Page 141 - Showsight April 2013

Some History of the
THREE SCHNAUZER BREEDS
By Sylvia Hammarstrom T here is lots of pub-
lished information
from around the world
about the Schnauzers.
Many good books and
specialty breed-books.
The original breed, the Standard Schnau-
zer, has been documented in paintings
and statues as long ago as the fourteenth
century. The Standard was a very use-
ful dog, able to be a good ratter, herder
and guard. He originated in Europe and
eventually became known as a German
breed, where he still is very popular as a
family pet and guardian. In the late 19th
century the miniature also appeared—
many think from breeding the Affenpin-
scher to the Standard. There were prob-
ably other smaller breeds involved. Many
colors started appearing—the first two
Miniatures registered in Germany were
a pepper/salt and a white mini.
The Giant Schnauzer also appeared in
the latter part of the 19th century. There
are many opinions about his ancestors
but most likely the Bouvier de Flanders,
the Poodle and the Great Dane were
used to bring up the size. Living with
the Giants for many years as well as dogs
from these other breeds I can safely say
there definitely are many characteris-
tics the breeds share. They are definitely
good guardians, the Giants love water
like the Poodle and are good herders like
the Bouvier. As late as after the Second
World War breeders in Europe manipu-
lated the gene pool of the Schnauzers,
introducing and improving traits we all
admire today.
I worked in a Schnauzer kennel in
Belgium in 1955 during my summer
vacation. I was just a kid but I fell in love
with the Standard Schnauzer and have
had them ever since then. Mone De Pret
who had van Stedeke Schnauzers was
dedicated to saving the Schnauzers after
World War II. She went to Berlin and
set traps in the ruins to rescue as many
as she could. From these dogs she got
Alex von Mansard a magnificent pepper/
salt male, who I was told sired over 600
offspring. If you go back into any Stan-
dard Schnauzer pedigree you will find
Alex and other van Stedeke dogs. You
will have to go back 65+ years. When I
traveled with Mone De Pret to all the big
shows in Germany, France, Switzerland
and Italy almost all Minis and Standards
were pepper/salt; the blacks and black/
silver minis came later. I did see some
white minis, but they were not popular
then. Times have changed and the white
is now very popular in Europe and South
America. The American Miniature
Schnauzer club does not approve of the
white Miniature. I’m not sure why. The
white is approved in all other countries
worldwide, and if you travel internation-
ally you will see them with big entries
at the world shows etc. I have personally
judged them in 5 different countries. I
predict it’s only a matter of time before
Americans will join the rest of the world
in approving this very attractive little
Schnauzer. The Giant Schnauzer also
spread around the world from coming in
unlimited colors all the way from white
and fawn to gray and black, black and
tan, et cetera. Clubs have united on 2
colors. the black and the pepper/salt. As
late as 40 years ago there were black/tan
champions here in the U.S.A.
The black/silver is a very popular,
beautiful color in the Giant breed. Many
breeders especially in Europe are try-
ing to get this variety approved again.
Regardless what color you prefer or what
texture coat you prefer the Schnauzer
like most breeds keep improving and
changing in details. After all—the Mini
and the Giant are only a little over 100
years old as per records still available.
That is a drop in a bucket in evolution.
The Standard has proved to be the one
breed that has changed the least. We all
still love our Schnauzers for their beauty,
intelligence, great sense of being guard-
ians of house and home and perhaps most
of all for their loyalty to his owner.
“The Standard has proved to be
THE oNE BREED THAT HAS CHANgED THE lEAST.”
ShowSight Magazine, April 2013 • 141