Grooming a miniature schnauzer from A to Z

Miniature Schnauzers, when properly kept and cared for, do not shed, do not have an unpleasant “dog” odor and are not capable of causing allergies.

However, to maintain high decorativeness, they need proper haircuts and timely trimming.

Grooming and trimming a Miniature Schnauzer at home

I would like to note right away that this dog requires special care for its coat. There is a certain breed standard, the basic rule of which is: the coat of a miniature schnauzer should be wiry, quite hard and padded.

In fact, the hair of a miniature can be quite different in structure. And caring for her is different. To do this, you need to evaluate the type of coat and then choose the right care.

Before deciding how to trim your Miniature Schnauzer’s hair yourself, you should study the information about the dog in more detail. After all, care, to a greater extent, consists of the peculiarities of the structure of the coat. It consists of short, coarse hair and undercoat. As each hair grows, it dies and, according to the law of the genre, must fall out on its own. But this is the rub in caring for the coat of this breed. It grows in levels that differ from each other in quality and length. The top one is the oldest. It hides beautiful and shiny fur.

So, the hair is already completely ready for the molting process, but it will not fall out on its own - we need your help. It will have to be mechanically removed or plucked out, namely trimming. Any owner of a miniature schnauzer puppy should understand that this must be done while also using grooming. Quite often, the puppy’s owners, having not found the necessary specialist or are afraid to trim their miniature schnauzer at home, decide not to bother with it. The solution is a beautiful haircut.

Seriously, in the first months, haircutting is really not much different from trimming. But, very soon it will be quite visible. For example, a pepper-and-salt schnauzer will turn into just a gray dog with dull fur. In other shades, the wool will greatly change its structure: it will begin to get tangled, develop tangles, or simply shed. But the puppy should not have shed and emitted the smell characteristic of all dogs!

how to trim a Miniature Schnauzer yourself by studying the basic rules. The initial procedure of trimming or simply plucking a puppy is possible in the warm season. The optimal age is 4 months. The average frequency of the procedure is 2-3 times a year, in autumn and spring. The process of so-called wool maturation takes 4-6 months and is very individual. If you have an exhibition coming up, then trimming should be done 1.5-2 months before.

If you decide to groom your pet yourself, you should first take an introductory course on dog grooming. This way you will learn the sequence of this process and even be clearly convinced of the seriousness of the activity.

So, miniature schnauzer trimming lessons:

First, grab a small amount of hair with your hand and press it against the knife blade with your thumb, while holding the skin with your left hand. Next, remove the fur with a sharp movement. The rest of the hair can be removed using a machine.
With a special electric groomer with a zero-size blade, it is necessary to cut according to height, and with a mechanical device - against.
Trimming is done from top to bottom, from the back of the head to the tail. Plucking starts from the neck, then the back and side to the chest, then moves to the shoulder blades to the elbow, to the hips. The tail is processed last.
Trimming should always be done in small tufts and in the direction of hair growth.
After trimming is completed, it is necessary to process the remaining parts of the body: the head, cervical region, inner thighs, chest, abdomen and the part under the tail. Many pets have sensitive parts of their body. Therefore, here you are faced with the question of how to cut a miniature schnauzer?
The ears are cut short and the fringe is removed from the tips and edges. The inside of the ear can be treated simply with your fingers, plucking out the hairs.
The bangs should be triangular and combed towards the nose, and the width should correspond to the width of the forehead.
Carefully carry out the cutting process in the eye area: the hairs above the eye are not removed, only from the inner corner.
The beard is trimmed just a little and combed forward.
Sideburns should not stick out, and the entire head should be within a rectangle.
The hair in the throat area and front of the chest is cut short.
The inner parts of the thighs and under the tail are cut short. Along the way, the hair is removed from the stomach and genitals.
As a result, the legs should have the shape of even columns. To do this, you need to trim the hair with scissors and comb it upward.
To perform all operations, you need tools such as sharp hairdressing scissors, a high-quality comb, an animal clipper, and a trimming knife.

If your dog is going to become a bright show representative, then he simply needs to do rolling. Rolling is a method of caring for the coat of dogs with coarse hair. To put it simply, this is a type of manual trimming. It prevents complete shedding. The task of rolling is to separate the wool into several layers. Of course, this care option is only suitable for particularly hard, pepper-colored coats. For monochromatic miniatures the task is simpler.

This type of grooming is done every 2 months. This way the coat will form 2-3 layers, what just comes off will be removed, and the guard hair will remain in place.

After rolling, the dog’s appearance is more familiar and comfortable for him. It is worth noting that when using trimming, the fur grows back on average in 3-4 months. This is very critical for exhibitions. Quite often, the exhibition calendar and the haircut calendar do not coincide. This leads to the fact that the promising exhibition will have to be postponed until better times. After all, the condition of the coat is simply not ready for the next haircut. And with proper and high-quality rolling, such problems disappear by themselves: the miniature dog and its fur will always be ready for exhibition.

