Working Dogs: Giant Schnauzer

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The Giant Schnauzer is the largest of the three Schnauzer breeds. Cattlemen in Southern Bavaria produced the Giant Schnauzer by breeding medium-size Schnauzers with smooth-coated sheep and cattle dogs, with later crossbreeds to rough-haired sheepdogs and black Great Danes. A a time it was known as the Munchener and was prized as a superb cattle and driving dog. It closely resembles the Standard Schnauzer but a bigger and more powerful variant.


WEIGHT: 65-85 pounds

HEIGHT: Males 251/2-271/2 inches; females 23 1/2-25 1/2 inches

COLOR: solid black; pepper and salt.

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Working Dogs: Standard Schnauzer

The Standard Schnauzer is a medium-sized dog, the oldest breed of the three Schnauzer types. Possibly a result of the crossbreeding of the black German Poodle and Gray Wolf Spitz with Wirehaired Pinscher ancestry, the Standard Schnauzer served as a guard and watchdog in Germany since the 16th century. It is also skilful as a rat catcher in the stable area. Its head is long, rectangular, and robust with a blunt whiskered muzzle.  Its body heavyset and squarely built. Its oval eyes dark and shadowed by bristling eyebrows. The V-shaped ears are small and carried upright when cropped, and the coat is hard and wiry.

WEIGHT: 30-40 pounds

HEIGHT: males 18 ½ -19 ½ inches; females 17 ½ – 18 ½ inches

COLOR: pepper and salt or pure black.

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