Teach Calmness — Not Just Commands
authors: erica wysong Erica Wysong 10+ years Experience Breeding Schnauzers

Teach Calmness — Not Just Commands

One of the biggest mistakes people make with intelligent breeds like Miniature Schnauzers is accidentally rewarding constant excitement.

Most owners focus heavily on:

Those things are great. But if every interaction is exciting, your puppy can start believing that life should always operate at a high intensity level.

That is where problems often begin:

Miniature Schnauzers are naturally alert dogs. They notice everything. That awareness is part of what makes them intelligent and connected to their family. But without balance, alertness can turn into nervous energy.

At Fernweh Schnauzers, we believe one of the most important life skills a puppy can learn is how to simply settle down.

Calmness Is a Skill

Many people assume calm dogs are naturally calm.

Usually, they are trained.

Dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarded. If excitement always earns attention, movement, talking, eye contact, or play, your puppy learns that being “on” is valuable.

But if calm behavior consistently earns quiet praise, affection, freedom, or relaxation, your puppy begins learning that calmness also has value.

This is especially important for Schnauzers because they are thinkers. Their minds are constantly engaged with their environment.

Reward the Behaviors You Want More Of

One of the easiest ways to build calmness is to quietly reward it when it naturally happens.

For example:

These are moments worth reinforcing.

Most owners accidentally ignore calm behavior while constantly reacting to demanding behavior.

The puppy barks → attention appears.
The puppy jumps → interaction happens.
The puppy whines → someone responds.

Meanwhile, calm quiet behavior often goes unnoticed.

Over time, dogs naturally repeat the behaviors that consistently create engagement.

Stop Constant Entertainment

Modern puppies are often overstimulated.

Many owners feel guilty if the puppy is not constantly:

But puppies, especially intelligent breeds, also need to learn boredom tolerance.

It is healthy for your Schnauzer to:

If a puppy never learns this skill, they may struggle emotionally anytime life becomes quiet.

Crate Training Helps Teach an “Off Switch”

A crate is not just for potty training. It also helps teach emotional regulation.

Many puppies become wild simply because they are overtired and overstimulated.

Just like toddlers, puppies often do not know when to stop themselves.

Structured nap times can dramatically improve:

A rested puppy is usually a much calmer puppy.

Avoid Creating Demand Barking

Miniature Schnauzers are vocal dogs by nature. If barking consistently works, they quickly learn to use it as communication.

This does not mean ignoring your puppy completely. It means being thoughtful about what behaviors you reinforce.

For example:

The goal is not silence. The goal is emotional stability.

Calm Leadership Creates Calm Dogs

Dogs feed off energy.

If owners constantly create frantic energy, loud reactions, or inconsistent rules, many Schnauzers become more anxious and reactive.

Calm leadership matters:

Training does not always need excitement and hype. Sometimes quiet confidence creates the best results.

Mental Stimulation Matters Too

A bored Schnauzer often becomes noisy or destructive.

Teaching calmness does not mean ignoring your puppy’s mental needs.

Miniature Schnauzers thrive when they have:

Mental fulfillment often creates more calmness than physical exhaustion alone.

Sometimes the Best Training Session Is Doing Nothing

One of the healthiest things you can teach your Schnauzer is that not every moment requires action.

Sit outside together.
Relax on the couch.
Let them watch the world calmly.
Teach them that peace is normal.

That ability to settle is what separates a chaotic dog from a balanced companion.

And in the long run, calmness is often more valuable than any command you will ever teach.

Miniature Schnauzer Breeders

Greetings from the Wysongs! We are currently accepting deposits to join our waiting list for future miniature schnauzer puppies of many different colors. If you are interested in adding a Fernweh Schnauzer to your family we would encourage you to reach out to us via an email or phone conversation. Please be advised that we are known through the country as one of the best miniature schnauzer breeders of high quality miniature schnauzer puppies and are in high demand. Be sure to reach out and plan in advance when considering a future Fernweh addition. Adopters who plan ahead and join our waiting list are preferred and treated as such during the adoption process. Click Here to see our puppies!