All about Giant Schnauzers

Among the modern varieties of dogs are many charming, intelligent and loyal representatives. One of the most striking examples is the Giant Schnauzer breed. They are distinguished from other dogs by their massive body, as well as by the charming beard and mustache, which give these pets the appearance of a wise old man. In this article you will get acquainted with the most interesting information about Giant Schnauzers: the history of the breed, the characteristics of feeding and the maintenance of these dogs.

Today, it is believed that Germany is the birthplace of Giant Schnauzers, but this is only common, and not reliable information. There are several versions of the origin of this breed of dogs.

• The main official version reports that Giant Schnauzers were bred at the end of the 19th century to help German shepherds. It is believed that these dogs helped drive livestock and protected the herd and domestic animals from wild animals and thieves.
• This version is inclined to believe that the breed was bred exclusively for hunting. This is indicated by both the exterior of the animal, the type of wool, and some entries in the breeding books of breeders of the early 20th century.
• According to another version, the ancestors of Giant Schnauzers first appeared on the territory of modern Bavaria. The ancestor of rizen under this version is a wire-haired pinscher. The fact that this breed of dogs participated in the formation of Giant Schnauzers is not doubted by any breeder.

Many countries have tried to assign precisely the honor of the birth of this unique breed. The difficulty with determining the homeland of these dogs arises due to the complete absence of records of the species before the beginning of the 20th century. Regardless of which version is true, all breeders are inclined to believe that these dogs have a rich historical heritage and come from aboriginal breeds of dogs.

Below will be considered exactly the common official version of the origin of this breed. Based on it, it is believed that the first representatives of these dogs were first shown only in 1909 at an exhibition in Munich. All 9 individuals were originally from Munich and had almost identical exterior, which made it possible to distinguish this breed from other German mestizos.

Despite the fact that 9 individuals presented at the exhibition in 1909, were far from purebred representatives of modern Giant Schnauzers, on the basis of their genetic material and further breeding activities were carried out on breeding. The active work of German breeders lasted at least 20 years., during this time, breeders have culled hundreds of individuals with insufficiently proportional limbs or corpus, weak immunity. An interesting fact: to determine the ideal of this breed, individual breeds of breed schnauzer were used, which by the beginning of the 20th century already had a well-formed exterior and were popular in Germany and throughout Europe.

This breed received official recognition only in 1925 in Germany. At about the same time, the first standard was formed, the main provisions of which are still based today. The breed was designated as service, which gave impetus to the further breeding and use of these dogs in everyday life.As soon as rizeny received official status, in the same year the breeding registries of this breed were replenished with more than 30 individuals with the characteristics of a purebred Giant Schnauzer.

Unfortunately, the names of only three individuals from those 9 who took part in the breeding of Giant Schnauzers are known. However, it can be considered that most modern thoroughbred representatives have in their pedigree the roots of these three males: Batsi, Roland and Fels.

The Second World War had a detrimental effect on the development of many breeds, including Giant Schnauzers. Beginning in 1956, the first attempts were made to restore this breed.However, the process progressed extremely slowly due to the small number of purebreds.

At the same time, the breed standard was corrected, where changes were made about the height, weight and features of the appearance of rizenov. It can be said that the standard has become more loyal, since the genetic material of many other individuals was required to preserve the breed. Some breeding breeders allowed breeding with mestizos, which led to a partial loss of identity of these dogs.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, Giant Schnauzers appeared in the early 20th century.however, none of the Russian breeders attempted to breed the breed. A huge role in the strengthening of this species in the USSR played a nursery "Red Star". It was here in about 70 years 2 puppies of the Giant Schnauzer were brought (male and bitch - Akbar f. Raaksee and Anni f. Raakzee). It can be considered that the absolute majority of modern Russian rizenschnauzers originated from these babies.

The breed of dogs Giant Schnauzer has an individual appearance, which was officially recognized in the first half of the 20th century. The main characteristics of this exterior are presented in the standard of the International Film Federation (International Cynological Federation) of April 6, 2000.

It is worth considering its general provisions.

