schnauzer
GENERAL APPEARANCE : Of medium size, strong, more compact than slender, hard-haired.
Personality: Lively, cheerful and intelligent.
Energy Level : Moderately active.
Good with children: Yes.
Good with other dogs: With supervision.
Grooming: Seasonal.
Life Expectancy : 13-16 years old.
Bark level: Moderate.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY
Originally, the Schnauzer was used in the southern region of Germany, as a stable dog, because he felt very good in the company of horses. He eagerly sought out all kinds of rodents to kill them quickly. Very early on, he earned the nickname “the rat hunter”. When the Pinscher-Schnauzer Club was founded in 1895, he was inscribed as a “Hard-haired Pinscher”.
Country of Origin: Germany.
BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: Its typical characteristics are its lively temperament and its placid tranquility. Typical, too, is its good character, its joy in playing and its proverbial devotion to its owner. Likes children, incorruptible, attentive but not noisy. Its highly developed senses, its intelligence, its great ability to be trained, its courage, its perseverance and resistance to climate and disease, make the Schnauzer the best family dog, guard dog, companion and with the qualities of a working dog. .
HEAD
CRANIAL REGION
Skull: Strong, long, occipital not pronounced. The head must be in balance with the dog's strength. The forehead is flat, without wrinkles, parallel to the nasal bridge.
Stop: Appears to be well defined due to the eyebrows.
FACIAL REGION
Nose: Well developed with wide nostrils, always black.
Muzzle: Ending in wedge; straight nasal bridge.
Lips: Black, soft and well fitted to the jaws. Closed labial commissure.
Jaws and Teeth: Strong jaws. A complete scissor bite (42 white teeth according to dental formula) is strongly developed and tightly closed. The muscles of mastication are strongly developed, but the cheeks should not interfere with the rectangular shape of the head (with the beard).
Eyes: Medium in size, oval, frontal, dark, with a lively expression. Eyelids well adjusted.
Ears: Dropped, set high, V-shaped with inner edges extended close to cheeks, carried evenly, facing forward towards temples. Parallel folds should not go beyond the skull line.
NECK : Strong, muscular, nobly arched, fitting smoothly into the withers. Strongly inserted, slender, of noble bearing, corresponding to the strength of the dog. Throat skin adherent without dewlap.
TRUNK
Topline: Slightly sloping from the withers to the root of the tail.
Withers: Forming the highest point of the topline.
Back: Strong, short and straight.
Loin: Short, strong and deep. The distance from the last rib to the croup is short, making the dog appear compact.
Croup: Slightly rounded, passing imperceptibly to the tail set. Chest: Moderately broad, oval in diameter, reaching to the elbows. The forechest is distinctly marked by the tip of the sternum.
bottom line and Belly: Flanks not too tucked up, forming a well curved line with the lower part of the ribs.
TAIL: natural; it is sought to be carried in the form of a saber or sickle.
MEMBERS
FOREQUARTERS: Seen from the front, the forelegs are strong, straight and not too close together. Viewed in profile, the forelimbs are straight.
Shoulders: The scapula is placed close to the rib cage and is well muscled on either side of the shoulder bone, prominent above the point of the thoracic vertebra. As inclined as possible and well placed, forming an angle of approximately 50° with the horizontal.
Arms: Close to the body, strong and well muscled, forming an angle of 95° to 105° with the scapula.
Elbows: Close to the body, turning neither in nor out.
Forearms: Seen on all sides, completely straight, strongly developed and well muscled.
Carpal joint: Strong, firm, just protruding from the structure of the forearm.
Pasterns: Seen from the front, vertical. Viewed in profile, slightly inclined towards the ground, strong and slightly elastic.
Feet: Short, round. Toes tightly closed and arched (cat paws) with short, dark nails and sturdy pads.
HINDQUARTERS: Seen in profile, placed obliquely; viewed from behind, placed parallel but not too close together.
Thigh: Moderately long, broad and heavily muscled.
Knees: turning neither in nor out. Legs: Long and strong and with obvious tendons, going down to a strong hock.
Hocks: Very well angulated, strong, firm, turning neither in nor out.
Metatarsals: Short and vertical to the ground. Feet: Toes short, arched and well closed. Short, black nails.
GAIT/MOVEMENT: Flexible, elegant, agile, free and covering the ground. The front legs reach as far as possible; the hindquarters cover the ground and are elastic giving the necessary propulsion. The forelegs on one side and the hindquarters on the other move forward at the same time. The back, ligaments and joints are firm.
SKIN: fitted over the entire body.
COAT
Coat: Must be hard, wiry and dense. It consists of a dense undercoat and a not too short top coat, lying close to the body. The covering coat is hard and long enough to be able to check its texture; it should not be bristling or wavy. On the limbs, the hair tends to be less stiff. On the forehead and ears it is short. As typical features, it has a not-too-soft beard on its muzzle and bushy eyebrows that slightly cover its eyes.
COLOR
• Solid black with black undercoat.
• Salt and pepper.
The aim of the creation, in salt and pepper, is an evenly distributed medium shade, well pigmented and with a gray undercoat. Variations from dark gray to silver gray are allowed. In all color variations, there must be a dark mask, which must harmoniously adapt to the respective color, emphasizing the expression. Distinctive white markings on the head, chest and limbs are undesirable.
SIZE AND WEIGHT: Males and Females: 45 to 50 cm. Weight: Males and Females: 14 to 20 kg.
FAULTS
Any deviation from this standard should be considered a fault and penalized in exact proportion to its severity and its effects on the health and well-being of the dog.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
• Aggressiveness or excessive shyness.
• Any dog that shows any sign of physical or behavioral anomaly must be disqualified.
• Atypical dogs.