In the end, however, I would like to note that trimming a miniature is not a particularly complicated process. The main thing is to have a desire. It is worth noting that accuracy, careful handling, as well as hard work will not hurt here. After all, animals feel humans! And if you also show patience, the result of your work will be better and better each time.

So, the appearance of your miniature depends directly on you. As they say, a dog is a reflection of its owner. And the beautiful, elegant appearance of a miniature schnauzer depends to a large extent on the condition of its coat.

In addition to its beautiful appearance, your pet’s well-groomed coat will not cause any inconvenience in your time together.

And the most important argument in favor of a well-groomed coat is the health of your four-legged friend! After all, if it is well-groomed, then it becomes inherent in some “super” abilities: such wool does not gather dust, dries quickly and does not get dirty.

How to cut your hair at home?

The independent technique of cutting a miniature schnauzer can easily be mastered by the dog owner. When forming the correct silhouette of the animal, you will need to act in stages. It is better to groom a dog at home for the first time under the guidance of an experienced groomer or with an assistant who is ready to hold the dog in the correct position. For constant grooming, it is better to purchase a special table with adjustable height and a lock. You need to prepare the following tools:

trimming knife;
hairdressing scissors with sharp sharpening;
metal comb with fine teeth;
hair clipper - mechanical or electric.

Grooming should always start from the back. A line is plucked from the back of the dog's head to the base of the tail, leaving the lower part of the neck untouched. Using a trimming knife, processing is carried out, while the hair is pinched and pressed against the blade, while the other hand holds the skin. The direction is only according to the growth of the wool; the tufts captured should be small. The procedure will be as follows:

neck treatment;
removal of dead hair from the sides and back to the bottom of the chest;
trimming the shoulder blades to the elbow and hips to the hock joint (outside);
plucking the front of the tail.

After trimming, stray hairs should be cut with a clipper without an attachment. If there is no painful sensation, you can manually pluck other areas of the body - on the front of the head and neck, inside the thighs, on the front of the chest, on the stomach and in the groin area.

But the skin there is more sensitive, so using scissors is considered more comfortable.

Ears and head

To make the ears look neat enough, they are cut short, cutting off the fringe at the tip and along the edges. An electric machine is used on wool, a mechanical machine is used against its growth. Inside the ears, the hairs are plucked by hand one at a time. Once the hair on the front chest and neck is trimmed, you can begin working on the throat and trimming the dog’s head. Use scissors to remove tufts of hair located in the inner corner of the eye.

Length is maintained under the eyes. The bangs are shaped like a triangle and combed forward. It is important that its width does not exceed the forehead . The beard is slightly trimmed so that the muzzle takes on a regular rectangular shape. Sideburns are shortened to prevent the hair from sticking out. The beard is carefully combed forward.

Groin and thighs

If the upper thigh is usually trimmed, its inner surface should be shortened with scissors. The abdomen and the area around the genitals are carefully trimmed. The fur on the paws is combed upward, and unevenly protruding hairs are cut off. All transitions of the dog's silhouette should be smooth and elegant. By following these recommendations, you can tidy up even the most overgrown miniature schnauzer in one day and gain invaluable experience in grooming dogs of this breed.

What is grooming and trimming

Grooming is a grooming of pets, performed using special scissors and clippers, as well as a whole range of hygiene procedures, such as cutting nails, styling hair, fighting parasites, cleaning ears and caring for the oral cavity. Regular grooming procedures allow the animal not only to look neat, but also to maintain health.

Miniature Schnauzer trimming is a service that is associated exclusively with working on the animal’s fur. During the procedure, they do not use classic scissors and clippers, but a special device equipped with knives with fine teeth. The Miniature Schnauzer does not shed on its own, so it needs to pluck out dead tissue.

Note! It is still better not to carry out such activities at home, since if the approach is incorrect, the dog will experience discomfort and possibly pain.

Dog trimming tool

Basic rules for grooming a miniature schnauzer

Grooming a miniature schnauzer has its own characteristics and rules that cannot be neglected. They do not shed on their own, so human assistance is additionally required, otherwise the pet will turn into a ball of fur of unknown origin.

The Miniature Schnauzer's coat consists of a dense, thick undercoat and awns - longer, coarser hairs. Taking into account the course of the life cycle, guard wool is divided into the following types:

young hair is characterized by softness and fineness;
mature hair has a medium length, a denser structure, and is hard to the touch;
the old one is the hardest to the touch and faded, long and dead.

Grooming a miniature schnauzer according to the pattern involves plucking the mature guard fur.

Note! In order for a dog to look neat, it must be cut by a competent specialist.

