The schnauzer is a robust, hearty dog in three sizes: giant, standard and miniature. All three are characterized by their "beards" and double coats. The schnauzer's top coat is a wiry and firm, while the undercoat is soft. Schnauzers require regular brushing to avoid tangles, knots and mats.
Step 1
Brush your schnauzer before washing him. While it may seem logical to brush your dog after a bath, the way humans brush their hair, it actually is better to brush prior to the bath to avoid knots while washing your dog's fur.
Step 2
Brush upward against the dog's coat. This will get into the undercoat and not just the top coat of fur. Brush the schnauzer's beard -- it gets knotted, too -- legs and underskirt. Be gentle but firm with the brush.
Step 3
After brushing your schnauzer thoroughly, follow with a comb. Combing can often find knots and mats that the brush missed; and it is important to get these combed out of the dog's fur before they become large and difficult to untangle.
