Giant Schnauzers

Description

The Giant Schnauzer is a dog with a square build, a short, slightly arched back that slopes down a little. The head is about half as long as the back from withers to tail. The muzzle and top of the head should be parallel. The nose is large and black. Eyes are dark brown and oval shaped. The teeth should make a scissor bite and there should be no under or over bite. In some countries, where permissible, the ears are cropped. Ears should stand sharp and erect. The tail is set on high and carried erect, and where permissible docked at about the second or third joint. Schnauzers have oval chests that reach down past the elbows, and a clear fore chest. The belly has a slight tuck up. The legs are straight and the elbows fit closely to the sides. Feet are round with well arched toes, with long hair, owners often comment on how they look like bear feet. The neck is powerful, strong and arched with no dewlap. The coat comes in two colors, solid black or salt and pepper.

Giant Schnauzer Puppies

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Coat Description

The Giant Schnauzer has a double coat. The outer coat is wiry, thick, and harsh. The under coat is dense and soft. The hair is longer over the eyes and on the muzzle to form bushy eyebrows and a distinctive beard. The hair on the legs is longer than the body coat. The color of the coat is either salt and pepper or pure black. This breed sheds little to no hair, but should be groomed regularly to prevent mats from forming.

History

Giant Schnauzers are the largest of the Schnauzer breed, originating from Munich, Germany.

A versatile breed, they were used as cattle driving dogs in Bavaria, sheepherders, guarding, and as noble companions, but as technology progressed they almost faced extinction as they were no longer needed. Thanks to its reputation as a guardian and to dedicated breeders, the breed was kept alive. They still make great herding dogs and wonderful pets. The police and military also use them as guard dogs or police dogs to this day. The Giant excels at Schutzhund and any other task you give it. They are loyal and protective over their owners, but will show unconditional love for years to come.

It is believed that the Giant Schnauzer is composed of a variety of other large breeds, including Bouviers, Great Danes and some Shepherd Breeds. When the resulting dog resembled the Standard Schnauzer, that breed was crossed in to reinforce the type and the name became Giant Schnauzer.

The name Schnauzer comes from the German word "Schnauze", meaning beard or muzzle and draws attention to the distinctive mustache and beard on the muzzle created by longer hair there.

Temperament

Giants are alert to their surroundings, good natured and very intelligent dogs. They learn quite easily and have sensitive feelings. These dogs bond very closely with their families and will protect them if needed. A very loyal dog. Giants tend to become very attached and often have a tough time if ownership is changed. This breed is an excellent guard dog and will alert you to visitors, intruders or anything particularly out of the ordinary. Giants don't bark too much, it isn't warranted; their sheer size should scare away any unwanted visitors.

This breed is very loving, protective, and responsible. Thriving on human companionship, Giants do get their feeling hurt if ignored or scolded. Being a large dog, extra attention should be made to make sure that Giants don't jump up and don't get too out of hand, as they could accidentally hurt someone or something. With this in mind, they are not overly energetic, so they are easily trained. Giant Schnauzers are highly intelligent, imposing, and extremely protective of their family and territory. They make excellent guard dogs. These dogs are a dominant breed, but with proper socialization they should do well with children and other pets.

Health Problems

Some female Giants, if spayed too early may have inconsistency problems. This can be prevented by waiting until the dog is fully developed before Spaying. Giants are prone to cancer, more than most breeds. They have a tendency for developing toe cancer, regular vet checks and proper care can help you catch the disease early. They also are at an increased risk of Bloat because of their size; you can prevent this by Feeding them small amounts at different times during the day. Epilepsy is another disease that is common for this breed, as well as hip dysplasia. Special care should be done to prevent joints from suffering damage in puppy hood, such as not allowing the dog to jump up, avoiding stairs and limiting running times until they are full developed.

Grooming

The Giant Schnauzer has a stiff, wiry coat that sheds very little and produces no odor. Daily grooming is needed to keep the coat clean and free of tangles and mats. Grooming should start when the dog is a puppy, as this breed needs to be groomed quite a bit. A short wire brush should be used on a weekly basis. To prevent odor and discoloration, the beard should be cleaned after meals and dried after long drinks. Hair around the eyes and ears should be kept trimmed to prevent it from matting and getting in the dogs eyes. Clipping is usually required only twice a year and by trial and error, an owner could learn to do this at home. The coat should be stripped, not shaved to the body in order to keep the wiry coat. Shaving causes the coat of the Schnauzer to become soft and wooly, like that of a Bouvier, an unwanted trait. Giants shed less than most breeds, but still do release hairs occasionally, brushing weekly will keep this down to a minimum.

With ears that are cropped, make sure that they are kept dry and are cleaned every second day. Discourage the dog from scratching the ears and make sure that they are taped properly, not to tight to cause discomfort and not too loose that the dog could pull the tape off. The ears should stay taped until the dog is 6 months old, or until they stand up on their own.

The hair on the pads should be trimmed also, to prevent object from becoming stuck and injuring the dog. Nails should be kept short, if the dog has black nails, cut small amounts at a time so that the quick is not cut.

Exercise

Giants should be exercised daily for at least an hour. They are energetic dogs and require a lot of activity. If not properly exercised, these dogs can become destructive, bored and overweight. They love running and exploring new places and will be a great running/jogging partner as they love spending time with their owners.

Giants tend to thrive and feel secure with regular daily routines. Best thing is to have a secure fenced area. For younger dogs play time and obedience training should be enough to tire them out. It is not a good idea to jog or heavily exercise younger dogs as they are so loyal they will run even if injured and this can also add to joint pain in the future. The best way to exercise pups is a game of fetch and games until they want to stop. A brisk morning walk, a walk in the evening and of course play time should be enough exercise for your Giant.

Training

The Giant Schnauzer is an intelligent dog that is easily trained, although it does need consistent training, as they can be quite stubborn. As puppies they do require lots of socialization and training. These dogs tend to be quite dominant with other animals, so socialization should start in puppy hood. With dominant breeds, special attention should be made to ensure that the dog does not develop food or object aggression. You can prevent this by petting the dog while it eats and making the dog aware that you are boss. They are bold and need an equally bold influence in their life. They love learning new tasks, which can make training them a lot of fun. It is also what can make them a handful or difficult to the wrong owners.

Giants can easily bond with just one person in the family, it is very common. That is why it is very important for every family member to give them commands, feed and train them. Even with that they have tendencies to favor one member a bit more. This type of breed needs to learn their place in a family, that the other family members are above the giant. Giants should also be taught to respect the dinner table, you should not allow your dog to beg or feed it scraps from the table, a puppy may not be able to reach, but a fully grown Giant can easily steal food from your plate and become a nuisance at dinner time.

They should also be taught from an early age to go in a crate. They are a large dog that becomes bored quite easily and could cause damage. Being in a crate all day may sound boring, but it keeps the dog out of harms way, a simple kong with frozen peanut butter will keep your Giant happy and safe while it awaits your return.