Schnauzer

Schnauzer

a dog with hard, wiry, black or salt-and-pepper colored coat that is short on the body but longer on the legs and face, where it forms the characteristic eyebrows, moustache and chin whiskers. The small, v-shaped ears are set high and fold over except in countries where ear-cropping is practiced. The tail is docked to a short length. There are three varieties of Schnauzers, each regarded as a separate breed, similar in appearance but varying in size. The miniature (12-14 inches tall) is classed as a terrier while the standard (17-20 inches tall) and giant (23-27 inches tall) are classed as working dogs in the United States. The miniature Schnauzer is predisposed to congenital cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy and Schnauzer comedo syndrome.