America's 11th most popular breed is none other than the recognizable and unique little dog, the Miniature Schnauzer. This dog is famous for its thick beard, mustache and eyebrows that give it its rugged yet elegant appearance. Little as it may seem, this breed is never fragile but instead tough, muscular and brave.
The Mini Schnauzer is the result of crossing the standard Schnauzer and Poodle or Affenpinscher. Just like its standard counterpart, Schnauzer, the Mini Schnauzer originally came from Germany during the late 1800s. In fact, its first recorded existence was in 1888.
Originally, the breed was developed in order to have a farm dog that is small enough to catch vermin and rats that live in the barn. This little breed was also used for guarding flocks and small farms and watching over the family. Eventually, at the turn of the century, it became more popular as a household pet instead of a farm dog.
In the United States, the Mini Schnauzer was first introduced in 1924. Two years later, it was accepted as a new breed by the American Kennel Club. In the UK, it was first registered in 1948.
The official standard for this breed is said to be lively, alert and obedient. It should be friendly, eager to please and highly intelligent. It should never be too aggressive and not overly shy either.
The Mini Schnauzer is an excellent watchdog because it does not warn physically but rather vocally in terms of barking profusely. It does not stop warning the household but once the stranger is greeted by the family as a friend, the Mini Schnauzer would stop being wary and becomes friendly with the new face, too. Moreover, the Mini Schnauzer is very easy to train and abides submissively therefore it is never a problem inside or outside the house.
Since it is extremely active and gets bored quite easily, you need to provide this creature with an ample amount of playtime. Allowing this will release its overflowing energy and will prevent it from getting in to troublesome activities. This breed is also great with children as they understand the need to play gently with the little humans.
The Mini Schnauzer has a double coat that's wiry and coarse on the outside and smooth and soft on the inside. The acceptable colors are black and white, black and silver, black and white, and salt and pepper. The coat does not shed excessively therefore the breed is recommended for those who have allergic tendencies.
