Giant Schnauzer
The Giant Schnauzer is a large dog breed. There are three Schnauzer breeds, the other two are the Standard Schnauzer and the Miniature Schnauzer. The Giant Schnauzer is traditionally a herding dog. These dogs love to swim.
Appearance
This bred weighs between 32 kg to 45 kg and is 59 cm to 79 cm to the withers. Its running style is considered to be single track. Its coat is generally black or white and grey. Its coat is double layered, it has a thick outer coat which is wiry and a softer undercoat.
Temperament
This dog can be quite playful strong dog. It does work well as a guard dog, especially given that its size can be quite intimidating to would be burglars. Due to them being a herding dog they can have a herding instinct, this means that they may nip to try and get their herd in line, unfortunately the herd can include the humans it is living with, so it is important that they be socialized appropriately and taught that this is not the correct behaviour. They are protective of their family. They will tend to be aggressive against strangers and other dogs if not socialized appropriately. These dogs are very alert so make good watch dogs. Given the size of this dog and their playfulness they are not really advised for families with small children.
Grooming and care
This dog tends to shed very little. This makes it a good breed to have for someone who would traditionally have allergies. The hair of the Schnauzer can be trimmed, if it is not then the shedding will tend to increase. This is a working breed so they need plenty of exercise, otherwise boredom will take over and typical bad behaviour will start. Generally they need to be jogged in the park or let free to roam around. It should be noted that this is only possible if the dog is well trained.
Health
These dogs tend to live between 12 to 15 years, though some have been reported to live for longer. These dogs share the problems of many other large breeds. They are more likely to get cancer, most particularly toe cancer. They are potentially going to suffer from bloat, and epilepsy is also something to look out for. As with other breeds hip dysplasia is something that needs to be examined.