Description

The Miniature Schnauzer is a square proportioned dog that is small in size. The shape of this animal is literally rectangular. They have a rectangular head, heavy eyebrows and a beard that is thick. The muzzle ends in a blunt wedge and is parallel to the top skull; it is also as long as the top skull. There shouldn’t be any signs of an overbite, if there is than you will want to talk to a vet about this. Their eyes will be oval in shape, a dark brown color and will small and deep-set.

It is your decision on whether or not you want to crop their ears or leave them as they are. If you do crop them than you want to make sure they are set high on the skull and are identical in their appearance. If they are natural they will usually be v-shaped, folded close to their head and will be small.

With most of these animals you will find that they have a neck that is strongly arched and will blend seamlessly into their shoulders. Their shoulders will make a vertical line from the tip of the shoulder to their elbows and will be very well muscled. Their ribs go all the way back to their loin and their belly will be tucked up.

They have a backline that is straight that will decline slightly from the withers to the tail. Most times their tail will be docked around the third vertebrae. You should be able to see their tail over their backline so you need to make sure it is tall enough. They will carry their tails high and erect. These dogs are not a frail breed and are meant to be small and compact.

These dogs have elbows that are held close to their bodies and their front legs should be long, straight and muscular. They will usually have heavy feathering on their legs. They also have muscular hindquarters. They have feet that are round, small and have arched toes.

Coat Description

These animals are well known for their hard wiry outer coat and a softer undercoat. So basically their coat is two different layers. The undercoat colors can be light gray and black. You want to make sure that their beard, legs and eyebrows are longer than the rest of their coat. This will give them characteristic markings of this breed.

History

These dogs are believed to have been bred from the Standard Schnauzer and a small Affenpinscher or maybe a Poodle. The reason they were originally bred is because they were supposed to retain the hunting skills that the Standard has and also be a good pet for your home.

These animals did not become a separate breed from the Standard Schnauzer until 1899 when Germany finally recognized them as being separate. They were first found in Germany in 1800s and were being used as ratters and farm dogs. The Standard Schnauzer and the Miniature Schnauzer didn’t become two separate breeds with the AKC until 1933. These dogs are the only Schnauzer that is left in the Terrier Group. They became really popular in the U.S. after World War II. Then they became the one of the most popular dog breeds around.

Temperament

These dogs are well known for being very gentle, which is why the older generation loves them so much. They are great around kids because they have an instinct that tells them when they need to be calm and when they can get a little wild and run around and play with older kids. It can seem at times like these dogs have two different sides. They love to snuggle up with you on your lap but they can also be energetic and out of control.

You have to make sure that these animals get enough exercise because if they don’t then they can easily become a difficult dog to handle. They can be very stubborn and hard headed at times but usually they are fun and playful. These dogs can play for hours if you let them.

It is important that you make sure they get to socialize with other dogs from a young age. The Miniature Schnauzer likes to try and seek a dominant role when they meet other dogs and this can cause problems such as fights. So if you start them socializing at a young age to all different sizes and breeds of dogs you won’t have this problem.

These dogs are known as being good watch dogs because they bark at the littlest noise. They are also well known for being very loyal animals and will always do their best to protect you. They are talkers, meaning that they like to growl and carry on as if they are having a conversation with themselves. If you tell them to do something that they don’t want to do then there are times they will let out a deep, long “roo-hoo.” This is their way of defying you.

When you want a great family pet than this is the animal for you. They are very loving, eager to please and friendly animals.

Health Problems

There are many problems that these dogs can get. You will want to make sure that you check into all of the different problems and always have a vet handy in case you should need them. It is always a good idea to do your research about the health problems that can happen to your pet so you can keep them healthy and with your family for a long time. Here are some of the different health problems that the Miniature Schnauzer can get.

[-]Congenital Cataracts, which is a genetic disorder that will affect both of their eyes and this, can lead to blindness over time.[/-]

[-]Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), which is a genetic eye disorder that will cause the retina to deteriorate and this can lead to blindness.

