See 8 Rare and Unique Miniature Schnauzer Colors

It’s always fun to see dogs that are different from the norm. For instance, most of us have seen a black Miniature Schnauzer, but not as many people have seen a red one!

Rare and unique Miniature Schnauzer colors include red, cream, liver and tan, black and red, liver pepper, white chocolate, chocolate, and several parti colors. These rare coat colors aren’t accepted into American Kennel Club (AKC) shows because they aren’t seen as standard.

In this article, we’ll go over x rare and unique Miniature Schnauzer coat colors and what they look like, with pictures. We’ll also discuss some other key points when it comes to Miniature Schnauzers and their fur.

Common Miniature Schnauzer Coat Colors

There are three Miniature Schnauzer colors recognized as standard by the AKC:

• Black
• Black and silver
• Salt and pepper

In addition, the breed standard states that Miniature Schnauzers shouldn’t have white or pink patches of skin. Their noses should be completely black.

White spots are disqualifying from AKC shows, with the exception of a small white spot on the chest of a black Schnauzer.

In the United States, you will most commonly see purebred dogs that adhere to AKC standards. This is especially true if you adopt from an ethical breeder, as they tend to adhere to breed standards rather than try to breed rare coat colors for money or popularity.

Rare Miniature Schnauzer Coat Colors

1. Red

Red in dogs is an orange-brown color. In miniature Schnauzers, darker shades of red are seen as rarer and more appealing. Therefore, the puppies sell for higher prices.

Red Miniature Schnauzers’ coats may fade as they age.

2. Cream

Cream Miniature Schnauzers are a very light tan color, almost an off white. This is also known as wheaten.

3. Liver and Tan

Liver and tan Miniature Schnauzers tend to have mostly liver-colored coats. The color liver is a dark brown.

They have light tan patches typically on their chests, the bottoms of their legs, and on their faces.

4. Black and Red

Black and red coats are similar, but with black as the main coat and red patches on their chests, faces, and feet.

5. Liver Pepper

Liver pepper Miniature Schnauzers are like salt and pepper Schnauzers but with liver (brown) fur instead of gray.

6. White Chocolate

White chocolate pups are simply white in color, sometimes with some cream in the coat as well.

7. Chocolate

Chocolate, also known as liver, is a dark brown color.

8. Parti Coats

“Parti” in Miniature Schnauzer coats means the dogs have white patches with white skin underneath. These areas lack pigment.

Parti-colored coats you might see include:

• Chocolate parti (also known as liver parti)
• Wheaten parti (also known as cream parti)
• Black parti
• Salt and pepper parti
• Liver and tan parti
• Liver and red parti
• Black and silver parti

Remember–Rare isn’t Always Best

Please remember that many breeders who rely on the marketing strategy of breeding rare-colored dogs are breeding unethically.

While a coat color outside the norm isn’t an automatic sign of poor breeding, it should raise a red flag, especially if the breeder is charging exorbitant prices for the rare puppies.

As always, research your breeder thoroughly before purchasing from them. Most importantly, they should have both parent dogs tested with all recommended genetic health tests. These results should be published and made easily available to you.

Other signs of a reputable breeder are breeding infrequently, keeping the dogs in a suitable home environment that you can visit, and having a waitlist that you can sign up for before the puppies are born. 

Your contract should always state that, should you need to rehome your puppy, they’ll go back to the breeder. This shows that they care where their dogs end up, and will ensure they never spend time in a shelter.

If your breeder doesn’t have all of the above, run in the other direction! You are dealing with either a backyard breeder or a puppy mill, neither of which breed ethically.

Other Things to Know About Miniature Schnauzer Coats

Aside from color, another unique thing about Miniature Schnauzer coats is that they have wiry top coats with smooth undercoats.

Their coats take special care and what is known as hand-stripping. This is typically best done by a professional dog groomer who has experience with wire-coated breeds. 

Handstripping involves pulling out dead fur by hand. This dead fur would otherwise become trapped in the coat, giving the dog an unruly appearance and causing mats to develop.

Alternatively, Miniature Schnauzers can have their fur clipped. Regardless, they should see a groomer every four to six weeks and also be brushed regularly at home.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing all of the adorable, rare, and unique Miniature Schnauzer coat colors in this article and learning more about their coats. Which coat color is your favorite?

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Lunja/Shutterstock.com