Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers
Business hours- Tues-Sat 7am-3pm PT
Miniature Schnauzer Puppies Raised for Health, Confidence & Companionship
Welcome to Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers. I’m Jenny Criner, and I raise Miniature Schnauzer puppies with my family in Ely, Nevada.
My goal is simple: to raise healthy, mentally sound, confident and happy puppies and find the right home for each one.
My puppies grow up surrounded by family and the sights and sounds of life on our farm. From an early age, I begin preparing them for the everyday experiences they will encounter when they leave me and become part of their new families.
I believe a Miniature Schnauzer can bring so much to a home. My hope is that every puppy I raise becomes the kind of companion that enriches their family's life to the fullest extent.
Welcome to Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers
For me, breeding Miniature Schnauzers is about much more than producing a litter of puppies.
I care about what happens after my puppies leave my home.
Will they be confident enough to explore a new environment? Will they have a good foundation for training? Will their owners understand their personalities? And will their families know they can contact me when they have questions?
Those things influence how I raise my puppies from the beginning.
I use health testing when making breeding decisions, follow the Puppy Culture program, introduce early training and expose my puppies to many of the sounds and experiences of normal life.
Most importantly, I spend time getting to know them as individuals.
Miniature Schnauzer Puppies Raised for Real Family Life
My puppies don't spend their first weeks simply waiting until they are old enough to go home.
Those weeks give me an important opportunity to help them learn about their world.
*Puppy Culture & Early Development*
I use the Puppy Culture program as part of raising my litters.
As the puppies develop, I introduce age-appropriate experiences designed to encourage curiosity, confidence and healthy interaction with their environment.
They experience everyday household noises as well as life around our farm.
Depending on the season and normal activity around us, that can include vehicles, farm sounds, ATVs, dirt bikes and the lawn mower. They are also exposed to cats and other dogs.
My purpose isn't to make every puppy react exactly the same way. Every puppy is an individual.
Instead, I want to give them positive opportunities to experience new things while they are young.
*Potty & Crate Training Beginnings*
I start both potty training and crate training before my puppies leave.
A young puppy is certainly not a fully trained dog when they go home, and families will need to continue the work. However, I want them to have a foundation to build upon.
I also send their new family home with a daily schedule to help continue potty training consistently.
*Grooming, Handling & Name Recognition*
Grooming will be part of a Miniature Schnauzer's life, so I don't want their first experiences with handling and grooming to begin after they leave me.
Puppies are introduced to grooming and regular handling while they are here.
I also begin working on name recognition and other simple skills that can help prepare them for continued training at home.
*Confidence & Curiosity*
I want my puppies to be curious about their world.
I use age-appropriate activities and experiences that encourage them to investigate, think and build confidence.
These early experiences aren't a replacement for the training and socialization their families will continue. They're the beginning.
Health Is Part of Every Breeding Decision
Health testing is an important part of my breeding program.
I use Embark for Breeders DNA testing to screen my breeding dogs for genetic health risks.
This includes Miniature Schnauzer-related conditions such as Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, Myotonia Congenita (CLCN1 Exon 7, Miniature Schnauzer Variant), and Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS), along with Embark's broader health screening panel.
Genetic testing cannot promise that a dog will never experience a health problem. I use the information as one tool to help me make informed breeding decisions.
Before leaving Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers, puppies also receive age-appropriate vaccinations and deworming and are microchipped.
My puppies are sold with AKC registration and my 5-year health guarantee, which covers the breed-related genetic diseases specified in my guarantee.
Every Puppy Has a Personality
One of my favorite parts of raising a litter is watching each puppy's personality develop.
Some puppies approach situations differently than their littermates. Their individual personalities can influence how they respond to training, new situations and the people around them.
That's why I perform a personality test with my puppies.
When your puppy goes home, I don't just hand you the test results. I explain what I have observed about your puppy and give you ideas for working with that particular personality.
That information can help you understand how to approach training and work through challenges as your puppy grows.
I want you to start your life together with a better understanding of the little dog you're bringing home.
What You’re Really Getting When You Choose One of My Puppies
When you choose one of my puppies, you're getting more than the puppy you see in a photograph.
You're getting the work that happened during the weeks before that photograph was taken.
You're getting a puppy who has been raised using Puppy Culture and introduced to potty training, crate training, grooming, handling and name recognition.
You're getting a puppy who has experienced the sounds and activities of a real home and farm.
You're getting information about your puppy's individual personality.
You're also getting the health testing and thought that went into my breeding decisions, along with my health guarantee and continued support after your puppy leaves.
I can't promise what every puppy will become. Genetics, environment, training and the experiences a puppy has throughout life all matter.
What I can do is put thoughtful work into giving each of my puppies a strong beginning.
