Miniature Schnauzer

Miniature Schnauzer
Classic pose of a Miniature Schnauzer. This dog has natural ears and an undocked tail.
Other namesZwergschnauzer (Dwarf Schnauzer)
OriginGermany
Traits
Height Males 12 to 14 in (30 to 36 cm)[1][2]
Females 11 to 13 in (28 to 33 cm)[1][2]
Weight Males 11 to 20 lb (5.0 to 9.1 kg)[1]
Females 11 to 20 lb (5.0 to 9.1 kg)[1]
Coat Harsh and wiry when hand stripped, soft and curly when clipped
Color Black, pepper and salt, black and silver
Litter size 3 to 8 pups
Life span 12 to 15 years[1][2]
Kennel club standards
VDH standard
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

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 may have been developed from the smallest specimens of the Standard Schnauzer,[3][4] or crosses between the standard and one or more smaller breeds such as the Affenpinscher, Miniature Pinscher, and Poodles,[5][6][7][8] as farmers bred a small dog that was an efficient ratting dog. They are described as "spunky"[1] but aloof dogs, with good guarding tendencies without some guard dogs' predisposition to bite. Miniature Schnauzers are recognized in four colors internationally: solid black, black and silver, salt and pepper, and white.[9]

It is the most popular Schnauzer breed,[7] and remains one of the most popular worldwide, primarily for its temperament and relatively small size. As of 2022 it is the 17th most popular breed in the U.S.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference hillspets was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c "Schnauzer (Miniature)". New Zealand Kennel Club. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Early History". The Miniature Schnauzer Club (Great Britain). Retrieved 20 May 2018. Questions as to the roots and origins of the Miniature Schnauzer produce varied responses. Some breed authorities have maintained that the breed is a result of using only the smallest specimens of the Standard Schnauzer. Others have felt Miniatures to be the result of crossing the Standard Schnauzer with the Affenpinscher and other small breeds. This latter is considered to be the more probable origin...
  4. ^ "History of the Miniature Schnauzer". The American Miniature Schnauzer Club. Retrieved 30 May 2018. The Miniature is said to have come from mating with the Affenpinscher. They may have been developed entirely by chance, often the main reason for a new breed...
  5. ^ "Miniature Schnauzer: Description". The Kennel Club. Retrieved 27 May 2018. It is thought that the miniaturisation was brought about by the infusion of Affenpinscher blood.
  6. ^ "Miniature Schnauzer". American Kennel Club. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2005. ...the Miniature Schnauzer resides in the AKC Terrier Group with other diminutive rat-catcher breeds. But the Mini is unique among AKC terriers in that he has no British blood in his veins... Alone among terriers, the Miniature Schnauzer is wholly a product of Continental stock: Standard Schnauzer, Affenpinscher, and Poodle. This explains that though the Mini was born to the traditional work of small terriers, his personality is quite different. Not for him is the dour independence of the Scottish Terrier or the fiery temperament of the Irish Terrier. Rather, he is an overtly friendly dog, spirited but obedient and willing to please.
  7. ^ a b Miniature Schnauzer. Kennel Club Books Interactive Series. i5 Publishing. 2010. pp. 23–30. ISBN 978-1-59378-774-5. Size reduction, in the Miniature's case, may have been achieved by introducing Affenpinscher and poodle blood... To create the Miniature Schnauzer, it is theorized the Standard Schnauzer may have been crossed with the Affenpinscher or Miniature Pinscher.
  8. ^ Ludington, Mary (October 2007). The Nature of Dogs. Simon & Schuster. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-4165-4287-2. This miniature relation of the Standard Schnauzer first appeared around the beginning of the nineteenth century and is thought to be the product of crosses between small Standard Schnauzer and/or Miniature Pinschers with Affenpinschers and Poodles.
  9. ^ "Breed Standards : Miniature Schnauzer | United Kennel Club (UKC)". www.ukcdogs.com. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  10. ^ Haid, Melanie (15 March 2023). "The Most Popular Dog Breeds Of 2022". American Kennel Club. Retrieved 13 April 2023.