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'A bearded mouth' is the meaning of the word Schnauzbart, the German name for Schnauzer. Originated from Germany, the Schnauzers were once employed as an expert ratcatcher, and also for cattle and sheep herding. Today in some countries, Schnauzers have even been trained as police dogs and pets for the handicapped.

The Miniature Schnauzer is the smallest of the three Schnauzer breeds (Standards, Giants & Miniatures) The Standard and Giant Schnauzers are the descendents of the Middle Ages' Beaver Dogs. The Miniature Schnauzer was later developed in the 1890s by crossing small specimens of the Standard Schnauzers with the Affenpinscher. The Schnauzers caught the attention of the public only after WWI, and seven years after the war, the Schnauzer Club of America was formed. At that time, the Miniature Schnauzers and the Standard ones were classified and shown together. However, the distict interest in the two Schnauzer types soon became apparent that in 1933, the American Miniature Schnauzer Club was formed to take care of the specific needs and interest of the Miniature Schnauzers, thus separating them from the Standard type.

They are only classified as terriers in the U.S.; most countries classify all Schnauzers as utility or working dogs.