Barking?

The Giant Schnauzer is an example of working breed of dog and has a dense, coarse coat that protects them against the elements and vermin. The Giant Schnauzer is the largest of the three breeds.
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Jpark
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Barking?

Post by Jpark »

I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.

I am interested in having a Giant schnauzer as my next dog, I have always had Bernese mountain dogs but have Decided I would like a change, so I have experience of big powerful dogs.

Everything I have read and seen ( I went to crufts this year) about the breed is perfect for except for one thing , barking.

I have read that they are a very vocal breed who bark at every little thing and you can't train them not too. But at crufts I was told that they only bark if the hear something or see something and that there is always a reason for them barking and training can keep barking in check.

I want to ask which is true that they bark at everything and you can't train them or that they don't bark for no reason and training can keep barking in check?

I ask as my neighbors are not dog people and don't like dogs who bark all the time so I have to make sure that any dog I have is either pretty quiet or can be trained to not bark a lot.

My Bernese were quiet dogs they only bark if someone came to the door or if they saw something \heard something or if they got excited but a simple quiet command meant they were quiet when told.
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Re: Barking?

Post by zeta1454 »

Welcome to the Forum :-)

As I have no experience of Giant Schnauzers I will leave it to other Forum members to comment on your query specifically from personal knowledge. However, there is a comprehensive breed profile on this link:

https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/dog-breeds ... schnauzer/

Although this is from a website where puppies are advertised for sale, I would not actually advise using an online seller to obtain a puppy. With any breed of dog, so much depends on the way the puppies are raised and cared for in the weeks before they leave for a new home and general comments on temperament and behaviour will be affected by their start in life. A puppy from a first class breeder is much more likely to adapt well to training, less likely to be overly reactive and should have been bred from good temperament parents. So you do need to research and find a quality breeder who is passionate and knowledgeable about the breed and able to spend time with you talking through their breeding protocols, enrichment and training of pups before they leave their birth home etc. As there are not many GS puppies registered each year at the Kennel Club (assuming you are in the UK) you will need to be prepared to go on a waiting list once you have found a good breeder for when they have a future litter.
If you have a browse through topics in the Puppy and the Breeding sections of the Forum you should find useful guidance there too :-)
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Re: Barking?

Post by Oscar 12345 »

Hi Jane, well they are both right imo. I have had one schnauzer that barked at everything, he was very sensitive and used it as his defence mechanism - if he saw a dog in the distance he would bark, he stepped out of the door sniffed the air and barked, he would bark people in and out of the house and for quite some time. I couldn't get him out of the habit at all, I once had a heart to heart with him about barking and he looked me in the face and barked at me.. ;) My current schnauzer will only bark if there is a reason, a strange noise in the garden, a police siren (actually he will howl at that) people talking and passing the house when he is in the garden. Never ever barks when he out on his walks on his lead or off, just never had to train him not to bark - he just very quiet. The breeder told me that the his parents were both laid back and not barkers. My first schnauzer's mum barked constantly when we went to visit the pups and later on in communication with me the breeder told me she had nicknamed his sister barky scatterbrain so for me there is something in a pup or its parents that will most likely indicate whether he/she will be a barker or not. If a pup has grown up with a parent that has been allowed to bark a lot then they will be happy to bark. But only having 2 schnauzers doesn't give me that much experience. My advice would be to give yourself the best chance by finding out from the breeder whether the pups are likely to be laid back and quiet like their parents and whether previous litter owners have grown to become quiet dogs or loud.
Man cannot survive with wine alone...
we also need a schnauzer.
Jpark
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Re: Barking?

Post by Jpark »

Thank you both , I can't wait to see what Giant owners experience is.
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Re: Barking?

Post by Jpark »

Forgot to say that , I read Giants need a lot of mental stimulation , my Bernese's were happy with puzzle toys, obedience, hide and seek in the garden , would a giant be happy with this?

If not want ideas what I can do? As I'm not interested in working my dog or doing dogs sports.
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Re: Barking?

