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Standard Schnauzer Dog Breed Introduction
Standard Schnauzer is a medium-sized farming dog breed from Germany. It is the progenitor of both Giant and Miniature Schnauzers. Standard Schnauzers are alert and will bark when they sense a threat to their homes and families. This makes them great watchdogs.
Standard Schnauzer Origin | History
A Standard Schnauzer was developed in Germany in the estates of Bavaria and Wurtemmburg. This dog has existed since the 14th century. In the native German, they were to get rid of vermin, herd cattle and sheep, guard livestock and farm families, and also to protect their masters as they traveled to the market. In an attempt to standardize the breed, German breeders crossed black German poodles and gray Wolfspitz to produce the distinctive color and texture of the breed’s coat.
Initially, these dogs were referred to as Wirehaired Pinschers until the late 19th century. The standard of Standard Schnauzers was written in 1880. By the early 20th century, the breed started to be known as Schnauzer. The name is thought to be a reference to the unique muzzle of the breed. During World War I, Standard Schnauzers were used for carrying small packages for the German army and aid Red Cross workers.
There are records that indicate these dogs came to the United States with German immigrants and by the world travelers who fell in love with the breed. However, Standard Schnauzers were not imported in large numbers until after the First World War. In 1925, the breed’s club was formed in America. However, the club split in 1933 to form the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and Standard Schnauzer Club of America. Initially, AKC had categorized this breed as a terrier. However, it was reclassified in the working group in 1945.
Standard Schnauzer Lifespan | Life Expectancy
According to AKC, Standard Schnauzers have a lifespan of 13 to 16 years.
Standard Schnauzer Grooming
A Standard Schnauzer has a wiry outer coat that is maintained by thorough hand stripping every 4 to 6 months. A hand-stripped coat is easily manageable through weekly brushings and plucking out long hairs. If the coat is clipped instead of being hand stripped, the coat gets soft over time and sheds more hair in the house. Brush the coat using a pin brush. Don’t forget to brush the legs and the beard that can easily get matted.
Standard Schnauzers need a bath every 4 to 6 weeks depending on their surrounding and lifestyle. Use a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner to wash the coat. After a bath, thoroughly rinse off the grooming products from the skin to avoid skin irritation. Soapy water irritates the eyes of your pet. Instead use a clean damp washcloth or canine wipes to wipe the face.
Remember to wipe the beard every time a Standard Schnauzer drinks water since it dribbles into his beard. Prevent the mats and tangles formation by wiping it down and drying it. The leg furnishings and the beard should be washed every month. Paw care is also necessary to remove the foreign materials between the foot pads on a weekly basis. Clip the nails every 3 to 5 weeks. Overly grown nails are painful for Standard Schnauzers while running and walking.
Brush the teeth of your pet at least twice a week if not daily using a tasty canine toothpaste and a finger toothbrush. Clean the ears every week using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls to remove excess wax, dirt, or debris. After a swimming activity, remember to dry off the ears using cotton balls.
Standard Schnauzer Haircut | Grooming Styles
Avoid clipping the hair of Standard Schnauzers since it interferes with coat texture( hard to soft) and results to rapid shedding of the dead hair. Instead, hand strip the coat every 4 to 6 months.
Standard Schnauzer Shedding
A Standard Schnauzer with a hand-stripped coat sheds at low levels all-year round. However, if the pet has a clipped coat, it sheds at moderate levels all-year round.
Standard Schnauzer Hypoallergenic
Standard Schnauzers are considered a nearly hypoallergenic breed. This is because they shed at low levels throughout the year. They also have a hard and wiry coat that tends to trap the shed hair instead of releasing dander and fur into the environment. However, dog’s saliva, mucus, and urine contain a protein allergen that aggravates allergies. Therefore, owners should spend lots of time with Standard Schnauzers before adopting to determine whether the dog triggers their allergies.