Types of grooming for a miniature schnauzer

Miniature Schnauzer grooming is divided into several varieties according to its purpose.

Cosmetic (hygienic)

Cosmetic haircut of the miniature is carried out at least once a month. The procedure includes thorough combing of the undercoat, trimming the fur near the paw pads and directly on them, removing excess hair in the ears, under the tail, in the groin area, trimming the bangs and beard.

Hygienic haircut

Seasonal grooming

Seasonal trimming of a schnauzer is necessary during the period of active shedding, that is, twice a year. In between seasonal rolling of the Miniature Schnauzer, it is necessary to carry out a hygienic and basic haircut.

Basic haircut

This haircut should be done at intervals of 2-3 months. During the procedure, dead undercoat hair is removed and trimmed over the entire body. Additionally, all hygiene measures are carried out.

Exhibition grooming

This procedure is carried out only before exhibitions, various shows and rings.

Note! An inexperienced and unqualified specialist can ruin a pet’s appearance and deprive him of the opportunity to compete at promising exhibitions.

Exhibition grooming of a miniature dog

Price for services and frequency of procedure

The cost of a procedure in a salon depends on many factors. First of all, it depends on the region of residence, the level of the salon and the skill of the groomer. On average in Russia the price ranges from 700-5000 rubles.

The frequency of haircuts depends on the preferences of the owner. It is recommended to carry out a hygienic haircut at least once a month.

Trimmed miniature puppy

Grooming a miniature schnauzer is not an easy procedure. It is possible to master the skills, but to do this, it is highly recommended to take several lessons from an expert in this industry and familiarize yourself with as much information as possible.

What tools to cut hair with

Before you figure out how to trim your miniature schnauzer at home, you need to purchase all the tools necessary to carry out the work. If the owner decides to cut his pet's hair on his own, he should first take several lessons from professionals.

Grooming a miniature schnauzer is not an easy procedure. To achieve the desired effect, it is important to use quality tools. The following professional devices will be used:

nail clipper;
at least three types of combs - with curved ends to give volume to the coat, for styling after bathing and with fine teeth;
knives with short and long teeth for capturing hair and undercoat of different lengths;
a special machine designed for cutting “hairy” breeds, the kit should include high-quality and sharp blades;
furminator - a device necessary for combing out the undercoat, provided that the guard hair has grown strongly;
pumice, equipped with a porous surface, is necessary for cleaning the undercoat after trimming a miniature schnauzer;
stripping allows you to partially remove dead skin cells from its surface (used mainly during rolling).

Basic set of dog grooming tools

Inexpensive tools will also have appropriate quality. You can buy everything in beauty salons for dogs or order it in specialized stores, directly from equipment manufacturers.

Using the machine

Breed-specific clippers are used for zonal cutting of wool, to create model and complex haircuts. It is important that the device is of high quality, powerful and professional. When choosing, special attention should be paid to the quality of steel knives.

Using a comb

A pet owner should have a wide variety of different brushes, since they are a basic tool and are intended for daily use. Only after high-quality combing of the wool can it be trimmed and subjected to trimming and rolling.

Combs must be made of metal, equipped with teeth with blunt ends, the length of the teeth no more than 1 cm.

Important! Combs-rakes with rotating teeth allow you to cope with the tasks more efficiently.

Step-by-step haircut instructions

Place the dog on a table with anti-slip rubber coating.
Comb the wool from tangles, remove them using a tangle cutter or thinning scissors.
Then wash the dog and dry thoroughly.
The body is trimmed with a clipper, the hair is kept short, but the dog is not completely exposed.
A body haircut is carried out against the growth of the hair, starting from the tail and ending where the bangs grow. The hips are cut from the outside in the shape of a pointed triangle.
The hair on the belly, chest and limbs is not cut, but combed out and trimmed along the contour with scissors.
The ears are trimmed on both sides.
The beard and bangs are trimmed with scissors.
The paw pads are trimmed to remove excess hair with a trimmer, then the fur on the paws is given a rounded shape using scissors.

Application of the machine

The Miniature Schnauzer clipper is used for zonal trimming of the coat, as well as for complex and model haircuts. The machine must be highly professional, powerful, high quality, equipped with sharp steel knives.

Models of clippers of various types (category ZOO) from leading manufacturers can easily cope with the coarse coat of Schnauzers and their thick undercoat.

Using a comb

For daily care of the Miniature Schnauzer, the owner should have various types of combs in his arsenal. They are a basic tool. Only high-quality combed wool can be further trimmed and subjected to rolling and trimming procedures.