• Body Massive, rather compact than elongated, square type. The ratio of the height of the individual with the length of the body is almost the same. On the shoulders, shoulder blades and neck, developed muscle groups are clearly sensed. The back is powerful, but rather short, as is the loins. Croup slightly stands out, rounded type.
• Head. The skull is small, but strong and slightly oblong. Occipital junction weakly visible. The head looks proportional to the entire body. Flat forehead, no wrinkles or wrinkles, parallel to the back of the nose. Stop sharp and short, perfectly visible due to the special growth of hair.
• Muzzle. Long and massive, wedge-shaped. Because of the characteristic beard in individuals of this breed, it seems to be expanding towards the nose, but in fact it is tapering in a standard way.
• Lips. Dark color, tight to the gums, do not form folds.
• Mouth and teeth. Jaws are massive and strong, with well-developed muscles, scissors bite. The teeth themselves (42, based on the dental formula) and the canines are exceptionally white, compactly arranged, they close without problems. The entire row of teeth and canines is hidden in the mouth.

• Eyes. Not too large, almond-shaped or oval. They are set straight, they do not stand out against the background of the head. Set at a considerable distance from each other. Eye color is mostly dark, but there are nutty or honey shades. Eyelids exceptionally dry, must fit snugly to the eyeball.
• Ears. Set high and far apart. Hang on triangle-shaped cartilage, so the tips touch the dog's cheekbones. The ear cavities are closed, but looking forward. The tips of the ears are most often sharp, however, due to the abundant amount of wool they appear to be rounded.
• Neck. Exceptionally powerful and muscular, although not particularly long, a slight bend. Smoothly goes to withers.It is thanks to its neck that the Giant Schnauzers look so stately and graceful. The skin is tight to the neck and throat, folds should be absent.

• Rib cage. The chest is wide and massive, remarkably developed, oval in shape, which gives the whole body of the dog the appearance of stature.
• Stomach. It is well tightened, at a good hairstyle forms a graceful curved line, beginning from genitals to an oval thorax.
• Tail. Not too long, tapers towards the tip, sometimes forming a slight semblance of a brush. Covered with a thick layer of wool. In a quiet position, sickle bent. For exhibition activities suitable individuals with uncropped tail.

• Front legs. Straight, strong and massive, set parallel to each other. The forearms are straight, on the shoulder blades there is a group of perfectly developed muscles. Shoulder bones also have developed muscles. Elbows set high, adjacent to the chest. The paws themselves are rather short, round in shape. The fingers are tightly assembled, the pads are dark and hard. The claws are large, most often dark or gray.
• Hind legs. They ate to inspect the specimen of this breed in profile, then they are arranged in parallel, but at a slight inclination relative to the hull. Set quite widely. The knees are well developed, but not turned inside. The legs and thighs are long and extremely muscular, which, together with a powerful hock, provides a high primary and constant speed. Hocks are straight and short, located at right angles to the ground level. The shape of the paws is also round, the fingers are tightly assembled.

• Leather. Tight fit to the whole body, rarely forms folds. This is especially true of young individuals. The skin color depends on the color of the dog itself, can be both dark and light.
• Wool. Hard and wire-like type, when stroking slightly springy. There is a thick undercoat that provides protection even from the most severe frosts. The length of the coat on the chest, abdomen, and back is slightly longer than the length on the head and limbs. A distinctive feature of the breed are pronounced long eyebrows, as well as a long beard, which does not come into contact with the hair on the chest. The cheeks near the nose are also covered with a layer of thick hair, which gives the special features of this dog a wise old man.
• Color There are two officially recognized colors of this breed: 1) coal-black (or black-haired), when the whole body is covered with rich black wool with olive or silver shades; 2) “pepper and salt” - here silver, gray or platinum tones with smooth transitions throughout the body are permissible. Regardless of the type of color, the Giant Schnauzer face should always remain exactly dark (without white spots on the face, head or chest).

