Kinds Of Schnauzers

Schnauzers originate from Germany and date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. According to the American Kennel Club, the breed is likely a mix between the black German poodle, gray wolf spitz and the wirehaired pinscher. Originally a household companion, selective breeding for size has established three recognized competitive types of schnauzer with another two unrecognized types.

  1. Standard Schnauzer

    • The standard schnauzer is closest to the original, 15th century breed. It grows to between 17 1/2 to 19 1/2 inches at the shoulder and has a squared body shape, typical of the breed. The standard belongs to the AKC's working dog group, where it is considered a rat catcher and guard dog. In recent times it has more commonly become a family pet with a loyal personality and protective instinct toward its family and home.

    Giant Schnauzer

    • The giant schnauzer was developed from the standard type in the Bavaria and Wurttenberg regions of Germany. These regions were major agricultural areas with large livestock populations for which herding dogs were needed. The standard schnauzer was a little small for herding cows, so the breed was bred selectively to produce a larger dog. Today a giant schnauzer grows between 23 1/2 to 27 1/2 inches at the shoulder and is a scaled-up version of the standard type.

    Miniature Schnauzer

    • The miniature schnauzer was produced to be a smaller farm dog and more versatile vermin killer than the standard breed. Being smaller, it is more capable of running vermin to ground and can fit in places a standard schnauzer cannot. According to the AKC, it is likely that the smaller German breeds such as the affenpinscher and poodles were crossed with standard schnauzers to create this smaller type. Schnauzers between 12 to 14 inches tall at the shoulder are considered to be miniature.

    Toy and Tea Cup Schnauzers

    • Toy and tea cup schnauzers are not recognized as separate types by the AKC, but they do have breeders clubs. These types are bred purely as fashionable small dogs and do not qualify for competitive dog shows. Toy schnauzers are around half the size of a miniature, standing less than 12 inches in height. The tea cup variety is even smaller, around a third of the size of a miniature schnauzer. As of October 2011, neither of these types is an official AKC breed, but as popularity grows they may one day be included.