Page 294 - ShowSight - July 2019

Judging the
MINIATURE
SCHNAUZER
The Miniature Schnauzer is one of just a few Terri- ers which did not originate from the British Isles. Developed in the Bavarian region of Germany in the late 1800s, the Miniature Schnauzer appears to be a
cross from smaller Standard Schnauzers and the “Monkey Pin- schers” (today’s Affenpinscher) common in that area. As with the British Terriers, the multipurpose Miniature Schnauzer was bred to be a ratter, with the bonus of being a watchdog and great family companion.
The statement of General Appearance describes both his func- tion and his general appearance: “The Miniature Schnauzer is a robust, active dog of terrier type, resembling his larger cousin, the Standard Schnauzer, in general appearance, and of an alert, active disposition”. Note that our breed standard describes a gen- eral resemblance, not a miniature copy of the Standard Schnauzer. The three Schnauzers are three distinct breeds with three distinct breed standards.
Watching Miniature Schnauzers walk into your ring, you should see distinctive dogs with hard wiry coats in one of three accepted colors. Look for the square, sturdy outline, rectangular head with clean cheeks, ears cropped or uncropped, strong well arched neck, short deep body, straight backline that declines slightly to a flat croup with a docked, erect tail, hard wiry coat. Get a first impres- sion of size, whether each dog is within the size range of 12 inches to 14 inches regardless of age or sex.
Let the dogs move around the ring to loosen up, and start your examinations on the table to check. A quick word to the dog to make sure that he is paying attention, then a hand under his chin. You are looking for the head to be strong and rectangular with flat, clean cheeks. With the short-faced “Monkey Pinscher”/Affenpinscher
in our history, our standard carefully states that the muzzle is “at least as long as the topskull” which is “flat and fairly long”, ending in a “moderately blunt manner”. In practice, that means the muzzle should be approximately the same length as the topskull—neither shorter, nor exaggerated and too long. Balanced. Overall impression rectangular, strong but not blocky, nor too narrow. Parallel planes.
Lift the eyebrows to make sure eyes are small, dark, oval, and deep-set. Think of dark walnut for color. Nose color must be solid black, any other color a DQ. Teeth—scissors bite only, look for six upper and lower incisors. To check bite, hold down the center of the beard below the teeth with your left hand, and with your right, use your forefinger and thumb on each side of the incisors to slide up the upper lip. Please do not go picking through the beard looking for side teeth. Ears cropped or uncropped is optional in our breed standard. If cropped, the ears should be balanced and set high, with the inside edges carried perpendicularly. When uncropped, the ears are small and V shaped, folding close to the skull, the tip pointing to the outside corner of the eye. Look for the “use of ears” on the ground, not on the table. The Schnauzer’s characteristic “down the nose” expression is emphasized by trimming the eyebrows into a sharp triangle. The beard will be trimmed and shaped to emphasize the rectangular shape of the head.
Overall body outline is square, measured from the forechest to buttocks, withers to the ground. Look for robust and sturdy, the brisket extends at least to the elbows, ribs well sprung and deep, short loin. Forequarters should be straight and parallel. Strong pas- terns. Good bone. Neck strong and well arched, blending into the shoulders. Sloping shoulders well laid back. Look for smooth transi- tion from the neck into the shoulders and topline, neck should not be short and stuffy. Viewed from the side the forelegs should be set
As with the British Terriers, the multipurpose Miniature Schnauzer was bred to be a ratter, with the bonus of being a watchdog and great family companion.
288 • ShowSight Magazine, July 2019
BY WYOMA CLOUSS
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