A schnauzer /ˈʃnaʊzər/ (German: [ˈʃnaʊtsɐ], plural Schnauzer) is any of three dog breeds that originated in Germany in the 15th and 16th centuries.[1] The term comes from the German word for "mustache",[2] because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout.[3]
Breeds
editMiniature Schnauzer
editMiniature Schnauzers originated in the mid-to-late 19th century. They developed from crosses between the Standard Schnauzer and one or more smaller breeds such as the Poodle and Affenpinscher, as farmers bred a small dog that was an efficient ratting dog. They are described as "spunky" but aloof dogs, with good guarding tendencies without some guard dogs' predisposition to bite.[4] Miniature Schnauzers are recognized in three colors internationally: solid black, black and silver, and a color known as 'salt and pepper'. There is a controversial fourth color variant in Miniature Schnauzers, pure white, which is not recognized universally.[5]
Standard Schnauzer
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Giant Schnauzer
editGiant Schnauzers are around 2 ft (61 cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 55 and 80 lb (25 and 36 kg). They are working dogs that were developed in Swabia in the 17th century,[6] as a rough coated variant of the pinscher breeds. Unlike the Miniature Schnauzer, the Giant Schnauzer is unrelated to the Standard Schnauzer and was developed independently through crosses of black Great Danes,[7]
Munchener[7] German Shepherds,[7] Rottweilers,[7] Dobermans,[7] Boxers,[7] Bouvier des Flandres,[7] Thuringian Shepherds,[8] and the Standard Schnauzer.[8] It was originally bred to drive livestock to market and guard farms.[9]
Description
editReferences
edit- ^ Schnauzer history at American Kennel Club
- ^ Schnauzer at Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- ^ Schnauzer at Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ "Miniature Schnauzer". Hillspet.com. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ^ "Miniature Schnauzer". VetStreet.com. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Giant Schnauzer. Random House Digital, Inc. December 18, 2007. ISBN 9780345476265. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e f g Stahlkuppe, Joe; Earle-Bridges, Michele (March 1, 2002). Giant Schnauzers: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Training, and Wellness. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series. pp. 5–11. ISBN 0764118846. OCLC 47289437. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ^ a b Rice, Dan (March 1, 2001). Big Dog Breeds. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series. pp. 166–167. ISBN 0764116495. OCLC 44860848. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ^ Palika, Liz (2007). The Howell Book of Dogs - The Definitive Reference to 300 Breeds and Varieties. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley Publishing, Inc. pp. 250–251. ISBN 0-470-00921-7.
External links
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Category:Dog breeds Category:Dog breeds originating in Germany