• Movement. These dogs combine in their movements ease and sweep with grace and grace. The hind legs provide a jogging force, while the front legs make a significant forward shot. A feature of such a movement is precisely simultaneity: the hind legs provide the impetus at the very time when the front swings are made.
• Medium height. Giant schnauzers are large-sized representatives among their relatives, adult males can grow up to 70 centimeters at the withers, bitches - up to 65 centimeters. Such large sizes will bring a lot of inconvenience when kept in the walls of an ordinary apartment.
• Average weight As for weight, this breed may seem really gigantic. Male Giant Schnauzers can weigh 45 kilograms, and females - 37 kilograms.
• Lifespan. None of the schnauzer breeds is distinguished by significant longevity. Basically, these dogs do not live longer than 12–13 years, but they can live up to 15 years in good conditions.

Every dog ​​breed has moments that seem more or less pleasant for the owner. It is worth reading them in more detail.

Positive traits:

• a keen mind and a strong attachment to a person, which allows you to quickly establish a relationship of trust with your family;
• remarkable guarding qualities: these dogs will protect their owner to the last breath, will rush into fire and water to save a family member;
• rapid socialization and adaptability to any environmental conditions due to thick and warm wool, the possibility of content on the street and in the aviary;
• the beauty and elegance of this breed make it popular among rich people and aesthetes;
• not very high cost relative to other dog breeds.

Negative qualities:

• thick hair and frequent molting: these pets need constant care for their hair, in addition, to maintain a neat appearance of a Giant Schnauzer, it is recommended to regularly take a pet to the grooming salons to correct eyebrows, mustaches and beards;
• extreme distrust of strangers, which can cause problems when buying an already adult individual, who previously had a host;
• besides, these dogs are most often monogamous;
• predisposition to many breed diseases;
• these dogs require a special approach in feeding and maintenance;
• if the dog itself is not so expensive, then regular care will require significant funds from you.

When buying representatives of any breed, the owners pay attention not only to the features of their appearance, but also to the character traits inherent in a certain variety of dogs. Below you will learn about the characteristics of the Riesenschnauzers.

• Communication with the owner. Riseni are completely devoted to their owners, they will spend all their time free from walking right next to you. So they feel safe and can protect you from the whole world. These dogs are good, above all, as companions and protectors.

• Energy. It is difficult to find dogs more active and more cheerful Riesenschnuzerov. Outdoors, they frolic like little children, adore games and entertainment, can run in the mornings along with the owner and not get tired for a long time. A burst of energy for these dogs is extremely important, otherwise they will express all their enthusiasm in the walls of the apartment.

• Attitude to children. In relation to the small members of their family, the rizen are always friendly. They will be happy to take part in any game and venture that kids come up with, as well as guard the owners if the fun goes beyond security. Rizeny does not pay any attention to pestering and negligence, if it does not reach open aggression and teasing. Some breeders say that these dogs are wonderful nannies who not only protect children from trouble, but also protect their sleep, protect them from strangers and street animals.

• Vanity No need to doubt, the Giant Schnauzers are wonderfully aware of their attractiveness and grace. If the owner does not show enough assertiveness in the education of individuals of these dogs, Risen will constantly try to take a leading position in such a relationship. These dogs love to denote their importance, and often suffer from lack of attention. They are struggling with this in a very original way - capricious, scattering toys, barking loudly.

• A born hunter. The scent and ear of the Giant Schnauzers are sharpened for tracking small game and animals. Having conceived that a small animal or bird is nearby, these dogs can completely lose their sense of time and forget about the owner. In order to control these skills, it is recommended to walk these dogs mainly on a leash so that they are accustomed to calmly react to the external environment.

• Attitude to other pets. Like all other breeds of dogs, rizeny restrained attitude to other pets.The relationship between a schnauzer and a cat is especially ambiguous - friendly games are physically impossible here because of the too large size of the dog. If the pets have grown together since birth, then such a friendship will certainly be strong and fruitful.

• Attitude towards strangers. Despite their good-natured character, Giant Schnauzers are extremely suspicious of all strangers who belong to their personal space or that of a host. The pet will not show obvious aggression, however, one should not expect affection from him. At the slightest sign of danger, these “bearded old men” first will bark warningly and then turn into formidable defenders who will not hurt either themselves or their family members.

• Bravery. In an extraordinary and dangerous situation, the Giant Schnauzers will not just stand aside, but will try to make their own “mite” in the situation. If the situation gets out of control, rizeny very quickly assess the state of things and clearly act according to their plan.

