How Much Does a Miniature Schnauzer Cost (2022 Price Guide)

It’s safe to assume that you’ve been thinking about getting a dog if you’re here reading this piece. And if we had to make another guess, we’d say that dog is the Miniature Schnauzer—a breed that comes with everything you’d typically wish for in a dog.

We’re talking about humor, intelligence, cool temperament, and even a personality that’s big enough to fill an entire room.

Owning a Miniature Schnauzer is cool and all, until we start talking numbers. You probably aren’t aware of this, but this breed is not only costly to maintain, but also has an expensive price tag.

Today, we won’t be talking about the type of dog that the Miniature Schnauzer is. That’s a topic for a different day. What we’ll be talking about are the costs that you’re likely to incur as a Miniature Schnauzer owner. So pull up a seat, and let’s get started.

Miniature Schnauzer Price: One-Time Costs

Contrary to popular belief, getting a dog isn’t the first step towards pet ownership. The first step is actually getting supplies, and thus making sure that your dog won’t lack anything the minute he sets foot in the house. And by the way, that’s where you start breaking the bank.

It’s virtually impossible to estimate what you’re likely to spend, without including the initial cost of investment. Speaking of, we know many people rarely see it that way, but a dog is basically an investment. The kind that helps you live a longer and happier life.

The one-time costs will be divided into four categories. We have free acquisition, the adoption costs, breeders fee, and finally, the cost of supplies.

Free Miniature Schnauzers

How does one get a Miniature Schnauzer dog for free? Well, you could get it as a gift from a friend, family member, neighbor, colleague, or someone who just happens to have a crush on you. All that matters is, you got it for free. And you should count yourself lucky considering other dog owners had to pay a pretty penny to get their hands on one.

Miniature Schnauzer Adoption

The cost of adopting a dog from a shelter/rescue will always vary. And this has nothing to do with the market demand or supply. We promise you, there’s no single soul in that shelter who’ll be looking to make a quick buck off of you.

That adoption fee is meant to cover the costs incurred when caring for your Miniature Schnauzer before adoption. And the reason why it’s higher than that of the other breeds is because the dog has so many needs. That being said, make sure you have $300 to $400 in your pockets before leaving the house.

Miniature Schnauzer Breeders

In the case of breeders, it doesn’t matter what kind of dog you’re going for. Any dog that comes out of a breeder program will be prohibitively expensive. If you think we’re joking, you’re allowed to window-shop.

You have to acknowledge the fact that breeders actually do invest a significant amount of time and money in those dogs. They usually find themselves working around the clock to ensure the pups and parent breeds are well taken care of. So the least you could do is not complain when you see their efforts reflected on that price tag.

Taking into account the method of breeding, the Miniature Schnauzer will cost you anywhere from $600 to $3000.

Miniature Schnauzer Cost: Initial Setup and Supplies

There are things that your Miniature Schnauzer will need from day one. And as we said before, these things have to be in the house before the dog gets home. We know being a first-time pet parent is not easy, and it can be overwhelming. But if you fail to get them ahead of time, you probably won’t be able to once you start acclimating the dog to his new environment.

List of Miniature Schnauzer Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Miniature Schnauzer Cost Per Month?

The thing that we love most about dogs is, they’re like kids. You cannot say that you’ll save up enough money to buy one, successfully make the purchase, and then just stop caring. No, it doesn’t work that way. You’ll still have to think about its monthly expenses, for the rest of its life.

Dogs have needs, and those needs have to be met. So once you’ve gotten your Miniature Schnauzer, you’ll have to come up with a budget that allots enough money for the monthly maintenance costs.

Miniature Schnauzer Health Care Costs

Ownership is not just about feeding and exercising the Miniature Schnauzer. There’s a lot that goes into it, and those are the aspects that are instrumental in ensuring that your dog stays healthy and active.

For the vaccinations, you’ll have to schedule a routine veterinary care. The same also goes for dental care and parasite control.

Because dogs are not so great at self-grooming, and because the Miniature Schnauzer is a long-haired dog, you’ll need the help of a professional groomer as well. Let’s just look at how the total health care costs add up.

Miniature Schnauzer Food Costs

The question that we’ve been asked on several occasions is, “What’s good nutrition?” And the answer is pretty simple actually.

