Our Miniature Schnauzer, Livi, loves her daily walks and they are an important part of her active life. One of her favorite trails has some great scenery and, sadly, some burrs. When she ended up with three burrs in her beard and we needed her groomer to completely shave them out, I wondered if her distinctive Schnauzer beard would ever grow back.
So do Schnauzer beards grow back if shaved? Yes, your Schnauzer’s beard will grow back! It will probably take between 6-10 weeks, depending on how healthy your Schnauzer is and how fast the hair grows. In addition, the whiskers will grow back along with the beard, and everything should return to its normal length and shape.
After I recovered from the initial shock of seeing our Livi beardless, I began researching what to expect if you shave your Schnauzer’s beard, the basics of taking care of it at home, and why Schnauzers have such a distinctive looking beard in the first place.
Will My Schnauzer’s Beard Grow Back?
Our Schnauzer’s beard was completely shaved. The burrs she picked up on our beautiful walking trail were nestled in right next to her jawline. Our groomer used conditioner to work them out a little, but the reality is that our Livi needed a very close shave.
She looked like Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter. We laughed a little. She looked sad.
She looked like Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter. We laughed a little. She looked sad.
THE SCHNAUZER COLLECTIVE
It took three months before she started filling out a beard again and a total of four months before we even needed to have her beard professionally groomed.
The bottom line is that your Schnauzer’s beard will grow back and your groomer can help to shape it beautifully.
In case you ever need to shave your Schnauzer, here are some basic beard tips:
| SHAVING YOUR SCHNAUZER’S BEARD |
| – It is not painful for your Schnauzer to have his beard shaved, although it will also remove his whiskers. |
| – It’s probably best to have your Schnauzer’s groomer tackle the job. |
| – Your Schnauzer’s beard may take between 3-5 months to grow back. |
| – Once the beard has grown back, your groomer will be able to shape the re-grown beard to its iconic Schnauzer look. |
Our kids thought Livi’s new shaved look was fun for awhile. She looked like an entirely different breed of dog, especially since we usually shave her body as well. However, I still had a few questions about the entire experience.
Will Shaving Her Beard Damage My Schnauzer’s Whiskers?
In addition to wondering about whether her beard would grow back, I worried about damaging her whiskers. Our groomer put me at ease about whether or not we had damaged Livi’s whiskers by shaving her beard.
Whisker (Vibrissae) Facts
Schnauzer whiskers are harder to see due to the beard, but they are there.
Technically, whiskers are called “vibrissae” and are small, stiff hairs animals use to sense the world. All mammals have vibrissae to sense, navigate, and survive.
Even we human mammals have vibrissae, but they are not the “whiskers” on our chins….they are the small, stiff hairs in our noses.
Animal vibrissae are much, much more sensitive that human vibrissae and are an important sensory organ for many animals. Cats, for example, have highly sensitive whiskers and rely on them heavily for gathering information about their world.
Dogs’ whiskers do serve as a sensory organ but are much less sensitive. They are helpful but not essential. Your Schnauzer’s whiskers can help her sense and navigate the outdoor world when needed, but they are really not essential for day-to-day tasks, survival, and domesticated living.
The bottom line is that shaving your Schnauzer’s beard will also remove her whiskers, but they will not be damaged and they will grow back.
| NEED-TO-KNOW WHISKER FACTS |
| – Whiskers are called “vibrissae” and are an additional sensory organ. |
| – All mammals, including humans, have vibrissae |
| – Your Schnauzer’s whiskers are helpful, but not essential |
| – Shaved whiskers will grow back undamaged along with the beard |
| – Whiskers should never be plucked because it’s very painful for your fur friend |
After this entire burr-in-the-beard debaucle, I paid more attention to how well we groomed Livi’s beard between professional grooming visits.
I noticed more consistently when she was dripping from her water bowl or when small parts of her beard were becoming slightly matted.
I vowed to actively groom her beard at home, and here’s what I learned.
The Basics on How to Take Care of Your Schnauzer’s Beard, Shaved or Not
Since you already have (or are considering adding) a Schnauzer you are aware that they have lots of facial hair to maintain.
While beards can be beautiful, let’s be honest…cleaning up after a bearded dog can be like having a messy toddler.
The beard around their muzzle and jawline can trap water and food. It can also become tangled and matted when they sleep or rest in their beds.
Beards can even become breeding grounds for bacteria if they are not brushed and kept clean.
