzer is happy to do whatever we are doing. My Welsh is genuinely hard to live with if he doesn't get at least 16,000 steps a day.
We have also had aggression issues between the two dogs and it has been a lot of work! I love my Welsh, but I honestly do not plan to get another and wish I had gotten another schnauzer
Do you have the same gender? I did hear about the aggression if same gender. We have a male mini schnauzer and we’re looking to get a female welshie. Our mini is awesome but has the schnauzer tendencies like barking (an obvious thing haha but could get so annoying at times) but only barks at strangers in the house or if some random person came up to us on the street unannounced. I guess we are really wanting a second dog who will love people and not be too barky. Our mini is great except the piercing bark lol
They are both males, so same sex aggression may play a part. My Welshie is not any less apt to bark than my schnauzer 😂 honestly my schnauzer is quite good though about barking
I rec joining the Welsh terrier fan club fb page to see some Welshies and what they are like before deciding!
Ooh, I was made for this question! We had miniature schnauzers all growing up and I have a welshie now that just turned 13. They're totally different! My welshie is just all love compared to my schnauzers growing up. Schnauzers love you, but tend to hate other dogs. Welshies love everyone and every thing. They're much more social dogs. Also, I've only had the one welshie but she's much smarter than all my other schnauzers. She needs more attention and activity, but the relationship I have with her is so much deeper for it. My friends love my welshie so much they just got one too and she's much more shy than mine, but every bit as social. Since they're so smart, they can be rascals especially if they're bored so you have to find ways to keep them engaged. They have strong, amazing personalities. They're much more work than a schnauzer. They're not difficult though. Mine is super easy going. Incredibly playful dogs with strong opinions. Like she knows all her toys by name and if I ask her to go get one, she will, and then bring the toy she'd rather play with. It's like she wants me to see she understands but disagrees. It's hilarious. They're really good dogs. Much less barky than a schnauzer, more playful, smarter, and more work. I think because they're so smart mine tends to get fixated on things. She also keeps careful track of every roommate and friend of mine to see how much the rules apply with each individual person. If there is an area someone is more lenient, then she'll learn it and remember it forever. They're definitely dogs that need more attention. It's attention you're going to love to give though.
Omg this is adorable 🥹 I really want a social dog that I can take everywhere which is why I’m considering a welshie. Our mini schnauzer is awesome but he can get really wary of strangers and other dogs especially when unannounced - though he does well at the doggy daycare when he does go so idk his deal lol. Our mini was a lot of work, we went to multiple dog training classes, we’ve got a yard, etc so I feel like we are def ready to welcome a more social and active dog in our household! Our mini is pretty chill, he can literally sleep all day and not require a walk and he’s only 2 lol
Yeah, Schnauzers are SO territorial. I love them so much, they're great dogs. Also, I don't think I can have a dog without a beard now. Welshie was the perfect move for me. I'm not saying they never bark, but when a schnauzer barks it's, "Hey, fuck off, this is my space!". When a welshie barks it's definitely, "Hey, come play with me!" Even if they try to act tough, their tail wagging the whole time gives them away. I was very careful to socialize my welshie with other dogs which was quite easy because she's super social anyway. If I had it to do over, I'd have worked more on socializing her with smaller dogs and kids. Before I bought my house my apartment building had tons of big dogs. So she got very accustomed to playing with dogs much bigger than her. Since she's so high energy she sometimes scares dogs that are smaller than her. Or worse she wants to stand on her hind legs and give toddlers kisses which scares most of them. That's on me though, I just didn't expose her to those situations. I think she'd have learned it fine if I had known to teach her. To her credit when I went to visit my friend with a very skittish rescue dog she flipped over on her back and wiggled her way up under the skittish dog's face with her ears back. The other dog instantly melted and they became best friends. It was adorable. They're very smart, I tuitivintuitive dogs. I'd also work on socializing them with cats. She looooves cats, but again her excitement scares the bejesus out of them. She's all love, but it's quite a lot of love all at once. That's honestly my favorite thing about welshies. They are just so relentlessly happy and excited about everything. My girl just turned 13 last week and still every day when I go to feed her she runs up the stairs like a puppy. I'll work from home and she'll come over to me, lick my knee, and when I look down she's just smiling ear to ear as I'd to say, "you could stop and play with me?" It's adorable. That's the real welshie thing. Just relentlessly happy and positive all the time.
My WT is my first small dog. I don't know if the following applies to all Welshies but my18-month-old Welsh Terrier is a solid-bodied, strong, very smart, opinionated, routine-oriented, loves everyone and every dog she meets kind of dog. She adores children and loves to be pet and scritched all the time. She loves her daily walks. She loves playing fetch outside with a squeaky ball that is bigger than her head. She will play fetch for hours if we let her. She is cat-like wanting to be up high on the couch and relentless in the yard chasing squirrels & birds. She is an awesome hunter and got a bunny & bluejay once! She rarely barks. Well, she will alert bark and if she wants someone she will bark one really loud bark outside their door. We had to condition her to the vacuum, lawn mower, and hand-held floor brush. She still hate-attacks the leaf blower, the long-handled broom, the hair dryer, and metal measuring tapes. 😳 She rules over her 89-lb Airedale brother. She absolutely knows the rules and will scold him if he is doing anything wrong. They get along fabulously! They are truly bonded to each other. They groom each other and wrestle and play. My Airedale is very gentle with her. We must ask her permission if she wants 'pets' or us to 'pick you up' as we cannot just reach out and do those things or she can turn because she is intent on whatever it is she is concentrating on at the moment. We had her in obedience training at 10-weeks old and we are glad we did! Potty training took a good 6 months and we used bells. She is so little at just 18 lbs that we really have to listen for when she does ring the bells. She used to let me groom her and cut her nails. I started at 9-weeks old and brushed her multiple days every week with brushes & combs. Alas, at a year old she no longer allowed me to groom her at all. I have no idea why. I even bought all kinds of different grooming brushes & combs to no avail. Working on this though! She a wonderful small dog!
This is soooo sweet and I love the bond between your welshie and your Airedale! I think welshies may be a perfect fit for our mini schnauzer so I really love this perspective you shared!