It should be understood that all of these qualities should be gradually instilled in the course of patient and correct education. In the event of an unfair attitude to the physical and mental health of the dog, the riesen grows up aggressive, cowardly, moody and passive.

By choosing a puppy a giant schnauzer should be treated with great attention, it is your choice that will determine the future health of the pet, its mood and vigor.

You have two options when choosing pedigree rizen puppies:

• buy in the nursery;
• buy from a private person.

Each of them has its pros and cons, it is worth considering them in more detail.

• Such individuals, as a rule, are much cheaper than those sold in nurseries. Most often, the price depends on the completeness of documents and defects in appearance.
• Breeders, unlike nurseries, do not reject individuals with obvious violations of appearance, they only reduce their cost. This allows non-professional breeders to choose for themselves almost purebred rizenschnauzer at a budget price.
• As a rule, private breeders pay more attention to individual puppies in contrast to keeping animals in nurseries, where care, vaccinations and feeding are selective at best, and not common to all individuals.

• The so-called private owners rarely present a full package of documents dogs. In the absence of information about the pet's pedigree, you cannot say exactly which blood is flowing through the veins of your dog. This can lead to many diseases in the future.
• Private owners have fewer resources for quality pet care. Most often these dogs live either in enclosures or in closed rooms without access to fresh oxygen and walks.
• Puppies bought from private hands very often have real colonies of fleas and lice on wool. As a rule, such owners leave pets for parents, who painstakingly take care of puppies only up to a certain age.

• You get a complete set of documents of the pet and, if desired, his parents. You will be able to soberly assess the family tree of an individual, the behavior of its parents and distant relatives. So you will more accurately understand whether a particular pet is suitable for you or not.
• The nursery provides complete control over the health of the animal. This means: holding regular and timely vaccinations, as well as supplying the diet with vitamin supplements.
• If a private owner can easily imitate quality conditions, then it will be difficult for the nursery. So, you will be able to see for yourself the real conditions of existence of the pet and its parents.
• Nurseries breed and sell only purebreds, which means that you will not get any surprises and defects in appearance / behavior when the pet grows up. Moreover, in kennels there is a greater choice of young dogs than when buying from private hands.

• A generalized approach to the care of puppies. In nurseries rarely paid attention to a particular individual (unless, of course, it is not about pregnancy, injury or estrus).
• High cost due to the availability of all documents and thoroughbred. However, nursery workers will certainly give valuable advice on keeping young animals in the walls of an apartment.

When choosing a puppy and in fact, and in another case, you should pay attention to other points.

• Appearance pet. By the way the pet looks, you can identify defects in appearance, as well as determine the presence of individual diseases. The poor health of puppies can be guessed by the state of wool and skin. Common signs are fallen lumps, tricks, wet hair and dirty hair in the genital area, redness and itching on the skin, dirty ears, cracks on the paw pads.
  • Also, make sure that the individual is fat - it is better to take heavy puppies with strong bones. Also pay attention to the color of the eyelids and lips: if it is black, then you will see the future representative of a charcoal black color.

• Activity. By the behavior of the puppies, you can also assess the current health of the babies and their chances in training. It is better to choose the active kids: they can be trained at any time and taught to obey. But the weak and passive will hardly be possible to feed.

• Puppies age Despite the fact that the ICF standard does not allow the sale of these puppies younger than 10 weeks old, it is desirable to begin training as early as 1.5-2 months. At this age, it is easiest to establish contact with a pet, to gain trust and to designate your authority. At this stage, you can fix the correct growth of incisors for the formation of scissors bite. However, if you are going to represent your pet at exhibitions, then it is worth taking a puppy not younger than 3 months - before this age, the puppy's body is actively forming, and some features of appearance may be imperceptible.

• Package of documents. Regardless of whether you buy a puppy from private hands or in kennels, make sure that you have all the necessary documents. These include: metric, pedigree, veterinary passport. You also have the right to request the documents of the puppy's parents in order to determine the individual's breed predisposition to diseases and defects.
  • Be sure to check the number of babies in your puppy's mother's litter. The optimal number is 6-8 individuals. If the breeder says about 12-14 individuals, then such puppies should be abandoned. An excessive amount of puppies may indicate both prematurity and inadequate vitamin nutrition of individuals through breast milk.

