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Schnauzer Space : Breed Information : Schnauzer FAQOriginsThe Schnauzer has come a long way from its humble origins as a ratter
& farm dog in the Bavarian region of Germany. As their reputation
as a ratter grew, they were recruited to protect royal courts and castles
as well. Incidentally, Schnauzer stems from the German word "Schnauze,"
which means "snout"
or "muzzle." More information on the origins of the Schnauzer may be found in the Schnauzer History section of this site. Three Sizes to Choose FromThere are three varieties of Schnauzers recognized by the AKC:
The Standard Schnauzer claims the honor and distinction of being
the original Schnauzer. Standard Schnauzers weigh in at about 30 to 40
pounds. Miniature Schnauzers are slightly smaller than Standards: they're
about 11 to 18 pounds. Even though they're small, they are by no means
your typical small dog. I have a theory that every Schnauzer has an equal
amount of Schnauzer-ness and it's just jammed in there more tightly in
Miniature Schnauzers. In other words, don't let their compact size fool
you, they're still a Schnauzer. What Makes a Schnauzer Different?Three things make a Schnauzer different from any other dog: attitude, attitude, and did I mention attitude?Schnauzers will take not tolerate bunk from anyone, canine or human. More to the point, they won't let anyone push you around either. Case in point: One time when I was walking Princess, a neighbor's dog and friend to Princess suddenly started barking at me. Just as he was preparing to lunge at me, Princess (about 30 lbs, 15 kg?) got into the other dog's face (a huge 130 lbs, 65 kg?, dog) and really let him have it by growling and barking. Stunned, the other dog backed down and never again barked at me when she was with me.While the above personal experience demonstrates a Schnauzer's loyalty, sometimes Schnauzer egos can get them into trouble when they take stands with other [bigger] dogs that their bodies can't back up. So, keep an eye on them. Also, their vocal skills (SchnauzerDeutsch) are often misinterpreted as hostile growling, by dogs and people alike. Keep this in mind when introducing your Schnauzer to dogs, friends, and family. There's a Reason Why Their Named After Their NoseYou will never have a leisurely stroll with a Schnauzer. To a Schnauzer, every walk is an adventure --a chance to see friends, track down smells, and maybe, just maybe, chase a critter or two. You must keep in mind that, your cute little Schnauzer, was bred to be the Vermin Terminator of Europe.So, when you walk you Schnauzer, keep in mind that she (he) could run in any direction pulling you in tow on the leash to chase down a chipmunk, mouse, squirrel, etc. (When you walk your Schnauzer, some times you will ask yourself, who's walking whom?). Training can help prevent your dog from pulling your arm out, but not control his/her basic desire to chase vermin. You can't blame a Schnauzer for being a Schnauzer, but you can take steps to prevent your Schnauzer from getting into trouble. Princess heard something rustling by some garbage cans one time, time. Of course, she just had to investigate it. She gave us all a scare when she ran away from the cans crying and sneezing. When I approached her to see if she was ok, I was hit with a healthy dose of skunk odor. Princess got skunked! Yuk! It took two weeks for smell to get out of the house, even though we used every household remedy we ever heard of. The moral of the story: always keep an eye on what your Schnauzer is sniffing. That skunk could have been a rabbid animal and then we would have had real problems... All in all, you have to admire the Germans for naming a dog after the dog's most prominent feature, it's "Schnauze" or it's snout. How brilliantly simple! How Bauhaus of them! Honest, Doc, My Schnauzer Can TalkBefore you call in the Paddy Wagon, let me explain.Schnauzers have a tendency to be "vocal," ie. make a friendly growling noise at people (or dogs) as they pass by, call for attention, demand food or a chew stick, etc. Each one of these has its own distinct noise and pitch. At first, I thought it was something that only my Schnauzer was trained to do before we got her. Then a trip to the MacWorld Boston Expo. While there, I saw another Schnauzer that did the same thing: spoke the same language. Ever since then I've called the Doggie-Dialect "Schnauzer-Deutsch." Since then, and since launching this site others have come forward claiming to have heard their Schnauzer talk to them. Is this common Schnauzer language proof that they are really aliens in the midst of conquering the earth? Are they trying to communicate with us? The Truth is Out There.
All jokes aside, Schnauzer-Deutsch is really just part of the Schnauzer attitude. Schnauzers will not sit idly when they want something like other dogs; they are movers, shakers, and sniffers and don't have time to wait until humans figure out what they want.
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SchnauzerSpace: Cyberspace for Schnauzers
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Breed
InformationFAQ, history and general information about the three types of Schnauzers.
Rescue
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Other StuffMovie parodies, desktop wallpaper, games and other really fun stuff for Schnauzers and their humans!
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Community Chat, bulleting boards, links and other ways to connect with other Schnauzer Fanatics.
