Schnoodle - Popular Hybrid Dog Breed

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The Schnoodle is a popular dog breed hybrid or so-called “designer” dog breed that is created when a Poodle and a Schnauzer breeds are crossbred. There are many possible variations of the Schnoodle as their parent breeds come in three different sizes each.

There are three distinct Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer, the Standard Schnauzer, and the Giant Schnauzer. These three breeds share some similarities and their biggest difference is their size.

Poodles come in three or even four varieties, depending on which standard you take as a measurement. The US cynology body allows three varieties - the Standard Poodle, the Miniature Poodle, and the Toy Poodle while the FCI allows the fourth variety called the Medium Poodle.

All of these varieties of both breeds can be crossbred with any other variety of the other breed to create the Schnoodle, although mostly Miniatures are crossbred with Miniatures and Standards with Standards so that the size of the Schnoodle can be controlled. So what is it that makes these dogs popular and how did they even come to life? Let’s see some of the main things we need to know to fully understand the popular Schnoodle.

Schnoodle history

The history of the Schnoodle started in the 1980s when the demand for small companion dogs was extremely on the rise. Some breeders wanted to create a new dog breed that should be small, cuddly, and most of all - low-maintenance. That was a general idea at least. To create fuzzy little dogs whose coat needed little to no maintenance and who had little to no dandruff.

When talking about Schnoodles, people assume it is a small dog that is created by crossing a Miniature Schnauzer and a Toy or Medium Poodle. Indeed that was the most popular crossbreed that was usually created in the 80s. Most recently, breeders started crossing Standard Poodles with Giant and Medium Schnauzers and that added a whole lot of combinations to the Schnoodle’s appearance.

So how is the Schnoodle suppose to look like?

The Schnoodle is a designer dog breed so it has no standard or even a breeding club that might be in charge of the breed’s development. Owners and breeders alike tend to agree that there are three Schnoodle sizes:

• Toy Schnoodle
• Miniature Schnoodle
• Standard Schnoodle

Usually, breeders are interested in creating one variety of these dogs, and more and more Schnoodles are now being crossed with other second or even third generation Schnoodles in an attempt to create a legitimate dog breed.

Toy Schnoodles should be fairly small dogs that are created by crossing a Toy Poodle with a Miniature Schnauzer. The first generation of the Toy Schnoodles can look more like one or the other parent and their looks can be fairly different. Again, there is no official standard that describes how exactly a “pureblooded” Schnoodle should look like and what characteristics should be or not be there.

Miniature Schnoodles are created by crossing a Miniature Schnauzer with a Miniature Poodle so it should be around that size when it grows up.

The Standard Schnoodle is created by crossing a Standard Poodle with a Giant Schnauzer. They are expected to be bigger than the other two Schnoodle varieties and their character and temperament should also be different, but we will get into that later. 

Coat

In general, Schnoodles can have a wavy and silky, curled, or straight and silky coat, Their coat can come in different color varieties and some of them include;

• Grey
• Black
• Salt and Pepper
• Black with white markings
• Silver
• Apricot

These aren’t all possible varieties but their parent breeds have many different colors that are allowed by their standard so all varieties and shades of those colors mixed should be allowed in this designer dog breed.

Schnoodles should have an athletic build that they inherited from their sporty parents and a sturdy build. Most of them have a square-build which means that they are as tall as they are long. They should have straight backs but some specimens have backs that are slightly sloping towards their hind legs. Most of the Schnoodles have brown eyes that are either round or oval-shaped.

Once again, there is a problem with the lack of standard so it is impossible to know what traits should be promoted and encouraged and what traits should be discarded.

The best tool to help you groom your Schnoodle will depend on the type of coat your dog ends up having, but generally, Hartz Groomer's Dog Brush or the FURminator will do the trick.

Temperament

Now that we know what Schnoodles should look like, let’s see what type of temperament Schnoodles should have.

When creating a new breed, there are specific traits a breeder should look for and the question is was this breed created with a specific goal? - There was a general idea to create a great, hypoallergenic companion breed. It certainly became popular and Schnoodles have a legion of followers and breed lovers across the United States.

Schnoodles should be a friendly dog breed that should inherit the best of both breeds it was created from. Unfortunately, it is impossible to know which traits a puppy will inherit and what kind of temperament will it have. With a pureblooded dog, you can be sure it will have a temperament more or less like the breed’s standard describes.

The Toy and Miniature Schnoodles should have an even temperament, depending on which breed becomes more dominant in their genes. Schnauzers are a part of the terrier family and they are feistier than the Poodles so their offspring’s temperament can lean towards any of these sides.

Some owners describe Schnoodles as being happy, loyal, loving, and intelligent companions that love being in human company. The smaller Schnoodle varieties are great watchdogs that are most likely to alert you about any upcoming dangers that are heading your way. These dogs should be sociable and enjoy the company of other dogs.

The Standard Schnoodles are a mix of the Standard Poodle and the Giant Schnauzer and their temperament can be a bit tougher to handle. The Giant Schnauzer can be a dominant dog that will require a firm hand and a decisive owner. If the Standard Schnoodle gets more of their temperament from the Schnauzer side of the family, prepared to have that kind of temperament on your hands.

As a general rule, it would be wise to socialize your dog as soon as possible, no matter what the breed or crossbreed in question is. Socialization should play a big part in your dog’s life and it will teach them how to properly behave in different social situations and with different people and dogs.

Make sure you have regular training sessions with your Schnoodle as well. A good and well-behaved dog can be born like that, but if you put in time and effort to properly train your dog, you can be sure you will end up with a dog that is always on their best behavior.

A tired dog is a happy dog, so make sure you provide your dog with plenty of exercise. Fetch is always a good idea, and the iFetch Tennis Balls will help you with that game.

Getting a Schnoodle puppy

If you are interested in getting a Schnoodle puppy, make sure you get it from a responsible breeder that can show you all the necessary health certificates from both of the parents. Your new Schnoodle might not be able to get papers, but that doesn’t mean you should buy a dog from someone who is only into breeding for making money.

The approach to buying a designer dog breed should be more or less the same as when buying a pureblooded dog. Make sure you learn about the breed as much as you can and get in touch with a breeder that has a good reputation. Do not buy a dog from someone who decided to breed Schnoodles just because they own a pureblooded Poodle and someone in their neighborhood owns a pureblooded Schnauzer.

If you can visit the place where your new Schnoodle puppy was born and where it will spend at least the first portion of its life. See how breeding dogs are interacting with the breeders and make sure their dogs are kept in the best possible conditions.

Now you know what to look for if you are interested in getting a Schnoodle for yourself or your family and we are sure you will get a great dog that will love you no matter what.

World Dog Finder team