• Purpose Often breeders take several areas of dogs for each particular breed. This means that a giant schnauzer can be bred only for a family, for security activities or for service. Family “Bavarians” are suitable for buying into an ordinary family with children: they are friendlier, less aggressive and tend to trust every member of the family. Service rizenschnauzers are extremely stubborn, mistrustful and aggressive - they can only be brought up by professional breeders.

• Conditions of detention. Navigate to the place where your pet is kept before your purchase, as well as to the place where your parents are kept. So you get an idea of ​​the approximate conditions of care and feeding, as well as be able to decide whether to trust a separate breeder. Also, having familiarized yourself with the conditions of keeping newborn puppies and their diet, it will be easier for you to make identical conditions in your apartment.

Today kennels with Riesenschnauzer puppies can be found in every major city in Russia. The price for them is not very high and strongly depends on the individual external qualities. As a rule, purebred puppies do not cost more than 30-35 thousand rubles.

If in the diet and care a giant schnauzer is no different from other dogs, then regarding the conditions of detention all the more difficult.

• Place of content and activity. Rizena are such dogs, which can be kept both in the apartment and in the street. Their fur and undercoat are rather thick and warm to keep pets away from severe frosts and drafts. The best option for the maintenance of the animal would be a closed enclosure or a plot of a private house with a reliable shed or a covered house with constant access to fresh air.

• Walking tours. Try to walk your dog at least twice a day. Adult dogs need a one-hour walk, young dogs need half an hour. Some are of the opinion that these dogs need to be walked only after reaching 3-4 months, which is a very grave mistake. Later acquaintance with the street, yard animals and strangers can irreparably affect the socialization of the animal - it will make it fearful, angry, or aggressive. For walks you should choose a strictly certain time every day, while you need to walk before eating.

• Energy. Regardless of where the dog is kept, you should constantly provide her with physical exertion and training. There will not be enough 2 ordinary walks per day, where you just drive your pet around the yard, and he fulfills his needs. Riseny should run, jump, chase birds, look for insects in the grass. Passive lifestyle not only leads to obesity, but also adversely affects the psyche of the animal.

• Freedom. In no case can not put a schnauzer on the chain. These dogs are extremely freedom-loving and feel oppressed by the chain, which for them is akin to a real prison.

• Contact. Rizena are extremely sociable and inventive with their family, and therefore their place in the apartment should be visible and have eye contact with other rooms. These dogs love to just watch over their owners and even imitate some of their movements and reactions. Riseny can remain alone for a long time and provide for themselves, but too long a separation will make them pessimistic, lethargic and passive. Do not be afraid to take these pets on camping trips and barbecues - they love to spend time actively and have fun outdoors.

Food giant schnauzer is difficult to call any exceptional or special. All the rules that are used by experienced owners in feeding all other dog breeds apply here.

The list of the most useful natural products include the following:

• all types of lean meat (lamb, hare, turkey, veal), meat is served boiled or raw with vegetables or cereals, and chicken and pork should be abandoned;
• offal - cartilages and bones come in nicely (the main thing is that they are of non-tubular type);
• fermented milk products (kefir, cottage cheese, cheese);
• vegetables (tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, beets);
• fish products (boiled sea fish);
• cereals from cereals (rice, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal).

For young puppies, it is especially useful to add so-called brain bones to the diet. They will help with the stabilization of the gastrointestinal tract and will perfectly serve your pet during the period of growth and change of teeth.

In addition to the main dishes, some additives can be added to the diet of a schnauzer, including: greens (parsley, dill, celery leaves), animal and vegetable oils, sea kale (a rich source of iodine and vitamins of groups A, C, E, D, B1, B2, B6,). You can add dried or fresh fruits (apples and pears) to your pet servings as additives. They will provide the body with the necessary fiber, but do not forget that about 1/3 of the diet of a young puppy should be meat products.

If you choose the option of feeding ready-made feeds, then you should focus on the types of "premium" or "super-premium."

