Gateway Miniature Schnauzer Club Breeder List

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Thank you for your inquiry about the Miniature Schnauzer. We hope this information will help you make a wise choice when selecting a puppy. The members of the Gateway Miniature Schnauzer Club are dedicated toward improving the breed. Therefore, we have compiled this list for you, the buyer, to help in your selection of a healthy, quality puppy. The American Miniature Schnauzer Club web site is also a great source of information on many topics; just click the link in the  Resources section.

The standard for the Miniature Schnauzer was written by the members of the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and approved by the American Kennel Club. It states that the acceptable colors for the Miniature Schnauzer are salt and pepper (mistakenly called silver), all black, or black and silver. White is not an acceptable color. The correct size at maturity is between 12 and 14 inches, measured at the shoulder, for both males and females. There are no toy schnauzers.

When you buy a puppy, the breeder should furnish you with the following;

1 An AKC litter registration slip so you can register the dog in your name.
2 A pedigree of at least 3 generations of you’re dogs ancestors.
3 A record and date of shots the dog has received.
4 Proof of an eye exam by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist, if examined.
5 A bill of sale with any agreements or conditions concerning the replacement or refund of the dog, if needed.

Ask to see one or both parents of the puppy. Look for clean surroundings, free of fleas. Puppies should have clear eyes, a clean shiny coat, be friendly and outgoing and be completely weaned of their mother. After you have purchased your puppy, take it to your Veterinarian for a complete examination.

If you are interested in breeding or showing your Miniature Schnauzer, inform the breeder of this fact. He or she should be able to guide you in the right selection. Improving the breed is done by careful selection of the litter therefore not all dogs should be bred.

CHAMPION SIRED means that the father of this litter is an AKC Champion. Champion lines means that some dogs in the pedigree are champions. A pedigree is simply a written record of the ancestry of the dog, much like a family tree.

Note: There is the option of a limited registration with the AKC.  A limited registration lets the puppy owner and the AKC know that this puppy is not to be bred, not to be used as a stud dog or to be entered in Conformation shows.  The puppy will need to be spayed or neutered but is eligible to compete in all AKC performance events such as Agility, Rally, Earth Dog and Obedience.

The puppy’s tails and dewclaws are removed at 3-5 days of age. If the puppy’s ears are to be cropped, have a veterinarian that is experienced in schnauzer ear cropping do them. The ideal age for ear cropping is between 9 and 12 weeks old.

Puppies need at least 9 weeks with the litter in order to learn how to be a dog. Such things as bite inhibition and rules of play are learned in the litter. If you are taking an older puppy, make sure it has had the necessary early socialization with humans and exposure to environments other than the kennel. NEVER PURCHASE A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE and be suspicious of puppies advertised for sale in the newspaper.

Raising two puppies together from the same litter is difficult. The puppies tend to bond with each other and not with new family members.

Schnauzers do not shed, but they do need frequent grooming to look and feel their best. Miniature Schnauzer’s are not outside dogs, they want to be with you, inside your house.

No dog may compete for points towards his AKC championship until he is 6 months old. A dog becomes a champion when it has competed and defeated other Miniature Schnauzers at AKC dog shows. The dog closest to the breed standard, in the judge’s opinion wins the points. It takes 15 points to become an AKC Champion.  Now there is an AKC American Grand Champion title, see akc.org for details. 

Puppies are a lifetime investment of love and money. Currently the cost of raising a dog to the age of ten is around $6000 to $10,000. Early socialization and positive method obedience training will build a fantastic lifetime bond between you and your dog.  A trained dog is a joy to live with.  There is a good little book you might want to read before buying a puppy called “How To Raise A Puppy You Can Live With” by Rutherford and Neil.

In addition to showing in conformation Miniature Schnauzers excel in performance events such as Agility, Rally, Obedience, Earth Dog and Tracking.  Mini's also make wonderful Therapy dogs plus great bed warmers for those cold winter nights.    These little guys can do it all.