Dog
Pronunciation:
shn-ood-l
Breed Description:
The Schnoodle breed of dog is a "designer" or mixed breed that was created by crossing any of the Poodle breeds with any of the Schnauzer breeds. Because of this, a breed type has not been established and the looks and temperament of the dog can greatly change from one puppy to the next. Generally, the Schnoodle will have qualities of all the parents. They can range in size from toy to large but all of them have the same look with a long body that is slightly longer than they are tall and a level top line. The build should be sturdy and robust without appearing overweight or cumbersome. The head should be slightly square, like the Schnauzer but with a more rounded skull and the ears of the Schnoodle are usually medium in length and hang down the side of the head. The tail can either be short or long and some owners opt to dock it.
The coat of the Schnoodle can be the wiry coat of the Schnauzer or the curly coat of the Poodle. In addition, it can be a medium length coat with loose curls and a slightly rough texture. All of the coats tend to have face furnishings including a beard and eyebrows. They can be any color that is seen in the parent breeds but the more common colors are gray or white.
Temperament:
The Schnoodle breed of dog is a designer breed and because of this, their temperament can vary greatly. They are usually an affectionate and happy breed that can be very playful and energetic. They often have a zest for life and it is often seen in the sparkle in their eye. The breed can be considered to be reserved since they can be wary of strangers but with their own family, the good-natured temperament of the Schnoodle can be seen easily. The breed is very intelligent and while they can be stubborn, the Schnoodle can be trained to listen with consistency. The Schnoodle may not be the best breed for small children, especially if they take after their Schnauzer parent, but usually they do very well with older children. The breed is okay with other dogs and pets but they need to be raised with them and even still, they may be better suited to one pet homes.
Height:
There are three sizes of Schnoodles and the average height for them are Toy: between 10 to 12 inches, Miniature: between 12 to 15 inches, Standard between 15 to 26 inches.
Weight:
There are three sizes of Schnoodles and the average weight for them are Toy: between 6 to 10 pounds, Miniature: between 13 to 20 pounds, Standard between 20 to 75 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Schnoodle breed of dog is a designer breed and it is believed that they are a very hardy breed, however, there have been a number of health problems seen in the breed. It is important to note that the health problems often differ between first generation and subsequent generations differently so some Schnoodles may have no health problems while others may have a large number. Some health problems to be aware of are Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Addison's Disease, Epilepsy, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, Gastric Torsion, which is also known as Bloat, Cataracts, Patellar Luxation and Diabetes Mellitus.
Living Conditions:
The Schnoodle breed of dog can do very well in apartments if tehy are properly exercised. It is important to note that the toy and miniature Schnoodle is better suited to apartment life but the Standard Schnoodle can adapt to it as well. The ideal living condition, however, if a home with a large fenced yard since they can be quite yappy and may be disruptive to close neighbors. It is important for them to have a fence since the Schnoodle does have a strong prey drive and may chase animals outside the yard.
Exercise:
The Schnoodle breed of dog can be a very active breed and may need between 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day. In addition, exercise should be done on leash or in a secure area since the Schnoodle can inherit the high prey drive of their Schnauzer parent.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Schnoodle breed of dog has different grooming needs depending on the coat that the puppy inherits. With the wiry coat, brushing only needs to be done once or twice a week. The hair will need to be stripped every two or three months and bathing should only be done when necessary. The curly coat also requires minimum grooming with one or two brushings a week. Bathing only needs to be done when necessary with this coat as well. The combination coat may require more work than the other coats and should be brushed two or three times per week. Bathing should be done every few months with this coat. With all of the coats, trimming and clipping can be done to keep the coat manageable. This will cut down most of the work. The beard on the face should be cleaned on a daily basis and ears should be cleaned on a weekly basis. Laslty, the nails should be trimmed once or twice a month.
Origin:
The Schnoodle breed of dog is a designer `hybrid`breed, however, unlike many other designer breeds, efforts are being made to make the it an actual breed. Registries have been started for it and breed clubs are in the process of being formed. In addition, more and more breeders are breeding Schnoodle to Schnoodle instead of Schnauzer to Poodle. The breed is one of the older breeds of designer mixes and they can be traced back to the 1980's when efforts were started to create a hypo-allergenic family pet. Even though these efforts are being done, it is important to read up on both the Schnauzer and Poodle breeds to understand your Schnoodle puppy better. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