If we talk about unacceptable food, then its list for rizenov is not so long.They are omnivorous dogs, and the diet here should be limited only to uniquely harmful products, the list of which will be located below. Here are some tips for feeding these dogs.

• First of all, remove from the diet all fatty, pickled, salted, spicy and smoked products. Human food is not suitable for the bowels of any dog. The same goes for feeding right from the table and begging. Despite the fact that such food may seem incredibly tasty pet, it will cause irreparable harm to his health.
• Avoid foods high in sugar: sweets, candy, chocolate, pastries.
• Excess protein in foods is also bad for rizenov. It is not recommended to combine in one portion meat, fish and egg white.
• If for other dogs it is preferable to boiled meat, then for Giant Schnauzers, raw meat and bones are even more useful.
• When serving meat or other food, a healthy adult Giant Schnauzer should not be crushed and brought to a mushy state. It will damage the development of teeth, the formation of bite, and also affect the digestion of food.
• Regardless of the season, it is worth adding vitamin supplements and complexes to the diet. Even despite the remarkable health and thick coat, Giant Schnauzers are prone to catarrhal and viral diseases.

The health and vitality of a Giant Schnauzer depend not only on proper nutrition or conditions of detention, but also on the regularity of caring for its appearance. The basic rules here relate to the provision of commonplace hygiene and preventive procedures at least 1 time per week.

In rizenov remarkable and beautiful long hair, which, unfortunately, grows very quickly and prevents the owners of the dog to live. If, in the case of other dogs, regular combing or washing can help, then a much more radical approach is required. As a rule, the owners prefer to regularly visit the grooming salons (adjusting the appearance of the animal's hair) or independently trim the pet at least once a year.

For the procedure, you will need a trimming knife or a comb with frequent metal teeth. In appearance, this process looks like a real peeling of all pet's hair, but this is not at all the case. During this procedure, only the hard guard hair is removed, and not the undercoat itself, which warms the animal and protects it from moisture and frost. Unlike regular haircuts, this procedure is much longer (up to 6 hours) and may in the early stages absolutely not like your pet. It should be taught to gradually, while not trimming too often, so as not to weaken the undercoat itself.

Rollers or furminators can be used as a trimmer replacement.

Experienced breeders recommend trimming or grooming to treat the animal's hair on the body - hair is advised on the head and face to be trimmed with a specific haircut. It is carried out according to the following scheme:

• all the hair to the head is trimmed, a semblance of a long bang is formed on the head;
• the length of the eyebrows is fully preserved (the monowel is divided);
• all hair from the neck and chest is removed, while on the face is left;
• the upper part of the hair on the face to the very nose is clipped (or partially corrected) so that there remains a small disheveled head of hair at the very lobe;
• on the cheeks and chin, the length of the hair is preserved and combed down; the beard and mustache are given a uniform and smooth falling look;
• knocked out in different directions hairs cut or stacked.

Wash the Giant Schnauzer no more than 1 time in several months. If after walking the animal's fur has become dirty, limit yourself to a small shower or rags to wipe the paws and fur near the genitals.The coat of this breed of dogs is greasy, it does not trap dirt or moisture, and therefore it is worth washing these dogs with shampoo only when necessary.

Do not forget about regular procedures for the care of the teeth, claws and ears of the animal. To do this, you will need a toothpaste and brush for large breeds of dogs, as well as a nail clipper.

In addition, in the case of rizenov there is a tendency to stop the ears. This procedure is performed to give them an elegant, standing shape. True, these dogs need to glue the cropped ears with a plaster to fix them in a predetermined position and prevent wound infection. This procedure should be entrusted to professionals; at home, the chance of harming the health of the animal is too great, even there is a risk of permanently leaving the pet deaf.

Judging by the reviews on the open spaces of the network, the Giant Schnauzers are loved by an absolute majority of their owners. Everyone notes the incredible dedication, kindness and intelligence of these animals, as well as their ability to grasp everything on the fly during training.

Among the problem points stand out:

• the complexity of care for the appearance of the pet, because wool requires maximum attention;
• hyperactivity of the breed - these dogs, according to many breeders, are unsuitable for keeping in small apartments and need constant training, walks and physical exertion.

Even more interesting and informative information about the Giant Schnauzer breed in the next video.