Miniature Schnauzer Forum:
My Mini Schnauzer Pup.QUESTION

I am a proud parent of a salt and pepper Miniature Schnauzer. My husband,kids,and I welcomed Spencer into our family two weeks ago when he was 8 weeks old. I came to love this breed when my mom bought a black and silver Mini Schnauzer when I was just a teenager. (that seems sooo long ago) Now that I have one of my own I have come to realize that I would like to know as much about this breed as I possibly can. I bought this pup with the soul purpose of being a family dog. However, I would like to stud him from time to time. Guess I would like to have his legacy live on when he is older. I took him to the groomer today for the very first time. The groomer informed me that the brown in his coat wasn't dirt...that as a matter of fact it was a tinge of yellow. Since I still don't know alot about Schnauzers I called the lady who sold him to me. She told me that it was normal for their coat to have that shade when they are puppies and it will lighten up to a sliverish color. (his dad is silver and his mom Salt and Pepper). So, the groomer tells me that he will probably be just a family dog. That he would not be good enough to breed. I don't know who to believe. If I remember correctly, my mom's Mini Schnauzer had a hint of this color on him too when he was a pup. Can anyone please tell me if this is normal? Oh yeah...the breeder told me it was called Champagine...NOT yellow. I would appreciate your help. Thanks, Missy

Check the AKC standard. It states that only Black and Silver, Solid Black, or Salt and Pepper. Here's what it says for Salt and pepper.

Salt and Pepper The typical salt and pepper color of the topcoat results from the combination of black and white banded hairs and solid black and white unbanded hairs, with the banded hairs predominating. Acceptable are all shades of salt and pepper, from light to dark mixtures with tan shadings permissible in the banded or unbanded hair of the topcoat. In salt and pepper dogs, the salt and pepper mixture fades out to light gray or silver white in the eyebrows, whiskers, cheeks, under throat, inside ears, across chest, under tail, leg furnishings, and inside hind legs. It may or may not also fade out on the underbody. However, if so, the lighter underbody hair is not to rise higher on the sides of the body than the front elbows.

So a small amount of brown is acceptable. However I think you should get your dog evaluated by a licenced dog show judge before you decide to breed at all. There are enough pets waiting for homes and shelters and unless he is going to improve the breed conformation wise is would be unethical to be studding him out.

I have two mini-schnauzers and am proud to say that they are not the standard colors that some might suggest they be. One is what the AKC calls liver, I call it brown. She has a liver nose and green eyes. She is the sweetest thing you could ask for. The other is coyote color along her back oand on her ears. other than that she could pass for salt and pepper. They are both registered withthe AKC but cannot be shown. Well they could be, but they would have disqualifications a plenty.. Guess what, their are more things to do than showing dogs. I would like to breed my two females,but you are where they are from and that is too far away.