Combs must be metal, have blunt tooth ends, and be more than 1 cm long.
The frequency of the comb teeth depends on the dog’s coat, thickness and stiffness.
It is advisable to have 2-3 combs. One with long and rare teeth for preliminary work, and the second with more frequent teeth for control combing.
Rake-type combs with rotating teeth help to better cope with the task of combing wool.
Combs with curved tips add extra volume to the hair.
The slicker is not large in size, the length of the sides of the head is 5-7 cm, and is also important in caring for the Miniature Schnauzer.

Necessity of a Furminator
For owners of Miniature Schnauzers, there is a clear need for weekly use of a Furminator.

Having such a useful, strong and high-quality tool in your arsenal, you can easily remove dead undercoat without damaging the dog’s outer coat.

Step-by-step algorithm of actions

It is not at all necessary to always resort to the help of a salon to make your dog look neat. For owners who do not plan to present their pets at various exhibitions, it is permissible to trim them with a clipper at home.

How to cut a miniature haircut at home

The sequence of actions on how to cut a miniature schnauzer at home is as follows:

Place your pet on a table with a rubber anti-slip surface.
Carefully comb the fur to remove tangles. To remove larger lumps, additional thinning scissors and webbing cutters are used.
After completing the preparatory activities, the dog needs to be bathed and the fur thoroughly dried.
The body is trimmed with a machine. The dog is not completely exposed during the procedure, but the hair is kept short.
It is necessary to trim the body strictly against the growth of the hair, starting from the tail and ending with the area where the bangs begin to form. The hips are cut from the outside, creating the shape of a pointed triangle.
On the ears, the hair is trimmed on both sides.
The beard and bangs should only be trimmed using scissors.
Finally, pay attention to the paw pads. Excess hair is removed from them using a trimmer, then the wool is given rounded, neat shapes using scissors.

Miniature Schnauzer head trim

The head of a Miniature Schnauzer's haircut is a rather complex and important part. It determines the appearance of the dog and its characteristic breed traits. Trimming the muzzle of a Miniature Schnauzer takes quite a lot of time, as it requires attention to small details.

First, we shave the hair from the dog’s neck and smoothly move onto the head. We shave exactly to the beginning of the bangs, to the brow ridges! Next, we comb the dog’s bangs up and use a clipper to shave a triangle on the nose, smoothly starting from the nose and moving up along the back, slightly expanding the range of motion of the clipper. After this, we shave the cheek area, strictly until the long hair of the dog’s beard begins to grow, and then we remove the hair on the inner corners of the eyes approximately until the eyebrows begin to grow. Next, we proceed to the ears, using a clipper smoothly, against the hair growth, and shave the hair towards the head. First, from the outside, and then we turn the dog’s ear inside out and begin to trim the hair from the dog’s ears, and only after that we shave off the remaining hair on the inner surface of the ear with a clipper. We trim the shape along the edges of the ear with scissors and that’s it, the main work is finished - we go with the dog to the bathroom to wash off the fur and then dry it. Everything comes with experience and in the course of work you will be able to discover for yourself what pace of work is most suitable for you, what tools you need to purchase for grooming a Miniature Schnauzer and see improvements as a result of your work.

Miniature Schnauzer haircut video Rostov-on-Don

Rules for cutting and trimming a miniature schnauzer

The need to systematically perform haircuts and trimming is due to the two-layer type of coat, which consists of a powerful undercoat and relatively short guard hairs:

shortest new hair;
medium-length mature hair;
long and hard, dying old hair.

Exhibition representatives of the breed are especially in need of proper removal of dead hair , which, in large quantities, can give the dog a sloppy appearance.

Haircut features

Miniature haircut in the classic version is performed only locally. The machine should be used to treat the abdomen, ear area, temples, cheekbones and throat, as well as the area around the dog’s anus and genitals.

With scissors you need to design:

eyebrows in a triangular shape;
beard straightening;
local areas on the front and hind legs;
alignment of hair in the chest and “skirt” area in order to obtain a smooth transition.

Use small scissors to remove the fur around the paw pads. Even a very high-quality haircut and daily combing do not contribute to complete renewal of the coat, so trimming is a prerequisite for caring for miniature schnauzers .

Trimming features

The main areas of miniature schnauzer trimming (photos and descriptions will be below) are the traditional seasonal option and working with puppies. In the first case, full trimming is carried out a couple of times a year , as a result of which the pet acquires a very characteristic, bald appearance.
If the procedure is performed during a cold period, then it is recommended to take the dog out for a walk in sufficiently warm clothes. Fully mature hair is subject to removal, so the animal should not experience pain.

Pedigree puppies acquire a characteristic coat from about six months of age. Trimming is quite an exciting event for a dog, so the first procedure is not recommended to be performed before the change of teeth . At first, it is often necessary to carry out significant plucking of hair on the animal’s body, which makes it possible to establish the breed’s coat by the age of two.