Schnauzer Comedone Syndrome, which is also known as Schnauzer bumps.[/-]

Other health problems they can get are liver diseases, diabetes, skin disorders, and bladder stones, anaphylactic reactions to vaccinations, von Willebrands disease, pancreatitis, Heart Murmurs, obesity, Cushing ’s disease, urinary infections, anemia and allergies.

Another health problem that they can have is being overweight. Some people don’t think of this as a problem but it can lead to all kinds of problems in the future. You can prevent this with enough exercise for your dog.

Grooming

Before you become the owner of one of these wonderful dogs, you want to make sure that you have taken the time to consider how much time you will spend in maintaining their coat. These dogs don’t shed a lot but you will have to brush them on a weekly basis. It is important that you keep their coat clean and prevent their hair from matting.

You want to make sure that you always brush them before you give them a bath. This will help prevent their hair from becoming matted during the bath. Then brush them again after they are done with their bath to stop any matting from happening. Make sure you brush everywhere on their body, even in between their toes, behind their ears and so on.

You don’t want to bathe your pet too often. Usually you want to do it right before you clip them or if they get really dirty. If you wash them too much you can cause their coat to become dirty and greasy because their body will start producing more oils than is needed. Don’t get any shampoo into their eyes, ears and mouth during their bath. You want to use a shampoo that is tearless. You can use cotton balls in their ears to stop any water getting into them. This will also help prevent an ear infection. Make sure you get all of the shampoo off of them or you will cause your pet to have dry flaky skin.

It is important that you take good care of their ears to prevent infections and to keep any unnecessary hair out of them. If you notice any signs of infection such as redness or a waxy buildup that is brown in color, than you need to get them to a vet for medicine.

You want to make sure on a weekly basis that you brush your dog’s teeth. You don’t want them to have health problems because you didn’t brush their teeth. Bad teeth on these dogs can lead to permanent heart and liver damage. You want to get them toys that promote dental stimulation to help them keep their teeth clean and healthy. When you brush their teeth you want to make sure that you use a tooth brush for dogs and toothpaste for dogs. You can get them at any pet store. It is recommended that you take your dog to a professional groomer every 4 to 6 weeks, especially if you will be showing your dog.

Exercise

The Miniature Schnauzers have to have regular exercise or they will easily become over weight. This can lead to all kinds of health problems for this breed. So always make sure your pet gets the proper diet and exercise. Some of the best exercise for these dogs is to take them for a short walk where they can explore or play a game of toss with them at home in your yard. You want to make sure that you let your pet get exercise every day. This will help to keep them healthy and fit, which means that they will be able to live a longer life with you.

Some other games that these dogs love to play are fetch and tug of war. They like to play with toys that will stimulate their mind. This is especially important if they will be left alone for any time at all because they are well known for their naughty streak that will get them in trouble if they are left alone for long periods of time or if they get bored.

Training

It is very important that you show your dog right up front who is boss because if you don’t than you will always have problems with them. This breed of dog is very well known for being stubborn, manipulative, hard-headed and assertive when they want something. You have to give these dogs lots of attention because they will become depressed if you don’t. So if you can’t devote time to just them then you may not want this dog breed.

You have to make sure that you use repetition constantly when you are training them. You also want to be gentle but firm and use treats and positive reinforcement with them. They are very intelligent animals and can be easy to train if you do it the right way.

When you are training them you want to start their training at a young age. Make sure you work on their aggressive behavior early so they learn not to do that when they meet new people or animals. This is very important because if you don’t work on this problem it will get to the point that you won’t be able to have your pet meet anyone new.

Training works best when you work with your pet on a daily basis. The more you are able to work with them the more they will learn. These dogs will make a great house pet for you but only if you train them right. So before you start training you will want to make sure that you do some research to learn how to do it right from the start.