King Schnauzer

The appearance of the King Schnauzer is unclear and the hybrid was most likely first bred in the United States by crossbreeding a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Miniature Schnauzer.  The Miniature Schnauzer is the preferred Schnauzer size because it helps maintain the smaller size.   The hybrid may go by other names, often adding a Mini or Miniature to the name and interchanging the King with Cavalier.  In the United States, the American Canine Hybrid Club and the Dog Registry of America recognize the King Schnauzer whereas the Designer Dogs Kennel Club and the International Designer Canine Registry recognize the hybrid as well. Owners interested in learning the history of their King Schnauzer can review the histories of the parent breeds. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a companion in the toy group of Spaniels.  By the mid-1600s, the breed was well established in royal courts in England, France, and Italy.  The toy Spaniel was a particular favorite of King Charles the I and Charles the II, the grandson and great-grandson of Queen Mary of Scots.  The House of Stuart lent the name of both Charles the I and Charles the II to the dog.  The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was usurped by the Pugs as a court favorite in the following centuries and many Cavaliers were crossbred with the Pug to produce similar desired features.  A group of breeders in the 1900s set out to restore the Cavalier King Charles to its 17th Century looks and created a strict breed standard that is highly valued and guarded to this day. The Miniature Schnauzer is a German Terrier and a close relative to the Standard Schnauzer.  The miniature variety is a deviation from the standard and was originally bred as a small farm dog for vermin hunting.  The Miniature Schnauzer was first recorded in the late 1800s and continued to gain momentum as a separate breed until WWI, when dog breeding slowed in Europe and Germany.  However, after WW1, Miniature Schnauzers took off and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1926.