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.
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.
Thyroid Disease - High Risk
The Giant Schnauzer ranks #14 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. There is a high risk of obtaining a dog that will develop thyroid disease. For this reason you should make sure you, or your breeder, are testing all dogs before breeding. It may even be a good idea to test dogs that you don't plan on breeding so that any instance of disease can be traced back to breeding pairs and eliminated.
| Rank Among Breeds |
Number of Dogs Tested |
Percent of Dogs With Disease |
| #14 |
748 |
15.5% |
You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here
Other 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.
