The look of a gentleman. The loyalty of a devoted companion.
Since 1994, the Ashford family has bred Miniature and Standard Schnauzers in their walled Westmount garden — a German breed of character, raised here the English way: discipline, discretion, and a care that never rushes.
A pedigree we never rush.
Two litters a year, never more. It isn't calculated scarcity — it's the only way to handle every puppy daily, to know their exact temperament, and to know with certainty which family will suit them.
Our breeding dogs live with us, in the house, year-round. They aren't "breeding stock" — they're our dogs, they have two or three litters in their lifetime, and then they retire, quite comfortably, on our terrace.
Nigel & Camille Ashford
Breeders, Westmount
Three requirements, for every litter.
They apply to every puppy we raise — no exceptions, no extra charge.
Health tested before breeding
Hips, patellas, eyes, heart and a DNA panel for von Willebrand's disease: our breeding dogs complete every screening the breed calls for before any litter. You receive the actual certificates, not a summary.
Handled daily from birth
Grooming, wire-coat brushing and hands-on handling every day, starting the first week. A well-raised Schnauzer accepts the grooming table before it even learns to walk properly.
Support for life
We stay reachable long after your puppy leaves — grooming, feeding, the stubborn streak of the early months. And if you ever can't keep your dog, they come back here. Always.
Miniature Schnauzer and Standard Schnauzer.
Two sizes of the same distinguished breed, chosen for their intelligence, their watchfulness and that gentleman's air the beard and bushy eyebrows give them. We don't follow trends — we raise the lines the Ashford family has known for three generations of experience.
Salt and pepper, black, or black and silver — our colours vary. Our standard for temperament never does.
From your first letter to the ride home.
You write to us
Tell us about your household: apartment or house, children, other pets, experience with a dog of strong character. We reply within one or two days, honestly — sometimes to tell you a Schnauzer wouldn't suit you.
We meet in the garden
A visit to our walled Westmount garden, by appointment, even before a litter is born. You meet the parents and see where the puppies grow up. A breeder who won't let you visit is telling you something.
Reservation and matching
A $500 deposit confirms your place on the litter. Puppy–family matching happens around week six, based on the temperament we observe — not on a first-come basis, and not on the colour you picked from a photo.
Going home at eight weeks
Your puppy leaves vaccinated, dewormed, microchipped and examined by our veterinarian, with a health record, registration papers and a first grooming already under way.
Three families, three stories.
We don't publish anything we couldn't confirm ourselves — ask to speak with them, if you'd like.
"We were looking for a dog for an apartment, unsure whether a Schnauzer would suit us. Camille spent forty minutes on the phone asking us questions — not the other way around. Winnie is two now, and she's exactly the dog they described: sharp, a touch stubborn, and hopelessly endearing."
Sophie & Marc-Antoine B.
Outremont
"What convinced us was the visit. We saw the parents, the garden, and above all the honesty: we'd asked for a male, we left with the female they recommended instead. Three years later, we understand why."
The Chen Family
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
"First dog of my adult life, and I was afraid of getting it wrong. The Ashford team took the time to walk me through everything — grooming, feeding, training — even after the puppy went home. Two years later, they still check in."
Isabelle Tremblay
Verdun
A litter is expected this fall.
Our puppies are almost always spoken for before they're born. If you're thinking about a Schnauzer this year, now is the right time to write — even if you aren't certain yet.