Description: The Giant Schnauzer is a large dog standing 23-28 inches tall and weighing around 55-80 lbs, however in Germany the official weight standards are between 77-103 lbs. They should be black in colour or salt and pepper, although their face should always be dark. They are recognisable by how their face is trimmed leaving long eyebrows, and a full moustache.

Their bodies are as long as they are tall which gives them their square appearance, their eyes are small and round and set close together, and they have ears that are small and fold over although they can often look like they stick out. However in some countries their ears are cropped which makes them pointy and stand upright. They have long, thick and powerful legs, and their front legs should be straight.

History: The Giant Schnauzer was developed by crossing the Standard Schnauzer, the Bouvier des Flandres and the black Great Dane. The name Schnauzer comes from the German word Schnauze, which means muzzle, they were developed for driving cattle in Bavaria, Germany. Although no breed standards were established until 1923, they have been known as far back as 1832. They have also been used as guard dogs by the police and military and to this day are better known as working dogs than as pampered pets.

Temperament: They can be a very loving dog and are highly intelligent. However they are prone to being rather dominant so need an experienced owner who can be the 'alpha' while maintaining a calm and consistent manner. They are exceptionally energetic dogs and if not exercised enough and left on their own they can become destructive. They need plenty of structure in their lives', and should be socialised well with both people and animals from a young age.

However if properly trained and well exercised they can be wonderful pets that will always look after you, they are brave, fun-loving and full of character and will always be faithful.