Miniature schnauzer

Tsvergi are the smallest of schnauzers, however, only sizes differ from their larger counterparts. Otherwise, they are bold, active, loyal dogs, which often make excellent service dogs. Future owners need to take into account that the tsvergs are not suitable for lying on the sofa, they need to pay attention and give the opportunity to throw out excessive energy.

The origin of the miniature schnauzer breed

Today, the historical roots of many breeds are not fully understood, the same applies to miniature schnauzers. However, it is known for certain that they were brought out on the basis of middle schnauzers - mittels. The breeders had a definite goal - to keep the exterior of the mittel as much as possible, but to reduce their size. Moreover, the new breed, unlike other dwarf varieties, should be deprived of constitutional weaknesses.

The land of the tsvergov is Germany, it was here, and more precisely, in the Schwab district, selection work was carried out. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries there were experiments on the crossing of schnauzers with other breeds, to improve certain qualities. According to the guesses of the researchers, the work was done with affenpinscher, pomerantsevye spitzami, poodles. The efforts were crowned with success, and today the miniature spinners have gained popularity all over the world, and even in some countries they are successfully carrying out customs service.

The nature of the dogs of this breed

In the family, the miniature schnauzer is a pet that allows children almost everything, very loyal and obedient. But if his protective qualities are required, this funny dog can turn into a very evil dog, with a frenzy protecting the owner and property.

In his small body lives a brave fighter who can be scared of little or unsettled. But such a quality dog obliges something to the owner. Despite the small size, the dog will obey only the true leader - smart, uncompromising, energetic.

Tsvergi rather carefully treat others, especially strangers. They perceive even large dogs as their peers, and will never accept their authority only on the basis of their size. Dogs of this breed are distinguished by developed intelligence and unprecedented vigor.

Taking into the family a puppy of tsverg, it is worth considering that the functions of the guard and the guard are in his blood, so excessive zeal must be stopped and corrected from the first days of his appearance in the house. A pet does not need to explain who is “his” and who is not credible.

Incredulity and incorruptibility in his blood and between the delicacy offered by the stranger and the opportunity to drive him away, the tsverg will not even doubt and choose the second. Naturally, such behavior needs upbringing, otherwise family members will enter the house except the owner. The rest will be for the dog dangerous individuals who threaten the family and property.

Description of Miniature Schnauzer Breed

Miniature Schnauzer is a stocky dog with a small, strong, muscular body that has a square format. This is a bold, vigilant security guard, who, unlike other decorative representatives, does not have infantilism in appearance, that is, there is no question of dwarf nanism here:

Representatives are characterized by a large proportional head size with a moderately pronounced breadth of the forehead and the massiveness of the muzzle, decorated with eyebrows-bushes, rich mustaches and beard.
The nose is pigmented with black color, the nostrils are large, well opened. Lips are dry, with black pigmentation, tight fit. Complete teeth, strong, white with scissor bite. The eyes are small, with a dark iris and a lively, mischievous look.
Ears stop, in this case they get a standing form. The uncropped ears are of medium length, slightly raised on cartilage, with a high setting.
The neck is medium in length, developed muscles, smoothly moving into a well-marked withers and a strong, muscular, back , which is somewhat sloping. The loin has a slight bulge. Croup with a moderate bevel, well marked muscles, there is a roundness.
The tail is set high, cropped short, three vertebrae remain. When the dog is excited, he assumes a vertical position.
The paws are shaped like a "feline" - short, slightly rounded, gathered in a bundle, with strong, dark claws.

The growth of dogs varies between 30-35 cm, with the lower growth plank preferred by the bitches, and the upper for males, respectively. Weight yat dogs from 6 to 7 kg.

The short coat of the coat in dogs is thick, with a soft, rather tender undercoat and a harsh, loose-fitting guard hair. The features of the exterior include a thick beard, elegant mustache and eyebrows covering the eyes. The hair on the legs is longer than on the other parts of the body. As for decorating wool, it is distinguished by rigidity.

Miniature schnauzer moves easily, freely, energetically - with a sweeping trot. The dog is full of contrasts - having a rather amusing appearance, at the same time the self-esteem and some magnitude dominate.

Miniature Schnauzer Colors

There are several tsvergov colors:

Pepper with salt. We are talking about zonno-colored outer hair. Shades of wool range from gray with silver to dark steel. Undercoat gray. The standard allows lighter tones in the eyebrows, whiskers, beard, cheeks, neck, chest, limbs, abdomen and tail from the inside. The presence of a dark mask is required for any shade of wool.
Monochrome black wool. It requires purity and color depth, without admixture and gray hair, and the undercoat should be black.
Black wool with silver color. The background is black, it has silver-gray tan points, symmetry is obligatory. Carbs are located above the supraorbital arches, from the sides, in the cheeks, throat, on the chest - 2 triangles, metacarpals, metatarsus, the inside of the limbs, under the tail, around the anus. Undercoat black light.
Wool pale yellow tones. With gray undercoat.
Wool white. Solid, pure color, the presence of specks and specks is not allowed, with a white or gray undercoat. There is pigmentation on the skin.