Happy owners of truly wire-haired miniature schnauzers can almost immediately, after acquisition, switch the animal to rolling and get an ideal coat with a characteristic shine and healthy appearance by one year.

Rolling Features

This type of hair trimming should be done every one and a half to two months and involves removing up to a third of the entire coat .
After plucking, a cosmetic haircut is performed using a clipper with a 0.3-0.5 cm nozzle. The hair is removed in the throat area, as well as under the tail, after which the ear area is shaped. Hygienic trimming is performed in the groin area and around the paw pads. Proper rolling helps to achieve ideal show condition, with a length of hair on the body of one and a half centimeters.

General rules

When processing the cover, it is important to take into account the nuances and know what features step-by-step haircuts have by area:

the cover is two-layered, consisting of dense undercoat and fairly short guard hair;
There are different types of hairs on the dog’s body: new, very mild plus tousled, medium length plus coarse and long, dying elements. It is the last category that gives the animal’s coat an unkempt appearance; the coat loses its smoothness and shine.

A characteristic feature of miniature schnauzer haircuts is the treatment of local zones:

Use scissors to trim the beard, give the eyebrows the correct triangular shape, and trim the hairs on the front and hind legs. For a smooth transition, the formation of a small “skirt” into the cover on the chest area, these areas are carefully processed;
With the help of a clipper they cut the area of the ears, belly, areas around the pride and cheekbones. Additionally, the hair around the genitals and anus is shortened.

The fur around the paw pads grows back quite quickly. This area must be passed through with small scissors.

There is an important difference in grooming between a miniature and, for example, a Yorkshire terrier. For the wire-haired dog breed (miniature schnauzer), the main emphasis is on trimming and rolling - removing hairs (bristles) by plucking the coat. Pets with soft, silky hair (Yorkies) require regular hygienic haircuts.

Pets with soft, silky hair (Yorkies) need regular hygienic haircuts.

Types of haircuts:

cosmetic. Trimming the cover with a machine and scissors is performed as the hairs grow. Be sure to cut off part of the cover between the paw pads so that the hairs do not bother the dog. The best option is to do “cosmetics” every one and a half to two months. During the procedure, the overgrown undercoat is combed, hairs are cut off in the genital area, areas near the tail, neck, and decorating “columns” on the paws are trimmed;
basic. The classic option is a combination of trimming with leveling and shortening the length on the chest and “skirt”, belly, ears, giving a characteristic shape to the beard and eyebrows;
exhibition. The basis of preparation for exterior competitions is a cosmetic haircut in a pet salon. Before the procedure, the dog is bathed, dried with a hairdryer, and a special balm is applied. Additionally, overgrown hairs on the paws are cut off, and the stages of a classic haircut are performed so that all areas have clear shapes according to the standard.

Important details:

Plucking dead, tousled hairs is the main care for a miniature schnauzer's coat. Model haircuts are rare. Before exhibiting your pet, be sure to perform cosmetic work on limited areas. Without plucking coarse hair over the entire surface of the body, the pet will have an unkempt appearance. Machine grooming of a dog on all parts of the body degrades the quality of the coat. With proper trimming in the first year of life, the coat becomes smoother, the coat takes on a look that meets standard indicators by the age of two. Strong plucking of hard hairs on the dog’s body must be carried out taking into account the rules, otherwise the growth of the coat can be disrupted and the quality of the undercoat may deteriorate. Every five weeks you can trim the wool (from 10 to 30%). The procedure is called rolling. Addition – cosmetic haircut and hygienic treatment on paw pads

It is important to lubricate the decorating coat with a special balm and conditioner. When rolling is performed correctly, the dog looks perfect, the length of the coat is from 1.5 to 2 cm, the pet does not look “bald” and “bald”, as after full trimming, if the owner does not perform rolling, but waits for the dog to completely “overgrow”. On a note! If the owner wants to cut the dog’s hair and pluck out dead hairs on his own, he will have to work hard: processing dense, coarse hair is a difficult task for a non-professional

It is useful to visit a grooming salon for the first time, watch the master’s work, learn the nuances, and only after that carry out the hair treatment. Incorrect actions can cause pain to the pet and disrupt the structure of the integument.

On a note! If the owner wants to cut the dog’s hair and pluck out dead hairs on his own, he will have to work hard: processing dense, coarse hair is a difficult task for a non-professional. It is useful to visit a grooming salon for the first time, watch the master’s work, learn the nuances, and only after that carry out the hair treatment. Incorrect actions can cause pain to the pet and disrupt the structure of the integument.

