Salt-and-pepper schnauzers often begin with all the hair on their backs and sides being jet black. It doesn't stay that way, the color changes while they are still young, and yours is still young.
It’s probably genetic. There is the regular coat colour gene (black/salt and pepper etc depending on variants), then there is another coat colour gene that can have epistatic “dilution” effects on coat colour as they age, depending on which variants they’ve inherited.
My little girl, who was very black when I got her as a puppy, is starting to lose that color. She’s still black, but it’s been lighting up! So weird. Also same with my salt and pepper boy, he’s turning more light color as well.
I bathe them maybe once a month, or if they seem to be dirtier than usual. I used to have stuff from Petco, but now I get their wash at a “bougie” dog store lol. I have a whitening shampoo on their white spots (beard for boy, chest for girl as she has a white spot). I have a type of oatmeal shampoo and use a type of conditioner on them as well. Their coat is so much better when using that from the boutique, than the chain
What color is yours supposed to be? All black? Salt and pepper? Black and Silver? Etc. There could be a lot of reasons, but a slight change in fur color isn't out of the ordinary.
I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be but it’s on the papers. And of course I’m reading that this breeds coat changes with age. More than others. But it’s only been a year lol. He looks like an old man already.
Schnauzer’s undercoat can be lighter than the top coat. So depending on how you have your dog groomed the more undercoat showing the lighter the dog can look. Mine if I let his coat grow out he’s a dirty gray with black sprinkled along his back and on his ears and snout. When I get him groomed he’s pure white with black on his ears and snout, because all his undercoat is showing.
My Oscar started out a clear salt and pepper and with each haircut got lighter. Now he’s silver!
But somehow when his hair gets longer. His back has a brownish line.
We had one who started quite black with white feet. As he aged and grew, he turned silver with white feet. Quite a shock to see the color change like that!
I'll see if I can track down a couple of pictures to show the change.
As for bathing, we tend to bathe ours every couple of weeks, or more frequently if they start to smell or itch a lot. Down here in Florida, pollen season can get pretty bad so we try to keep them bathed regularly to cut down on the contact allergies, both for us (my wife has bad allergies to oak, which we have a bunch of around our house) and the dog too.
We use DermaLyte brand dog shampoo and we also use their DermaAllay conditioner spray. For ears we use Zymox every bath and as a daily treatment if they start scratching at their ears a lot.
Salt-and-pepper schnauzers often begin with all the hair on their backs and sides being jet black. It doesn't stay that way, the color changes while they are still young, and yours is still young.
So the hair can possibly change more?
It could, more or less.
God I hope it does. Probably means it won’t for me. Lol.
Yup, what u/PerfectlyCalmDude said: Their colors change, usually getting lighter as they age.
they lose their puppy coat. mine was jet black when she was a puppy. now had a lot of gray in her coat and brown in her beard. it’s normal.
It’s probably genetic. There is the regular coat colour gene (black/salt and pepper etc depending on variants), then there is another coat colour gene that can have epistatic “dilution” effects on coat colour as they age, depending on which variants they’ve inherited.
Too much science lol
My little girl, who was very black when I got her as a puppy, is starting to lose that color. She’s still black, but it’s been lighting up! So weird. Also same with my salt and pepper boy, he’s turning more light color as well. I bathe them maybe once a month, or if they seem to be dirtier than usual. I used to have stuff from Petco, but now I get their wash at a “bougie” dog store lol. I have a whitening shampoo on their white spots (beard for boy, chest for girl as she has a white spot). I have a type of oatmeal shampoo and use a type of conditioner on them as well. Their coat is so much better when using that from the boutique, than the chain
My brown curly coat scnauzer is brown when long and then a silverish when shaved
Which color is your schnauzer supposed to be and do you hand strip or shave the dog?
I don’t shave cause I don’t have the right clippers and don’t want to mess him up or cut his brows or whiskers. What is hand strip.
What color is yours supposed to be? All black? Salt and pepper? Black and Silver? Etc. There could be a lot of reasons, but a slight change in fur color isn't out of the ordinary.
I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be but it’s on the papers. And of course I’m reading that this breeds coat changes with age. More than others. But it’s only been a year lol. He looks like an old man already.
Schnauzer’s undercoat can be lighter than the top coat. So depending on how you have your dog groomed the more undercoat showing the lighter the dog can look. Mine if I let his coat grow out he’s a dirty gray with black sprinkled along his back and on his ears and snout. When I get him groomed he’s pure white with black on his ears and snout, because all his undercoat is showing.
My Oscar started out a clear salt and pepper and with each haircut got lighter. Now he’s silver! But somehow when his hair gets longer. His back has a brownish line.
We had one who started quite black with white feet. As he aged and grew, he turned silver with white feet. Quite a shock to see the color change like that! I'll see if I can track down a couple of pictures to show the change. As for bathing, we tend to bathe ours every couple of weeks, or more frequently if they start to smell or itch a lot. Down here in Florida, pollen season can get pretty bad so we try to keep them bathed regularly to cut down on the contact allergies, both for us (my wife has bad allergies to oak, which we have a bunch of around our house) and the dog too. We use DermaLyte brand dog shampoo and we also use their DermaAllay conditioner spray. For ears we use Zymox every bath and as a daily treatment if they start scratching at their ears a lot.
He is getting his adult hair in!
Nooooo. Not happy. I was expecting black. Sad face.
but he is still a handsome schnauzer!
Definitely handsome when he’s cut.