Show preparation

[Zeus2021]

Hi everyoane ! I don't have experience in showing schnauzer....i wonder how do they prepare the fur for show, especially the legs.
Can you help me?
I do stripping on zeus: head, neck, cheeks, body.
Legs are brushed but they don't look grate ...what i have to do?

[zeta1454]

Is Zeus a standard or a giant schnauzer?

In the U.K. a miniature schnauzer would be more mature in appearance at 6 months and nowadays there is far more leg hair left on show dogs. However, a giant schnauzer or even a standard will mature later so Zeus may still be at the skinny, leggy stage at this age. I know you posted a photo of Zeus at 4 months after a professional groom and his coat and overall appearance was lovely. I wonder whether he is just going through an adolescent growth spurt and will fill out over the next year.

Giant and standard schnauzers do usually have less leg furnishings than minis but maybe let the hair grow more on his legs before a show. There are also some differences between countries as to the amount of leg hair on show dogs - the USA often has dogs with very thick soft leg furnishings whereas in Europe a more natural look may be more usual.

[Zeus2021]

He is a miniature schnauzer.

[zeta1454]

He is a miniature schnauzer.

From a U.K. show perspective, I would say you need to let his leg hair grow much longer for the show ring. The hair can be brushed out after bathing to give it more body but it looks from your photo as though there is very little hair left on the legs. You would usually not take hair off the legs in grooming for the show just keep clean, free of mats and scissor to shape. Some shampoos for dogs claim to give more body to the hair. Blow drying the hair can also help to give it more body on the day of the show.

The best plan may be to take Zeus to a show when he is old enough and ask for some advice from other people there showing their minis. It is always easier to make a better assessment of a dog or puppy if you can actually see it and look at the coat, hair texture etc. Many show people are happy to help with advice on grooming for the show ring.

Here are a couple of photos of one of our minis from about 10 years ago who was shown briefly. This is just to show the hair length on jacket and legs. The first is when she was about 3 months and still straggly in her coat:




The second was when she was 6 months old and at a show:



Although she is pepper and salt it should give you an idea of what kind of length / look you are aiming for with the leg hair. It may be with Zeus that he just hasn’t reached that hair growth yet although it did look longer on your earlier photo at 4 months? The dogs don’t have the ‘show’ look all the time of course and the finished appearance is usually achieved ready for the day - back home they are soon neither fluffy nor as clean

[Zeus2021]

Thank you for youre answer and fotos.
At 4 months at the profesional groomimg sesion, the groomer said that i must take out the hairs that look death and longer thant others(he was speeking about the legs)
After i did that the legs looked like today....he had a lot of hair on.legs at.4 months and now it seems to grow back so slow....
About the jacket: i stripp it, it is wrong that i did it so short? Zeus has a lot of hair on the jacket, i have to stripp ot at 2 weeks

[Dawnspell]

I've never shown but to me the ones Ive seen the jacket always looks short not sure what length though. Could you contact the professional groomer to ask what length or Im sure there will be a hand stripping facebook group that could offer advise.

If hes ready mentally for showing then Id do it for experience. Dont the judges give feedback on appearance as well as body structure ?

[Zeus2021]

This is how he looks today after bath and blow dry

[zeta1454]

It can make quite a difference just the blow drying after the bath

I know that there are different looks to miniature schnauzers in Europe compared to the U.K. and a shorter look may be fine (if you are showing in Europe?) Looking at your photos today, I think the jacket looks fine but the furnishings under his chest /tummy area should be left longer and then shaped with scissors to give the outline usually seen in show dogs. Zeus’s legs look long because there is no hair underneath his chest / stomach area.

I have found this image of a black miniature schnauzer in a show type groom and you can see that there is hair beneath the chest coming down and shaped which makes the legs seem less long and a more square look:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... naucer.jpg

I hope this helps

[Sandie1]

I know this may be of little help to you, but you may be able to get hold of a DVD on grooming the Miniature Schnauzer, I have one by Ewa Highland which has some good tips. It can help to see what you are aiming for. Good luck!

[Zeus2021]

Thank you all ! I hope it will grow on the chest an all to be fine. We will show in europe in april

[zeta1454]

Good luck at the shows and do let us know how Zeus gets on. By April he should have a good coat and look lovely.

[Zeus2021]

...

[Dawnspell]

Good luck with the show tomorrow Dont forget to get lots of pictures

[Zeus2021]

[Schnauzerluv]

Looking great! Thanks for the pics!