This little Mr Smarty Pants
of the show ring always reminds me of a gentleman of old with
his top hat, tails and spats, just because he is always so bandbox
smart. Well, at least he sometimes does and frankly ought to be.
Again this is a breed where
the purists tend not to want to do anything with shaping of the
coat and others go gung-ho. If you follow the English standard,
it doesn’t say a word about whether you can or can’t
shape the coat, whereas the AKC standard specifically mentions
stripping and trimming. I am of the belief that if the rules don’t
mention it and don’t say you can’t, then it is fair
enough to do it.
It does take talent to
shape a good Mini Schnauzer. However, it can be learned and once
you have the picture in your head of what is to be done, then
all else follows readily. Basic trimming and stripping skills
can be mastered and all it then takes is patience and a will to
put the effort in.
Whatever you set out to
do with his shaping, remember that your standard calls for correct
conformation being of more importance than colour and beauty.
So be mindful that your shaping should enhance his conformation
and don’t just follow what someone else does to their Schnauzer
whose shape is likely different.
I like to bath this dog.
I am aware that the body of the coat ought to be harsh and wiry
so the trick is not to soften the coat but simply clean it and
keep the coat from exhibiting buff or reddish tones. Use the Plush Puppy Hydrobath and Bath
Wash which is very low foaming and ideal for Terrier type
coats. I like to only spritz clean this coat so use at the ratio
of about 6 squirts to the gallon/4litres. You will hardly see
any foam and thus keep any static or fluffiness to a minimum.
For the legs and furnishings use the Plush Puppy Whitening Shampoo at just
5:1 i.e. 5 parts water to one part shampoo. No conditioner please
as we don’t want to soften. Use instead for shine and good
health and vigour to the coat, the Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil at 1 tbspn to
1 gal/4 litres of water straight after bathing and soak well through
the whole coat and leave in.
Dry the head with Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream
- 1 tbspn to 1 cup water all through the beard and eyebrows too
to keep the coat straight and flat. Once dried you can even use
straightening irons on the eyebrows if necessary and apply P.P.
Sit N Stay warmed through the hands and smeared onto the brows.
This will help hold them in place.
Dry the legs upwards and
full using a cushion pin brush till almost dry and apply Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream
with a damp piece of kitchen sponge and then pack full of loose
chalk and blow dry out again. This gives nice white, full legs.
Spray with hairspray to hold.
For the body when blow
drying, apply Plush Puppy
Ruffy Tuffy Coat Spray to keep the harshness to the coat
and keep reapplying as you dry till required texture is achieved.
Now for the shaping -for
those who are dedicated enough to do it and for those whose standard
says you should. Hand strip all over the main body including tail,
shaping to a V at the neck. This V extends up the ridge on the
side of the neck to just immediately behind the ears. This area
is clipped with a #10 Oster blade. Head and ears are hand stripped.
The head shape is achieved
by leaving length on the eyebrows and scissoring to shape from
the outer corner of the eyes to a point reaching the tip of the
nose so one has created a triangle.
This gives the correct
shape to the head. One then follows with the facial hair being
left long from the outer corner of the eye in a line extending
down to just the corner of the mouth and then to the couple of
dark whiskers under the chin. Length of the beard to suit the
length of the individual dog’s head.
Clip around his butt from
inner leg to just inside the swirls on the butt and down to the
turn of stifle and then scissor blend into leg lengths. You now
have to create a flared column of the legs. Don’t trim the
legs evenly all the way down as you are shaping for the perfect
straight front view and you have an opportunity to get this dog
perfect with the trim. A flared column means less off the bottom
of the leg than the top which will often be trimmed a bit closer.
Just view your dog and what he needs. Trim his furnishings and
his underneath to suit shape.
Clip under his feet and
around the edges of the front to create that nice cat like tight
foot as stipulated.
Don’t forget to whiten
his face with the Plush
Puppy Cover Up Cream and finish it off with a dusting
of loose chalk or chalk block which is easier to apply to the
face than the loose stuff.
I do dislike seeing reddening
around the beards. A tspn of Apple Cider Vinegar in his food each
day seems to help prevent this and you can also use Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo if
already stained. Use undiluted and work into the stained area
and leave in for 10 minutes and rinse. Repeat as often as needed.
Keep your salt & pepper,
black & silver or your solid black from sun fade with the
Plush Puppy Sunshade.
I use this 2 or 3 times during the week on coats.
So you now have a perfectly
turned out Mini Schnauzer. All you need to do now is spray him
with the Plush Puppy Odour
Muncher for that wonderful fresh smell and a light dusting
of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust
onto your cushion brush and worked lightly through his rear area,
topline and front.
Finish with a light spray
of Plush Puppy Shine &
Comb for that finished look. The Pixie Dust will give
you a fabulous, light shimmer and the Shine & Comb a healthy
lustre.
Your Mini Schnauzer is
a smart and stylish little person. His free, balanced little gait
striding out with good reach and drive combined with your input
for snappy grooming for him makes him a formidable opponent in
any ring. He is one good looking little dog.
