Miniature Schnauzer

Quick Facts:
Group Classification: Terrier Group
Country of Origin: Germany
Date of Origin: Mid to late 19th Century
Weight M: 12-18 pounds
Height M: 12-14 inches
Weight F: 11-13 pounds
Height F: 12-14 inches
Colors Black, Salt and Pepper, Black and Silver.
Life Expectancy 12 to 15 years

History

Records of development of the Miniature Schnauzer in Germany are available from late 1800s. In the early stages of breeding, some experiments were made by crossing several small breeds to bring down the size of the already established Standard Schnauzer. Crossing with other breeds brought into effect certain colors that were not acceptable in the final breed. Overtime, breeders removed white puppies and parti-colored puppies from the program to stabilize the gene pool. The first exhibition of a Miniature Schnauzer was in 1889. As the breed displayed exemplary courage, it was used to guard small farms, herds, and families. Later it was also used for hunting rats. The Miniature Schnauzer appeared to have a liking for rats and its small size made it a perfect hunter of them. The Miniature Schnauzer was introduced in the U.S. in 1924 and the American Kennel Club (AKC) registered it two years later.

General Description

The Miniature Schnauzer is a sturdily built dog with a good deal of bone. Despite his small size, he does not exhibit any qualities of toy breeds. His body length to height proportion is almost square. The Miniature Schnauzer has deep-set, dark brown, and small oval eyes, showing a keen expression. The ears are balanced with the head and are lengthy. When cropped they are identical in shape with pointed tips. Overall, his head is strong and rectangular. The width decreases from ears to eyes and to the tip of the nose. The Miniature Schnauzer has a double coat. The undercoat is softer than the exterior fur, which is wiry. Very soft or excessively smooth coats with a satiny appearance are considered to be a fault in the breed. The recognized colors have unvarying skin pigmentation and there are no pink or white patches on the skin. Black is the only solid color acceptable. The topcoat is rich and solid and glossy black while the undercoat is less dense with a soft non-glossy shade of black.

Temperament

The Miniature Schnauzer is a spirited dog. He is also very alert. At the same time he is obedient, friendly, intelligent and inclined to please. A typical Miniature Schnauzer is never timid or overaggressive. Unlike terriers, he is not prone to aggression but will accept a stranger as a friend only after the owner has welcomed the guest. Once matured, he develops a strong territorial instinct, but is not prone to defending physically. He would rather do that vocally. At the first sight of danger to his home he is liable to bark. At the same time he is discriminating and intelligent. These traits make him a perfect choice for a watchdog. However, it is important that he is trained for socializing with other dogs and strangers because he does not bark randomly, but is an incessant barker. Miniature Schnauzers are known to stay extremely healthy throughout their life, but are susceptible to health issues related to high fat levels. These problems include presence of excess lipids in the blood, which increases the possibility of inflammation in the pancreas. Other health issues that owners have to be aware of include diabetes, bladder stones, and eye problems. Most health problems can be avoided by ensuring that Miniature Schnauzers are kept on low or non-fat diets and unsweetened foods. They are also prone to develop ear infection, especially if the ears are not cropped. It is also important to check and dry them after swimming to avoid risk of infection.

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