What can you do between professional grooming appointments to keep your Schnauzer’s beard healthy and groomed?
How to Groom Between Groomings: The Basics
Learn from my mistakes and commit to doing these steps on a daily basis. In addition to brushing her teeth, this is the most basic grooming a Schnauzer needs daily, and creating a consistent routine makes it easy.
- Use a metal comb or brush to clean the beard at least once a day. This removes food particles and prevents bacteria and odors.
- Daily, perhaps at night, wash the entire snout and beard area with warm water and a washcloth. If there are tangles or if the beard is becoming matted, try working the tangles out with conditioner and wash the beard again.
- Towel the beard dry and brush through.
- Weekly, bathe your Schnauzer entirely and wash the beard with gentle, no-tears shampoo.
Here are a few extra tips:
- If you are noticing some odor, you can clean the beard with one-half teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 cup warm water. Simply soak a washcloth in the mixture, work through the beard, and dry with a clean towel.
- Alternatively, to take care of odor and loose dirt, you can sprinkle baking soda onto your Schnauzer’s beard and brush the excess baking soda out.
- Soak a washcloth in distilled white vinegar, wring out the excess, wash over the beard and rinse with warm water.
- Alternatively, add Lavender essential oil (it’s safe for dogs) to the vinegar, the follow the steps above for a clean, fresh-smelling beard.
Now that you know some basics about shaving, growing, and grooming your Schnauzer’s beard, I thought you might like to know why they have beards in the first place.
Why Do Schnauzers Have Beards?
The famous Schnauzer beard has become the envy of the doggie world. In fact, the Schnauzer beard is such an iconic part of the breed’s function and appearance that the German translation for Schnauzer literally means “short beard,” “mustache,” or “dog with a bearded muzzle.”
Many dogs have furry faces, but Schnauzers actually have what we can all agree is a “beard.” But why?
The Beards are Protection
All three Schnauzer breeds (giant, standard, and miniature) have resulted from centuries of cross-breeding with various other dog breeds. The Standard Schnauzer (the original Schnauzer breed) is thought to be the product of crossing the gray Wolf Spitz or the black German Poodle with the wire-haired Pinscher. The Giant Schnauzer and the Miniature Schnauzer are the result of even further cross-breeding.
With all of the cross-breeding designed to create what we know as Schnauzers, the purpose was to end up with a strong, hearty, hard-working dog….with a beard.
When it comes to their beard specifically, the fact is that what has become a striking Schnauzer show dog feature began as an entirely practical protection against rodent attacks.
Because Schnauzers were bred specifically for hunting in the harsh German terrain and farms, their distinctive beards were ultimately used to protect them from the very rodents they were bred to hunt. A Schnauzer’s beard helped to keep their snout from being damaged if small rodents and other vermin around the farm attacked them.
Ironically, while we all now groom and keep our Schnauzers’ beards beautiful, German farmers were known to purposely mat their Schnauzers beards, essentially creating one big dreadlocked “shield” from predators’ bites. No joke.
Related Questions:
Why Are Schnauzers Ears Cropped? Trimming or cropping a Schnauzer’s ears takes place when they are about three weeks old and creates a shaped, erect ear rather than their natural floppy ear. It has long been believed that cropping ears prevents infections, although there is little research to support it. Cropping ears also stems from early farming days when floppy ears may have been damaged due to rodent bites or farm equipment. It’s currently a purely cosmetic procedure and is considered by many to be inhumane. Ear cropping is currently banned in Scandinavian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Canada. It is still an acceptable practice in the United States, although there are now restrictions in some states. Please check your own area for any restrictions.
Why Are Schnauzers Tails Docked? Clipping or “docking” Schnauzer tails is believed to have originated during the early German farming days for which Schnauzer’s were bred. A Schnauzer’s natural tail is several inches long. Farmers worried that it might become damaged if it was bitten or got caught in farm equipment. It has become an accepted part of the Schnauzer “look” but is also a purely cosmetic procedure. It’s considered by many to be inhumane and is currently banned in Germany, England, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Greece, and Switzerland. It is still an acceptable practice in the United States, although there are now restrictions in some states. Please check your own area for any restrictions.
And finally, from one pet parent to another, discover my all-time favorite resources designed to cover your every Schnauzer need. I’ve done the legwork for you so you can spend more time with the people and fur friends in your life.
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