How to Groom a Schnauzer's Face

A well-groomed schnauzer face will make your dog look pleasant.

Schnauzers are a type of German dog. The German term schnauzer translates to snout in English. Schnauzers have bearded snouts and are known for their feathery eyebrows. The Schnauzer face needs groomed to remove excess hair from around the eyes and mouth. Removing the hair allows the dogs to see and keeps food out of their hair. Schnauzers are also groomed for dog shows and to keep their faces looking elegant.

Things You'll Need

• Dog clippers
• No. 10 or 15 clipper guard
• Short blunt-nosed scissors
• Ear edge blades

Instructions

1. Place a No. 10 or 15 blade guard onto a pair of clippers.

2. Place the clippers above the eyebrows. Move the clipper with the grain of the hair to the back of the head between the ears. Trim all the hair above the eyebrows.

3. Hold one of the ears with your hand. Place the clippers between the ear and eyebrow and move it downward to clip off excess hair. Repeat with the other ear.

4. Hold the ear in place again so that it is out of your way. Clip the hair from the corner of the eye. Move the clippers along the cheek and to the base of the ear. Repeat with the other ear.

5. Pull the beard hair forward. Clip the beard hair from the cheek to the side of the neck just under the ear.

6. Remove the hair from the underside of the schnauzer's beard down the throat. The edge of the beard needs to remain even around the dog's muzzle.

7. Clip a triangle or diamond shape between the eyes with short blunt-nosed scissors. Make the shape a 1/2 inch wide. The triangle needs to go down to the inside corner of each eye. Cut all flyaway hairs.

8. Part the hair on top of the muzzle. Never shave the hair. Thin the beard with thinning shears to remove straggly hairs. Only trim the beard if it appears thick or bulky.

9. Comb the eyebrows so they are straight. Trim the eyebrows down toward the nose. Cut a sharp angle that goes toward the outside corner of both eyes. The inside hair of the eyebrows will remain the longest. Cut the long hair down to half the length of the muzzle.

10. Hold the ears flat onto the palm side of your fingers. Clip the ears in the direction of the hair growth and hold the ear firmly. Clip the hair carefully so that you do not cut the flaps of skin on the bottom of the ears. Start from the center and work your way outward with ear edge blades.

11. Trim the facial whiskers to 1/2 inch from the corner of the eyes. Cut the whiskers in a straight line.

Tips & Warnings

• Always oil the clipper blades while you groom the dog to keep them lubricated.

• Brush excess hair off the clippers with a clipper brush.

• Avoid clipping the hair against the grain because it can cause razor burn and irritation.

References

• Britmor Schnauzers; Grooming the Schnazer; Karen J. Brittan
• Miniature Schnazuer; Grooming Your Miniature Schnazuer; Diane Ykelenstam
• Pearson Products; Grooming Your Schnauzer; Dan Kiedrowski
• Schnauzers Rule: Miniature Schnazuer Grooming Chart
• Dog Breed Info Center: Miniature Schnauzer Information and Pictures