Standard Schnauzers are bigger than Minis

We have had large dogs, and we have had small dogs. We’ve had purebreds, and we’ve had rescues. And we’ve loved each and every one of them.

In 2008, when our rescue Shepard, Sasha, crossed the bridge, our rescue, Gypsy, went into a terrible depression. Based on our interaction with family members’ Miniature Schnauzers, we decided to adopt two Minis who were litter mates, Gilbert and Sullivan. They both crossed the bridge in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

When Gilbert passed, we decided Sullivan needed a friend and decided to get a Standard Schnauzer. It was then that Chaplin joined our family.

Sullivan, 8 weeks

Mind you, when we picked up Gilbert & Sullivan at eight weeks old, they weighed a little over a pound; Sullivan was the runt of the litter at 1.2 pounds! They looked little guinea pigs.

Suffice to say that when we picked Chaplin up at 16 weeks, I was shocked. The breeder met us halfway between Columbia and Augusta. When he pulled Chaplin out of the car, this puppy just kept coming and coming. We were astonished as we’d not thought through the size of a Standard at that age. The collar, bed and bowl we purchased were way too small! As you can see in this photo, Chaplin was about twice Sullivan’s size at 16 weeks.

Chaplin, 16 weeks, and Sullivan, 15.5 years

We researched Standards to learn some of the differences between them and their mini-cousins. A few notable differences were that unlike Minis, who were cross-bred with other breeds in Europe to obtain their smaller size. While Miniature Schnauzers are included in the Terrier Group in North America (due to their rat-catching background), they do not have common ancestry with Terriers from Great Britain.

Chaplin, 16 months

Standard Schnauzers are a whole other kettle of fish…or dogs, as it were. The breeder from whom we got them obtained his sire and dam from Europe and is, himself, a geneticist. He has closely monitored his litters for all the traits found in these “work dogs.” One interesting trait we discovered is that Miniature Schnauzers tend to bond with a person; this was certainly the case with ours. They were my dogs. Standards tend to bond with the family. This has also been the case with Chaplin, although a bit less so with Garbo.

Today, Chaplin weighs 45 pounds and is a beautiful, robust dog. Solid and strong, he’ll knock you over if you’re sitting on the ground. If he jumps up, he rests his paws on your chest. And there is no picking him up (willingly). He’s glorious when he runs, and protective when he needs to be.

He is playful, loving, goofy, and energetic, turning our backyard into his own obstacle course. He is also hard-headed. Watching him navigate the space as he runs with the “zoomies” is one of the most amazing sights! And having a little sister has clearly had a positive effect on him. He’s protective of her and, at the same time, chews her ears and pins her to the ground. Until her puppy teeth find purchase on his beard.

Garbo, 9 weeks

His little sister, Garbo, is 13 weeks old and has been a part of our family for four weeks. She just weighed in at 11.5 pounds. She’ll be close to her brother’s size if she grows into her paws.

I can say the difference in temperament between a 9-week-old and a 16-week-old has been significant. She’s like putty, being shaped and molded each day. Watching her progress in learning her surroundings, commands, and attitudes has been a joy. She is every bit as hard-headed as her brother, which, I know, is very much part of the breed.