Breed standard

In the FCI nomenclature this breed is the Schnauzer, standard number 182. German speakers also call it the Mittelschnauzer, to set it apart from the Zwergschnauzer and the Riesenschnauzer. The notes below are a short reading of the official standard, not a copy of it.

Pepper-and-salt standard schnauzer standing — Pepper and salt

Black standard schnauzer, head and shoulders — Black

Black standard schnauzer standing — Black

Pepper-and-salt standard schnauzer — Pepper and salt

Black standard schnauzer, close view of the beard — Beard

Standard schnauzer lying down — Lying down

Standard schnauzer lying on grass — On grass

Standard schnauzer beside a bowl — Beside a bowl

Standard schnauzer carrying a stick — Carrying a stick

Photographs of the Schnauzer (Mittelschnauzer). Author and licence for each file.

Origin Germany. The historical note in the standard says the Schnauzer was kept in southern Germany as a stable dog and ratter, and that the Pinscher-Schnauzer Club entered it in 1895 under the name rough-haired Pinscher.
Classification Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs), Section 1 (Pinscher and Schnauzer type). The FCI does not require a working trial for this breed.
Standard FCI-Standard N° 182. The official valid standard was published on 6 March 2007. The authentic language is German.
Use Watch and companion dog. The general picture is a medium, strong, rough-haired dog, stocky rather than slim, built nearly square.
Height 45 to 50 cm at the withers for dogs and bitches.
Weight 14 to 20 kg for dogs and bitches.
Coat Wiry, harsh, and dense: a close undercoat and a rough topcoat long enough to judge the texture, neither bristly nor wavy. The beard and the bushy eyebrows are part of the type. Hair on the forehead and ears is short.
Colours Two varieties are accepted: pure black with a black undercoat, and pepper and salt. Pepper and salt runs from dark iron grey to silver grey, with a grey undercoat and a dark mask.
Temperament The standard pairs a lively temperament with a calm composure. It describes a good-natured, playful dog, devoted to its owner, fond of children, watchful without being a noisy barker, and intelligent, trainable, and steady enough to live as a family dog, a guard, and a companion with working-dog qualities.

The other two sizes

Height and weight below are only a comparison. They come from the separate FCI standards, not from standard 182.

Miniature Zwergschnauzer, FCI standard 183: 30 to 35 cm at the withers, about 4 to 8 kg.
Mittelschnauzer Schnauzer, FCI standard 182: 45 to 50 cm, 14 to 20 kg.
Giant Riesenschnauzer, FCI standard 181: 60 to 70 cm, 35 to 47 kg.