The bone, angulation, and musculature of the hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters. The stifles are well bent, and the hocks are well let down. When the dog is standing, the short, strong rear pasterns are perpendicular to the ground and, viewed from the rear, parallel to one another. When standing naturally, the hocks extend beyond the tail. The feet are short and round, well arched, and tight.
Pads are thick and black.
The tail is set high, carried erect, and normally docked just long enough to be visible over the backline of the dog. A Miniature Schnauzer with a correctly set tail must not be penalized for an imperfect dock or for having an undocked tail. Correctly set natural tails of any length and carriage are acceptable but not preferred. COAT The Miniature Schnauzer is a double-coated dog with a hard, wiry outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat. The coat is trimmed by stripping, and blends into the furnishings.