Known for his distinguished, handsome appearance, the Miniature Schnauzer is characterized by its whiskers and double coat, which has a hard, wiry outer coat and close, soft undercoat. Coat colors can be salt and pepper, black and silver and solid black. Despite his small stature, the Miniature Schnauzer can give an alarm just as well as a larger dog. That, combined with his naturally protective nature, makes him an excellent watchdog. Smart, trainable and consistently cheerful, this diminutive breed adapts easily to small city apartments, yet remains just as much at home in the country with lots of space to run around. Their double coat requires hand stripping for the show ring or clipping for the average pet owner, but sheds very little.