Miniature Schnauzer: Nutrition, education, character, training and much more about the Schnauzer Dog

By Roland Berger

The Miniature Schnauzer is the smallest of three siblings, but therefore no less interesting. Except in size, he hardly differs from the other Schnauzer breeds. Why is the Schnauzer actually called Schnauzer and what does he have in common with the Pinschers, which look completely different?

The content of the book is:
- The dog breed Miniature Schnauzer
- Education and training of a Miniature Schnauzer
- Health and nutrition
- The care of the Miniature Schnauzer
- Character, training and much more

All this and much more you will learn in this guide. You will be introduced to the world of Schnauzers and especially the Miniature Schnauzer. You can find out about how he wants to be kept and whether you should expect serious diseases. Even the upbringing and nutritional options will be explained to you.

You can be sure that when you are done with this guidebook, you will only want one thing ....
... a Miniature Schnauzer!

• Language: English
• Publisher: XinXii
• Release date: Apr 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9783989110564

Book preview

Introductory

The Miniature Schnauzer is an all-round dog for everyone. He can, unlike his bigger brothers, adapt to any situation in life. His urge to move is also great, but if it must be, he is satisfied with what is offered to him. Thanks to his small size, he also feels comfortable with older people in a smaller apartment.

You have now developed a great interest in this little dog? Then you are well served with this guide, because here you will be introduced to the Miniature Schnauzer with all its advantages and disadvantages.

Furthermore, you get a little insight into the breed of the Schnauzer in general, because he is not alone. And what does a Schnauzer have in common with a Pinscher? You will find an answer to this question as well.

The Miniature Schnauzer

Miniature Schnauzer is the smallest representative among the Schnauzer breeds. He was already known in the Middle Ages, so it is a very old dog breed. However, at that time he was certainly not called a Miniature Schnauzer. Even when this breed was officially recognized and targeted breeding began, he was still called rough-haired Miniature Pinscher.

Origin and history

It was often assumed that the Schnauzer and also the Pinscher were directly related to the early peat dogs. There was even a study by a Swiss zoologist to prove this fact. For this purpose, the skulls of Neolithic dogs were excavated and compared in size and shape. However, the differences in shape found proved to be the result of the differences in size between the breeds of the time and could in no way be attributed to a specific breed. So this study did not really prove that Schnauzers and Pinschers descended from these peat dogs.

More likely is the idea that these two breeds emerged from the large group of dogs that remained small, around the end of the 19th century. Anatomically, the Schnauzer and the Pinscher resemble each other, only in the coat they showed differences. Therefore, at that time there was the Pinscher and the rough-haired Pinscher.

Rough-haired dogs have always existed, without being particularly bred. On old oil paintings now and then such dogs are shown, but they hardly show any resemblance to today's Schnauzers. Since they also did not look particularly spectacular, the upper class of the population had no interest in these rough-haired quadrupeds, which is why they were not particularly often captured in pictures.

The only thing that has been handed down is that such rough-haired dogs were mainly kept in the stables, because they hunted and caught the mice and rats. Scholars of the time attributed a fair amount of grit and sharpness to these stable pinschers. They were described as extremely alert and affectionate. In addition, there was a hunting ambition for rats and mice and further a remarkable affection for horses. These circumstances led to the fact that more and more carters, but also grooms owned such dogs, in order to master the plague of rats and mice and to protect the food supplies. The fact that these dogs now also had special protection against the sharp teeth of the rats did the rest. Meant is the already at these early times existing long hair at the eyes and the muzzle. It also became a habit to dock the ears of the shaggy dogs, so that no rat could bite there.

These dogs loved the cozy warmth of the horse stables, which is why they liked to stay here. Besides, the clever four-legged friends guarded horse and carriage and the belongings of their owners. Furthermore, they were used as companion dogs of carriages, because they had a pronounced guard and protective instinct. This has been preserved for them even today. However, endurance and a certain weather resistance were also necessary, because the dogs had to run along unconditionally on the daily march, which corresponded well and gladly to about 20 kilometers, and besides always exercise the guard office. In the past, it was also not really common to care much about the food of a dog. He got what could be spared from the table, and often not even that. This circumstance, in turn, meant that the four-legged friend was extremely frugal and, if necessary, had to look for his own food. Only those dogs that possessed these qualities were used for offspring. How the animals looked physically or what color their fur was, hardly mattered.

Probably the most characteristic difference in the Schnauzers later caused a racial separation from the Pinschers. This is the long hair on the eyes and the muzzle, which ultimately gave the Schnauzer its name. While in the time before both breeds were still mated with each other, this should no longer happen after the beginning of pure breeding.

Not all Schnauzers are created equal

When talking about the Schnauzer, usually the standard Schnauzer is addressed. In total, there are three types of Schnauzer, which vary in size. They are all recognized as a separate breed by the FCI and are listed in Group 2. The Giant Schnauzer carries the standard number 181, the Standard or Medium Schnauzer carries the number 182 and the Miniature Schnauzer carries the number 183.

The giant schnauzer

The Giant Schnauzer was kept as a guard or shepherd dog. Mostly he was found in the Alps and was also used here to defend carts. During the 1920s, he found his use as an official service dog in the police.

This breed is very intelligent and extremely alert. The Giant Schnauzer is characterized by his sensitivity, which makes him rather suspicious of strangers. However, he builds a very close bond with his caregivers and he needs the social contact with his family. He is very affectionate and demands the attention of his owner.

Genetically, he needs a lot of exercise. The Giant Schnauzer is not suitable to eke out its existence in a small apartment. You should not be a couch potato yourself, because this dog breed wants to be intensively occupied.

