Dog breed

Standard Schnauzer

The Standard Schnauzer is the original of all schnauzers: a sturdy, square dog from Germany with a signature beard, bushy eyebrows and a wiry coat in salt and pepper or black. It once kept stables free of rats; today it is an alert, cheerful and deeply devoted family dog that needs exercise and consistency.

Low shedding
FCI Group II · Molossers, pinschers and schnauzers · standard no. 182

Weight: 14–20 kg
Height: 45–50 cm
Lifespan: 12–16 years
Origin: Germany

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Photo: Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Temperament

The FCI standard describes the Standard Schnauzer as lively yet composed, good-natured, playful and proverbially devoted to its owner, and that captures its character well. It loves children and is alert with strangers, but not noisy without a reason. It also has a strong personality: it is clever, stubborn and likes to test boundaries, so it quickly figures out who in the family gives in. With good handling it learns lightning-fast; the AKC rates its trainability at the top of the scale. It is also a natural watchdog that guards the house and the car and is hard to bribe. Its prey drive, inherited from its rodent-hunting ancestors, can be strong, so a pet hamster or rat may be at risk. It usually gets along with other dogs, though some males can be scrappy with unfamiliar males.

Energy: calmvery energetic
Affection: independentvelcro pet
With children: not idealgreat
With other pets: difficultgreat
Trainability: stubborneager to learn
For first-time owners: for experienced ownersyes
With strangers: waryoutgoing
Playfulness: dignifiedeternal puppy
Shedding: minimalheavy
Grooming: easydemanding
Being left alone: strugglescopes well
Apartment living: needs a house and yardgreat in a flat
Barking: quietvocal
With other dogs: difficultgreat
Protectiveness: lowhigh
Drooling: hardly anya lot
Cold tolerance: feels the coldexcellent
Heat tolerance: strugglescopes well

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Standard Schnauzer for?

The Standard Schnauzer suits an active family with children or a person who wants a clever, alert medium-sized dog that sheds little and does well in an apartment. It works for a consistent owner, even a first-timer, who enjoys training. Do not choose it if you have no time for coat care, keep rodents, or want a dog that will not guard the house.

Pros

hardly sheds
very smart
devoted to its family and good with children
alert watchdog

Challenges

coat needs hand-stripping
stubborn and tests boundaries
strong prey drive toward rodents
needs daily activities

Size and looks

Size and looks: Standard Schnauzer
Height at the withers	males 45–50 cm, females 45–50 cm
Weight	males 14–20 kg, females 14–20 kg
Lifespan	12–16 years
Coat	wire
Colors	salt and pepper, black with black undercoat
Country of origin	Germany
Classification	Group II: Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs
Also known as	Mittelschnauzer, Schnauzer, Salt and Pepper Schnauzer

Care and exercise

60–90minof exercise a day

3/5grooming needs

1/5shedding

A Standard Schnauzer needs about an hour to an hour and a half of exercise a day plus daily mental work: trick training, obedience, tracking or games of fetch. It excels in obedience, agility and working-dog sports. Training should be consistent and varied, because a schnauzer gets bored with repetition and quickly tests the rules. The wiry coat hardly sheds at all but needs regular care: hand-stripping, which means plucking out the dead hair by hand, every 3–4 months, and brushing of the beard, eyebrows and legs several times a week in between. Clipping is easier, but it softens the hair and fades the salt and pepper color. Wash the beard after meals so food does not collect in it. The schnauzer handles cold well and can live in an apartment as long as it gets enough exercise.

How much should the Standard Schnauzer eat?The calculator starts from this breed’s typical weight: calories and grams a day.

Health and breed-related conditions

The Standard Schnauzer is a healthy, long-lived breed: the AKC gives 13–16 years, and in a British study the median was 13 years. The US breed club lists hip dysplasia and eye disease, recommending hip X-rays and eye exams for breeding dogs. Both the AKC and the UK Kennel Club recommend a DNA test for dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that leads to weakness and heart failure. This lets breeders avoid pairing carriers. When buying a puppy, ask for both parents' DCM test results, hip scores and a current eye exam. The wiry coat also means checking the skin under the beard, where irritation develops easily.

dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)A disease of the heart muscle; a DNA test for schnauzers is available and recommended by the Kennel Club and the AKC.
hip dysplasiaThe Kennel Club and the breed club recommend hip X-rays for breeding dogs.
eye diseasesThe US breed club recommends eye exams before breeding.

Health tests to ask the breeder about

DCM DNA test
hip X-rays (HD)
eye exam (ECVO)

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

According to the FCI standard, the schnauzer was originally a stable dog in southern Germany. It was happiest in the company of horses and, on the side, made quick work of rodents, which earned it the nickname "Rattler", or rat catcher. When the Pinscher-Schnauzer-Club was founded in 1895, it was registered as the "wire-haired pinscher". Over time the name "schnauzer", from the German word Schnauze, meaning muzzle, stuck to the breed for good. The Standard Schnauzer gave rise to the two other sizes, the Miniature Schnauzer and the Giant Schnauzer, which the FCI now keeps as separate breeds.

Fun facts

Schnauzers were once called "Rattlers", or rat catchers, because they killed rodents in stables.
In 1895 the breed was registered with the Pinscher-Schnauzer-Club as the "wire-haired pinscher".
The FCI standard allows only two colors: solid black with black undercoat, and salt and pepper.
The standard requires the dog to be nearly square: height at the shoulder is almost equal to body length.

Frequently asked questions

Do Standard Schnauzers shed?

Hardly at all, if the coat is hand-stripped regularly. The dead hair of the wiry coat does not fall out by itself and has to be plucked, which is why schnauzers are often recommended for allergy sufferers. Keep in mind, though, that no dog is completely hypoallergenic: saliva and dander also cause allergies.

How much does a Standard Schnauzer weigh?

Under the FCI standard, males and females weigh 14–20 kg at a height of 45–50 cm at the shoulder. The AKC gives a slightly different range for American dogs, but in Poland the FCI standard applies.

How long do Standard Schnauzers live?

Usually 12–16 years. The AKC gives 13–16 years, and in a large British study the median was 13 years. A DNA test for cardiomyopathy in the parents and keeping the dog lean help it live a long, healthy life.

Are Standard Schnauzers good for people with allergies?

They can be a good choice, because with regular hand-stripping they hardly shed. No dog is fully hypoallergenic, however, and reactions depend on the particular person and dog. Before deciding, spend some time with an adult schnauzer.