Preparing You for Life With Your Miniature Schnauzer
Sending a puppy home is exciting, but it can also feel like a big adjustment.
I want my families to leave prepared.
Your puppy goes home with:
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Puppy food and toys
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Your puppy's personality test results and suggestions for working with their personality
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Written puppy-care instructions
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My dental-care recommendations
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A daily schedule to help you continue potty training
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AKC registration information
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Microchip information
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My 5-year health guarantee
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NuVet information
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A travel backpack with collapsible food and water dishes
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A harness backpack for your dog
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A blanket that has been kept with the puppy's littermates, giving your puppy a familiar scent during the transition to their new home
The supplies are useful, but the information is just as important.
I want you to understand the puppy you're taking home and feel prepared to continue the foundation we've started.
My Support Doesn't End When Your Puppy Goes Home
The day you take your puppy home isn't the end of my relationship with you.
It's the beginning of a new stage.
I provide lifetime breeder support to my puppy families and follow up after puppies leave.
Questions will come up. Your puppy will grow and change. Training challenges can happen.
I want my families to know they can reach out to me.
Sometimes understanding the personality of the puppy in front of you can make a big difference in how you approach a problem. Because I've raised your puppy from birth and evaluated their personality, I can help you think through situations with that background in mind.
Miniature Schnauzers Raised With Our Family
Miniature Schnauzers have been part of our family's life for years.
Two of my original dogs, who are now grandparents in my breeding program, participated in local 4-H with my children approximately six years ago.
Together, my kids and their dogs earned Grand Champion awards in local 4-H agility, showmanship and obedience.
Those experiences were about much more than awards.
They showed us what can happen when children and their dogs learn to communicate, work together and build a relationship.
Today, that same appreciation for the Miniature Schnauzer as a companion is part of how I raise my puppies.
Finding the Right Home for Every Puppy
I care deeply about where my puppies go.
My goal isn't simply to find someone who wants a Miniature Schnauzer. I want to find homes where my puppies can become loved, involved members of the family.
My process begins with getting to know you.
Prospective families complete my puppy form and go through an interview process. From there, approved families can move forward with the deposit and waiting-list process.
Most of my puppies are raised and placed as family companions.
I may consider selling a puppy with breeding rights to the right breeder, but that decision is made carefully and individually.
If you're interested in one of my puppies, I encourage you to learn about my program first. If the way I raise my puppies matches what you're looking for, the next step is to tell me about yourself and the home you're hoping to provide.
Looking for a Miniature Schnauzer Puppy?
Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers is located in Ely, Nevada.
My puppy families may come from Nevada and surrounding areas, including California, Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Colorado.
If you're looking for a Miniature Schnauzer puppy and appreciate the importance of health testing, early development, personality, training foundations and breeder support, I'd love for you to learn more about my puppies and my process.
Frequently Asked Questions
*Where is Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers located?
I am located in Ely, Nevada. I also work with suitable puppy families from surrounding states, including California, Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Colorado.
*Are your Miniature Schnauzer puppies AKC registered?
Yes. My puppies go home with AKC registration information.
*Do you health test your breeding dogs?
Yes. I use Embark for Breeders DNA testing as part of my breeding program. My screening includes breed-related genetic conditions as well as Embark's broader health-risk panel.
*Do your puppies come with a health guarantee?
Yes. My puppies come with a 5-year health guarantee covering the breed-related genetic diseases specified in my guarantee.
*Do you start potty training?
Yes. I begin potty training while puppies are with me. I also provide their new owners with a daily potty-training schedule so they have a consistent plan to continue at home.
*Are your puppies introduced to crates?
Yes. Crate introduction begins before puppies go to their new homes.
*Do you temperament test your puppies?
I conduct personality testing and provide the results to the puppy's new family. I also explain what I've observed and give owners ideas for training, working with and troubleshooting based on their puppy's individual personality.
*What are your puppies exposed to?
My puppies grow up around normal household and farm life. Their experiences can include cats, other dogs, vehicles, household noises, farm-animal sounds, farm activity, ATVs, dirt bikes and seasonal sounds such as the lawn mower.
*Will you help me after I take my puppy home?
Yes. I provide lifetime support to my puppy families and follow up after puppies go home.
*How do I get a Great Basin Miniature Schnauzer puppy?
Start by learning about my program and completing my puppy form. My process includes an interview, approval, deposit and waiting list.
Ready to Learn More?
Bringing home a puppy is a big decision.
I want you to feel comfortable asking questions, learning how I raise my puppies and deciding whether Great Basin Miniature Schnauzers is the right fit for your family.
If you're looking for a puppy to share everyday life with you—and you're ready to give that puppy the love, training and commitment they deserve—I invite you to take the next step.
