The American Miniature Schnauzer Club (AMSC) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) are the leading authorities when it comes to Miniature Schnauzers. Both of these clubs state very clearly that the Miniature Schnauzer should be one the following colors:

Solid Black

Black and Silver

Salt and Pepper

Lately there has been alot of hype about the so called rare colors. These colors are:

White

Chocolate

Parti-Colored

These colors are not accepted by the American Kennel Club or the American Miniature Schnauzer Club. Now, it is possible that these dogs get registered with the AKC. AKC registration simply means that the parents of the dog were also registered with the AKC. The validity of that registration depends on the integrity of the person doing the registering. For instance, a woman in the hospital with a new baby can name any male as the father of that infant. The integrity of the birth certificate depends on her, not the registry. Any dog may be registered with the AKC as long as both of its parents were also AKC registered. That registration says nothing about the quality of the dog.
Size
Both the AKC and the AMSC state that the Miniature Schnauzer should be between 12-14 inches tall and weigh 14 to 18 pounds. Some people are breeding these dogs to be smaller, and calling them toy Schnauzers. These are not actually toy Schnauzers. They are simply smaller sized Miniature Schnauzers, but tend to have a higher risk of health problems. Some of these toy schnauzers weigh 8 pounds or less! Dogs that are bred down like this tend to have issues with their joints such as kneecap dislocations, and those who breed these dogs aren't really taking the time to check for other health issues that are preventable with proper breeding. Check out the Schnauzer Health page for more information on the illnesses that Schnauzers may have.

To top all of this off, dogs that are unacceptable colors and/or sizes typically cost more than one of proper size and color from a reputable breeder!. The reason is that people believe that they are getting something rare, and they're willing to pay those prices! I've heard of people paying over $1,500 for a parti colored Schnauzer, and when the dog became seriously ill, the breeder wouldn't even answer the telephone or emails! Sadly, these people couldn't afford the veterinarian bills and turned the dog over to a humane shelter who put her to sleep.

Take a stand against these so called rare colors and sizes. Alert the world to the truth! Feel free to use the image below and post it on your website.


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<a href="http://www.loveofbreeds.com/SchnauzerColors.html"target=_blank><img src="http://www.loveofbreeds.com/schncolorsnotoys1.gif" width=125 height=125 border=0 alt="Miniature Schnauzer"></a>