Schnauzers can be standard, miniature or giant in size, but all have arched eyebrows and a bristly mustache and whiskers. If you are going to show your boy, he must have a standard show cut, otherwise you have a choice of haircuts.
Natural
If you love your schnauzer’s dense harsh coat the way it is, there is no need to have his hair cut. You will have to spend time grooming him though. The coat has two layers – a soft, close undercoat and a wiry tough outercoat. It will need to be brushed daily to get rid of matting and knots. Occasionally, you may need to have his eyebrows trimmed so he can see clearly. This can be done by your vet or a groomer.
Show Cut
The American Kennel Club requires the outercoat to be hand-stripped, rather than mechanically trimmed, for showing. The hair on the body, neck and chest should be from ¾ to an inch long and the hair on the legs should be longer than the hair on the body. The head should have a rectangular look with the beard shaped parallel to the head. The thick bushy eyebrows are combed forward and trimmed in a V at the center to accent the bushy look. Make sure your groomer is experienced with show dogs.
Schnauzer Cut
The standard schnauzer cut is the pet version of the show cut and really suits the breed. The hair on the neck, body and tail is trimmed short while the skirt and legs are left longer. The top of the head and the cheeks are trimmed to give the head a rectangular shape while the eyebrows are trimmed but kept bushy in appearance. The beard is left long but shaped.
Puppy Cut
Puppy cuts are used for many breeds as they cut down on regular grooming requirements. The body and leg hair is cut to an even length with clippers or scissors. You can ask for the legs to be kept longer if you wish. For most breeds the head and face is trimmed to give a rounded look, but for a schnauzer you can ask for his beard and eyebrows to be kept long but neatly trimmed.
