Giant Schnauzer Grooming

Giant Schnauzers have dense, wiry, double-layered coats that need a moderate amount of care. The main factor in caring for these dogs' coats is determining whether to strip or clip--both of which will need to occur about every three months. Below you'll find further information on maintaining a Giant Schnauzer's coat (including details on clipping versus stripping), along with info about different hairstyles.

All Schnauzers have double coats: a wiry, dense outer coat over an equally dense (but softer) undercoat. Giant Schnauzer grooming is a moderately time-consuming process, because these dogs will need brushing 3-4 times per week, baths every 6-8 weeks, and the coat will need trimming every three months or so. Many breed owners (particularly those who show their dogs) strip the coats 2-3 times per year.

Brush your Giant Schnauzer in typical line-brushing fashion, making sure to wet the coat beforehand with mist from a spray bottle. A slicker brush is best for these dogs, and having a comb for working through stubborn tangles and mats is a good idea as well. If you plan to bathe the dog, give it a thorough brushing first, then use either a bathtub or an outdoor kiddie pool and a garden hose. Using only canine shampoo (as human shampoo can irritate the dog's skin), lather well, starting on the back and working downward; rinse thoroughly, towel-dry, then give the coat another quick brush-through to make it look neat and clean. (NOTE: in between baths, make sure to pay attention to your Schnauzer's facial hair, which can get pretty dirty when the dog eats. Clean the face with a damp cloth if it gets soiled.)

Giant Schnauzers need haircuts about every three months--but doing so brings up several issues. Regular clipping will change the texture of the outer coat over time, making it softer like the undercoat (which isn't necessarily a bad thing!); if your Schnauzer's outer coat is salt-and-pepper in color, constant clipping will turn its color either solid silver or solid black. Many owners also strip the coats, whereby the dead hairs are plucked by hand or removed with a stripping knife, several times per year. In addition, Schnauzer owners frequently trim their dogs' facial hair about once a month to keep it from getting dirty when the dog eats.

With all the above-named haircut matters, taking your Schnauzer to a professional groomer at least once is highly recommended. The groomer can advise you on dealing with these issues, and provide tips on how to groom a Giant Schnauzer in general.

While some owners choose to give their Giant Schnauzer a haircut, many prefer to hand-strip the coats instead. Regular clipping can eventually change the texture (and in some cases, the actual color) of the outer coat, while stripping leaves the coat in its natural state but still removes dead hair and neatens the coat overall.

Hand-stripping should occur every couple of months, and is a basic requirement for show dogs; it can be a bit time-consuming, but most breed enthusiasts recommend stripping a Giant Schnauzer rather than clipping its coat. The process involves going through the coat thoroughly, grasping a small section of hair with your thumb and forefinger and tugging on it; if a hair is dead, it will come out. With these larger dogs, the entire process may take an hour or more, but will make your Schnauzer's coat look great.

For those who prefer clipping, here are two popular Giant Schnauzer haircut styles, both of which can be done at home with instruction from a professional groomer:

• Puppy Cut: In this "low-maintenance" style, a Giant Schnauzer is shaved fairly short (to 1-2 inches) all over. Many breed owners choose to leave their Schnauzers' signature facial furnishings longer.
• Schnauzer Cut: This style may seem silly on these dogs, since the objective of the cut is to make a dog resemble a Schnauzer. On actual Schnauzers, this style can be considered a "maintenance trim." The body hair is trimmed slightly, with the underbelly hair cut to a neat line; the leg and facial hair is trimmed and rounded.