Michael Lederer: Mantrailing, Two Dogs and Schnauze

Key takeaways

• Michael Lederer is a mantrailing trainer from Vienna and the person behind Schnauze.digital.
• His two dogs, Petra (a Heideterrier) and Siegfried (a Hanoverian Scenthound), shape his hands-on work with animals and scent work.
• Over 4,600 online courses sold demonstrate experience with digital products, but do not promise any particular results for you.
• Schnauze serves two groups: self-employed animal professionals and pet owners with petfluencer plans.
• Every decision at Schnauze follows the same priority: animal welfare first, reach second.

Behind Schnauze is Michael Lederer, a mantrailing trainer from Vienna and the owner of two dogs. He has sold over 4,600 online courses and now shares that knowledge with people who want to work with animals professionally or as petfluencers. If you want to know who's writing and why, you're in the right place.

This article is a profile, not an advertisement. You'll get the facts: the person, the dogs, the journey into online courses and the thinking behind it all. Down to earth, without big promises.

Who is Michael Lederer?

Michael Lederer is a mantrailing trainer based in Vienna. Mantrailing means searching for a person by their individual scent: the dog picks up a particular person's scent from an object and follows that specific trail. It's precise work that requires dog and handler to function as a team.

Much of what Michael now shares through Schnauze comes from this work. Teaching a dog to follow a trail teaches you patience, structure and close observation. The same approach runs through his courses and workbooks: start small, keep going and let the animal's needs guide you.

Michael has been self-employed for many years. He knows the questions that trouble people at the start. How do I find clients? What can I charge? Do I need to register a business? These questions are the common thread running through his products.

He values a combination of practical experience and honest perspective. He speaks from his own experience, not from a glossy brochure. If something takes a lot of effort, he says so. If a step can wait, he'll say that too. This matter-of-fact approach sets his materials apart from many of the promises of quick results online.

Petra and Siegfried: the two dogs

Michael shares his life with two dogs, and both fit right in with the scent-work theme. Petra is a Heideterrier. Siegfried is a Hanoverian Scenthound. Two very different types of dog, both with a strong connection to scent work.

The Heideterrier is a hunting dog type developed in Germany, originally from crosses between the German Hunting Terrier and the Airedale Terrier. It is not an FCI-recognised breed, but a separately developed type (Jagdfibel, accessed 2026). For Petra, that means plenty of energy, a clear head and an eagerness to have a job to do.

Siegfried is the calmer, highly specialised counterpart. The Hanoverian Scenthound is listed under FCI Standard No. 213, Group 6, and originates from Germany. The breed was developed to track wounded game, a task requiring focused scent work (Austrian Scenthound Association, accessed 2026). This talent for scent work is no accident; it has been bred into these dogs over generations.

Why does that matter to you? Because Michael doesn't write from theory alone. He works every day with two dogs who challenge him. That comes through in the examples in his materials.

From training to online courses and workbooks

The move from hands-on training to digital products happened gradually. Michael realised that his knowledge could help many people, not just those attending his in-person sessions. So he started turning it into courses and workbooks.

Today, Schnauze offers several building blocks. The "99 Tips" for one euro as a small first step. The "My Course, My Business" workbook for anyone who wants to sell their own knowledge as an online course. And the Petfluencer Workbook for pet owners building an account.

The idea is simple. You shouldn't have to start from scratch and make every mistake yourself. You get a structure and practical steps. A workbook guides you through your own project with exercises. An online course is a suitable format if you want to sell your knowledge to others. The right format for you depends on your goal and your pace.

Michael favours small steps. Better an honest, finished product than a grand plan that never leaves the drawer. You may recognise this approach from dog training: an exercise only becomes reliable once you've practised it calmly enough times. Building your own offering works the same way.

Over 4,600 online courses sold, put into perspective

Michael has sold over 4,600 online courses. That figure represents experience with digital products: what actually happens when you create, sell and support them. It does not represent an income you can expect.

That's an important distinction. Many online offers advertise large sums and quick success. Schnauze deliberately avoids that. No earnings figures, no guarantees, no made-up success stories.

What this experience gives you is tried-and-tested processes rather than empty promises. Michael knows where people get stuck on their first course, which technical hurdles cause frustration and how to structure a topic so participants stay engaged. Your results still depend on you: your niche, your offering and your work. For more on what a realistic start looks like, read Working for Yourself with Animals: Paths, Opportunities and First Steps.

Why animal welfare comes first in every decision

At Schnauze, the priorities are clear: the animal first, reach second. That may sound obvious, but it isn't always how things work in practice. In the petfluencer world especially, getting the next photo often takes priority over the animal.

Michael reverses that. A dog is not a prop. A cat doesn't pose on command just because the algorithm happens to reward it. Content comes from genuine moments, at the animal's pace, with breaks and without pressure.

This has practical consequences. Content is planned so the animal enjoys it, or at least stays relaxed. Signs of stress are a stop signal, not a minor detail. This approach runs through all the materials, whether they're about a training account or a dog training business's online presence.

For Petra and Siegfried, that means something very practical: work, yes; constant stress, no. When you do scent work, you quickly learn to see when a dog is alert and engaged and when it needs a break. Michael brings that same attentiveness to content creation.

Who is Schnauze for?

Schnauze is aimed at two groups that seem to have little in common at first glance, but turn out to ask similar questions. Both want to build visibility through their work with animals while maintaining their credibility.

The first group is self-employed animal professionals. Dog trainers, animal physiotherapists, animal naturopaths and people starting businesses in the animal sector. They want to attract clients, set fair prices, sell their knowledge as online courses and comply with legal requirements. For this group, it's often about the first practical steps: refining an offering, finding a niche and calculating prices properly.

The second group is pet owners with petfluencer plans. People with dogs, cats, horses, small pets or exotic animals who want to build an animal-focused account. Their concerns include content ideas, advertising disclosures and partnerships with pet brands, always with animal welfare in mind.

A brief legal note, not intended as legal advice: anyone earning money or advertising in Germany, Austria or Switzerland should look into business registration, GDPR and advertising disclosures. The exact rules differ by country, so check your own situation carefully or seek professional advice.

How to find out whether Schnauze is right for you

You don't need to buy anything to get started. Schnauze offers two free assessments, one for each group. The Business Check is designed for animal professionals and shows you where your offering stands. The Petfluencer Check is for pet owners and helps you organise your first steps.

Take a few minutes to complete the assessment that fits you. It's the simplest way to get an honest picture of where you are now and what makes sense next. Then you can take your time deciding whether a workbook or course is the right next step.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Michael Lederer?

Michael Lederer is a mantrailing trainer from Vienna and the founder of Schnauze.digital. He lives with two dogs, Petra and Siegfried, and develops online courses and workbooks for people who want to work with animals professionally or as petfluencers.

What dogs does Michael Lederer have?

Two: Petra is a Heideterrier, a hunting dog type developed in Germany, and Siegfried is a Hanoverian Scenthound, an FCI-recognised scent hound breed from Germany. Both shape his work in scent work and mantrailing.

Does Schnauze promise a particular income?

No. Over 4,600 online courses sold demonstrate experience with digital products, but Schnauze deliberately avoids quoting earnings figures or offering income guarantees. Your results depend on your offering, your niche and your work.

Who is Schnauze for?

Two groups: self-employed animal professionals such as dog trainers, animal physiotherapists and animal naturopaths, and pet owners who want to build an account featuring their animal and become petfluencers.