The Miniature Schnauzer

ORIGIN & HISTORY

The Miniature Schnauzer originated in Germany in the late 17th century and was developed from breeding the Standard Schnauzer with smaller breeds, such as the poodle and the Affenpinscher. The courage and boldness inherited from the Standard Schnauzer meant that they were originally used as guard dogs but were also developed to hunt rats, at which they were very skilled.

The Miniature Schnauzer is now very much a companion dog. It ranks high in popularity, on both sides of the Atlantic, being 10th in breed registrations for the American Kennel Club and 13th in the Kennel Club UK.

This breed is one of the smaller terriers but is a robust, sturdy little dog, standing between 12 to 14 inches tall and weighing from thirteen to eighteen pounds. It has a distinctive face, with a long bushy beard and prominent moustache and eyebrows.

The coat is double, with a harsh wiry outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat and with very little shedding. Miniature Schnauzers need to be groomed at least twice a week. The cheeky tail is set high and carried erect. The color may be salt and pepper, black and silver, solid black and occasionally white. 

This little dog is alert, lively and friendly and with its convenient size, it is easy to see why it is such a popular choice as a family pet. He tends to be less aggressive than most other terrier breeds but when adult, will have a strong territorial instinct, which makes him an excellent watchdog. Miniature Schnauzers are not prone to excessive barking but will certainly warn at the approach of strangers.

They are generally gentle and patient with children and are always ready to play. They are intelligent and easy to train and eager to please. As with most terrier breeds, they are energetic and require a reasonable amount of exercise. This is important, since they can gain weight easily. For the same reason, care must be taken not to overfeed this breed.

Miniature Schnauzers are fairly placid and confident about being left alone - for a reasonable time! They do not exhibit much stress or separation anxiety and are not normally destructive when unsupervised.

The average life span of the Miniature Schnauzer is from ten to fourteen years. They are prone to diabetes, bladder stones and pancreatitis. Avoiding sweet and fatty foods can be a big help in preventing pancreatitis.  

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Here are the Breed Standards for The American Kennel Club

Here are The Breed Standards for the UK Kennel Club