Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer" Compare Miniature Schnauzer and Doberman Pinscher. Which is better: Miniature Schnauzer or Doberman Pinscher or Giant Schnauzer?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Miniature Schnauzer	Doberman Pinscher	Giant Schnauzer
Origins	Germany	Germany	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Hunting Dogs	Working Dogs	Working Dogs
Popularity Rank	18	16	80
Reviews	2	3	3
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Other Names	Zwergschnauzer	Dobie, Dobermann, Dobynm, Doberman	Russian Bear Schnauzer, Munich Schnauzer, Munchener, Riesenschnauzer
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1926 as a Terrier breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Working breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1930 as a Working breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Pinscher and Schnauzer type section.	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Pinscher and Schnauzer type section.	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Pinscher and Schnauzer type section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club
Price	$600-$1000	$800-$1000	$1000-$1500

General Appearance - Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer

Size	Small	Medium	Giant
Weight	Male: 11-18 pounds (5.0-8.2 kg), Female: 10-15 pounds (4.5-6.8 kg)	Male: 88-99 pounds (40-45 kg), Female: 71-77 pounds (32-35 kg)	Males 60-105 pounds (27-48 kg), Female: 55-75 pounds (25-34 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 14.5 pounds (5.0-8.2 kg), Female: 12.5 pounds (4.5-6.8 kg)	Male: 93.5 pounds (42.5 kg), Female: 74 pounds (33.5 kg)	Males 82.5 pounds (37.5 kg), Female: 65 pounds (29.5 kg)
Height	Male: 14 inches (35.6 cm), Female: 13 inches (33.0 cm)	Male: 26-28 inches (66-71cm), Female: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm)	Male: 26-28 inches (66-71 cm), Female: 23-26 inches (58-66 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 14 inches (35.6 cm), Female: 13 inches (33.0 cm)	Male: 27 inches (68.5 cm), Female: 25 inches (63.5 cm)	Male: 27 inches (68.5 cm), Female: 24.5 inches (62 cm)

Hair & Care - Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer

Coat	Wiry	Fine	Wiry
Colors	Salt Pepper Silver Black	Blue Red Tan Brown White Black	Pepper Salt Black
Grooming	Advanced: The Miniature Schnauzer requires a lot of grooming.	Easy to groom: The Doberman Pinscher doesn't require a lot of grooming.	Average: The Giant Schnauzer requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Miniature Schnauzers shed none to minimal.	Doberman Pinschers shed moderately.	Giant Schnauzers shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer

Temperament	Alert Friendly Obedient Fearless Intelligent Spirited	Alert Fearless Loyal Energetic Intelligent Obedient	Dominant Kind Powerful Intelligent Loyal Strong Willed
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Miniature Schnauzer is an excellent dog breed.	Outstanding: Doberman Pinscher is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Smart: Giant Schnauzer's has great intelligence.
Trainability	Miniature Schnauzers are easy to train.	Doberman Pinschers are quite easy to train.	Giant Schnauzers are easy to train.
Playfulness	Miniature Schnauzers, like any other dog breed, like playing.	Doberman Pinschers, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Giant Schnauzer is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Doberman Pinschers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Miniature Schnauzers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Doberman Pinschers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Giant Schnauzers are average dogs regarding their affection level.
Social Needs	Miniature Schnauzers are a social breed.	Doberman Pinschers need for social interaction is average.	Giant Schnauzers need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Average: The Miniature Schnauzer barks occasionally.	Low to Average: The Doberman Pinscher rarely barks.	Average: The Giant Schnauzer barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Miniature Schnauzers are one of the best watchdogs.	Doberman Pinschers are one of the best watchdogs.	Giant Schnauzers are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Miniature Schnauzers strongly protect their territory.	Doberman Pinschers are extremely protective guard dogs.	Giant Schnauzers are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Miniature Schnauzer has a low chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Doberman Pinscher has an average chance of biting somebody.	Low The Giant Schnauzer has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Miniature Schnauzers have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Doberman Pinschers have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Giant Schnauzers have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Miniature Schnauzers have average wanderlust potential.	Doberman Pinschers tend to escape less than other breeds.	Wanderlust potential of the Giant Schnauzer is strong enough to escape from home.
Prey Drive	Miniature Schnauzers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Doberman Pinschers don't have an impulse to catch or chase small animals.	Giant Schnauzers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Doberman Pinschers are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Giant Schnauzers are not apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Miniature Schnauzers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Doberman Pinschers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Giant Schnauzers adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Miniature Schnauzers do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer

Stranger Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are average friendly towards strangers.	Doberman Pinschers are not stranger friendly dogs.	Giant Schnauzers are not the most stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are kid-friendly dogs.	Doberman Pinschers are average friendly dogs towards children.	Giant Schnauzers are not the most kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are average friendly towards cats.	Doberman Pinschers are average friendly towards cats.	Giant Schnauzers are not the most cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are average friendly towards other dogs.	Doberman Pinschers are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	Giant Schnauzers are not dog-friendly.
Office Friendly	No Miniature Schnauzer is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Doberman Pinscher is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Giant Schnauzer is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are usually recommended for elderly people.	Doberman Pinschers are commonly okay with elderly people.	Giant Schnauzers are not the best breed for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Miniature Schnauzers are generally with other pets.	Doberman Pinschers are generally with other pets.	Giant Schnauzers usually don’t get on well with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Miniature Schnauzers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Doberman Pinschers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Giant Schnauzers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Yes Miniature Schnauzer breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really Doberman Pinscher breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Giant Schnauzer breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer

Health Issues	The Miniature Schnauzer is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	Doberman Pinschers are commonly healthy dogs.	Giant Schnauzers are commonly healthy dogs.
Health Problems	Cataracts Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection (MAI) Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Cardiomyopathy Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Von Willebrand's Disease Wobbler's Syndrome	Bloat Cancer Cataracts Elbow Dysplasia Glaucoma Heart Problems Hip Dysplasia Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Retinal Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	10-12 years	10-12 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	No	Yes
Energy Level	Miniature Schnauzers are high energy dogs.	Doberman Pinschers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Giant Schnauzers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Miniature Schnauzers have an average exercise need.	Doberman Pinschers need quite a lot of exercise.	Giant Schnauzers need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Miniature Schnauzers don't need too much sleep.	Doberman Pinschers sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Giant Schnauzers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.	5 to 6 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	8 to 10 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Miniature Schnauzer can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers warm weather	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Giant Schnauzer can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Low The Miniature Schnauzer has a low chance of bad smell.	Medium The Doberman Pinscher has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Giant Schnauzer has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Miniature Schnauzer is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Doberman Pinscher drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed.	The Giant Schnauzer is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Miniature Schnauzer vs Doberman Pinscher vs Giant Schnauzer

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	3-6 puppies	6-10 puppies	5-8 puppies
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