Page 22 - ShowSight Presents The Miniature Schnauzer

higher than shoulders”. There should be ‘dog behind the tail’, a little ‘shelf.’
The backline is straight, slop- ing slightly to the base of the tail, flat croup—no roller coasters. Read care- fully the breed standard on Tail: “Set high and carried erect. It (tail) is docked only long enough to be clearly visible over the backline of the body when dog is in proper length of coat. A properly presented Miniature Schnauzer will have a docked tail as described; all oth- ers should be severely penalized.” The American Miniature Schnauzer Club is not one that says ‘whatever’ when it comes to tails. This is breed type, this is recognizing our breed. AKC expects judges to move and examine every entry—“This includes breeds that according to their breed standard traditionally have been cropped and/ or docked and dogs entered which may have deviations from the breed standard.” So after moving and exam- ining that dog with a deviation such as an undocked tail, we expect you to respect important attributes of breed type as written in our AKC breed stan- dard. An undocked tail should be con- sidered a serious enough fault as to effectively remove that dog from con- formation competition at an AKC show. We’re serious.
DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Dogs or bitches under 12 inches or over 14 inches. (any age or sex), but also keep in mind, there is no preferred size, anything within that range is correct as long as you don’t see toyishness, rangi- ness or coarseness. Please measure if you have any question. It can be very difficult to visually discern a critical 1/4". It is much better to be certain rath- er than making the mistake of putting that perhaps oversize but otherwise lovely dog at the end of the line. Size is a DQ, and we need your support in the ring.
COAT:
Double coat—hard wiry outer coat, close undercoat. Texture is the most
important thing. As with some of the other Terriers, it doesn’t matter wheth- er the exhibitor has “stage stripped” or “rolled” the coat, the most important thing about coat is that texture on the day should be hard and wiry. To extend the coat in show condition, varying amounts of undercoat may have been raked out. Coat on the head, neck, chest, tail, body must be plucked; the throat, cheeks, and bottom will be clip- pered; leg furnishings, beard, eyebrows will be scissored. Coat length is not stipulated, must be able to determine correct texture.
COLORS:
Allowed colors are Salt and Pepper, Black and Silver, solid Black. Black is the only solid color allowed; a small white spot on the chest, occasional white body hairs are permissible. The Salt and Pepper coat consists of a mixture of solid black, solid white, and banded hairs, varying from light to dark, tan shading permitted. The Black and Silver coat is the same bi-color pattern, except solid black where the salt and pepper would be, and with the difference that the underbody furnishings below the chest and ribcage should be dark. Judg- ing: Watch for any white, even a narrow blaze, in colored area mid-forechest between the silvery white “bow tie” and lighter area of the throat—it’s a DQ.
Judge movement at the trot. Look for the good reach and drive of a square- built dog. No mincing, no prancing, no chin tapping front or high kicking rear. True double tracking coming and going. At a full trot, there will be a slight inward inclination beginning at the shoulder in front, the hip in the rear, but no excuse for moving too close or crossing over.
TEMPERAMENT:
“Alert, spirited, yet obedient to command...friendly, intelligent and willing to please...never over aggres- sive or timid.” Sparring (bringing dogs together to look at each other, pull themselves together) usually works
best with the Specials class. Puppies and bitches may just look at each other since Miniature Schnauzers often live together peacefully at home. But show a Miniature Schnauzer a rat or other var- mint, and their Terrier function is alive and deadly!
SHOW GROOMING:
Coats are either stage stripped out starting eight—ten weeks prior to the first shows on a circuit, or rolled, worked constantly. Specials dogs usu- ally have a rolled coat so they can stay in the ring, but the pattern of banding and texture quality may affect whether rolling coat works for an individual dog. Stripped out dogs are shown for may- be six—ten weeks, the coat gradually “blows”, the tight Terrier jacket is lost, the dog goes home for several months to start all over again on coat work. It makes no sense for a judge to say some- thing like ‘this coat is a little short, bring him back when he has more coat’. First, just check texture, as there is no minimum length required, and second, it’s doubtful you’ll see that dog again on that particular coat.
Prior to the shows, the exhibitor will do the finish work—scissor furnishings, clipper throat, cheeks, ears, bottom, and tummy. Show day, the exhibitor will bathe the beard and furnishings, chalk the furnishings on salt and pep- pers and black and silvers, use a mousse or gel on the furnishings of the blacks, then brush out and blow dry, followed by a light hair spray. Grooming should be done with a relatively light touch— no cloud of flying chalk when the dog does the big shake. Show grooming of furnishings is a presentation issue— Miniature Schnauzer exhibitors tend to be perfectionists, wanting to bring you a dog with every hair in place in a tai- lored tuxedo look.
THEN IT’S UP TO YOU— KEEP IN MIND:
• Square, sturdy outline
• Short, deep body
• Straight backline, declines slightly • Flat croup with a Docked erect tail • Rectangular head, clean cheeks,
scissors bite
• Ears cropped or not
• Hard wiry coat in Allowed colors
only *DQ
• Nose must be solid black *DQ • Size 12"—14" *DQ
• Correct reach and drive
• Alert temperament
“FRIENDLY, INTELLIGENT AND WILLING TO PLEASE...
NEVER OVER AGGRESSIVE OR TIMID.”
288 • SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MAY 2018