Giant Schnauzer

Giant Schnauzer - Breed Profile:

Origin: Germany
Colors: Solid black or salt-and-pepper
Size: Large
Type of Owner: Experienced
Exercise: Daily
Grooming: Daily
Trainability: Easy to train
Combativeness: Very dog-aggressive
Dominance: High
Noise: Average barker

Breed Video: Giant Schnauzer

Physical characteristics

The Giant Schnauzer, also known as the Riesenschnauzer, is a large muscular dog with an athletic body, bushy eyebrows, moustache, and beard. The dog has square proportions, which means its height equals its length. The neck is relatively long and arched. The top of the head is flat and should be in parallel with the muzzle. The eyes are oval and dark; the nose is black. The teeth should meet in a scissor bite. The legs are well-boned and muscular; the front legs should be in parallel. The chest is rather deep. The tail is usually docked, but cropping the ears is optional.
The height of Giant Schnauzers is 23 to 27 inches, the weight is75 to 95 pounds.

Temperament

Giant Schnauzers are highly protective, spirited and... bold. They are incredibly good with children and can be very reliable, but the dog must be properly socialized (with both dogs and people) and trained to avoid behaviour problems such as excessive aggression and domination. An experienced owner and trainer would be best. Riesenschnauzers are intelligent and respond very well to steady firm training with a positive attitude and good rewards. If they are trained well, Giant Schnauzers become wonderful and loyal pets ready to take a bullet for its owner. Puppies may have a herding instinct. Also, puppies need a lot of vigorous daily exercise to prevent restlessness.

Coat and grooming

The outer coat of Giant Schnauzers is rather harsh, and the undercoat is thick and soft. A good once a week brushing is a must to keep it in a good state.
The dogs come in solid black and salt-and-pepper colours.

Health

The most common health issues in Giant Schnauzers are autoimmune diseases (hypothyroidism, Autoimmune hemolytic anemia - AIHA, Crohn's disease, etc), epilepsy, hip dysplasia, incontinence, toe cancer.
The lifespan is 12 to 15 years.

Read also: Standard Schnauzer, Miniature Schnauzer

Giant Schnauzer

Physical characteristics

Temperament

Coat and grooming

Health

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