Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
Are you a fan of small-size fluffy dogs who love being around people all the time? If so, will love this famous designer dog breed.
Active Schnoodle has the best qualities of large size dogs but in a smaller package.
This popular hybrid dog breed is a cross between the world-famous Poodle and Schnauzer, one of the world’s most intelligent breeds, and can be found almost anywhere and in many colors.
If you’re serious about getting this breed, make sure that you check your local shelter first – you will be surprised to discover just how many different purebred and hybrid dog breeds can be found there.
The Schnoodle is known for being a lap dog and great family addition. This breed is no stranger to having experience as a therapy dog, as well.
Schnoodles are small size dogs and as such, they are perfect city dogs. More than suitable for apartment living, Schnoodle will be happy with regular park walks, next to additional moments of exercise and active time.
This breed will live to please his humans and will love being in the center of attention.
Quick Facts
Real name: Schnoodle
Origin: Germany
Breed type: Hybrid Dogs
Weight: 20 to 75 pounds
Height: 10 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Litter Size: 3 – 9 puppies
Color: Black, gray, silver, brown, white, apricot, sable, black and white, black and tan
Coat: Soft and wavy
Schnoodle History
Creating new dog breeds isn’t something that is strange or unusual. After all, people have been doing that for centuries. The connection between dogs and humans is a long one.
Their link is so strong that the dog’s brain evolved over time to adjust more to human needs. Dogs were bred to assist humans with different tasks and their roles evolved over time.
To create dogs that are stronger, faster, and more agile, people used different dog breeds to create the best ones, or at least the better ones. People wanted dogs of specific traits, with specific coats, specific temperaments, and unique working abilities.
This is how many of the purebreds were created, including Doberman Pinscher, Leonberger, Brussels Griffon, and many others. Schnoodle is part of this group as well in a way since this is a created breed.
Crossbreeds like small Schnoodles have always been bred but in the last two decades, their popularity significantly grew.
Today, people are more specific about the traits that they want in dogs. This is how this breed was born. People wanted a dog who doesn’t shed a lot like Poodle, but a breed similar to Schnauzer in terms of appearance.
This breed was developed in the 1980s when the interest in Poodles was high. The breeder’s goal was to create a dog who is low-dander but has a strong affection toward family.
At first, this breed didn’t get too much interest, but it all changed in just a few years. In no time, demand for Schnoodle puppies was high.
As a general rule, the Schnoodle is a mix between a Schnauzer and a Poodle. Some breeders started breeding multigenerational Schnoodles. This means that some Schnoodles are being bred to other Schnoodles.
Since this is a hybrid and young breed, there are no specific standards on the breed or breed clubs. However, there is a continued effort to create these.
Since there are no defined standards, Schnoodles come in different sizes, looks, and coat textures.
This is a normal occurrence in hybrid dogs. Still, some traits are commonly seen in this breed.
Schnoodle Physical Appearance
Schnoodle will vary in size, but one thing is for sure – this breed will remain small.
Crossing Poodle and Schnauzer should give large size dogs unless breeders are crossing standard Poodle with a Giant Schnauzer, which isn’t the case, or at least not too often.
As a general rule, Schnoodle will remain small. As such small dogs, they’re easy to move around, making them great city dogs.
Standing between 10 to 26 inches at the shoulder, these dogs usually weigh up to 75 pounds, making them small size dogs. Their most common weight is between 10 to 20 pounds.
Just like their Poodle parent, these dogs are low-shedding dogs, with coats similar to those in Schnauzer.
Their coat is usually soft and wavy. It’s common for first-generation litters to have a more of a wavy coat, which is still soft in texture and remains as such throughout the dog’s life. Their coat comes in many colors, and can be:
- Black
- Gray
- Silver
- Brown
- White
- Apricot
- Sable
- Black and white
- Black and tan
Some Schnoodles may even have a parti-color coat although this is rare. One of their most recognizable physical attributes is their powerful beard
Make sure that you keep them to avoid any crumbs in it. All in, grooming this dog will demand a small part of your time.
Schnoodle Personality
One thing is mutual to all crossbreeds: their personality will depend on the parents, and how well (or not) they were raised.
A Schnoodle’s temperament may depend on a few extra things besides their parents, such as the environment, other puppy behavior, the amount of socialization that he receives, and what kind of genes he will inherit.
A good balance of all of these factors will lead to a well-behaved dog. Otherwise, you may expect to work more on your dog’s socialization and training.
As in terms of personality in this breed, you can expect a loving and loyal dog. This is a playful breed with a strong temperament and needs to please his people.
He may try to outsmart you when it comes to training time, which is why early socialization is so important.
Do Schnoodles Get Along With Other Dogs Or Cats?
Schnoodles are non-aggressive dogs who love not being alone.
They are in general highly friendly dogs who will get along nicely with other dogs, and pets in general. They will be polite toward children and even strangers.
If raised on introduced to other animals properly, there shouldn’t be any issues. Make sure that you always introduce animals in a safe environment.