Post by Robin black mini »

Jpark wrote: 18 Jun 2018, 18:24 Forgot to say that , I read Giants need a lot of mental stimulation , my Bernese's were happy with puzzle toys, obedience, hide and seek in the garden , would a giant be happy with this?

If not want ideas what I can do? As I'm not interested in working my dog or doing dogs sports.
Hi Jane..
Welcome .
Your research is correct..a well adjusted giant will need daily stimulation and regular excercise,often hard..
Brain work for sure...but,it is better if you prepare yourself to get involved in a club .
....search/ tracking? Your dog will be in heaven.
...obedience..what's next?
...For a giant, the list goes on..
Compared to a Bernese,an affable,family companion needing moderate excercise the giant will be like changing the family car for a sporting model. If you don't "drive" a Ferrari,the engine will fry...the same is true for a giant working dog..he needs to be used correctly..an underworked,under stimulated giant could well destroy your home and won't be a settled happy dog.
Re the barking,the Giants are not known to be barkers per se,unlike their mini lookalikes the mini schnauzers.. ;)
A well excercised/ trained giant will be a joy to own..
We had two as neighbours..they only barked when they felt their property was " at risk"...otherwise they were silent dogs..but they also went to training regularly and were socialised well.
They were a lifetime pair...sadly ,when the female died we heard the male howl for a month ,mourning his best friend..it was the only time we could say he was overly vocal.( heartbreaking).
I've had a working rottie and a dogue de bodeaux..the latter would suit your agenda imo if you want the strong silent type,who enjoys a long walk but will happily pass on the marathon.Do look them up.

My former girl ..10 months.
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Re: Barking?

Post by Riesen16 »

The Giant Schnauzers are definitely not a "barking" breed. They need physical and especially mental exercise.
They are very territorial and this can sometimes prove a problem but it is a problem that can be solved by training.

The Schnauzers are very vocal as to their needs!! When they want "out", they very often bark. When they want your attention, they bark. It is the owner's job to suss this out. I find it good that Enya GS/PS barks when she wants to go out to pee. It is important that the owner recognizes when the barking should be stopped, otherwise the GS will rule one's life.

They are fantastic dogs with exceptionally good noses. Tracking, searching for articles etc. is a very good way to exercise them. Nosework requires much physical condition.

I have trained with many Bernese Mountain dogs. They are mostly easier to train.
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Re: Barking?

Post by Riesen16 »

If you have questions, do not hesitate to pose them.

Gill
Jpark
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Re: Barking?

Post by Jpark »

Before I even ask more about the Giant there something if not told you all, the only reason I'm not getting another Bernese is because here in the UK ( I'm in Scotland though) the Bernese is not as healthy I have only had tow Bernese mountain dogs so far and I loved them so much and love the breed they are my heart breed, but both had major issues in health. When I spoke to the breed club a woman I spoke to said that there are only tow breeders she would recommend in the UK she said in the UK not many are health testing and that's why your tow were very unhealthy, she said that she actually goes out of the UK and imports from either Switzerland or Germany for her Bernese's.

Riesen16 - I can see your in Switzerland are the Bernese in Switzerland more healthy than here?

I'm worried about importing you see and that why I was looking into another breed.
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Re: Barking

Post by Robin black mini »

Re Bernese..
Expected life span 6 to 8 years.. My vet here calls them the heartbreak breed.
Recommended health tests..
http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/brdreqs.html?breed=BMD
I've done a scan of European breeders and have not found any who test this extensively..
You should look at the euro breeder site..
www.eurobreeder.com
I looked at several kennels,some are testing only hips and elbows. Even breeding B hip scored dogs...:(

If you are really stuck on this breed ,have a look at the very close alternative...the Swiss mountain dog...healthier by far,but very closely related..
.