If all along you’ve been feeding your Miniature Schnauzer food that contains the essential building blocks (proteins) and energy components (carbohydrates) that facilitate growth and development while ensuring that they stay active through the day, you’ve been giving them good nutrition.

There are so many ways of going about this, and several diets to choose from. But we recently learned that most dog owners prefer taking the dry canned food route, as they found them to be convenient and cheap.

High quality dog food will cost anywhere from $70 to $100.

Miniature Schnauzer Grooming Costs

Grooming can be done by a professional, or at home. We always advise dog owners to groom their dogs by themselves because it’s a way of strengthening that bond that exists between you two. But if carving out time’s the problem, take him to a licensed groomer.

Grooming is especially important to a Miniature Schnauzer because it’s a breed that comes with a distinctive two-layer coat. And for that coat to remain coarse and wiry, it needs frequent grooming/trimming. That will cost you around $50-60 per session, and assuming it’s being groomed twice per week, the totals will come to $400 to $480 per month.

Miniature Schnauzer Medications and Vet Visits

Miniature Schnauzers do need preventive medicines just like us humans. The primary function of a vaccine, for example, is to stimulate its immune system against any sort of infection, consequently ensuring the dog is well protected against various diseases.

However, you cannot just administer all these vaccines at once. They have to be given to the dog periodically, preferably once every other month.

Parasite control is the other reason why routine vet visits are important. Tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms are all examples of parasites that are strong enough to cause irreparable damage to a Miniature Schnauzer’s digestive tract. The only way to diagnose these infections is through testing fecal samples periodically.

Medication and vet visits will account for a significant chunk of your monthly budget, as health care is expensive. So, we’re thinking anywhere from $300 to $500.

Pet Insurance Costs

The Miniature Schnauzer has an extroverted temperament. And even though that’s the type of temperament many dog owners love, there’s a downside to it. All that jumping and running around is the reason why this breed is so prone to injuries—Injuries that can quickly become a financial burden.

The only solution to that problem is to get pet health insurance cover. It will be like a safety net that will help you cover the emergency costs that you probably can’t afford without help. That will set you back $20 to $50.

Environment Maintenance Costs

Besides nutrients, the Miniature Schnauzer’s poop will contain bacteria such as salmonella. This pathogen is illness-causing, and can be transmitted to humans and all the other pets that you might have. That’s why dog poop is considered bad for the environment.

For environmental maintenance, these items will be required:

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Mini Schnauzer

Now that you know what the initial cost of investment is—together with the average monthly expenditure—you can easily gauge whether or not you’re in a position to get a Miniature Schnauzer.

But just to recap, the adoption fee will be anywhere from $300-$400, that of the breeder will cost you $600-$3000, and the supplies will be $80-$155. Add all that to your monthly totals of $820-$1235, and you’ve got yourself a good estimate.

Additional Costs to Factor In

Just so you know, the costs listed above aren’t the only expenses that you’ll have to budget for. There are several other things to take into account, if you’re looking to ensure your dog gets a comfortable life.

Take the daycare service, for example. It’ll be important, if you’re the type of person who has a 9-5 job, and lives alone. Leaving the dog in the house with all doors locked is morally unacceptable, and the reason why some dogs struggle with separation anxiety.

At least try to factor in the following costs into your budget:

Owning a Miniature Schnauzer on a Budget

For the sake of clarity, these money-saving tips aren’t meant to hurt the quality of life provided to a Miniature Schnauzer. So if that was your initial assumption, you’re wrong. We decided to share them because we felt it’s important for people to know that one can still own a Schnauzer puppy, even if their lives are not defined by opulence.

Conclusion: Miniature Schnauzer Price

There’s no avoiding the one-time costs, or even the monthly expenses, if you’re looking to own a Miniature Schnauzer. Budget for every single item on this list, and you’ll never find yourself in a financial bind.

Also, these costs are nothing more than ballpark estimates. They could be more or less contingent on the factors involved. Just do your due diligence, and you’ll never be caught off guard.

Related Reads:

• How Much Does a Pembroke Welsh Corgi Cost? (2021 Price Guide)
• How Much Does a Dachshund Cost? (Price Guide 2021)
• How Much Does a Border Collie Cost? (2021 Price Guide)

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Featured Image Credit: Grigorita Ko, Shutterstock