Schnauzer (Miniature)
NICKY WALLACE
ZIGGY
Ziggy’s groom is a detailed lesson in understanding the Miniature Schnauzer shape, from the flat skull, brows and beard right through to setting the body pattern.
Nicky spends plenty of time explaining the landmarks behind the groom rather than simply showing where to clip. Blend points are deliberately retained, the dog is viewed from different angles and the head is revisited after the body is set so the finished groom can be assessed as a whole
The Schnauzer head
Nicky begins with a #10 on the skull, creating the clean, flat outline through to the occiput without rolling the clippers down over the back skull. Under the throat, she uses the image of a fish hook to explain the profile: the throat and neck form the clean curve, with the beard becoming the hook at the end.
The ears are clipped with a #30 inside and #10 outside, while carefully retained blend points prevent the natural indent beside the skull from becoming too visible. Nicky then sets the brows and side points, using the eye itself as an important reference for how much coat needs to come away.
Setting the body
For Ziggy’s pet groom, Nicky uses a #7 on the body, following the grain to create a short, smooth jacket while still aiming for the more natural appearance associated with a traditionally stripped Schnauzer coat.
There’s particular attention to setting the pattern with Ziggy standing, keeping the elbows clean, preserving the turn of stifle and using controlled clipper work to establish the shape before reaching for scissors. Nicky also varies the pressure through more delicate areas such as the loin rather than treating every part of the body identically.
Throughout the groom, the emphasis is on understanding what the coat is being used to create. Once the body is set, Nicky returns to the head to check the balance and proportion of the finished dog rather than treating each section as an isolated piece.