Standard Schnauzer Training
A Standard Schnauzer is a highly intelligent dog that is a fast learner. They get an idea of a command and exercise after a few repetitions. However, once the dog understands, they get bored with repetitive training and look at the pet parent as though the owner is stupid. Their high level of intelligence makes training a necessity. If they are not trained, Standard Schnauzers will learn on they own and it will not be what the trainer wants them to learn. Use positive reinforcements methods to encourage good habits through the use of treats, petting, play time, verbal praise, and toys.
Correct bad behaviors by uttering a firm No. However, this may not work every time. Therefore, remove the dog from the situation or don’t give attention and affection. Avoid use of harsh correction methods such as yelling, kicking, punching, shoving, use of choke or prong collars, and beating the dog. Keep the training sessions short and fun for a period of 10 to 15 minutes distributed throughout the day. Remember to teach basic command words such as sit, come, down, heel, stay, leave it, etc. one at a time until this dog understands before proceeding to the next command word. Avoid issuing commands to Standard Schnauzer while too frustrated or excited since they no longer sound the same.
In order to raise a well-mannered, adjusted, friendly, and adaptable Standard Schnauzer, start socialization training immediately the dog joins the new home from the age of 8 weeks. Socialization training starts from the age of 3 weeks until the age of 16 weeks when the pup is with the owner. It may also continue after the age of 16 weeks to ensure Standard Schnauzers mature to have well-rounded temperament and personality. To socialize a Standard Schnauzer, expose it to different animals, people, situations, places, smell, sight, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, lawn mowers, washing machine, sirens, vacuum cleaners, and whistles.
Enrolling Standard Schnauzers in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. These classes provide a controlled environment where canines interact. They also enable parents to not only identify and correct bad habits but also to have access to training information and assistance. For effective housebreaking, creating a feeding schedule, potty training, and crate training is key. A crate empowers the owner to monitor the dog for signs that it wants to eliminate such as squatting, circling, whining, sniffing, restlessness, and trying to lift a leg against the crate wall.
When potty training, take Standard Schnauzers to the designated toilet spot immediately they wake up, every 2 to 3 hours, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, after naptime, following an exciting activity such as a car ride and play time, and before bedtime for positive outcomes. Patience and consistence is key during this training.
Standard Schnauzer Temperament | Traits
- Intelligent.
- Alert.
- Fearless.
- Reliable.
- Sociable.
- Protective.
- Energetic.
- Inquisitive.
- Loyal.
- Trainable.
- Affectionate.
Standard Schnauzer Exercise
A Standard Schnauzer is an energetic breed that loves to play with other dogs and their human family. It insists on being included in the family activities. Standard Schnauzers don’t do well if they are isolated from their human family or left alone for long hours. This breed loves hiking and going for walks with its people. The Standard Schnauzers may also participate at performance sports such as lure coursing, agility, barn hunt, and herding.
Standard Schnauzer Barking
This is a territorial, protective, and alert breed that will bark at intruders and any noise. Standard Schnauzers also possess a deep bark.
Standard Schnauzer Height
A Female Standard Schnauzer has a height of 17.5 to 18.5 inches ( approx. 44 to 47 cm ) while its male counterpart has a height of 18.5 to 19.5 inches ( approx. 47 to 50 cm ).
Standard Schnauzer Weight
Male Standard Schnauzers have a weight of 35 to 50 pounds ( approx. 16 to 23 kg ) while their female counterparts have a weight of 30 to 35 pounds ( approx. 14 to 16 kg ).
Standard Schnauzer Size
Standard Schnauzers are medium sized dogs. However, the Male Standard Schnauzers are slightly larger in size as compared to their female counterparts with a height of 18.5 to 19.5 inches ( approx. 47 to 50 cm ) and a weight of 35 to 50 pounds ( approx. 16 to 23 kg ) whereas Female Standard Schnauzers have a height of 17.5 to 18.5 inches ( approx. 44 to 47 cm ) and a weight of 30 to 35 pounds ( approx. 14 to 16 kg ).
Standard Schnauzer Bite Force
A Standard schnauzer may have a bite force of above 200 PSI.
