Miniature Schnauzer
Cuddles & Kisses
There's a time for Play and a Time for Love
A dog breed who's got it all in one small package: intelligence, affection, extroverted temperament, humorous and a personality that's twice as big as they are. Throw in that walrus mustache and enthusiasm and they will make you laugh everyday. With a Miniature Schnauzer in your home you'll never be alone, not even when you go to the bathroom!
Heritage of Love Noble of Heart Gentle of Spirit Regal of Stature
Heritage of Love Noble of Heart Gentle of Spirit Regal of Stature
All About Miniature Schnauzers
Written by Anna
So, Just what is a Miniature Schnauzer you may be wondering?
Pronounced (Shnou'zer). The term "Schnauzer" comes from the German word "snout" and means colloquially "mustache" because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout. Miniature Schnauzer is a small breed of a dog that is cousin to the Standard Schnauzer that was bred down from the Standard Schnauzer originating in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century.
Miniature Schnauzers developed from the Schnauzer are believed to be a cross between the Standard Schnauzer, a robust squarely built, medium-sized dog and either a Poodle, a type of water dog also squarely built, but well proportioned dog or the Affenpinscher, a toy terrier-like breed also referred to as the Monkey Terrier. All of these dogs originated in Germany and farmer's bred down the Schnauzer to create a smaller more compact sized farm dog equally suited for ratting (to catch rats).
In 1895 in the first volume of the Pincher-Schnauzer Klub's stud book contained the Standard Schnauzers, Smooth Coat Pinchers, Miniature Pinchers, and what was called Wire-haired Pinchers (now known as Miniature Schnauzers). The oldest Miniature Schnauzer appeared in 1888 and was a all black female named Findel. Out of 8 bitches registered in that first volume of the stud book were 3 black, 3 yellow, 1 black and tan and 1 salt and pepper. There was evidently much crossings between the types and their registration was more dependent upon their outward appearance vs. their genetic make-up. Example: One Miniature Pinscher is registered as having a Standard Schnauzer Dam and then a Miniature Schnauzer was listed as having a Miniature Pinscher Sire. Today the standard is: Black, Black and Silver and Salt and Pepper in the United States and in Germany they acknowledge White to be included in the standard.
*It's from these breed outcrossing while developing the Miniature Schnauzer, that other colors came about, the Parti, the Liver and White is considered to be from the outcrossing.*
Miniature Schnauzers were first imported to the Us in the 1920's. The Wire-haired Pinscher Club of America was formed in 1925 for all sizes and in 1926 the name was officially changed to "Schnauzer". During that time there was no distinction between the Standard and the Miniature sized Schnauzers and they were shown together. The two types were not separated in the breed listing until late 1926. It was the American Kennel Club in 1926 that accepted registration of the new breed and in 1933 the Wire-haired Pinscher Club split into two groups, the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and the Standard Schnauzer Club of America. The start of the modern Miniature Schnauzers we see today is generally considered to have begun in 1945 with the first Miniature Schnauzer, "CH Dorem Display" to win "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He was born on the 5th day of April 1945 and lived to be nearly (14) fourteen-years old. Almost every living Miniature Schnauzer in America today can trace it lineage back to Dorem Display.
Miniature Schnauzers have a very square-shape build, measuring 13-14 inches tall and weighing 10-15 lbs for a female and 11-18 lbs for a male. They have a double coat, with a wiry outer fur and a soft undercoat. Miniature Schnauzers are often described as a non-moulting (don't shed) dog. They are characterized by a rectangular head and bushy beard, mustache and eyebrows.
Miniature Schnauzers are a hardy, healthy pet with a generous life-span of approximately 17 years, showing no signs of age until quite later in life.
Pronounced (Shnou'zer). The term "Schnauzer" comes from the German word "snout" and means colloquially "mustache" because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout. Miniature Schnauzer is a small breed of a dog that is cousin to the Standard Schnauzer that was bred down from the Standard Schnauzer originating in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century.