How to train tsverga

Before engaging in the upbringing of his restless four-legged friend, the owner must understand that it is impossible to treat this little dog as an ornamental pet. It is always worth remembering that all schnauzers are large and not very important, above all, are official dogs.

Tsvergi are undoubtedly very intelligent dogs, but this does not mean that they do not need rearing, and this should be done from an early age. It is their ingenuity that can affect the fact that the dog will quickly begin to cheat, and the training will be significantly complicated.

During training, the host must be firm and consistent. Giving a command to a pet, he must achieve its mandatory implementation. Otherwise, the dog will quickly seize the initiative, and already he will decide when and what he wants to do, and this smacks the fact that the tsverg will be ill-bred and masterful.

First of all, you need to teach the dog to obey without question, under any conditions and external stimuli. Considering his fearless and even rather pugnacious nature, this will help avoid conflicts during walking and when guests come home.

By the way, tsvergs love active activities and if you make them diverse and as interesting as possible, then it would never even occur to him to take time off. And this is a great opportunity to throw out excess energy.

What can this little dog grasp? In fact, almost everything is within his power. Tsvergi can work at height, they are extremely jumping and can overcome obstacles several times higher than them. From such a pet, having spent a little more time on training, you can make a real circus stuntman.

Miniature can be very useful in the house, as it can be taught to bring things, and he does it with great pleasure. Despite the frivolous appearance and compact dimensions, the dog will be quite serious in carrying the security service, and no one can pass by it with impunity.

Representatives of this breed are recommended to start people who lead an active lifestyle. The pet will accompany the owner in any training - jogging, cycling, morning exercises, etc. Moreover, he himself can be quite a successful athlete, with him you can create a successful agility team, participate in canine frisbee, freestyle, and flyball.

With a miniature schnauzer, you can enroll in virtually any course of training, he can master any set of skills. The only limitation is the burden load. Of course, the dog and here will be laid out in full force, but such an occupation adversely affect the health of a small pet. It is not necessary to force him to roll the child in a sleigh, harness into a cart and so on.

Miniature Schnauzer Care

Tsverg care requires, especially it relates to its amazing coat of wool. As with all schnauzers, the tsvergs practically do not fade, and this is a definite plus, however, it is still necessary to rid the pet of dead wool. In addition, it is prone to tangling. Owners of domestic dogs who are far from show-career have the opportunity to ease the task and simply trim off the guard hair, leaving only the undercoat. You can do this on your own or entrusting this work to a professional groomer.

However, if the dog participates in exhibitions, this option is not suitable, as the standard requires a coarse, hard and taut coat. This can be achieved by pulling out hairs in the head, neck, auricles, sternum, body and tail.

This procedure - trimming, allows you to free the skin from the old wool and is performed manually. This is a complex undertaking that requires a long time and no less patience. It will seem especially difficult for a person involved in such a process for the first time.

On carrying out trimming, you can consult with experienced owners of schnauzers or breeders, you can also visit a groomer and see how to do it correctly. If you don’t want to do it yourself, various zoosalonos are happy to provide such a service.

So that the wool does not become tangled and does not get stuck into mats, you need to regularly - 5-7 times a month, comb the pet with a special brush suitable for hard wool. Be sure to do this before going to buy the dog. It is recommended to begin the procedure with the extremities, not forgetting the armpits, the stomach and the paws, this is where the tangles are formed most often.

Tsvergi do not require frequent bathing, usually the procedure is carried out before shearing, before the show and when contaminated. It is necessary to be as careful as possible so that the funds do not penetrate the eyes, ears and mouth of the dog. It is advisable to use special, mild detergent shampoos and gels with the effect of "no tears". Abundant wool should be thoroughly rinsed under running water.

The ears also need attention, they are regularly examined for infections and inflammatory processes. If they are covered with wool, which makes inspection difficult, it is recommended to pull out excessive hair using tweezers. Any secretions as well as hyperemia should be alert. It is enough to brush your teeth once every 7 days or to give your pet a special dental toy or bone.

Feeding features

Miniature Schnauzers are highly active dogs, which means they need special nutrition. Their bodies are very sensitive to fatty foods and often need additional sources of vitamins and microelements. Pet can be fed dry rations, however, it is still better if the feed is only an addition to natural food.

In the lines of some manufacturers, you can find a special feed for tsvergov, it is most adapted to the representatives of this breed and prevents the development of urolithiasis. But still a long and healthy life will provide a dog with a balanced, natural food - meat, dairy products, cereals, vegetables, etc.

Read more about feeding small breeds .

Photo of Miniature Schnauzer

Miniature Schnauzer Video

Miniature Schnauzer Cost

Price pedigree puppy starts at 18,000 rubles. It will be a healthy baby, with documents and necessary vaccinations. If you need a pet for breeding and show career, you will have to pay a little more. High-quality offspring from the nursery costs a maximum of 35,000-38,000 rubles.

Miniature Schnauzer can be called a real bunch of energy, so it is not suitable as a sofa pet. This is a serious dog of small size, with a brave heart and boundless devotion.