They are energetic and lively, with appearances and personalities similar to their cousins - the Standard Schnauzers, being alert and active. Drawbacks: Overly toy-like, too delicate or coarse.
[Size]
The shoulder height ranges from 12 inches to 14 inches. The body structure is solid, the torso close to square shape, meaning the height and length are roughly equal, with sufficient bone mass, nowhere resembling a toy. Disqualification: Height below 12 inches or above 14 inches (equivalent to 30-36 cm). Shoulder height equals body length.
[Head]
Eyes are small, dark brown, set deep. Eyes are oval-shaped with a sharp gaze. Drawbacks: Light-colored eyes, large eyes, and protruding eyes are considered defects. Ears, if trimmed, have consistent shape and length on both sides, with upward-pointing tips. Their length corresponds to the size of the head; overly exaggerated length is not allowed.
Ears are located at a higher position on the top of the head, the inner edges vertical upwards, and the outer edges may slightly bell. If untrimmed, the ears are small, V-shaped, folded over the top of the head (button ear).
The head is sturdy and rectangular, its width gradually narrowing from the ears to the eyes and then to the nose. The forehead is free of wrinkles, flat, and quite long. The muzzle is parallel to the forehead, with a slight stop. The muzzle's length matches the forehead's. The muzzle is strong and proportionate to the entire head; the end of the muzzle forms an appropriate obtuse angle, with thick whiskers forming a rectangular head contour. Defects: Coarse, rough facial lines.
Bite is a scissor bite. Defects: Overbite, underbite, level bite.
[Neck, Topline, and Body]
The neck is sturdy and slightly arched, blending perfectly with the shoulders. The throat skin is tight, appropriately wrapping around the neck. The body is short and deep, the chest depth reaching at least the elbows. Ribs are well-sprung, with suitable depth, extending back to meet the short waist. The topline is straight; it slopes slightly downward from the withers to the base of the tail. The withers are the highest point of the body. The length from chest to rump equals the height of the withers. Defects: Too wide or insufficient chest depth. Thick, sunken, or arched backs.
The tail root is high, the tail carried upright. Docking is required, retaining a length such that when the dog's coat is properly grown, it just exceeds the topline. Defect: Low-set tail root.
[Forequarters]
From all angles, the forelegs are straight and parallel. They possess strong wrists and adequate bone mass. The moderately deep chest lies between the two forelegs. Elbows are close to the body. Defect: Loose elbows.
Shoulders are sloping, muscular, flat, and clean. They blend well with the back, so the side edge of the shoulder blade is directly above the elbow. The tops of the shoulder blades are positioned closely together. The shoulder blades slope forward and downward at an appropriate angle, allowing maximum forward extension of the forelegs without restriction. Both the shoulder blades and forearms are long, allowing sufficient chest depth. Feet are short and round (cat feet), with thick pads, black in color. Toes are arched and compact.
[Hindquarters]
The hindquarters possess muscular, sloping thighs. There is an appropriate angle at the stifle joint. In standard stance, there is enough angle for the hocks to extend beyond the tail. The hindquarters do not appear larger or higher than the shoulders. The rear pasterns are short, vertical to the ground in standard stance, and parallel to each other when viewed from behind. Defects: Sickle hocks, cow hocks, bowed legs, or O-shaped legs.
[Coat]
Double coat, hard outer coat and dense undercoat. The head, neck, ears, chest, tail, and body require stripping. In show condition, the coat on the body must be long enough to demonstrate its texture. Fully covering the neck, ears, and head. Texture is quite dense but not silky. Defects: Coat too soft or too short, or appearing very smooth.
Tight, coarse, wiry, and as dense as possible, with a soft yet dense undercoat. Rough outer coat, observing against the grain shows hair growing backward, neither smooth nor flat. The coat (body hair) is trimmed (obvious), but only highlights the body outline.
[Color]
Recognized colors are pepper and salt, black and silver, and pure black. Regardless of color, the pigmentation of the skin must be uniform, meaning white or pink patches anywhere on the skin are not allowed.
Pepper and Salt: Typical pepper and salt is formed by a combination of bicolored black and white hair, pure black, and pure white hair, with bicolored hair being predominant. All shades of pepper and salt are acceptable, ranging from lighter shades to darker ones with brownish undertones. In pepper and salt dogs, the color fades to light gray or silver in the following areas: eyebrows, whiskers, cheeks, under the throat, inside the ears, chest, underside of the tail, lower legs, and inner hind legs. Additionally, the belly may also fade to a lighter shade. However, the lightened areas should not extend to the sides of the body above the elbows.
Black and Silver: The pattern of black and silver is the same as pepper and salt. The pepper and salt areas must be pure black. The black and silver coat should have a black undercoat. Faded brown hair needs to be stripped, and the color under the belly should also be dark.
