Standard Schnauzer Breed Facts and Information

Coat & Grooming: The Standard Schnauzer is famous for its wiry, double-coat of either black or salt-and-pepper. To maintain the wiry coat and minimize shedding, having their coat hand-stripped 2 to 3 times a year and maintained with 2-3 brushings a week is the best approach. This is also best to maintain the water and dirt resistance of the Standard Schnauzer’s coat. A clipped coat will shed more, but it will also be much softer.

Shedding: There is sometimes a misconception that the Standard Schnauzer is hypoallergenic, but this is not true. Although they shed much less than some breeds, they still shed. Regular brushing helps to reduce shedding, but the best way to prevent moderate shedding is to have their coat hand-stripped. However, this requires time, patience, and diligence.

Training: Due to their incredible intelligence, teaching Schnauzers is no problem at all, but training them can be difficult for novice dog owners. While being trained, they often quickly grasp an activity or exercise with very few repetitions. In fact, a common problem is over-training. A proud breed, they have little patience for what they deem to be a waste of time, and instead of “learning” what they already know, they opt to stare blankly at their trainer until they’ve finished “training” the Schnauzer. A drawback of this intelligence is that owners must maintain a firm, gentle approach when training and dealing with their Schnauzer, or risk having their Schnauzer rule the home.

Barking: Although this breed has a surprisingly loud bark, they rarely do so without cause. Standard Schnauzers love to play the guardian and will alert their owner of something they deem suspicious. As with many dogs, proper training can easily prevent excessive barking.

Personality: If properly trained and socialized, Schnauzers are known to be excellent companions to their immediate family. They are also quite welcoming and open to meeting new people when introduced by their owner. Due to a sense of pride and dignity, a Standard Schnauzer does not mix well with everyone, particularly children who might tease it. A working dog by design, the Schnauzer tirelessly performs tasks with diligence.

Temperament & Behavior: Faithful, intelligent, enthusiastic, and at times a comedian, a Standard Schnauzer is an excellent companion and family pet. One of the best parts of this breed is that they insist on being a part of the family as much as possible. If the owner is going for a hike, their Standard Schnauzer is sure to follow suit. As they were bred for farm work, it is essential to provide a lot of exercises and mental stimulation to keep them in good spirits.

Behavior with Kids: Being socialized early will ensure a bond between the Standard Schnauzer and the children of the immediate family. This sociability, however, is not often extended to all children. They are indeed friendly dogs, but their high sense of self-worth isn’t compatible with children unaccustomed to interacting with dogs. As such, supervision is recommended.

Protection: Although medium in size, the Standard Schnauzer is an excellent home guardian. Schnauzers love to be a part of and guardian of a small family, but owners can increase this circle to include close friends if properly socialized. Strangers and door-to-door salespeople, however, will receive a barking welcome.

Life span: On average, the Standard Schnauzer lives to be 13-16 years old.

Inherited Health Issues: Generally speaking, the Standard Schnauzer is a healthy dog. As with any breed, certain health conditions occur in Standard Schnauzers at an increased frequency, often as a result of inheritance. These may include, but are not limited to, the following conditions: Follicular dysplasia, Lipomas, Cataracts, Retinal dysplasia, Retinal degeneration, Distichiasis and Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Preventive Care: Although Miniature and Giant Schnauzers tend to develop a variety of heart, skin, or urinary conditions, the Standard Schnauzer is not predisposed to many of these conditions. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), however, is a heart condition that is inherited in Standard Schnauzers. DNA testing is available for this conditions, and is often performed by responsible breeders prior to breeding in order to decrease the incidence of this condition within the breed.

Even if your Standard Schnauzer appears to be healthy at home, do not skip routine visits to the veterinarian. Your veterinarian has been extensively trained to detect subtle changes in your Schnauzer’s health before they become bigger (and potentially more expensive) problems.

Schnauzers are an energetic breed, so if they do not receive sufficient exercise, or if they are overfed, they have a propensity to become overweight. Offer portion-controlled meals of a balanced diet and avoid offering table scraps or too many treats. Too many goodies will quickly pack on unnecessary pounds.

Daily Consumption: Average daily consumption for an adult Schnauzer is 1.5 - 2 cups.

Energy Level: Frisky, energetic breed that is always ready for action

Exercise: Bred for the fields and barn work, the Standard Schnauzer loves and needs a lot of exercise to stay healthy. An incredible work ethic paired with razor-sharp wits means that owners must stay on top of providing outlets for the Standard Schnauzer’s pent-up energy. Agility training is a popular choice among owners to continually challenge their pet, but as long as the Standard Schnauzer is kept active and involved, something as specialized as agility training isn’t necessary.

Climate: The Standard Schnauzer is robust and well-suited for life outdoors in temperate climates. Despite their double coat, the Standard Schnauzer should not spend too much time outside in below freezing temperatures. Outdoor dogs with well-kept, hand-stripped coats will fare much better in the cold, but clipped, indoor dogs could have a difficult time. Owners should pay special attention to their Standard Schnauzers’ paws in chilly conditions and may consider buying a winter coat.