It is important to ensure that the dog does not become too “bald” after the procedure. Optimal treatment of the coat allows you to achieve ideal coat condition without ruffled and unkempt areas

Grooming a miniature schnauzer

The Miniature Schnauzer is not the easiest breed to groom on its own, so many owners of such dogs prefer to use the services of salon professionals .
However, if necessary, you can carry out such an event at home with your own hands. It is necessary to purchase high-quality cosmetic and hygiene products, as well as the following tools:

nail clippers;
a special knife that allows you to grab hair and has long or short teeth;
furminator, which helps to comb out the undercoat with overgrown hair;
stripping, which allows partial removal of mature awns in rolling;
with a porous-rough surface, pumice or a groomer's stone for combing out the undercoat that appears after trimming;
clipper and well-sharpened blades of cutting attachments;
non-electrifying combs with rare and frequent types of teeth;
hair brush used for styling after bathing;
a metal brush with curved teeth to add volume to the hair.

Step-by-step technology for self-grooming:

pluck the hair in the forehead area, on the back of the head and the scruff of the neck, which allows you to give your pet’s head optimal volume;
arrange a triangular bang in the form of a natural continuation of the line of the forehead before moving into the muzzle area;
cut the hair in the ear area short and remove it in the ear canal;
Gently clean your ears with a cotton swab soaked in a special solution;
use a clipper to cut the hair on the sides of the head short, without going beyond the main line;
comb your mustache, bangs and beard forward;
lift the dog’s bangs up and use scissors to shorten the hair growing on the transition line, then comb the bangs again;
comb the beard again and use scissors to give it a wedge-shaped shape, trim the mustache to the same line as the beard;
use scissors to create a “skirt” without making it too low or high;
cut off the hair in the groin area and on the inner thigh with a clipper;
In a male dog, carefully trim the hair around the prepuce;
comb out decorative hair on the front and hind legs, trim the elbow and axillary areas with scissors;
remove the hair between the pads and give the paw a rounded shape;
expose the claws a little and trim them with nail clippers.

After trimming and cutting, water procedures are required, as well as teeth cleaning and, if necessary, removal of tartar. Exhibition grooming can advantageously emphasize all the advantages of a dog, and also helps to minimize almost any shortcomings.

For example, an overly stretched miniature can be visually shortened, as well as visually “completing” the corners and hiding too loose elbows.

It should be remembered that the number of visits to a professional groomer or the frequency of trimming or cutting yourself is individual in each specific case and largely depends on the characteristics and thickness of the pet’s fur.

First grooming of miniature schnauzers

Up to 6-8 months, the coat of miniature schnauzers is more like fluff and does not require special care. Only after six months do they grow a hard awn, which requires grooming. This usually coincides with the appearance of molars. Therefore, the first grooming is carried out no earlier than the puppy has finished changing his fangs.

For the first time, grooming is carried out in the warm season. All manipulations are carried out only with dead hairs. Touching the young spine will frighten the dog and cause him pain. Therefore, if the pet’s “fur coat” is too soft, it is better to postpone the first grooming until 10 months of age.

It is better to entrust the first trimming of a puppy to a professional and learn from him the intricacies of the procedure.

Trimming miniature schnauzers is carried out using a clipper or scissors, removing dead hair from the dog's body. On the remaining parts of the body, the hair is carefully trimmed. Subsequently, the procedure is repeated approximately once a quarter. The frequency of grooming depends on the rate of growth and coat color. Black miniatures with brown or gray undercoat are trimmed more often.

Rolling and its secrets

The main task of rolling is to create the appearance of the Miniature Schnauzer in such a way that he is ready to appear before the audience and judges at any moment. In this case, the owner will not have to miss the exhibition due to the pet’s fur not being ready.

Rolling has a unique specificity. It is recommended to accustom a puppy to it at the age of 3-3.5 months, and if desired, you can also transfer an adult who has previously been trimmed to rolling. However, this will be a little more difficult to do.

The purpose of rolling is to form a three-layer coat in the Miniature Schnauzer. This will require not only skill, but also patience. Let's look at the rolling procedure step by step.

Stage 1 - Formation of the 1st layer of wool (top)

At this stage, the puppy hair that sticks out in different directions is removed. The pinching procedure is carried out throughout the body by hand and evenly. After trimming, you need to remove the undercoat using a furminator. Next, the undercoat is combed and removed weekly.

Stage 2 - Formation of the 2nd layer of wool (middle)

28-35 days after the first plucking, it is time to work with the 2nd layer of wool. Don't be alarmed that the coat will be unsightly and patchy at this time. At this stage, it is important to be patient and pluck stray hairs evenly.

During the work, you will be able to observe short and spiky hairs on the dog’s body - this means that the growth of new guard hair, removed at stage 1, has begun. This means everything is going according to plan, and soon your little schnauzer will shine with dazzling beauty. Don't forget to remove the undercoat once a week.

