About Toy And Teacup Miniature Schnauzers
It is way past time to address the issue of Toy and Teacup miniature schnauzers. I have been a breeder of top-quality miniature schnauzers since 2000 and own Findell Kennels. My customers tell me it is hard to find a breeder who does not sell Toy and Teacup miniature schnauzers and so you say, what's wrong with toy and teacup miniature schnauzers? I have a one word answer….Genetics.…
Do you think the originators of this wonderful breed were able to completely finalize the standard and all the characteristics they wanted in a miniature schnauzer in just one generation? Of course not. When they started to breed miniature schnauzers it was to kill rodents in the house and to also be a loving and loyal house dog. They did not want genetic problems and they did not want a structure that could not put up the rigorous activity connected with hunting down and killing rodents. They needed a very healthy, very sturdy dog that could live in the house with them, be loving and loyal and take care of their rodent problems and that is what they bred to achieve. It took years and years and trial and error working on the breed they until they were able to produce a beautiful miniature schnauzer. Genetics...
I am often asked about the ears...crop or not to crop???
The ears were cropped so the rat could not grab the ears and hurt the dog. Sturdy and stubborn so they would not give up the hunt and loving, agile and with a high play drive to chase and catch the fast moving prey. This means your miniature schnauzer should have a great temperament with lots of play. You should expect him to play catch, run after a ball and entertain himself and you for hours.
Color was important also. Except those dogs bred in snowy areas, working dogs traditionally have a darker coat. The darker the better so they are not seen until it's too late...Too light a color would be easily recognized by prey so the three colors, black, black and silver and salt and pepper produced the best genetics. In the German Shepherd Dog, white is not bred because genetically it indicates a thinner bone structure, a “coat” on a German Shepherd (the long coats) are usually larger with too big a bone structure to support the body so the Germans were the masters of genetics and learned after years of breeding just what colors work with the internal workings of a dog. Just as a side note: In every other county except the USA and AKC, miniature schnauzers are part of the working group. They are bred to be a working dog so if your going to own one, get plenty of toys and they will respond with more entertainment then you could ever expect.
Responsible and ethical breeders of the miniature schnauzer would never breed toys or teacups as these are not within the breed standard and ethical breeders have done their job, studied their breed and know how important it is to maintain the proper genetic make up to ensure healthy and happy dogs.
when you hear the words Toy, Teacup, Parti-Colors, White, liver, and other unrecognized colors and characteristics not supported by the Miniature Schnauzer Breed Standard, you should run as fast as you can.
The miniature schnauzer is a wonderful breed of dog. There is no other breed of dog that possesses the same outstanding breed characteristics and temperament as does the miniature schnauzer. You have carefully chosen the right breed of dog for you and your family, just be as careful when choosing the correct miniature schnauzer breeder.