Pure Black: Pure black is the only recognized single color. The ideal color is very dark black outer coat and slightly lighter, soft undercoat, which is desirable everywhere. Faded or brown hair should be stripped. Areas shaved with scissors or clippers will result in lighter colored hair. A small white spot on the chest or occasional white hairs elsewhere are permissible.
Disqualification: Pure white or with white stripes, white stains, or white patches except for a small white spot on the chest of black dogs. Pepper and salt or black and silver dogs fading to light gray or silver below the throat and chest. Other natural colors besides these.
[Gait]
Gait evaluation mainly focuses on the trot. Observing the front legs from the front, elbows stay close to the body, moving straight forward, neither outward nor inward. Observing the hind legs from behind, they move straight and in the same plane as the corresponding front legs. Note that generally after completing the trot, the hind legs continue to move in the same plane as the front legs but slightly tilted inward, which is allowed. Observation from the front should use the shoulder point as a reference, and from behind, the hip joint as a reference. From both the front and back views, the front and hind legs are vertical from the reference point to the ground. When walking, the inclination of the legs inward is minimal, almost indistinguishable by the naked eye. Toes should not cross, and elbows should not turn out. From the side view, the front legs can fully extend, and the hindquarters provide strong drive. Feet should not turn inward or outward. Defects: Single tracking, pacing, high stepping, paddling, weak drive from the hindquarters.
[Temperament]
A typical Miniature Schnauzer is brave, alert, and also gentle. He is very friendly, intelligent, and enjoys pleasing his owner. He must never be aggressive or overly timid.
[Care] Enjoys sufficient exercise, and its hard, coarse coat requires appropriate plucking.
[History]
The Miniature Schnauzer belongs to the terrier group, originating in 15th century Germany, being the only breed in the terrier group without British bloodlines. Its name "Schnauzer" comes from the German word for "muzzle." It is a clever and energetic breed, making it an excellent family pet.
The Schnauzer generally comes in three types: Miniature, Standard, and Giant. All three types of Schnauzers have prominent beards, making their muzzles particularly distinctive.
Basic Knowledge
One, Standard Schnauzer: Approximately 14-18 kg, height 42cm-48cm, bred from German Poodle, Gray Wolf Spitz, and German Pinscher, it is a very capable farm guard dog.
Two, Giant Schnauzer: 34-41 kg, height 60cm-70cm, possibly bred from nearly extinct rough-coated herding dogs and black Great Danes. In real life, fewer people keep Giant Schnauzers as pets; they are usually trained as police dogs.
Three, Miniature Schnauzer: Bred from Standard Schnauzer and Affenpinscher (a toy dog as lively, brave, and obedient as Yorkshire Terriers), first appeared in the UK in 1928, weighing about 7-8.2 kg, height 32-36cm. The Miniature Schnauzer inherits the excellent bloodlines of its ancestors, possessing courage and guarding instincts.
Toy Schnauzer Newborn
Due to differences in appearance and ability, Standard Schnauzers and Giant Schnauzers are categorized under the working dog group by the American Kennel Club, while Miniature Schnauzers belong to the terrier group. Miniature Schnauzers are the only terrier breed not originating from Britain.
In recent years, some breeders have developed even smaller Schnauzers to meet consumer demand for small dogs. These ultra-small dogs, weighing around 4-5 kg, are called "Toy Schnauzers," though they are not recognized by any kennel club.
Regardless of their different sizes, all Schnauzers share the same essence.
Schnauzer Color Genetics
Pepper and salt, black and silver, black coat colors in Miniature Schnauzers have no restrictions in combinations, producing offspring of all three colors. However, proportions vary based on color reinforcement, and the pepper and salt coloration is unique to Schnauzers. Here's a simple explanation of Miniature Schnauzer color genetics:
This is reference material and does not fully represent genetic expression. One thing is certain: unless there is a major genetic defect, the white series does not exist in Miniature Schnauzers.
Parent Dogs Offspring Dogs
Pepper x Pepper = Pepper, Black and Silver
Pepper x Black and Silver = Pepper, Black and Silver
Black and Silver x Black and Silver = Pepper, Black and Silver
Pepper x Black = Pepper, Black and Silver, Black
Black and Silver x Black = Pepper, Black and Silver, Black
Black x Black = Pepper, Black and Silver, Black
Colors Recognized colors are pepper and salt, black and silver, and pure black. There is no such thing as silver. All three colors have the same skin pigmentation, meaning there should be no white or pink spots anywhere on the dog’s skin.
