Videos Miniature Schnauzer Breed Information
Alternative names -
Zwergschnauzer (Dwarf Schnauzer)
Country of origin -
Germany
Classification and breed standards
FCI:|Group
2 Section 1 #183|Stds
AKC:|Terrier|Stds
ANKC:|Group 6
(Utility)|Stds
CKC:|Group
4 - Terriers|Stds
KC
(UK):|Utility|Stds
NZKC:|Utility|Stds
UKC:|Terriers|Stds
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. Quick Facts
Miniature
Schnauzer Quick Facts
Weight: | 10-15 pounds (5-7kg) |
Height: | 12-14 inches (30-36cm) |
Coat: | Harsh outer coat with a soft undercoat
Activity level: | Fairly active
Learning rate: | High
Temperament: | Very perky, bright-eyed, loving, intelligent,
energetic, affectionate, obedient, playful, happy, alert, feisty
(Temperament can be quite variable)
Guard dog ability: | High
Watch-dog ability: | Very high
Litter size: | ?
Life span: | ~15 years
2. Temperament
The Official Standard of the Miniature Schnauzer describes
temperament as "The Miniature Schnauzer http://www.akc.org/breeds/miniature_schnauzer/
As such they tend to be excellent watchdogs. They are often guarded
of strangers until the owners of the home welcome the guest, upon
which they are typically very friendly to them. "Miniature
Schnauzers are not by nature aggressive, as are some of their
Terrier cousins. They should be relatively fearless. Once mature,
the Schnauzer has a strongly developed territorial instinct. He is
an ideal guard dog as he defends vocally rather than physically.
... A good Schnauzer will bark at anyone who may appear a threat to
his home....... Schnauzers are not random, incessant barkers. They
are discriminating and intelligent guard dogs that assume this duty
naturally." from the New Miniature Schnauzer, 2nd edition, pg
12, by Dan Kiedrowski, Howell Book House Publishers, 1997.
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 bored and invent their
own "fun".
3. History
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.
4. 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 any breed, it can act as a
poison. All Miniature Schnauzers but especially those with natural
(uncropped) ears should have their ears checked regularly and dried
out after swimming. 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.
Copyright (c) 2008 Kitt Killion Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
Taken or modified, in whole or part, from Wikipedia.org
