Intelligent, loyal, and dominant. These are the characteristics often associated with the breed. But don’t forget to add alert, beautiful, and excellent guard dogs to the list.
Giant Schnauzer is the biggest of the Schnauzer family, with the other two being medium and small. As you can tell by the name, this one is the biggest but they all share a trait – Schnauzer eyebrows and mustache.
Size
The Giant Schnauzer is a big dog. An average adult male can stand 28 inches tall and weigh more than 85 pounds. Females are usually smaller, with an average height of up to 26 inches, and weigh up to 75 pounds.
However, these are AKC standards and most owners of the show dogs stick to these measures. This doesn’t mean that a Giant Schnauzer cannot get bigger than this. Just keep in mind that an overweight dog can develop serious health issues.
Dog Weigh – What Is Normal?, is a good place to see the facts and learn how to easily check whether your dog is underweight, normal weight, or overweight.
Color
The standard breed colors are black and pepper/salt. However, you can register your dog under black/tan and fawn, as well.
There are no markings on a Giant Schnauzer. They are gorgeous-looking dogs with a double, wiry coat. The length of the fur is medium, and owners often choose to trim the whole body but leave the recognizable eyebrows and mustache.
Social traits
Every dog is unique. However, there are general breed traits that can still vary from dog to dog in the same litter. The temperament of the Giant Schnauzer depends a lot on the breeder and whether you get a dog from a show line or a working line of dogs.
One thing is certain, these are intelligent dogs that will need a firm hand and consistency to keep them at bay. They will test you and your patience.
A lot of owners said that they will act differently depending on who is with them at the moment. This is something that a lot of intelligent dogs do, no matter the breed. They will be well-behaved when you are around, as an alpha in your pack. But, as soon as someone else from your family arrives, they’ll act freely and even disobey easy commands. Or it will take them some time until they listen and do as they are told.
They are excellent as both family and guard dogs. But, keep in mind they are powerful, intelligent, and dominant dogs that will try to assert dominance over other dogs. This is especially true with male Giant Schnauzers and other male dogs on the property/at home.
Of course, early socialization is a must for any dog. So, expose your dog to other dogs, animals, people, or anything you consider important for where you live. Do you have a lot of children passing by from school every day? Teach them from early days (while they are puppies) that children are not for barking at, nibbling, or (god forbid) attacking!
Does your neighbor have cats? Socialize your dog and teach it that cats are not to be chased! Don’t encourage any type of bad behavior when they are puppies no matter how cute it might look!
Trainability
The great thing about Giant Schnauzers is that they are easy to train. That is if you connect training with fun times! As intelligent dogs, they will quickly grasp what you want them to do, it’s just that they might not do it if they think it’s not fun.
So, keep it fun! Introduce dog toys or treats/food – whatever your dog finds amusing. And, don’t forget the fact they were bred to be guard dogs. There will be some territorial aggression that you will not be able to “delete” from their DNA. They are not over the top like the Caucasian Shepherd Dog. But, still, bear in mind you will have to have patience and a firm hand to train them (teach them) what is allowed or not allowed when you have visitors.
When it comes to guard dogs from the working line, I always recommend a professional dog trainer that will do the job correctly. But, you have to continue with the correct behavior and always show up as an alpha. Don’t let your dog take over control, especially if it is a dog as big as a Giant Schnauzer.
Activity needs
Giant Schnauzers need a lot of stimulation, both physical and mental. It’s an active and intelligent dog that will not be satisfied with a few toys or a couple of minutes of fetch. You need to be active with them!
Run, go on long walks, and play fetch actively not while on the phone. Give them something to do especially if you plan on keeping them as family dogs. There are lots of interactive toys to buy that can keep your dog occupied.
But, these toys are for your dog while you are at work or busy at the moment. They will need you to actively participate in everyday activities. If not, a dog will get frustrated or anxious, and channel those frustrations into destructive or aggressive behavior.
Feeding
According to various owners, most adult Giant Schnauzers eat around 4 cups of kibble every day. The amount of food depends on many things. It depends on whether a dog is healthy, active or not, age, sex, etc.
When it comes to choosing quality food, look for those that have a high percentage of proteins and a low percentage of carbohydrates. Once again, I wholeheartedly recommend our article What Is Normal Dog Weight to find out more about what a dog with appropriate weight looks like. And, always consult your veterinarian on the type of food or diet that suits your dog best. You can also ask the breeder you got your GS from.
Grooming
As mentioned, Giant Schnauzers have a double, medium, and wiry fur. Get ready for grooming! They will need daily brushing if you want to avoid matted fur and if you want the coat to look healthy and shiny.
Of course, you can take your dog to a professional groomer, and it’s great when it comes to monthly haircuts. But, if you have a working, real guard Giant Schnauzer, you’ll need to groom them at home.
Think about the grooming as a bonding time with your dog. You also use the grooming time to check if there are some changes in the dog. You can check whether there are foreign objects stuck in the fur or ears, see if there are any bums, painful areas, etc. What does a healthy dog look like? Is a good stop to see what is normal – from eyes and noses to their paws.
Possible Health Problems
As with all large dog breeds, Giant Schnauzers have a higher chance of developing a serious health condition called Bloat or GDV. They are also more prone to Hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip joint.
But, apart from these issues that are common in all large dog breeds, Giant Schnauzers are generally healthy dogs. They are also one of the guard dog breeds with the longest lifespan – up to 15 years! And, more, in some cases…
GS breeders should also put their dogs through these tests:
- Thyroid evaluation
- Elbow evaluation
- Ophthalmologist evaluation
These health tests are recommended to all Giant Schnauzer breeders by the Giant Schnauzer Club Of America.
Final Thoughts
There are many dog breeds that leave you breathless just by looking at them and admiring their beauty. In my opinion, Giant Schnauzers are one of those dog breeds. There is something magnificent and powerful in their stance, looks, and sheer size.
They look like they can do the job! Giant Schnauzers look like real guard dogs and they are! But, it’s not all peachy. These are smart dogs with some territorial aggression that goes with all guard dogs. So, they’ll need you to lead them and control them at all times. There is no playing around with big dogs. It’s up to us to “make” them sociable, accepting, calm, and secure dogs that will in return be great as both our friends, family members, and our guardians.
Read Next: Saint Bernard Traits – Breeds 101
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