Stage 3 - Formation of the 3rd layer of wool (bottom)

After 28-35 days, it’s time to remove the remnants of old and long hair. Having removed it, you can see the beautiful young, hard guard hair, which has grown safely since the first plucking. It is still quite short and consists of 2 layers, top and middle.

The dog looks quite neat at this time, but it still needs some time to build up the 3rd (bottom) layer. In about 1 month it will be safely formed.

Thus, if you roll every 4-5 weeks, you can achieve perfection. In this case, the Miniature Schnauzer will always look elegant and well-groomed.

It takes approximately 4.5-5 months for a 100% transition to rolling.

Types of trimming

Depending on the functional load, miniature schnauzer trimming can be of different types:

Hygienic (cosmetic). It is carried out monthly and includes removing excess hair under the tail and in the groin, shortening the bangs and beard, combing out the down, trimming hair on the ears and paw pads.
Classic (basic). It is carried out quarterly and includes trimming the back, neck and sides of the miniature in combination with a full range of hygienic manipulations.
Seasonal. It is carried out during spring and autumn molting and promotes the formation of hard guard hair.
Exhibition. This is done no later than 2 weeks before participation in the event. Stripping for a show-class miniature schnauzer should be performed by a specialist familiar with the characteristics of the breed. Otherwise, there is a risk of ruining the dog’s appearance.

In addition to the above types of trimming, there is rolling. This procedure is aimed at forming a three-layer coat and is carried out once every 1.5-2 months.

Expert advice

The first trimming and rolling procedures for Miniature Schnauzer puppies are the most painful. It is important not to yell at the puppy, but to gently and decisively finish the job you started. Time will pass and the dog will get used to these sensations.

Rolling has undoubted advantages over trimming. With the rolling method, the schnauzer's coat is always in perfect shape and in the right condition.

To determine which hair to pluck, you need to lift the hairs and look through them into the light. The spine of the top layer will be the longest; it is this that should be plucked out first.

Plucking of mature wool is carried out against its growth, which allows not to affect the young (immature) and avoid bald spots.

Trimming powder helps strengthen the adhesion of the fur and the blade.

For the Miniature Schnauzer breed, removing the undercoat is an important step; the thick undercoat prevents the release of dead outer hair.

Depending on the color and type of coat, as well as the thickness of the undercoat, the grooming method is chosen for each dog purely individually.

Grooming is not a fashion requirement, but a necessary procedure that is beneficial for the overall health of the dog.

If you do not have experience and confidence in trimming, rolling or cutting your Miniature Schnauzer yourself, it is better not to start this activity.

The Miniature Schnauzer is not a breed for the lazy. After the grooming procedure, the dog shines with its beauty and is the pride of its owner. Along with this, complex care for its fur takes a lot of time and not every owner can do it.

Useful materials:

Medium-sized dogs Australian Shepherd or Aussie Australian Cattle Dog or Australian Heeler Australian Kelpie Austrian Hound American…
Where is the monument to Hachiko? Why was a monument erected to a dog named Hachiko? It all started back in 1923. Exactly…
How cold is it outside? Wool protects dogs from the cold. Wire-haired, short-haired, long-haired dogs with thick undercoat do not freeze in winter.…
Training a dachshund at home Caring for a dachshund A dachshund puppy has appeared at home. Raising and caring for him is a responsible task. How…

How to trim a miniature schnauzer

Anyone can master the independent technique of grooming a dog. At first, stripping is carried out in the company of an assistant who will hold the dog in the correct position. And for regular grooming, they purchase a special table that is adjustable in height and has a lock. Trimming is carried out according to the following scheme:

Using your thumb and forefinger, grab a tuft of the miniature schnauzer's fur, gently holding the skin.
The hair, held by hand, is lifted with a trimmer and pulled out with a jerk.
After all necessary areas have been treated, an antiseptic is applied to the miniature’s skin.

Important! In the cold season, for 2-3 days after trimming, the miniature schnauzer is walked in overalls or a warm blanket.

Required Tools

To cut and trim a Miniature Schnauzer, the groomer needs the following equipment:

metal comb with fine teeth;
hairdresser's scisors;
hair clipper (electric or mechanical);
trimming knife.

Grooming a miniature schnauzer at home

Trimming a miniature schnauzer at home always starts from the back. The fur is plucked, moving from the back of the head to the base of the tail, without touching the lower part of the neck. The processing is carried out with a special knife. With one hand, the dog’s fur is pressed against the blade, and with the other, the skin is held.

Important! A prerequisite for successful trimming is to capture small tufts of hair in the direction of hair growth. Otherwise, your pet will experience pain and will not stand quietly during the procedure.

A haircut pattern will help you form the correct silhouette of your dog. It describes a step-by-step algorithm of actions that any owner can easily remember. The miniature schnauzer trimming scheme looks like this:

Removing dead hair from a dog's neck.
Treatment of the back and sides.
Plucking the shoulder blades to the elbows and the outer thighs to the hocks.
Trimming the top of the tail.