Pepper and Salt
Typical pepper and salt coloring comes from a mix of bicolored black and white hair (color changing from dark to light and back to dark from root to tip) and non-bicolored black and white hair, with bicolored hair dominating. All shades of pepper and salt are acceptable. In the topcoat, both bicolored and non-bicolored hair can range from light to dark (brown undertones are also acceptable). In pepper and salt dogs, the color fades to light gray or silver in areas like eyebrows, whiskers, cheeks, throat, inside the ears, chest, underside of the tail, leg furnishings, and inner hind legs. Underneath, the hair might fade, but if it does, it should not extend up the sides of the body beyond the elbows.
Black and Silver
Black and silver has the same color variation as pepper and salt. All pepper and salt parts must be black. The black topcoat in black and silver dogs is very dark black, with a black undercoat. Stripped areas do not fade and do not have brown tones; the color underneath is dark.
Black
Black is the only recognized solid color in Schnauzers. Ideal black should have a dark, glossy outer coat and a slightly sparser, matte black undercoat, which is natural and should not be penalized. Stripped areas do not fade and do not have brown tones. Areas shaved with scissors or clippers will result in lighter black. A small white spot on the chest is acceptable, as are occasional single white hairs elsewhere.
Disqualifications: Pure white or having white stripes, patches, or spots on colored areas, except for a small white spot on the chest of black dogs. In pepper and salt, black and silver, and pure black dogs, the color can fade to gray or silver under the throat and chest. Any asymmetrical, connected white stripes or patches in these areas are considered white patches and are disqualified.
Schnauzer Care Guidelines:
One, Do not bathe or walk the dog outside for 20 days after changing environments.
Two, Do not feed meat within two months of arriving home and never give milk.
Three, Within two months of arriving home, feed porridge-like food or soaked dry food. Avoid feeding foods that may cause digestive issues or diarrhea.
Four, Feed four times daily, each time 2/3 of a standard paper cup (soaked softened food), always soften with warm water before feeding. Recommend Pro Plan dog food. To add nutrition, give one boiled egg yolk per day, divided into three portions.
Five, Do not feed food that is too cold or too hot, as it may damage the dog's mouth.
Six, Do not feed spoiled or rotten food.
Seven, Immediately discard leftover food after each meal and wash the bowl thoroughly to prevent diarrhea or food poisoning.
Eight, Do not substitute cat food for dog food as cat food contains too much protein.
Nine, Do not disturb the dog while eating, otherwise, it may become anxious during meals.
Ten, Ensure ample fresh water supply in a clean container, avoid giving raw water and change frequently.
Eleven, Deworm the dog at 21 days old, considering potential ingestion of various items, deworm again every two weeks for two months using Levamisole tablets.
Twelve, Protect young puppies from cold regardless of season. Prevent prolonged contact with cold surfaces to avoid catching a cold or diarrhea.
Thirteen, Do not reward begging behavior to prevent overfeeding and obesity. Establish strict feeding times and teach the dog to sit patiently before eating.
Management and Feeding
Daily feeding for Schnauzers includes 250-350 grams of meat plus an equal amount of cooked dry food or biscuits. Cook the meat, shred it, add water, mix with cooked dry food, and feed accordingly. Feed at fixed times and places, limiting meals to 15-25 minutes. Remove uneaten food and clean the bowl. Provide water 2-3 times daily.
Miniature Schnauzers enjoy accompanying owners for walks and playing fetch. They adapt well to both rural and urban living, making them popular.
Brush the coat daily to keep it clean. Trim excessively long hair in spring and autumn, regularly clean ears, teeth, and eyes, and trim nails. Regularly trim facial hair, including eyebrows.
Trimming Tips:
1. Shorten the hair on the head cap.
2. Trim cheek and corner hair short.
3. Maintain balanced grooming of muzzle and jaw hair.
4. Trim ear hair shorter on both sides and align the shell edge.
5. Keep throat hair short and neat.
6. Trim neck and body hair evenly for a balanced backline.
7. Trim neck and back hair in sequence according to hair direction.
8. Trim chest and neck hair toward the elbows.
9. Trim shoulder hair toward the chest, keeping it short.
10. Leave chest-to-abdomen hair longer, trimming toward the rear.
11. Trim thigh hair very short.
12. Trim waist hair shorter than chest hair, cutting upward curls.
13. Trim front leg hair, removing elbow-front and side hair, toe-surrounding and inter-toe hair.
14. Maintain even alignment from shoulder to toes.
15. Neatly trim inner hind leg hair.
16. Trim thigh hair very short.
17. Extremely shorten ankle hair for visible skin.
18. Trim tail hair appropriately but not too short.
19. Neatly trim tail-to-rump hair but not too short.
Monitor the dog's mental state, movement, appetite, stool consistency, nasal pad moisture, and temperature regularly. Seek prompt treatment if abnormalities or illnesses are detected. Related articles: Samoyed ^ ^ Toy Teddy Bear Dog Cast and Crew Purebred Samoyed Seasonal Care