As owners of a relatively rare breed, we get many questions from
curios dog lovers. Here are some answers to common questions
about Giant Schnauzers we get from people on the street that
stop and ask us about our dogs.
Q:
Where did
Giant Schnauzers originate?
Q:
Are Giants
agressive?
Q:
My dog encyclopedia says that Giants are aloof, is that true?
Q:
Do Giants
get along with other breeds?
Q:
Is
that a Bouvier or a "giant" Scottie?
Q: Where did
Giant Schnauzers originate?
A: The Giant Schnauzer originated in the Bavarian highlands of
southern Germany during the 18th and 19th century. German
cattlemen desired a larger dog for driving cattle and cross-bred
the Standard Schnauzer with long-haired sheep dogs, Great Danes
and probably Bouviers to arrive at what were the earliest
Giants, or Reisenschnauzer as they are called in Germany. The
first recorded show entry of a Giant was at the 1909 Munich Dog
Show as the "Russian Bear Schnauzer". Giants were first recorded
in the German PSK stud books in 1921 and were accepted into the
AKC in 1930.
Q: Are Giants
agressive?
A: We socialize our Giants from the time they enter our home.
That means we take them out amongst other people and other dogs.
As long as you expose a young giant to lots of other people.
dogs, noises, traffic, etc. they quickly become comfortable
around new surroundings and are not frightened, which is
usually the underlying factor in agression. Always keep a Giant
on leash as they are a big dog and can easily frighten other
people and smaller dogs which in itself can cause a traumatic,
negative experience and work against what you are attempting to
accomplish. Also avoid dog parks when socializing. Its not the
other dogs at a dog park, but their owners, that are
unpredictable. And above all else don't ignore persistent
problem behaviors, get professional help from an animal
behaviorist.
Q: My dog encyclopedia says that Giants are aloof, is that
true?
A: Some breed references say Giats are aloof and do not show a
lot of affection. In our experience nothing could be further
from the truth. While Giants may be cautious around a stranger,
a good thing in our opinion, they beome extremely attached to
their "family" and will insist on following you as you go about
your household chores, making sure you are always within sight.
They routinely come and lay at your feet and put their big head
in your lap.
Q: Do Giants
get along with other breeds?
A: Our Giants are raised with Miniature Schnauzers which only
weigh between 10 and 20 pounds to Max's 80-100 pounds. Although
Max plays "nice" and is not rough with the girls, we always
supervise them simply because Max is so large and could
inadvertantly hurt one of the smaller dogs because of the size
difference. We also find the Giant is much less agressive and
tends to play "nicer" than the Mini Schanuzers. Our experience
is that smaller dogs tend to be more agressive than large
breeds. Maybe for the same reasons that the smallest kid on the
playground was usually the one that started the fights...
Q: Is
that a Bouvier or a "giant" Scottie?
A: Gaints are rarely seen by the public and we get some pretty
funny questions from people on the street when they meet a Giant
Schnauzer for the first time. The fact of the matter is that
many experts believe that indeed Bouvier's are one of several
breeds that German cattleman used to breed the giant Schnauzer,
along with possibly black Great Danes and possibly extinct rough
coated large breeds common to Bavaria in the 19th century.