Picture taken from www.dailypuppy.com
Hello and welcome!
This is Sharda with a Miniature Schnauzer newsletter!
I am going to tell you more about the Miniature Schnauzer history and its early beginning and much more about this wonderful pet.
Here we go!
The Miniature Schnauzer is the only dog in the terrier group that is not able to trace its roots back to Britain.
The Miniature Schnauzer was originally bred in Germany, and there are pictures depicting a dog that looks very similar to a Schnauzer dating back to the fifteenth century.
The original heritage of the Schnauzer is believed to be from the Wurttenberg cattle dog being crossed with either a Spitz or a Standard Poodle.
These crosses could certainly account for the characteristic coat of the Schnauzer.
The standard sized Schnauzer was originally called a Pinscher, but then was changed to the German word “schnauzer”, for schnauze, or snout.
Most likely this was used to highlight the heavy whiskers that are found on the muzzle of the dogs.
Miniature Schnauzers and Standard Schnauzers were originally often born in the same litter. The Schnauzers were used as cattle and herding dogs, and they were not hunters like the terriers in England.
The first Schnauzers were shown in 1897, and were called Wirehaired Pinschers. This was the standard size dog, but in 1895 the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub was formed and listed several different types of dogs including the Wirehaired Miniature Pinscher, now known as the Miniature Schnauzer.
The first Miniature Schnauzer on record was born in October of 1888 and was all black. There were also yellow, black and tan and salt and pepper colours listed. Throughout the years, the various colours and dogs within the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub were bred together, and also crosses from outside of the breeds.
It is possible that Miniature Pinschers, Pomeranians and Affenpinschers were some of the breeds that were crossed with the Miniature Schnauzers.
The first Schnauzers were brought to the United States in 1920. At this time there was no distinction between the miniatures and the standard size Schnauzers, and they were shown together.
In 1925 the Wirehaired Pinscher Club of America was formed, but the two types were not separated in the breed listing until 1926.
The American Kennel Club recognized the Miniature Schnauzer as a separate breed, but both the standard and the miniature were moved to the terrier group in 1927.
In 1933 the Wirehaired Pinscher Club split into two groups, The American Miniature Schnauzer Club and the Standard Schnauzer Club of America. In 1945 the Standard Schnauzers were moved out of the terrier group and back into the working group.
Canada and the United States are the only two countries that list the Miniature Schnauzer in the terrier group; all other countries list them in the utility or Non-Sporting group.
I hope you learned more interesting facts in today’s Miniature Schnauzer newsletter.
Warmest regards,
Sharda Baker