Is her coat changing?

[Maeva]

Hi everyone.
I'm new to this forum and own a mini Schnauzer as a pet ( not competitions) .
She is 14 months and just these past weeks we have noticed something strange with her coat along her spine.
She is very soft, salt and pepper and when her hair is long it still is soft and curly. Now this patch is very coarse hair and brown - hope you can see it in the picture...
Have we done something wrong? Is her coat changing? Could it be a parasite?
Thank you for your help!
Maeva

[zeta1454]

Miniature schnauzer puppies have soft "puppy fur" which should be stripped out to allow the coarse top coat to come through so as to achieve the "typical" harsh weatherproof jacket which is typical of the breed. The coarse brownish hairs are most likely to be the top coat coming through the soft fluffy hair.
Even pet miniature schnauzer owners do strip out the coat if they want to achieve / maintain the harsh coat but, if you are having your little one clipped, you may lose the top coat altogether over time and she will just have soft undercoat. This is not weatherproof and will mean she needs protection in very wet or cold weather.
The patch of different coloured hair is not something you need worry about as it is quite natural and many pepper & salt miniature schnauzers have a band of dark or sometimes sandy coloured hair along the centre of the back whether stripped or clipped.
If you think there is anything more serious going on with her coat / skin I would take her for a vet check but, from the photos I think you are just seeing her natural top coat hairs coming through

[Maeva]

Thank you so much! This is helpfully and I feel better! She is due for a vet visit for something else, I'll have them take a look at the skin to rule out anything out! Thank you again for your response!