PUPPY COLORS
Miniature Schnauzer comes in many different colors: Chocolate (Liver), White Chocolate, Chocolate Parti (Liver Parti), Chocolate and Tan, Liver Pepper, White, Black Parti, Salt and Pepper Parti, and Black and Silver Parti.
All AKC puppies are eligible for registration, but may not be shown in AKC sponsored shows unless they are Salt and Pepper, Black and Silver, or Black. Whites (along with the standard colors) can be shown in International competitions with or without cropped ears and tails! In fact, some countries are making it illegal to show Miniature Schnauzers with cropped ears and tails.
Salt and Pepper has many variations to it's shades. It can be a very dark black, resembling the black and silver, and at the other end of the spectrum, it can be so light that it appears white from a distance. What to look for, to tell the difference, is that ALL salt and peppers have banded hairs. That means that on the hair, there are 3 shades of gray. The darkest salt and peppers are called "Dark Salt and Pepper". The lightest salt and peppers are called Platinum Silvers; they appear white, but have the dark banded hairs within the coat. Most salt and peppers will turn out to be a beautiful silver color and so some people mistakenly will call them a "Silver". If you are paying more for a SILVER, you are being taken advantage of....silver is simply the color that all salt and peppers mature to be.
The blacks are exactly what they sound like...solid black. They are born black, they are black as juveniles, and they should remain black. Some blacks will begin to lighten to a dark gray as they age, but who doesn't turn a little gray with age?! Some blacks are able to retain their deep black color throughout their lives. This is genetic and some have it, but most do not.
Whites are exactly what they sound like. They are born white and will remain white throughout their lives. They are not born cream or some other color and then turn white. They are not albino, nor is it a defective gene. The white color is not recognized as a show color by the AMSC, but it is a registerable color within AKC and can be shown in the Internaional shows. When registering a White (or any other non-traditional color), a front view and side view picture must be sent to AKC along with the registration papers. (This is a rule set up by the AMSC) The registration color code for a white is 199.
Chocolate:
The entire coat of the dog is a chocolate color and the nose, pads and eyelids are a chocolate color. Also, the eyes are a hazel or green color. The AKC registration code for Chocolate(Liver) is 123.
White Chocolate:
A white chocolate is completely white with a chocolate colored nose, pads, and eyelids. The eyes are a hazel green color. The AKC registration code for ALL whites is 199.
Chocolate Parti:
The body of a Chocolate parti is white with large spots (or a blanket) of Chocolate with the nose and pads being Chocolate. The eyes are also a hazel green color. The AKC registration color code for ALL Parti patterns is 023.
Liver
Liver and Tan:
A liver and tan is the same as a black and silver except where the black and silver is black, the liver and tan has a chocolate colored coat. Also, the furnishings are a tan to silver color instead of the bright white of the black and silver. The AKC registration color code for the Liver and Tan is 124.
Black and Silvers can appear much the same as the salt and peppers when they are born, except that the black and silvers have NO brown or copper color behind the ears, on the hocks, nor on the body. As the black and silver matures, she will keep her solid black body and where she had copper colored accents on the face and feet, they will begin to lighten until they become a beautiful silver white. It is acceptable to have a few random white hairs appear on the body as they age, but otherwise, the body should remain a solid black color. Phantom is a term used to delineate between extremely white markings on the face and furnishings versus very little white on the face and furnishings. Phantoms tend to fade more quickly than the "old style" black and silvers, although, some are fortunate to have the genetics to keep their dark coats even though they are extreme in their markings.
In the last few years, new colors of Miniature Schnauzers have cropped up and have become quite popular. Most of them are a result of recessive genes and, at times, are quite difficult to produce. Due to their "different" look, breeders strive to produce them because the public is always looking for that unique puppy that won't look like all the other dogs down the street. As a result, supply and demand have made these puppies more expensive.
These "lost colors," as some would call them, include: Chocolate (Liver), Chocolate Parti (Liver Parti), Liver and Tan, Liver Pepper, White Chocolate, Black Parti, Salt and Pepper Parti, and Black and Silver Parti. I do not have pix of all of these colors, but I will list them as they become available to me.
Black and Silver Parti:
The body of a Black and Silver parti is often white with a large blanket of black. The nose, pads, and eyelids are black. The eyes are also brown in color. Also, the eyebrows will be all white, just like the black and silvers. The AKC registration color code for ALL Parti patterns is 023.
Salt and Pepper Parti:
The body of a salt and pepper parti is white with large spots (or a blanket) of silver with the nose and pads being black. The eyes are also brown in color. The AKC registration color code for ALL Parti patterns is 023.
Black Parti:
The body of a black parti is white with large spots (or a blanket) of black with the nose and pads being black. The eyes are brown.
The AKC registration color code for ALL Parti patterns is 023.
Liver Pepper:
The liver pepper is the same as the salt and pepper except that the nose, pads, and eyelids of the liver pepper are chocolate colored and the eyes may also be hazel green in color. Liver Pepper is registered as a salt and pepper.