Page 158 - Showsight April 2013

JUDGING THE
STANDARD SCHNAUZER
By Arden Holst S tandard Schnauzers origi-
nated in the farming and
livestock raising area of
southern Germany, a com-
mon dog of local farmers
and merchants valued for
their economic size, hearty good health
and loyal temperament. Structure and
temperament were determined by their
use. For the medium-sized Schnauzer,
his tasks required a sturdy build, quick,
efficient movement and an alert, deter-
mined temperament to succeed.
These hearty fellows herded livestock
to market, chased out the unwelcome
intruder and dispatched pesky vermin.
They accompanied itinerant peddlers,
protecting their wares as they traveled
from town to town. They worked as
guard dogs for the German army during
WWI, and as dispatch carriers for the
Red Cross.
From the German Pinscher Klub
Standard of 1907: “The Schnauzer
shows himself in every aspect as a real
working dog (never a fashion or luxury
dog). His looks emphasize this state-
ment: a sinewy, compact, and square
body of a working-oriented medium-
sized dog, with firm legs and feet, a
powerful jaw carrying a healthy bite,
lively dark eyes and black nose, bush
eyebrows and harsh whiskers, a water-
resistant wiry coat... a perfect balance
of power and nobility.”
Schnauzer Essentials
Echo’s from the 1907 Standard can be
heard in comments from today’s breeders:
“The breed should be structured like
other square-built working breeds...
robust, sturdy, well-muscled, but not bulky
or overdone, moderate in size. Harsh coat
and alert, lively and confident deportment
rounds it out.”
“Coat (should be) harsh, harsh, harsh.
To know the true beauty of the correct coat
is seeing your dog repel dirt and water.”
“Judges should be reminded that this
is a Working Breed that should have sub-
stance, bone and have a ground covering
gait with reach and drive. They should be
square built with a hard wire coat and have
a confident, alert temperament.”
Rectangular Head Shape &
Expressive Dark Eyes
Head is an important aspect of type.
Shaped like a blunt wedge, it narrows
slightly from ears to eyes to nose, which is
large and black. Add beard and whiskers,
and the head shape appears rectangular.
The topskull is moderately broad between
the ears, flat and unwrinkled. Top of the
skull and muzzle are equal in length and
parallel, divided by a slight stop. Muzzle is
strong with good fill under the eyes. A scis-
sors bite is favored, though a level bite is not
considered as serious a fault as an undershot
or overshot bite. Length of the head is about
one-half that of the back.
The alert expression is centered in the
very dark brown, medium-sized oval eyes,
turned forward and not obscured by too
long an eyebrow. Ears, if cropped, should
stand straight up when the dog is alert with
the inner edges parallel to one another and
perpendicular to the skull. Uncropped ears
are of medium size and break forward in a
line with the top of the skull with the inner
edges lying along the cheek.
Compact, Medium-Sized &
Well-Muscled Body
The body shape is basically square, with
the height at the withers approximately
the same as the distance from the chest to
the rump. Height that is over or under the
size limits is a disqualification. Males must
NOT be under 18" or over 20"; females
must NOT be under 17" or over 19".
The middle one-inch range is considered
the ideal.
The neck is well arched and flows
smoothly into a short, firm back. The
backline is straight, but slopes slightly to
the set on of the tail. The tail is docked
to between 1" and 2" in length and set
moderately high, at about 1-o’clock when
the dog is alert. Though a docked tail is
preferred, an undocked tail is not a reason
ignore or dismiss a quality exhibit.
The Standard calls for the shoulder
blade and upper arm to be equal in length
and set as close as possible to a 90-degree
angle. Shoulders should be smooth and
“To know the true beauty of the correct coat is
SEEING yoUR DoG REpEl DIRT AND wATER.”
158 • ShowSight Magazine, April 2013