The Miniature Schnauzer is a breed of small dog of the Schnauzer type that originated in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century. Miniature Schnauzers developed from crosses between the Standard Schnauzer and one or more smaller breeds such as the Poodle, Miniature Pinscher, or Affenpinscher. The breed remains one of the most popular, and is currently the 10th most popular breed in the U.S.^[1]

Appearance

Miniature Schnauzers are quite distinctive in appearance. They should be compact, muscular, and be "square" in build (the height at the withers should be the same as the length of the body). They have long beards, eyebrows, and feathering on the legs. In the USA, ears are sometimes cropped to stand upright and the tail is normally docked short. British Schnauzers have uncropped ears, as ear cropping is illegal in the United Kingdom. Since April 2007, docking has also been banned in the UK.

Their coats are wiry (when hand-stripped) and do not shed, which adds to their appeal as house pets. Miniature Schnauzers that are shown at dog shows needs to be hand-stripped to achieve the wiry texture that the breed standard calls for. Pets that are not shown, can be clippered. This will however turn the coat soft and make the dog lose color. The AKC, CKC and the KC (UK) recognizes only three colours: black, salt and pepper, and black and silver. The FCI, however, also recognizes white Miniature Schnauzers. Some breeders cross-breed Miniature Schnauzers with other breeds to try and introduce new colours, a practice that is discouraged by all major Schnauzer breed clubs.

An Original Black Mini Schnauzer (Lhulhu)

Height is 12 to 15 inches (30.5 to 38 cm) at the withers (American standard) or 30-35cm (FCI, German standard) at the withers, and they generally weigh 11 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 7 kg).

Temperament

Miniature Schnauzers are known for their lively personality. They are also highly loyal to their owners and can be very energetic, but if not given proper exercise or a balanced diet, they will gain weight very quickly.^{[citation needed]}

Miniature Schnauzers make excellent watchdogs.

Miniature Schnauzers are extremely vocal dogs, and are known for their barking. As such they tend to be excellent guard dogs. They are often guarded of strangers until the owners of the home welcome the guest, upon which they are typically very friendly to them. The breed can be overly vocal, but unnecessary barking can usually be controlled by training if the owner has patience with the dog.

The breed is generally good with children, recognizing that they need gentle play.

Miniature Schnauzers are generally highly intelligent and easy to train. They can, however, require a great deal of attention and affection from their owner, regardless if they are to be used as show dogs or home pets. If not given affection on a regular basis the breed can become depressed, which can decrease their mental and physical health.

They are highly playful dogs, and if not given the outlet required for their energy they can become a somewhat difficult breed.

History

Male (r) and female adult Miniature Schnauzers

The earliest records surrounding development of the Miniature Schnauzer in Germany come from the late 1800s. They were originally bred to be farm dogs in Germany, to keep the rats and other vermin out of the barn. In the breed's earliest stages, several small breeds were employed in crosses to bring down the size of the well-established Standard Schnauzer, with the goal of creating a duplicate in miniature.

Crossing to other breeds, such as the Affenpinscher and Miniature Pinscher, had the side effect of introducing colours that were not considered acceptable to the ultimate goal — and as breeders worked towards the stabilization of the gene pool, mismarked particolors and white puppies were removed from breeding programs.

The earliest recorded Miniature Schnauzer was in 1888, and the first exhibition was in 1899. With their bold courage, the Miniature Schnauzer was originally used for guarding herds, small farms, and families. As time passed, they were also used to hunt rats, because they appeared to have a knack for it, and its small size was perfect to get into tight places to catch them.

The AKC accepted registration of the new breed in 1926, two years after they were introduced to the United States. The American Kennel Club groups this breed with the Terriers as it was developed for a similar purpose and has a similar character to the terrier breeds of the Britain and Ireland. The Miniature Schnauzer was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1948. The United kingdom Kennel club however, does not accept the Miniature Schnauzer as a Terrier and lists it in the utility group for shows such as Crufts.

Health

Miniature Schnauzers are prone to diabetes, bladder stones and pancreatitis. They are occasionally genetically disposed to ideopathic hyperlipidemia (high levels of triglycerides, i.e. fats, in their blood). Hyperlipidemia makes pancreatitis much more likely for the affected dog. With proper care, without feeding the dog sweet or fatty foods, it can usually be avoided. As with many other types of dogs, mini schnauzers are not to be given any chocolate, since in their breed, it can act as a poison. Miniature Schnauzers with uncropped ears are prone to ear infections and deafness later in life if the ears are not checked regularly or dried out after swimming. Perfect weight varies on what size the dog is; if the dog is 14 inches high, and then the perfect weight would be 14 lbs. They should not be overfed since they gain weight easily. They can also develop a type of skin allergy, which shows up as a 'hot spot' often around the neck area, which can be tender for the animal forming a hard crust after weeping.