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Miniature Schnauzer

A smart, small dog with a wiry coat. The breed was derived from the Schnauzer and , it is believed, the Affenpinscher. Of German origin, the breed comes in three colours pepper and salt, black, and black and silver, and there eyebrows and whiskers enhance their distinctive appearrance. Their Handy size makes them very popular town dogs, they are robust, hardy and agile, very alert and will always warn of the approach of strangers to their property. Daily grooming with a wire glove on the body and a comb through their whiskersand leg hair keeps keeps them in a good shape. Theu do require stripping twice a year.

General Appearance *** Sturdily built, robust, sinewy, nearly square lenght of body equal to height at the shoulders. Expression keen and attiude alert. Correct conformation is of more importancer than colour or other purely beauty points.

Characteristics *** Well balanced, smart, stylish and adaptable.

Temperament *** Alert, reliable and very intelligent. Primarily a companion dog.

Head and Skull *** Head strong and of good length, narrowing from ears to eyes and then gradually forward toward end of nose. Upper part of the head occiput to the base of forehead, moderately broad between ears. Flat, creaseless forehead, well muscled but not too strongly developed cheeks. Medium stop to accentuate prominent eyebrowns. Powerful muzzle ending in a moderately blunt line, with bristly, stubby moustache and chin whiskers. Ridge of nose straight and running almost parallel to extension of forehead. Nose must be black with wide nostrils. Lips tight but not overlapping.

Eyes *** Medium size, dark, oval, set forward, with arched bushy eyebrows.

Ears *** Neat, V - shaped, set high and dropping forward to temple.

Mouth *** Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck *** Moderately long, strong and slightly arched, skim close to throat, neck set cleanly on shoulders.

ForeQuarters *** Shoulders flat and well laid. Forelegs straight viewed from any angle. Muscles smooth and lithe rather than prominent, bone strong, straight and carried well down to feet, elbows close to body and pointing directly backwards.

Body *** Chest moderately broad, deep with visible strong breastbone reaching at least to height of elbow rising slightly backward to loins. Back strong and straight, slightly higher at shoulderthan at hindqaurters, with short, well developed loins. Ribs well sprung. Length of body equal to height from top of withers to ground.

HindQuarters *** Thights slanting and flat but strongly mascled, Hindlegs upper and lower thighs at first vertical to the stifle, from stifly to hock, in line with the extension of the upper neckline, from hock, vertical to ground.

Feet *** Short, round, cat-like, compact with closely arched toes, dark nails, firm black pads, feet pointing forward.

Tail *** Set on and carried high, customarily docked to three joints.

Gait and Movement *** Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in fore quarters and good driving power in hindquarters. Topline remains level in action.

Coat *** Harsh, wiry and short enough for smartness, dense undercoat, Clean on neck and shoulders, ears and skull. Harsh hair on legs. Furnishings fairly thick but not silky.

Colour *** All pepper and salt colours in even proportions, or pure black, or black and silver. That is, solid black with silver markings on eyebrow, muzzle, chest and brisket and on the forelegs below th point of elbow, on inside of hindlegs below the stifle joint, on vent and under tail.

Size *** Ideal height, dogs are ,35.6 cms// 14 ins // bitches: 33 cms// 13 ins . Too small, toyish appearing dogs are not typical and undesirable.

Faults *** Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note *** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.