? about hair of both my Min. Schnauzers

Question
Hi.  I have two Min. Schnauzers - both from different litters.  I question which one of them I have been "jipped"  on as far as them being purebred.  My female is solid charcoal grey and her hair texture is that of a poodle.  It even curls up on her back when allowed to grow.  My male has a wire coat and I guess is what you would call salt & pepper, but his hair is not growing long like my female's hair.  He is six months old and hasn't had a trim yet.  Is this normal?  Which one do you think has the correct hair?  
Also, I am wondering if my male has allergies.  He has an odor that makes him smell like a horse no matter how much I bathe him and he scratches continuously.  I have just bought him a special allergy food which is quite expensive in hopes of giving him some relief.  Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Dara

Answer
I cannot comment as to whether your dogs are purebred or not, as there certainly have been some bad breeders out there crossing with other breeds to bring in "funky" colors or tiny little dogs which are most untypical for this breed.

Our breed *should* have a hard wire coat, but since we have been breeding for more furnishings over the years, this also increases the amount of undercoat our dogs carry. When those dogs are clipped, they become soft little furballs.... often with curly hair reminiscent of their original (possible) poodle ancestry. Schnauzers like your male, who apparently has little undercoat, are much more of a rarity nowadays. I would guess that he also has little leg hair either.... and while this is not as attractive as those fluffy little legs, it is *much* easier to keep brushed out! Hard coats will certainly lie flatter than the fluffy ones and won't require nearly as much upkeep.

Schnauzers should *not* have an odor. The continuous scratching could be allergies or external parasites such as fleas or dander mites (although your other dog would be affected by any parasites also). The smell makes me think that your dog might have a staph or yeast infection on his skin, and he could well have allergies that are causing this; only your veterinarian can determine what is troubling your dog. If he/she feels that it is indeed allergies, you might want to consider having your dog allergy tested to determine just what your dog is allergic to. Dogs can be allergic to absolutely *ANYTHING*, and it may not be something in his food. While allergy testing can be expensive, it will most likely get you to the source of his problems a lot quicker so that you can deal with them and make your dog a lot more comfortable.

Allergies are hereditary, so be sure to tell his breeder that your dog has allergies so that he/she knows there is a problem in his breeding program.