Giant Schnauzer
Group: Working
Size: Large
Coat length: Medium
Grooming required: Every day
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Large House
Garden size: Large
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: More than an hour per day
They are a large, powerful, square-looking dog with straight front legs, a straight back and a rectangular-shaped head. Their head also has a beard and whiskers. The coat comes in two colours, black and 'salt and pepper' and is hard and wiry with a soft undercoat.
They come from Germany and were originally used to herd cattle but have since proved useful for the police and armed forces.
These dogs are very protective, loyal, intelligent and trainable but they need a firm, consistent approach and plenty of exercise. They can be wary of strangers so need to be socialised with people and animals from a young age. They can be difficult to manage if not given sufficient opportunity to expend their excess energy.
Their dense undercoat needs regular grooming and the top coat needs clipping and stripping. They are prone to cancer, especially toe cancer, bloat, epilepsy and hip dysplasia.