Merle Schnauzer | New Update | Temperament, Health & Price

For those of you who don’t know, The term “Merle Schnauzer” is talking about a pigmentation present on Miniature Schnauzers‘ coat. This pigmentation occurs due to the mutated gene pattern in these dog breeds. Merle Schnauzers are not your pure breeds and are categorized as mixed breeds. 

Now, this pigmentation might prove to be dangerous for your little friend, so breeding these dogs is restricted in many regions. 

In this post, we will shed some light on some other aspects of the Merle Schnauzer breed, so keep reading. 

Merle Schnauzer Basic Information

Merle Schnauzer dogs are courageous, tough, and pretty friendly companions. They are frequently used as farm dogs and ratters, but they are not aggressive. These dogs are family-oriented and behave well as watchdogs. 

Another advantage of these dogs is they are not prone to high shedding. However, they have poor health and have a high prey drive too. 

The only difference between a pure Schnauzer and a Merle Miniature Schnauzer is that the latter has some breeding complications, and the overall health is on the lower side. These two aspects are not a concern for you when breeding pure Schnauzers. 

• Weight: 20 lbs to 70 lbs
• Height: 12-inch to 26-inch
• Color: Solid black, silver & black, gray & black
• Coat: Speckled, wiry, and double-coated
• Hypoallergenic: Yes
• Activity: Ratters, farm dogs
• Energy: Medium
• Group: Working group

Merle Schnauzer Personality

As mentioned above, these dogs have a merle pattern or spots on their coat, and these spots are often in green or blue color. You will also notice that these dogs have pigmentations on their eyes, paws, and nose. 

And because of the merle gene, these dogs have blue eyes color. These dogs are family-friendly, and they love kids. They might not be too friendly with other pets if you have any. Similarly, they are not very friendly with strangers either. 

These dogs take some time with the new pet owners and are a good option for apartment living. They have medium to high sensitivity levels but don’t tolerate being alone that much. These dogs prefer living in medium temperature levels and can handle cold and heat to an extent. 

Merle Schnauzer Temperament

As mentioned above, these dogs get along pretty well with elderly family members and kids. So, Merle Schnauzer’s temperament is not that big of a concern.

They love to begin around the family and do different activities with them. But they also have a high prey drive and might not resist attacking or chasing potential prey. 

Therefore, it is highly recommended to leash your Merle Schnauzer in public or open places. But you will also notice they are not aggressive as some other breeds with high prey drive. 

Merle Schnauzer Training

These dogs are pretty quick learners, and they are always keen to love and please their owners. You can rally them. And put them to agility and obedience training. 

These dogs are pretty intelligent, so they will get bored with repeated training. So, make sure you keep their training fun to keep them interested. Go for positive reinforcement while training your Merle Schnauzers. 

Can dogs drink sparkling water?

Can dogs eat jalapenos?

Exercise Needs

They need mental and physical stimulation to control their high prey drives. As they have a medium energy level, you can focus on daily exercises like running and walking. These dogs can also play in a fenced backyard by chasing balls and frisbees.