Standard Schnauzer Health Problems
This is a healthy breed that is rarely affected by the health issues that other breeds suffer from. However, Standard Schnauzers may suffer from hip dysplasia and certain eye disorders.
Standard Schnauzer Names
A pet parent may decide to find a name for the Standard Schnauzer pup before it goes home from the shelter or a few days after the pet joins them home to understand better the personality of the particular dog. Owners may get name inspirations from celebrity Standard schnauzers, their German origin, coat colors, personality, nature, books, songs, food, and historical figures.
Regardless of where you get your name inspiration, ensure it freely rolls off your tongue and won’t make your embarrassed when uttered out loud in the public places. Standard Schnauzers and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels.
Avoid giving your pooch a name that rhymes with the command words to avoid confusion. In a situation where the owner settles with a long tedious name, he or she should find a cute nickname for the dog. If a Standard Schnauzer shares a name with a family member or guest who frequent the household, it may result to confusion. Some of the names that owners may give their pets include Ziggy, Ginger, Marley, Lola, Rascal, Katrina, Tucker, Harley, Ellie, Duke, Georgia, Winston, Amelia, Parker, Chewy, Elsa, etc.
Apart from Standard Schnauzers, other breeds of dogs include:
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Standard Schnauzer Feeding Guide
The amount of food that Standard Schnauzers feed on depend on their age, body build, size, activity level, and metabolism. Puppies have a high metabolism as compared to adults and senior dogs. Therefore, Standard Schnauzer puppies should feed 3 or 4 times a day from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Standard Schnauzers should feed a total of two meals a day for the rest of their life with snacks and treats in between. However, owners should watch out for calorie consumption and weight level to avoid overfeeding their pooches.
Standard Schnauzers may feed on dry food, wet food, home made, or a raw diet depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. Regardless of the food type, owners should ensure that the dog feeds on a balanced diet to maintain a good health and to allow it to develop cognitively and physically. If the Schnauzer parent decide to feed a pet the commercial dry or wet food, he or she should ensure the first three ingredients are proteins from a known source.
The commercial pet food should neither contain preservatives, chemicals, additives, meat by-products, generic meat products, nor fillers. The same goes to the snacks. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for medium-sized puppies, adults, and senior depending on the age of your Standard Schnauzer. Check the physique of your pet to know whether it is overweight or underweight.
If you can see the ribs, chances are the Schnauzer is underweight. Although, if the ribs are not visible but you can feel them without pressing hard, the pet has an ideal weight. If you cannot feel the ribs, the dog is overweight and should be exercised. After getting a puppy from a breeder, the owner is likely to switch to another quality food. They should gradually do this over a period of one month by mixing both new food and old food. As the weeks progresses, the amount of old food reduces as the new food increases until the puppy is only feeding on new food during the fourth week.
Standard Schnauzer Colors
A Standard Schnauzer may either have a solid black color or Pepper and Salt.
Are Standard Schnauzer Hypoallergenic
Yes. Standard Schnauzer are hypoallergenic since they shed minimally all-year round. This breed also possesses a wiry top coat that tends to trap the shed hair preventing the release of dander and hair in the environment that aggravates allergies. However, apart from dander and hair, urine, mucus, and saliva contain a protein allergen that triggers allergic reactions.
Do Standard Schnauzers Bark A Lot
Yes. Standard Schnauzers possesses a loud bark that they use to alert the owner of an intruder or any threat.
Are Standard Schnauzers Good Guard Dogs
Yes. Standard Schnauzers are alert, protective, and have a territorial instinct and will bark at any disturbance.
Do Standard Schnauzers Shed
Yes. Standard Schnauzers shed all-year round at minimal levels.
Standard Schnauzers Quick Facts
- They are the progenitors of both Miniature and Giant Schnauzers.
- Standard Schnauzers are relatively healthy dogs that are affected by hip dysplasia and certain eye disorders.
- They are intelligent dogs that get bored with repetitive training.
