Before it was called Schnauzer, it was known as Rattler. According to the FCI standard, it worked as a stable dog in southern Germany, felt at ease with horses and made short work of rodents. The Standard Schnauzer (Schnauzer) has kept its beard and bushy brows; rat-catching is now secondary. What remains is a watchful, playful medium-sized dog with plenty of character.
| FCI | Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs), Section 1 Pinscher and Schnauzer, Standard No. 182, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Size (height at the withers) | Males and females 45 to 50 cm |
| Weight | Males and females 14 to 20 kg |
| Life expectancy | median 13,0 years in a British analysis of 584.734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | wiry, harsh and dense, with thick undercoat, beard and bushy brows |
| Colours in the standard | pure black with black undercoat, or pepper and salt from dark iron grey to silver grey, each with a dark mask |
Origins
The FCI lists it simply as Schnauzer; in Germany it is usually called Mittelschnauzer. The larger Giant Schnauzer and the Miniature Schnauzer are separate breeds with their own standards. When the Pinscher-Schnauzer-Klub was founded in 1895, it was still listed as a rough-haired Pinscher. The same FCI section also includes the Miniature Pinscher and the Dobermann.
Temperament
The standard describes a lively temperament paired with thoughtful calm, along with good nature, playfulness and proverbial devotion to its owner. It is said to be very fond of children, incorruptible, watchful yet no persistent barker. In daily life, this means an attentive housemate that announces strangers and loves its family but needs clear, kind training.
Exercise and activities
The standard credits it with endurance and weather resistance, so rain need not keep you indoors. Alongside daily walks, it needs mental work: scent work, agility or obedience suit the working qualities the standard explicitly mentions.
Grooming
To keep the outer coat as harsh as the standard requires, it is usually stripped rather than clipped, meaning dead hair is plucked out. Wipe the beard after meals and trim the brows so it can see clearly.
Health
With a median 13,0 years, it lived longer in McMillan and colleagues’ British analysis than crossbreeds, whose median was 12,0 years. Dogs recorded only as Schnauzer are included too. Two inherited diseases have been described in the breed. Severe leukodystrophy, a disorder of the brain’s white matter, appeared in twelve puppies during the first weeks of life. Researchers found a causal TSEN54 variant; a genetic test has since made it possible to prevent affected puppies being bred (Störk et al. 2019). Early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy, enlargement of the heart muscle, was also described in 15 closely related Standard Schnauzers, diagnosed at a median 1,6 years and probably recessively inherited (Harmon et al. 2017). When buying a puppy, ask for both parents’ genetic tests and heart examinations.
Who suits the Standard Schnauzer?
Active families, including those with children, seeking a robust, watchful medium-sized dog and enjoying shared training and regular grooming.
Who is less suited?
People seeking a dog without stripping appointments or training demands, and households where a dog announcing every visitor would be a nuisance.
The breed quiz shows whether a Schnauzer suits you; our book offers more detail: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For the first weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. For artwork of your Schnauzer with beard and brows, explore our dog portraits or a magazine cover on canvas.
Further reading
- Dobermann: a sensitive velcro dog with heart risks
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 182 Schnauzer (fci.be, German version dated 18.04.2007); Störk T et al., TSEN54 missense variant in Standard Schnauzers with leukodystrophy, PLOS Genetics 2019; Harmon MW et al., Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Standard Schnauzers: Retrospective Study of 15 Cases, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 2017; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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