GROOMING
Beginning 2021 I will no longer be offering grooming to new clients. My focus is on my puppies and every outside dog that comes in for grooming creates a risk of bringing in a contagion that could wipe out entire litters. If you are in the Columbus area, I highly recommend Marcia Coffman if you are in need of a good groomer. She is located near the intersection of Karl Road & Sandalwood Place on the east side of Columbus Ohio. She grooms all breeds but shows Miniature Schnauzers so definitely has expertise in the breed. She also occasionally has nice puppies for sale. Her website is http://maneauminiatureschnauzers.webs.com
Marcia can be reached at 614-477-6366
While the Miniature Schnauzer is a fairly easy-care breed to maintain, this does not translate into “no home grooming,” unless you like the shaved down look. Furnishings (legs, face, belly) must be brushed and combed on a weekly basis at minimum. The Schnauzer coat is generally softer than other terriers and will pick up leaves, stickers and other debris. Because there is an undercoat, the furnishings will tangle and mat if not tended.
Any of the “non-shedding” breeds have a potential for matting. Only the hairless breeds are truly non-shedding and non-matting. All canine hair cycles through phases and eventually leaves the hair follicle. If it does not hit the floor, the shed hair can get caught up in the thick coat. The more profuse and/or soft the furnishings, the greater chance that uncombed hair will become matted. Generally speaking, the less shedding breeds require manual removal of loose hair. The degree of shedding depends upon the hair growth cycle. Using a stiff, metal tooth comb to brush through the furnishings will provide the best results. A soft toothed comb, bristled brush or slicker brush tends to only brush the top outer coat and will allow for the coat to matt close to the skin which can create sores or cause a skin infection.
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Puppy colors are a little easier to tell but once a dog is older, and especially if they are faded, it can be hard to tell a Black & Silver from a dark Salt & Pepper. For me, the real teller is in the hair around the eyes. On a Black or Black and Silver, no matter how faded they are, the dark hair around the eyes will still be all one color along the individual hair shaft. On a dark Salt & Pepper, it is usually quite easy to see the lighter "banding" on the shaft. Some dogs have more banding than others as shown on the two dogs to the right. The dog to the left is a faded Black and Silver.