the Standard Schnauzer, as the sheepmen and other small-livestock farmers found that this size of herding animal was quite ample for their needs. Cattlemen, however, discovered that they needed a larger breed for driving their cattle over the countryside to market.
It is believed that their first attempts at modifying this mid-sized terrier line to create a drover’s dog involved crossing Standard Schnauzers with some of the smooth-coated dog breeds used by herdsmen and dairymen, as well as the Bouvier des Flandres. Rough-haired sheep dogs and finally the black Great Dane were then bred into this evolving terrier line to produce the powerful, highly intelligent, wiry-coated drover’s terrier known as the Giant Schnauzer.
A rare litter indeed—giant Schnoodle pups whelped from a beautiful Giant Schnauzer and a Standard Poodle sire.
The Münchener, as the breed was called for many years, was renowned throughout southern Germany from the late 19th into the very early 20th century as an excellent cattle and droving dog. However, with the advent and expansion of mechanized transportation throughout Europe, cattle droving became a thing of the past. Although the breed was still used by butchers, at breweries and in stockyards in the different role of guard dog, it wasn’t until just prior to World War I that the Giant Schnauzer drew nationwide attention in Germany as an excellent police dog.
The Giant Schnauzer was introduced into the United States in the 1920s, after World War I, and admitted into the AKC’s Stud Book in 1930. Male Giant Schnauzers range in height from 25.5 to 27.5 inches at the withers; females range from 23.5 to 25.5 inches. The corresponding mid-range heights are desired. Like their two kin breeds, Giant Schnauzers are double-coated, with a harsh, dense, wiry outer coat and a soft undercoat. Their bodies are also nearly square in the proportion of body height at the withers to body length. Coat colors are solid black or pepper-and-salt. Their temperament is a combination of high-spiritedness and alertness with intelligence and extreme reliability.
POODLES
The Poodle, although classified in more recent times in the AKC’s Non-Sporting and Toy Groups, has a long great history of being called upon by hunters to retrieve fallen game, most notably from the water. It has been suggested in literature by several breed historians that the genesis of the Poodle breed occurred as far back as the first century A.D. The “archaeo-Poodle” is thought to have been developed from crossing the white Maltese with the Spanish dog known as the spaniel. This is supported in part by the spaniel’s affinity for water and the breed’s renowned retrieving traits. Further, the documented friendly behavior of both of the Poodle’s parent breeds is very likely a major contributing factor in the Poodle’s temperament. This splendid combination could certainly account for the widespread popularity of the Poodle.
From around the 12th to the 15th century, Poodle-like dogs appeared in various forms of art and on coins from both Roman and Greek cultures. Three nations, Germany, Russia and France, later emerged as the “original” homes of this breed, each with slightly different variations of the Poodle. The German variety of the Poodle was more robust and heavy-boned and was bred for retrieving fallen game (e.g., ducks) from the water; hence, the name Pudel, which translates as “to splash in water.” The Russian Poodle had a slighter, more refined build and served more as a companion dog. Poodles in France had an even loftier role in society, as many elite owners had their dogs’ woolly, curly coats elaborately sculpted by fashion artisans.
Popularity of the breed spread to other countries in Europe but most notably “across the channel” to England. Historians have noted that breeds such as the English Water Dog, among others, were developed by crossing the Poodle with established breeds in England. It was from England that the Poodle made its way across the Atlantic to the United States in 1887. By 1960, the Poodle achieved the number-one rank in AKC registrations and held that position for 23 consecutive years.
A Toy Poodle trimmed to the nines in a dazzling coat of white…and a more casual Miniature Poodle on the other end of the color spectrum.
Much of the nearly worldwide admiration of the Poodle in more modern times can be attributed to the many variations in the breed’s size and coat types, styles and colors. Similar to the schnauzer breeds, there are three sizes of Poodle: Standard, Miniature and Toy. With Poodles, however, the different sizes are all one breed of dog. The prototype of the Poodle breed is the Standard (largest). Poodles greater than 15 inches at the withers in height are deemed Standard Poodles. Those that are 15 inches or less in height but in excess of 10 inches at the withers are considered Miniature Poodles. Toy Poodles are 10 inches or under at the withers.
Coat types range from long, orderly cords to thick, dense curls, with the latter being most popular in modern times. Popular coat styles (primarily with the curly hair type) run the gamut, ranging from a short, nearly uniform length over much of the body (essentially, the “sporting” clip) to very elaborate, highly sculpted creations. The AKC specifies acceptable clips for showing, but sometimes pet owners use their imagination, with their dogs’ hairstyles reflecting their own personal styles.
Coat colors accepted by the AKC for Poodles showing in competition nearly run the spectrum of possibilities, including black, blue, gray, silver, brown, café-au-lait, apricot and cream. According to the AKC standard, however, these colors must be even and solid throughout the coat. Outside the American show ring, many interesting color combinations such as “phantom” (black with tan markings or black with silver markings) and the various parti-colors (e.g., black and white, brown and white) add great variety to the full complement of today’s breed.
Virtually all of the ancestors of today’s Poodle were known to be good swimmers. However, one relative of the clan, known as the Truffle Dog, is no longer used in the water. Truffles, an edible fungus considered a very valuable delicacy to gourmets and non-gourmets alike, are found in the soil near specific tree species of the forest. Truffle hunting was fairly widely (though secretively) practiced in England and later in various countries on the European continent. Because of their small size and keen sense of smell, Toy Poodles were called upon to seek out and unearth these peculiar-yet-delectable morsels. Eventually, terriers (possibly schnauzers), known for their tenacious digging spirit, were crossed with these Toy Poodles to develop the Truffle Dog—and quite possibly the first Schnoodles.
Poodle plus Miniature Schnauzer equals trainability, playfulness, love of family and more.
Lounging around or hard at play the versatile Schnoodle appeals to many.
Characteristics of the Schnoodle
The Schnoodle—a cross between two beloved, centuries-old breeds—was created for different reasons than its parent breeds and is still in its infancy with respect to its development as a breed of its own. Both ancestral parent breeds were created for utilitarian purposes: the Poodle types were initially developed primarily to assist in hunting and sporting activities, and the schnauzer breeds were developed for herding cattle and later for guarding property. The desire for an allergy-friendly (i.e., low shedding, hypoallergenic), intelligent