Trimming the muzzle, bangs, lower line of the body, front and rear limbs is done with scissors. Everything else is removed during grooming with a machine.

Ears and head

The calling card of the Miniature Schnauzer is its muzzle, adorned with a thick beard and hanging bangs. Therefore, when grooming this part of the body, dogs pay special attention to:

The bangs are shaped into a triangle and combed forward.
Sideburns are trimmed so that the hair does not stick out.
The beard is trimmed so that the muzzle takes the shape of a regular rectangle.

The ears are cut short with a clipper, removing the fringe at the edges. The hair growing inside is plucked by hand. The tufts of hair located in the inner corners of the eyes are carefully cut off with scissors.

Body and hips

The fur growing on the belly, front of the chest and throat area is cut short. The outer thighs are carefully trimmed. The paws are shaped into smooth columns. To do this, the hair on them is trimmed with scissors and combed up.

Hair on the inner thighs and around the genital area is removed with a clipper or scissors.

Grooming a Schnauzer: what do you need to know?

Grooming Schnauzer dogs at home involves trimming the hair on the neck, face, paws, and belly. In these areas, the coat is aligned along the contour (see photo).

Grooming a Schnauzer begins with plucking coarse hair from the base of the neck to the end of the tail; how to do this correctly can be seen in numerous videos. Trimming a schnauzer at home (and plucking is trimming) then moves along the withers, shoulder blades, elbows, sides and chest. Plucking the fur on the thighs is left, so to speak, “for dessert.”

Important to remember! The hairs need to be plucked against their growth. Otherwise, young hair will be affected, and this will lead to the appearance of bald spots. It will be difficult to restore the coat to the way it should be and only with the help of professionals.

Numerous videos show the next stage:

The thumb of one hand presses the small clump of fur firmly against the blade of the knife.
The fingers of the second hand hold the skin.
One sharp movement in the direction of hair growth - and the old hair is removed.
For this procedure, it is advisable to purchase a trimming knife.
The remaining coat is smoothed with a machine.

It should be remembered that if the pet’s coat is clean, then bathing is carried out after cutting. If you had to bathe the schnauzer before grooming, then after the procedure the animal is washed with clean water.

Grooming requirements for a miniature schnauzer

The breed standard specifies criteria for assessing a dog's appearance. Grooming of a miniature schnauzer participating in exhibitions is unacceptable. The show dog must be trimmed in the back area, starting from the back of the head and ending with the croup. Other parts of the dog's body can be treated with scissors. The length of the coat is also important: for show dogs it should not exceed 1.5 cm.

On a note. In preparation for the show, the initial grooming of the miniature schnauzer is carried out 60 days before the event. Repeated treatment is carried out 2 weeks before the exhibition. This frequency of grooming will help achieve the desired coat length.

Features of the coat

The official breed standard states that the Miniature Schnauzer's body is covered with two-layer hair. A thick undercoat is hidden under the not too short awn. True, it does not indicate that dog spines are divided into 3 types:

young (shortest);
ripe (medium);
old (longest, hardest and dullest).

Dead hair does not perform any important functions other than protecting the dog from pollution. The old coat worsens the dog's appearance and begins to fall out over time. As a result, without appropriate grooming, the dog looks unkempt and does not receive high marks at shows.

Dog grooming

In addition to trimming, the Miniature Schnauzer needs basic hygiene procedures. Caring for your dog comes down to periodic bathing and regular brushing:

Before combing, the coarse coat of the miniature is moistened with conditioner and only then treated with a slicker or metal comb.
Bathe your Miniature Schnauzer as it gets dirty. Bath procedures are carried out in a warm room using shampoo for wire-haired dogs.

Grooming and trimming a miniature schnauzer is not a tribute to fashion, but a necessity that helps maintain the health and aesthetic appearance of the animal. A plucked and trimmed dog will become the real pride of the owner and will receive high marks from experts. In Moscow and other large cities there are many salons staffed by skilled grooming specialists. But it is much more pleasant to realize that the appearance of a miniature dog, arousing the admiration of others, is the merit of the owner himself.

Origin story

The words “miniature” and “schnauzer” in translation mean “gnome” and “muzzle”. The breed is called young, but its roots go back to the Middle Ages. It is known that the ancestors were miniature schnauzers. There is a version that a branch was formed on the territory of modern Germany. Representatives of small schnauzers appeared in the German expanses in the 19th–20th centuries.

The brave animals were used to guard homes and catch rats. Representatives of mini-schnauzers appeared at the exhibition only in 1899. They were spotted there. And in the same year the first breed standard was developed. Schnauzers of unusually small size came to Russia in 1974, and breeding began in 1988.