Re the Giants.
In Italy the s breed are tested for hips..little more..
In Germany ,Finland ,Denmark etc. there seems to be more intensive testing. DM is an important test,along with hips ,elbows and heart testing.
I'd not be put off importing a dog ..my last three ( different breed)were all imported,because of the health testing...the only negative for me was the fact the pup could not travel before 4 months due to rabies injection regulations.

The Eurobreeder site is also a good way to have a look at European kennels for giant schnauzers..choose the breed ,then Look for their dogs and check health testing they do....also look up various litters where the respective parents should show their testing results...its eye opening in many cases...so buyer beware.
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Re: Barking?

Post by zeta1454 »

Re Giant Schnauzers in the UK, you may well find yourself in a similar situation re health testing as with the Bernese Mountain Dog. In many breeds, there will often be a smaller percentage of breeders who consistently and meticulously health test their breeding dogs compared to those who do not. You will also find that the more popular breeds or those with high numbers of puppies registered annually will also be those with the greatest number of backyard breeders, puppy farmers and those who just don't bother to health test. Not that either of the breeds you mention are numerically high in the UK - in fact the number of Giant Schnauzer puppies registered at the Kennel Club each year is significantly lower than for BMDs. (276 for Giant Schnauzers compared to 501 for BMDs in 2017).

If you are reluctant to import a puppy which I can understand, you may well still be better going with a recommended BMD breeder you feel confident with and waiting for them to have a litter or, as Jo suggests, maybe going for a breed that has similar characteristics but a better health profile. If you are looking for a quality breeder of any breed of dog, the likelihood is that you will have to go on a waiting list for a puppy and be prepared to travel. For a reputable breeder, it may be essential or certainly advisable to import a dog or bitch to improve their breeding lines in terms of health and/or temperament but, if you are looking for a family pet, I would not think there should be any need to import a puppy but rather intensify your research into finding the best quality breeder in the UK for the type of dog best suited to your own family environment.
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Re: Barking?

Post by Riesen16 »

Hi Jane

Just written a long post to you but it has "disappeared". The Forum is no longer interesting for me. No Gallery, no mention of my former posts to which I could read. If you wish information from me you can contact me "hopefully" by sending me a private mail and I will supply you with any information you need.

Regards
Gill
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Re: Barking?

Post by Robin black mini »

Riesen16 wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 16:21 Hi Jane

Just written a long post to you but it has "disappeared". The Forum is no longer interesting for me. No Gallery, no mention of my former posts to which I could read. If you wish information from me you can contact me "hopefully" by sending me a private mail and I will supply you with any information you need.

Regards
Gill
It would be a shame if you leave Gill..there are so few giant owners here and one with your wide experience will be missed.
I too miss the gallery..however,there has been such a shift in privacy issues that we are truely fortunate to even have a forum such as this.
The international schnauzer forum and the USA forum are no longer online..this is one of the few informative resources remaining for new and old schnauzer lovers alike.. I hope you reconsider and stay on board.
All the best to you.
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Re: Barking?

Post by Riesen16 »

OK I am here again. I know it is difficult to maintain a forum but am surprised that so many facilities have been "lost".

Jane, the Bernese Mountain Dog, due to its varying colours, and the restrictions imposed on them, has led to its downfall. A friend of ours had 3 healthy bitches but due to "too much white" etc. he wasn't able to breed from them. Another friend had a male dog who was successful in dog sports.

The Schnauzer, I can only relate from Giants, is not necessarily a barking breed. They are very vocal as to their needs!! This is a matter of teaching them that they can't succeed. Enya became rather aggressive to dogs passing by our drive with wiggling butt and barking. Saying "no" is not a solution. I packed her on her ear and dragged her into the house. Harsh measures but worked!!

The GS is a very territorial breed which must be taken into account. However, they don't contribute to the mortgage so I intervene!!

A good idea is to have the dog on a long lead if you wish to enforce commands. Also, they need to be quiet whilst you are watching TV etc. Here a long line is invaluable.

Finding a good breeder is essential but I have no knowledge of the Breeders in the UK.

I'll stop here. Please ask questions and maybe I can answer them!!
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