What Colors Do Miniature Schnauzers Come In?
The U.S. Miniature Schnauzer Breed Standard recognizes three colors: salt & pepper, black & silver, and solid black. These three colors are referred to as the only recognized colors. This simply means these three colors are the only allowed colors to meet breed standard and conformation showing. The salt & pepper, black & silver, and solid black are also referred to as the traditional colors for the miniature schnauzer breed.
Miniature schnauzers come in a variety of other colors which are not breed standard colors. They come in nonstandard colors often referred to as rare colors. Click here to view our available puppies.
Nonstandard colors include the following colors:
- white
- white chocolate
- platinum silver
- wheaten
- liver or chocolate
- liver tan
- liver pepper
- salt & pepper parti
- platinum silver parti
- black & silver parti
- black parti
- liver parti
- liver tan parti
- liver pepper parti
The American Kennel Club (AKC) does recognize nonstandard colors and does register the nonstandard colors as purebred miniature schnauzers. Nonstandard colors are allowed to participate in every AKC sanctioned event except Conformation Showing.
Important Note for AKC Registration of Nonstandard Colors!!!
When registering your puppy with AKC it is necessary to include two photos along with your puppy’s AKC registration paper work. The photos must be a full front view as well as a side view of the puppy. All variations of the Liver color Liver, Liver Tan, Liver Pepper and all Parti colors as well as White and Wheaten must include photos with the AKC paper work.
You should address the envelope to AKC and mark it with: ATTN: Karla Deithorn- Special Services in order for your paper work to be processed more quickly.
AKC Registration Color Codes
Salt & Pepper – 167
Black & Silver – 016
Black – 007
White – 199
Liver – 123
Liver Tan -124
Liver Pepper – 498
Wheaten – 224
Parti – 038
Please feel free to contact AKC for more information regarding registration of the standard and nonstandard colors.
When choosing a particular color of a puppy please keep in mind a lot of colors can change over time and look different once the puppy gets older. We encourage you to do some research before choosing a particular color so you will know what to expect as your puppy gets older.
Black – AKC Color Registration Code – 007
Solid blacks are entirely black with a black undercoat, except they may have a small white patch on the chest. You do not need to send pictures to AKC when registering a black miniature schnauzer.
Salt & Pepper – AKC Color Registration Code – 167
Salt and pepper come in all shades, from the light to dark mixtures with tan shadings permissible in the banded or unbanded hair of the topcoat. In salt and pepper dogs, the salt and pepper mixture fades out to light gray or silver white in the eyebrows, whiskers, cheeks, under throat, inside ears, across chest, under tail, leg furnishings, and inside hind legs. It may or may not also fade out on the underbody. However, if so, the lighter underbody hair is not to rise higher on the sides of the body than the front elbows. You do not need to send pictures to AKC when registering a salt & pepper miniature schnauzer.
Black & Silver – AKC Color Registration Code – 016
The black and silver generally follows the same pattern as the salt and pepper. The entire salt and pepper section must be black. The black color in the topcoat of the black and silver is a true rich color with black undercoat. The stripped portion is free from any fading or brown tinge and the underbody should be dark. You do not need to send pictures to AKC when registering a black & silver miniature schnauzer.
