Description

The Giant Schnauzer is a large, powerful, compact dog with bushy eyebrows, whiskers and a beard. It looks like a larger image of the soft undercoat. Ideally, the dog's height is the same as the length, resulting in a rather square impression. The strong, arched neck should blend cleanly into the shoulders. The head is about half as long as the back from withers to tail attachment. The muzzle and top of the head should form parallel planes. The large nose is black. The eyes are dark brown and oval. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite. The front legs are straight and parallel. Dewclaws should be removed on the hind legs and may be removed on the front legs as well. The tail is generally docked to the second or third joint. Cropping the ears is optional. The coat comes in solid black or salt & pepper.

Origin

Known over history as the Russian Bear Schnauzer, Munich Schnauzer and Riesenschnauzer, the Giant Schnauzer is thought to have come from crosses between dogs such as the black Great Dane, Bouvier des Flandres German. The Giant Schnauzer was first used as a cattle driving dog in Bavaria, then later as a guard dog by the police and military. The Giant Schnauzer excels at schutzhund and also makes a good companion dog.

Temperament

The Giant Schnauzer is an intelligent dog. They are very protective, bold and spirited. Calm, loyal, loving and responsible. The Giant Schnauzer is a true "Velcro" dog. It loves to be with its owner at all times. This is a dominant breed that needs an experienced trainer. They are easy to train and respond best to firm, consistent training with a positive attitude and plentiful rewards. Giants are in essence a working dog with a terrier temperament, that temperament in a large package causes problems if they aren't properly trained. If the Giant Schnauzer is properly trained, it makes a fine pet. Unless professionally trained from puppyhood by an experienced handler/trainer, Giants are not reliable for most households. They tend to be on the dominate side and need an owner who understands the breed and how to show the dog humans are boss. According to one Giant Schnauzer rescue, "without the correct training, they may bite kids. They are not suitable for homes with children under the age of 12-14 years old. Giant puppies will test you every inch of the way and it is always the owner that has to adapt to a Giant lifestyle!" She further states, "I couldn't imagine life without Giants as they have so many other excellent qualities that it makes the time you have to spend training well worth it :) They are loyal and loving to a fault, they dote on the folks they love and I can't even remember what it's like to go to the powder room without an entourage, they compulsively "need" to be in proximity of you at all times to keep them truly happy and well adjusted. They are tremendous guards and their large size alone is a deterrent to trouble. If well socialized when young a Giant can become a wonderful "people" dog, our Molly is actually a therapy dog at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, but would still protect our home till the death if pushed. Our family is very active, either hubby or I do two trail runs a day with our crew and this tires them out and is also lots of fun for both them and us. Some of the great qualities of Giants is that they can excel at obedience/agility/carting/protection work, if properly trained they are a dog that can do it all :) Giants are so in tune with their owners that they can read your expression and anticipate your wants when working with them in (ok I know this sounds a bit nuts) a manner that's almost telepathic. If they have a strong leader, they are secure enough to allow you to interpret danger and will simply alert you but if they don't have complete confidence in their handler, they will immediately take the lead and think that it is their job to not only distinguish that someone is dangerous but to act on that thought. They are true "thinking" dogs. They don't just do things by rote, you can see the thought processes working and we find the antics they manage because of this hilarious but some might not. Molly decided that she likes to help herself to snacks and figured out how to open the fridge and cupboards so ours now sport an attractive bungee cord, they are very good at figuring things out. This is why they need to be owned by folks that respect and admire this independent intelligence and are prepared to channel it into positive ways via dog sports or just lots of activity. This kind of intelligence, left to it's own devices can turn very destructive if not channeled properly. I had a foster here not long ago who managed to unlock his crate, exit and for want of a better description, eat almost an entire loveseat in the 30 minutes I was away from the house. I've seen so many surrendered Giants that were so misunderstood by the owners and it's so hard on them because even if maltreated, they usually bond for life with their family and will literally mourn them when being placed. I've had Giants in my home that have to wear muzzles at all times as I have a 12 year old son (he is very Giant savvy but it's my job to protect him) and being the smallest person in our house a typical (untrained) giant will try to dominate him at any opportunity. I no longer place any Giants that have a bite history as rehabilitation is only possible if someone is incredibly committed to turning the dog around through extensive training and behavior modification. I am heartsick all too often with the very young Giants I have to see euthanized and it's one part of rescue that never gets any easier. By listing the true traits of the breed, it's my hope that folks will take a long, hard and realistic look at their lifestyle before deciding on this breed. Since they are one of the very few large breeds with a non-shed coat, they are attractive to folks but if not trained properly, we usually get a phone call before the time a pup reaches age 2 and it is a daunting task." This breed is dominant with other dogs and should be socialized extensively both with other dogs and people as a young puppy. It is usually good with other pets and some can be good with other dogs if properly socialized as puppies. They can be fairly reserved with strangers. Giants have been bred for generations as Guard/Watch dogs, they are huge and have a relentless, imposing bark when they hear/see/perceive anything out of the ordinary. You can't really train a Giant not to bark, it's just what they do.

Height

Height: Dogs 26-28 inches (66-71 cm.) Bitches 23-26 inches (58-66

Weight

Weight: Dogs 60-80 pounds (27-36 kg.) Bitches 55-75 pounds (25-34 kg.)

Known Health Problems

Giants are more prone to cancer than most breeds, especially toe cancer which kills many Giants annually even if caught early. They are at increased risk of bloat. Epilepsy is all too common in this breed and hip dysplasia is rampant.

Conditions for Living

The Giant Schnauzer is not suited for apartment life. They are fairly active indoors and will do best with acreage.

Exercise Requirments

Giants have a huge need for exercise and if not vigorously done at least twice daily they bounce off the walls and are difficult to deal with, even a very well trained one, they have to expend the excess energy they were originally bred for or they just can't settle at run alongside you when you bicycle, at least once a day combined with an additional walk or another type of exercise. These energetic dogs will take as much exercise as they can get, and just love play sessions during which they can run free.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years.

Grooming

The wiry coat is reasonably easy to look after, but the undercoat is dense and it will become matted unless it is combed or brushed weekly with a short wire brush. Clip out knots and brush first with the grain, then against the grain to lift the coat. The animal should be clipped all over to an even length at least four times a year and ear care continually is important. A person can easily learn how to do it. Pet dogs are generally clipped, but show dogs may be stripped. Trim around the eyes and ears with a blunt-nosed scissor and clean the whiskers after meals. They have no doggie odor and shed little to no hair.

Group

Herding, AKC Working