The muscular body can reach a height of up to 70 cm and a weight of up to 50 kg. It is the Giant Schnauzer, as the name suggests, a very large dog.

The coat feels rather hard and wiry. The colors are not so abundantly represented here: You can choose from a black Giant Schnauzer or one in the pepper-salt color. As a rule, the coat is quite easy to care for, but it needs regular brushing and trimming. You should leave this to a professional if you have no experience with it.

In the VDH there is only one recognized club, which is responsible for the breed standard of the Giant Schnauzer. This is the Pinscher-Schnauzer-Klub 1895 e. V..

Standard or Medium Schnauzer

The Standard or Medium Schnauzer is the origin of the other two Schnauzer breeds, so it is the original type of Schnauzer. Like his big brother, he was used as a guard dog and mainly accompanied carts to defend them. Likewise, he had to confidently and reliably defend his master's property. This behavior is anchored in his genes and is still present today. His home was usually the horse stable.

The Medium Schnauzer can grow up to 50 cm tall and weigh about 18 kg. So he is much smaller than the Giant Schnauzer. This type of Schnauzer is also only available in black or pepper-salt.

Miniature Schnauzer

The third Schnauzer breed is the Miniature Schnauzer. This will not be discussed in detail here, as you will receive a detailed breed description afterwards.

The Schnauzer and the Pinscher

These two breeds of dogs are among the oldest in Europe. Externally, they do not resemble each other at all, and yet they are related, because they share their ancestors. In fact, until 1920, today's Schnauzer was called Rough-haired Pinscher.

The Pinscher also has several subspecies, for example the Affenpinscher or the Zwergpinscher. Both breeds are listed in the same group within the FCI, the Pinscher however with the standard number 184.

Just like the Schnauzer, the Pinscher was bred to work. He is extremely intelligent and robust. His urge to move is just as great as the Schnauzer's and he wants to be exercised and kept busy. Therefore, he is ideal for dog sports or for elaborate training, for example, as a rescue dog or therapy dog. As a pure lap or fun dog, the Pinscher is just as unsuitable as the Schnauzer. Both breeds demand their owners, because they need a lot of mental and physical activities.

But how is it that two outwardly so different breeds belong together? The answer can be found in the common history of both breeds.

They are believed to be descended from the so-called peat dogs of the Neolithic period. Today's Spitz and Terriers are also said to go back to these ancestors. Therefore, however, the Schnauzer and Pinscher are not terriers, because these were bred in the British Isles, while the Pinscher and Schnauzer developed in Germany. Here they were uniformly called Pinscher until the year 1920. Only after that the Schnauzer became an independent breed.

But not only the ancestors share these two breeds, but also the reasons why they were bred in the first place. The Schnauzer and also the Pinscher were responsible for guarding the house and yard along with livestock and other goods of their owner. In addition, they proved to be excellent rat catchers and were therefore able to prevent a plague. Here is also the naming of both breeds.

The Pinscher is based on the English expression to pinch. Translated into German, it means to pinch or to pinch. The Pinscher grabs the rat when he catches it. This is reflected in the wording to pinch. This then evolved into the Pinscher.

The Schnauzer owes its name to the lush growth on its muzzle, which is very reminiscent of a moustache. However, this strong fur growth served rather as protection from the claws and teeth of the rats.

In Germany, there is only one dog club that has adopted these breeds and still cares for them today. It was founded already in 1895 and was called Pinscher Klub. Only later, when both breeds became independent, the name of the club was changed to Pinscher-Schnauzer-Klub. Even then, great emphasis was placed on breeding standards, especially because there are so many subspecies within both breeds. The stud books and the pedigrees were and are carefully documented. But which breeds now belong together in this sense?

As already mentioned, there are other subspecies in the Schnauzers and in the Pinschers. The most obvious difference is in the size of the dogs, but different characters and temperaments can also be found. Over the thumb can be said that smaller breeds have a less high demand for exercise and workout than the larger breeds. In addition, they are easier to handle.

The Schnauzer, as you have already learned, is grouped into Dwarf, Medium and Giant Schnauzers. The Pinscher includes the breeds Dwarf Pinscher (also called Deer Pinscher), Affen Pinscher and German Pinscher.

The Miniature Pinscher can grow up to 30 cm tall and weigh about four kilograms. His urge to move can be classified as medium. The coat is short and smooth. Usually the base color is black, with a few red markings, but he can also be found with red fur color. Since the Miniature Pinscher is quite small and easy to care for, it can be kept in a smaller apartment. Health-wise, this breed is considered to be very robust. It is very suitable as a family dog or as a companion dog for elderly people.

The Affenpinscher is as large as the dwarf Pinscher, but it can weigh up to five kilograms. This type of Pinscher is the oldest, but also the rarest in this breed. As the Affenpinscher appears today, it existed far more than 100 years ago. Since it is not as agile as its relatives, it can be kept well in a smaller apartment and also by older people. His coat is longer than the other Pinschers. It is rather rough to the touch and is black in color. The eyes protrude somewhat and his nose is flat. The bite shows a slight overbite. All in all, the face of this dog resembles that of a monkey, which ultimately gives it its name.

The German Pinscher is the largest of its kind, because it grows up to 50 cm. The weight oscillates between 13 kg and 18 kg. Its coat is short and smooth, like that of the Miniature Pinscher, and varies in different reddish tones. This Pinscher is also suitable for apartment keeping, but would like to be allowed to live out his pronounced urge to move. Therefore, he needs plenty of physical and mental activity and just as much exercise.

The Pinscher, like the Schnauzer, has an innate hunting instinct. This must be taken into account during training and socialization. As you have already learned, both breeds served to hunt rats. This work they performed independently and without guidance from humans. The