What to Know About Owning a Miniature Schnauzer for Sale

The Miniature Schnauzer is the smallest of the three breeds in that family. With a conformation like the larger Schnauzers, the Miniature probably deviates the most in temperament. For people who want a steady yet lively pet that plays well with other dogs and kids, the Miniature Schnauzer warrants consideration. A Mini Schnauzer is well-suited for owners who wish for a small dog for apartment living but do not want one with the personality attributes of a Toy breed.

Miniature Schnauzer for Sale Near Me

Miniature Schnauzers are popular enough that finding one that you can visit should not be difficult. The advantages of visiting Miniature Schnauzer puppies for sale before you acquire one are the following:

• You can get a brief picture of general healthy
• You can possibly see one or both parents
• Assess the cleanliness of the facilities
• See if the puppies look well-nourished and healthy - no shyness or discharge from the eyes or nose; no signs of diarrhea or vomiting
• Visualize registration papers if any, family tree, and certification on the parents if available

Overview of Miniature Schnauzer for Sale

The Miniature Schnauzer is a member of the AKC terrier group although it more closely resembles the German Pinscher in conformation, background, and mannerisms.

History

The Miniature Schnauzer came from crosses with the Standard Schnauzer that decreased its size. Founders most likely used Poodles, Affenpinschers, and Miniature Pinschers in the creation of the Schnauzer mini. The Miniature Schnauzer originated in the mid-1800s to work on German farms as ratters. They also guarded houses at night. The Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub of Germany came up with a breed standard for the Miniature Schnauzer in 1888. It received AKC recognition in 1926.

General Appearance

A Miniature Schnauzer for sale should be a sturdy dog with solid bone. However, coarseness is a fault as is any resemblance to Toy breeds which are often dainty. A mini Schnauzer has eyes that are relatively small with an oval shape and dark brown color. The ears are also small with a V shape and a folded-over posture. Many Miniatures Schnauzers, like their larger relative, have cropped ears that are medium in length but narrow in width. A Schnauzer's head should be characteristically rectangular in shape and flat on top. It tapers slightly towards the nose and narrows at eye level. The muzzle is somewhat blunt and appears strong despite the beard and mustache. Miniature Schnauzers have a strong, arched neck with no dewlap and strongly muscled shoulders and hindquarters. The body is noticeably short as the Miniature Schnauzer presents a square shape (height to the withers and length from chest to hips are equal). A Miniature Schnauzer's chest is deep but not too broad and there is no tuck-up of the abdomen. You will notice a straight topline with a tiny downward slope from the withers to the croup. The tail should be high-set and usually docked so that it is barely visible.

Size

Miniature Schnauzers are 12 to 14 inches tall and weigh 11 to 20 pounds. You may see a Miniature Schnauzer for sale that is smaller than the breed standard calls for. Such dogs would be disqualified in an AKC show but are in demand, nevertheless. Fanciers often refer to an undersized Schnauzer as a teacup Schnauzer. There are two classifications of the teacup Miniature Schnauzer. The Toy Schnauzer is nine to eleven inches tall and weighs six to eleven pounds while the Teacup Schnauzer is a mere six to eight inches high at the withers and two to five pounds.

Coat

The Miniature Schnauzer, like the Standard and the Giant, has a double coat consisting of dense, flat inner fur and an outer layer of wiry hair. Longer hairs, also called furnishings, grow on the legs and face and need to be scissored, although some owners clip the limbs completely. Show dogs are stripped like most wire-haired breeds.

Colors

Miniature Schnauzers have a limited possibility of colors, according to the breed standard.

• Salt and pepper - the main color consists of a mix of solid white and black hairs along with dominant banded black and white hairs; silver or light gray on whiskers, throat, eyebrows, inside inner hind legs, on the furnishings, under the tail, and sometimes on the underbody
• Solid black Miniature Schnauzer - stray gray hairs are a fault in the show ring; the undercoat is also black
• Silver and black - a kind of combination between the solid black and the salt and pepper dog; salt and pepper area should be solid black with no gray hairs or tan or rust; silver is in same areas as on salt and pepper except the underbody should remain black

Nonstandard colors include all dilutions involving liver, which is the suppression of dark pigment.

• Liver and tan
• Solid liver
• Liver pepper - pepper areas are chocolate color with white salt

Other nonstandard color patterns are the wheaten Miniature Schnauzer and the white Miniature Schnauzer. A white Miniature Schnauzer can be solid white or have white spotting throughout its body. White Miniature Schnauzers cannot qualify for conformation championships in the US, UK, South Africa, or Canada, although they can be enlisted in all registries. All other nonstandard colors are also disqualifications under the AKC.

Temperament

Miniature Schnauzers make great family companions because they are active and level-headed. They get along well with other dogs and make sturdy playmates for children if the kids are not too rough.

• Intelligent
• Highly trainable
• Lively
• Alert
• Friendly

Health

The Miniature Schnauzer is a healthy and long-lived breed. It has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Miniature Schnauzers share several health challenges with Poodles.

Undersized Miniature Schnauzer puppies such as Toys and Teacups can suffer from problems such as hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. They may need feedings every few hours. These dogs are also more susceptible to heart disease and liver shunts than Miniature Schnauzer puppies that mature closer to the standard size.

Care

• Grooming - if your dog shows, it needs to be stripped (type of plucking on a wirehaired dog) and scissored; casual owners typically give Miniature Schnauzers a full body clip leaving a small beard and mustache
• Brush teeth daily or every other day
• Clip nails or Dremel every 4 to 6 weeks
• Bathe every 6 to 8 weeks; bathe once or twice a week for atopic dermatitis
• Training - Miniature Schnauzers are smart and quick to learn; need positive reinforcement
• Feeding - puppies between 4 and 7 months may require 50 to 70 calories per pound of body weight every day; adults need 30 to 35 calories per pound of bodyweight daily; seniors need less food and active dogs require more; feed two or more feeding per day
• Exercise - 45 to 60 minutes daily; need rigorous activities mixed with mental stimulation and light exercise
• Socialization - the window for the greatest social progress with a dog is between 6 and 16 weeks of age; if you visit Miniature Schnauzer puppies near me, you can see how much socialization has already begun