Miniature Schnauzers developed from the Schnauzer are believed to be a cross between the Standard Schnauzer, a robust squarely built, medium-sized dog and either a Poodle, a type of water dog also squarely built, but well proportioned dog or the Affenpinscher, a toy terrier-like breed also referred to as the Monkey Terrier. All of these dogs originated in Germany and farmer's bred down the Schnauzer to create a smaller more compact sized farm dog equally suited for ratting (to catch rats).
In 1895 in the first volume of the Pincher-Schnauzer Klub's stud book contained the Standard Schnauzers, Smooth Coat Pinchers, Miniature Pinchers, and what was called Wire-haired Pinchers (now known as Miniature Schnauzers). The oldest Miniature Schnauzer appeared in 1888 and was a all black female named Findel. Out of 8 bitches registered in that first volume of the stud book were 3 black, 3 yellow, 1 black and tan and 1 salt and pepper. There was evidently much crossings between the types and their registration was more dependent upon their outward appearance vs. their genetic make-up. Example: One Miniature Pinscher is registered as having a Standard Schnauzer Dam and then a Miniature Schnauzer was listed as having a Miniature Pinscher Sire. Today the standard is: Black, Black and Silver and Salt and Pepper in the United States and in Germany they acknowledge White to be included in the standard.
*It's from these breed outcrossing while developing the Miniature Schnauzer, that other colors came about, the Parti, the Liver and White is considered to be from the outcrossing.*
Miniature Schnauzers were first imported to the Us in the 1920's. The Wire-haired Pinscher Club of America was formed in 1925 for all sizes and in 1926 the name was officially changed to "Schnauzer". During that time there was no distinction between the Standard and the Miniature sized Schnauzers and they were shown together. The two types were not separated in the breed listing until late 1926. It was the American Kennel Club in 1926 that accepted registration of the new breed and in 1933 the Wire-haired Pinscher Club split into two groups, the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and the Standard Schnauzer Club of America. The start of the modern Miniature Schnauzers we see today is generally considered to have begun in 1945 with the first Miniature Schnauzer, "CH Dorem Display" to win "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He was born on the 5th day of April 1945 and lived to be nearly (14) fourteen-years old. Almost every living Miniature Schnauzer in America today can trace it lineage back to Dorem Display.
Miniature Schnauzers have a very square-shape build, measuring 13-14 inches tall and weighing 10-15 lbs for a female and 11-18 lbs for a male. They have a double coat, with a wiry outer fur and a soft undercoat. Miniature Schnauzers are often described as a non-moulting (don't shed) dog. They are characterized by a rectangular head and bushy beard, mustache and eyebrows.
Miniature Schnauzers are a hardy, healthy pet with a generous life-span of approximately 17 years, showing no signs of age until quite later in life.
Pics of Schnauzers back in the days....
The First Schnauzer Studbook
The different sized Schnauzers....
The Miniature Schnauzer: generally stands about a foot tall at the shoulder and can weigh between 12-18 lbs full grown.
The Standard Schnauzer: generally stands about a foot and a half tall at the shoulder and can weigh between 26-44 lbs full grown.
The Giant Schnauzer: generally stands about two feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh between 55-110 lbs full grown.
Then there's the Toy Schnauzer: generally stands 10 to 11 inches at the shoulder and can weigh between 7-11 lbs full grown.
The Standard Schnauzer: generally stands about a foot and a half tall at the shoulder and can weigh between 26-44 lbs full grown.
The Giant Schnauzer: generally stands about two feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh between 55-110 lbs full grown.
Then there's the Toy Schnauzer: generally stands 10 to 11 inches at the shoulder and can weigh between 7-11 lbs full grown.
The Giant Schnauzer The Standard Schnauzer The Miniature Schnauzer
*Information provided on Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkshires, Biewers, Biros, Golddusts and Ocean Pearl/Sables are from researching history and personal knowledge of the breeds*
Miniature Schnauzer Weight Chart
Find your puppy's age on the left and locate their current weight and follow it down to find the estimated adult dog's weight. *Remember 1-lb=16-0zs*
The Miniature Schnauzer Official Breed Standard is:
General Appearance: robust and active resembling their larger cousin, the Standard Schnauzer.
Head: rectangular and strong, top of skull is flat.
Muzzle: is strong in proportion to the skull, ending in a moderate build.
