How to Trim a Schnauzer

Taking time to groom the schnauzer really pays off.
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Schnauzers are pleasant to look at with their sturdy build and beautiful coat. As almost any schnauzer owner knows, without proper care that normally thick and luscious coat becomes wiry and heavy looking. Luckily, grooming the schnauzer only takes a few easy steps.

Step 1

Run a pin brush over your furry friend’s coat. Start at the base of his skull and brush down his back. Gently work over his entire body. Comb his hair with a 1/2-inch metal comb and remove any tangles from his coat by holding the hair straight out and combing the end.

Step 2

Wash your schnauzer with warm water and a shampoo formulated for dogs with light or silver coats. This shampoo highlights the natural silver in the breed’s hair. After rinsing him, blot his coat dry with a towel and follow up with a hair dryer on the lowest setting until his coat is completely dry.

Step 3

Clip the hair down the schnauzer’s back with a pair of shears. The typical schnauzer cut is short over the back, chest, sides, neck and side of the head. So, make even strokes with the shears, cut in the opposite direction of hair growth and only leave the hair about 1 to one-half inch long.

Step 4

Trim the hair on each leg and furnishings with the scissors pointed vertically. Cut in the direction of the hair growth, following the leg’s contour. Leave the hair slightly longer on the legs than the rest of the body. Also, cut the hair on his belly even with the leg hair. Allow a groomer to clip the area around his genitals to avoid injury. The long hair should form a “skirt” around the schnauzer’s waist. If possible, have him stand on his back legs so you can reach his underside.

Step 5

Hold his paw in your free hand and turn it upside down. Trim the hairs growing between his pads and toes.

Step 6

Comb the pup’s bangs forward and hold them straight up away from his eyes between your fingers. Cut a point between his eyebrows with your scissors. Trim the edge of his beard, but do not cut the top of it or under his eyes. The schnauzer’s face should appear rectangular in shape.

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