Coton Schnauzer

Very little is known about the origins of the Coton Schnauzer but they have become popular in the United States. The Coton de Tulear, were treasured members of the tribal monarchy in Madagascar in the 1600s. Cousins to the Bichon family, these dogs were seen in North America and France only in the late 1970s and are also still popular in Madagascar, where they are the official dog of the nation. The breed was accepted by the American Kennel Club in 2014 and they are also registered with the United Kennel Club and Europe's Federation Cynologique Internationale. Miniature Schnauzers were originally bred on farms in the mid-to-late 19th century in Germany to hunt rats as well as to guard the property. They were originally known as Wirehaired Pinschers and developed by crossbreeding the Standard Schnauzer with breeds like the Miniature Pinscher, Affenpinscher and the Poodle. The earliest record of a Miniature Schnauzer was a black female named Findel, who was recorded in a German stud book. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1926 and they are classed with Terriers while the Standard Schnauzer is classified as a member of the Working Group.