Schnauzer
Group: Utility
Size: Medium
Coat length: Medium
Grooming required: More than once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Small or Large House
Garden size: Small/Medium
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 1 hour per day
They are a muscular, medium-sized, squarely built dog. Their head is rectangular with long whiskers, beard and eyebrows and their double coat has a wiry outer which comes in black and 'salt and pepper' which looks greyish.
They originate from Germany where they were a general purpose farm dog but they have proved their worth in many areas and were used as messenger dogs in World War 1. They are an excellent guard dog, lively and enthusiastic and can be playful and affectionate but they are highly intelligent and not the easiest of dogs to train. They are normally good with children and can be trained to get on with strangers and animals but do have a high prey drive. They need a good deal of regular exercise.
Their undercoat needs regular brushing and their outer coat needs trimming regularly. They can be prone to hip dysplasia and tumours.