Although you may think the three types are the same breed in different sizes, they're actually three distinct AKC-recognized breeds with independent standards. The Standard Schnauzer is the original size. The thick whiskers on a Schnauzer’s snout had an important function. When they matted together, they protected the Schnauzer from being bitten by the vermin they hunted on farms. The name “Schnauzer” comes from the German word, “schnauze,” which means snout or muzzle. Schnauzers used to be called Wirehaired Pinschers, but the name Schnauzer took over by the early 1900s.