Schnoodle Training
Schnoodles are easy to train if you already have experience as a dog trainer. These are intelligent dogs who enjoy training time. They will appreciate positive reinforcement methods and treat-based rewards.
Consistent training is the best way to have a well-behaved dog. They are often described as dogs with a strong will. This shouldn’t push into the belief that Schnoodles aren’t possible to train.
If there is a challenge you just have to find a different way to handle the training process.
Once you understand how to handle training this dog, you will enjoy every second of the training process.
If you already have experience with dog training, you will love to hear that this breed is excellent when it comes to dog sports.
You might want to think about agility, obedience, or even some water sport for dogs if you notice that your Schnoodle is a water lover.
Schnoodle Exercise
One of the best ways to keep your dog healthy and active is to provide a proper amount of exercise.
Exercise is the only way to keep your dog tired. This means that you should provide enough outdoor time, and interesting indoor games to keep your Schnoodle busy.
Dogs love when there is a job to do be done, and hybrid dogs aren’t an exception, no matter how small in size they might be. Your Schnoodle should be happy with 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day.
Some may require more or less, and it will depend on the dog. They will love brisk walks, and they won’t mind joining you for shorter or longer jogging.
Don’t let their size fool you because these small-size dogs are very active.
If left alone for too long or too frequently, they may develop separation anxiety, or show severe moments of destructive behavior.
Schnoodle Grooming
Grooming is a serious part of a dog’s life. Dogs cannot do every part of grooming on their own, they need your help for it. If you are now a fan of dog hair across your furniture, floors, and other areas, you will love Schnoodle’s coat.
This breed is one of many low-shedding dogs that will make shedding season easy to handle. Their coat is soft and wavy and should be clipped or trimmed.
If you are not sure how to do this, hire a professional groomer, or let your veterinarian or groomer explain to you how to perform this.
The perfect coat in this breed should be something between Poodle sand Schnauzer’s coat – not too wiry, not too curly. The wavy coat is most commonly seen in multigenerational breeding.
Their coat comes in many colors and each color requires identical care. The amount of brushing will depend on the coat of the individual dog.
If your dog has a soft and wavy coat you should brush him once a week – this is the optimal frequency to prevent tangles and mats. If this is too much work for you take him to a professional groomer.
This can be a bit pricey, but it will save you a significant amount of time. You should bathe your Schnoodle, but not too often.
Dogs don’t have the same skin as humans do, and they don’t need frequent bathing.
The rest is basic care:
- Brush teeth and use dog-friendly toothpaste
- Trim or grind nails regularly
- Provide regular brushing
- Clean ears regularly
- Check gums weekly
Schnoodles come with different types of fur. Their coat may vary from straight to wiry, depending on which genes they end up with.
What they inherit from their parents will affect their appearance and overall physycal traits. Maintaining his coat will demand some serious time and energy investment when it comes to rushing and grooming.
Weekly brushing is mandatory to keep the dog’s coat tangle-free. If brushing is too much for you, think about hiring a professional dog groomer.
It may cost you more, but it will be worth your time and energy. Plus, a dog groomer will keep your dog’s coat in perfect shape.
Schnoodles are one of those breeds that have reddish-brown tear stains under their eyes. This is why it’s important to have a proper daily routine of face washing.
This is the way to prevent stains from setting. Make sure that you mention yoru dog groomer to trim the genital area for cleanliness.
Some groomers will shave the lower belly area as well, to reach maximum cleanliness. This will prevent urine from staining.
Schnoodle Health
Just like other dogs, Schnoodle has the potential to develop genetic health problems. Overall, the Schnoodle is a healthy breed.
Since every dog is individual, some dogs of a Schnoodle breed may be healthier than others.
To determine your Schnoodle’s health condition, its the best to provide regular veterinarian check-ups. By providing this, you are actually working on the prevention of your dog’s health.
Have you heard that mixed breeds are significanly healthier than purebred dogs? The main reason for this claim is stored in something called hybrid vigor.
Crossing two breeds that share the genes for specific diseases can actually place those same diseases in puppies.
Responsible breeders will do their best to screen puppies for various health conditions. They will also present you medical documentation on the puppy, let you meet the bitch, and show you around the facilities.
Responsible breeders wil be committed to breeding the healthiest animals possible, and you should thrive to work with only those breeders.
Of course, as soon as you bring your Schnoodle home, you should take him to your veterinarian. Dealing with a veterinarian at an early age (as a puppy) will help your dog deal with veterinarian check-ups later on in life.
Always ask breeders to show you documentation on the puppy’s parents’ health and if they have the appropriate certifications from health registries like the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, Canine Eye Registry Foundation, etc.
The Bottom Line
Mixed dog breeds are a great option for those who love diversity. If you are one of those who love surprises, the Schnoodle could be your next dog.
If you are not fond of the long grooming session, this breed may not be for you. On the other hand, if you want a dog that is compact and easy to handle, then Schnoodle is a breed of you.
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