Eyes: are small and very dark brown color, oval in appearance.
Ears: uncrossed, small and v-shaped, folding close to the head.
Neck: strong and well arched, blending into the shoulders.
Body: short and deep, the underbody does not present a tucked-up appearance at the flank.
Tail: set high, carried erect, and docked long enough to be clearly visible over the backline of the body.
Legs: straight, with covered hair, round paws with thick pads.
Coat: double coat with a hard, wiry outer coat and close smooth undercoat.
Color: standard is, Salt & Pepper, Black, and Black & Silver (White in Germany).
Height: 12-14 inches
Weight: 11-20 lbs
Faults: any deviation to the foregoing points listed.
The American Kennel Club, AKC does recognize non-standard colors and does register them as purebred Miniature Schnauzers and all non-standard colors can participate in every AKC sanctioned event except for Comformation.
General Appearance: robust and active resembling their larger cousin, the Standard Schnauzer.
Head: rectangular and strong, top of skull is flat.
Muzzle: is strong in proportion to the skull, ending in a moderate build.
Eyes: are small and very dark brown color, oval in appearance.
Ears: uncrossed, small and v-shaped, folding close to the head.
Neck: strong and well arched, blending into the shoulders.
Body: short and deep, the underbody does not present a tucked-up appearance at the flank.
Tail: set high, carried erect, and docked long enough to be clearly visible over the backline of the body.
Legs: straight, with covered hair, round paws with thick pads.
Coat: double coat with a hard, wiry outer coat and close smooth undercoat.
Color: standard is, Salt & Pepper, Black, and Black & Silver (White in Germany).
Height: 12-14 inches
Weight: 11-20 lbs
Faults: any deviation to the foregoing points listed.
The American Kennel Club, AKC does recognize non-standard colors and does register them as purebred Miniature Schnauzers and all non-standard colors can participate in every AKC sanctioned event except for Comformation.
Bad Foods for Schnauzers....
The following is a list of foods that should be avoided: chocolate- the darker the chocolate the more dangerous, onions, garlic, chives, macadamia nuts, walnuts, all fatty foods, bones in meat, moldy-spoiled foods, apple cores, peach and plum pitts, mushrooms, yeast dough, alcohols of any form, coffee including coffee grounds, tea caffeine, green parts of tomatoes, rhubarb, raisins, grapes, xylitol-sugar substitute, citrus fruits, nutmeg, lunch meats or cold cuts, hops- used to make beer, baby foods, avocados, figs, coconut and orange or lemon seeds, leaves, peels and stems.
How to Grade your Dog's Food....
*Start off with a Grade of A (100 pts) then subtract/add points as listed*
There are a surplus of dog foods these days and one can be overwhelmed with just "What dog food is best for your furry loved one?" So, here are a list of ingredients the that we found to be "beneficial" and "non-beneficial" to look out for in your dog's food. By-products (-10pts), non-specific animal source (-10pts), BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin (-10pts), non-specific grain source (-5pts), if the same grain is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (-5pts), if the protein sources are not meat meal and are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients (-3pts), artificial colorants (-3pts), ground corn (-3pts), if corn is in top 5 ingredients (-2pts), if food contains any other animal fat than fish oil (-2pts), soy or soybeans (-2pts), if it contains salt (-1pt), if any of the meat sources are organic (+5pts), if food is endorsed by a major breed group (+5pts), if food is baked not extruded (+5pts), has probiotics (+3pts), has fruit (+3pts), has vegetables (+3pts), if animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic free (+2pts), has barley (+2pts), has flax seed oil (+2pts), has oats or oatmeal (+1pt), has sunflower oil (+1pt), for every different specific animal protein source, other than the first one listed (+1pt), has glucosamine and chondroitin (+1pt), and if vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free (+1pt).
*We like our dogs and puppies to have a top quality dog food with no grade lower than an A.*
*We like our dogs and puppies to have a top quality dog food with no grade lower than an A.*
94-100=A
86-93=B
78-85=C
70-77=D
69=F
86-93=B
78-85=C
70-77=D
69=F
The Miniature Schnauzer Originating from Germany