Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer" Compare Poodle and Portuguese Water Dog. Which is better: Poodle or Portuguese Water Dog or Miniature Schnauzer?

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

Name	Poodle	Portuguese Water Dog	Miniature Schnauzer
Origins	Germany France	Portugal	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Working Dogs	Hunting Dogs
Popularity Rank	7	54	18
Reviews	7	4	2
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Other Names	French Poodle, Caniche, Barbone, Chien Canne, Grosse Pudel	Water Dog, Portie, PWD, Cao De Agua	Zwergschnauzer
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887 as a Non-Sporting & Toy breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1983 as a Hound breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1926 as a Terrier breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Poodle section.	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Water Dogs 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 Canadian Canine Registry	American Kennel Club Canadian Kennel Club Federation Cynologique Internationale Australian National Kennel Council New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club The 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 National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club
Price	$1000-$1500	$2500-$2800	$600-$1000

General Appearance - Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer

Size	Medium	Medium	Small
Weight	Male: 45-70 pounds (20-32 kg), Female: 45-60 pounds (20-27 kg)	Male: 42-55 pounds (19-25 kg), Female: 35-49 pounds (16-22 kg)	Male: 11-18 pounds (5.0-8.2 kg), Female: 10-15 pounds (4.5-6.8 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 57.5 pounds (26 kg), Female: 52.5 pounds (23.5 kg)	Male: 48.5 pounds (22 kg), Female: 42 pounds (19 kg)	Male: 14.5 pounds (5.0-8.2 kg), Female: 12.5 pounds (4.5-6.8 kg)
Height	15 inches (38 cm) or more	Male: 20-22 inches (50-57 cm), Female: 17-20 inches (43-52 cm)	Male: 14 inches (35.6 cm), Female: 13 inches (33.0 cm)
Avg. Height	15 inches (38 cm) or more	Male: 21 inches (53.5 cm), Female: 18.5 inches (47.5 cm)	Male: 14 inches (35.6 cm), Female: 13 inches (33.0 cm)

Hair & Care - Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer

Coat	Curly	Curly	Wiry
Colors	Apricot Brown Gray Silver White Fawn Blue Cream Red Beige Black	White Brown Black	Salt Pepper Silver Black
Grooming	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Average: The Portuguese Water Dog requires average grooming effort.	Advanced: The Miniature Schnauzer requires a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Poodles shed none to minimal.	Portuguese Water Dogs shed none to minimal.	Miniature Schnauzers shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer

Temperament	Active Faithful Intelligent Alert Instinctual Trainable	Brave Impetuous Obedient Docile Intelligent Quarrelsome	Alert Friendly Obedient Fearless Intelligent Spirited
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Poodle is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Smart: Portuguese Water Dog's has great intelligence.	Very smart: Miniature Schnauzer is an excellent dog breed.
Trainability	Poodles are easy to train.	Portuguese Water Dogs are easy to train.	Miniature Schnauzers are easy to train.
Playfulness	The Poodle is a playful breed.	The Portuguese Water Dog is a playful breed.	Miniature Schnauzers, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Poodles are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Portuguese Water Dogs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Miniature Schnauzers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Poodles need a lot of social interaction.	Portuguese Water Dogs need a lot of social interaction.	Miniature Schnauzers are a social breed.
Barking	Average to high: The Poodle is a vocal breed.	Low to Average: The Portuguese Water Dog rarely barks.	Average: The Miniature Schnauzer barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Poodles are good watchdogs.	Portuguese Water Dogs are good watchdogs.	Miniature Schnauzers are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Poodles strongly protect their territory.	Portuguese Water Dogs are average defenders.	Miniature Schnauzers strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Poodle has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Portuguese Water Dog has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Miniature Schnauzer has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Poodles have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Portuguese Water Dogs have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Miniature Schnauzers have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Poodles have average wanderlust potential.	Portuguese Water Dogs have average wanderlust potential.	Miniature Schnauzers have average wanderlust potential.
Prey Drive	Poodles have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Portuguese Water Dogs have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Miniature Schnauzers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Poodles are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Portuguese Water Dogs are apartment-friendly dogs.	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.
Adaptability	Poodles adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Portuguese Water Dogs adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Miniature Schnauzers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Poodles tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Portuguese Water Dogs tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	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.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer

Stranger Friendly	Poodles are stranger friendly dogs.	Portuguese Water Dogs are average friendly towards strangers.	Miniature Schnauzers are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Poodles are very kid-friendly dogs.	Portuguese Water Dogs are kid-friendly dogs.	Miniature Schnauzers are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Poodles are cat-friendly dogs.	Portuguese Water Dogs are cat-friendly dogs.	Miniature Schnauzers are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Poodles are dog-friendly dogs.	Portuguese Water Dogs are dog-friendly dogs.	Miniature Schnauzers are average friendly towards other dogs.
Office Friendly	No Poodle is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Portuguese Water Dog is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Miniature Schnauzer is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Poodles are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Portuguese Water Dogs are usually recommended for elderly people.	Miniature Schnauzers are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Poodles are usually friendly towards other pets.	Portuguese Water Dogs are usually friendly towards other pets.	Miniature Schnauzers are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Poodles are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Portuguese Water Dogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Miniature Schnauzers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Yes This breed makes good 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	Yes This breed makes a perfect 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 Poodle breed usually likes being on a boat.	Yes Portuguese Water Dog breed usually likes being on a boat.	Yes Miniature Schnauzer breed usually likes 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 - Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature Schnauzer

Health Issues	The Poodle is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Portuguese Water Dog is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Miniature Schnauzer is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Addison's Disease Allergies Bloat Canine Atrial Septal Defect (asd) Cataracts Cushing's Syndrome Ear Infections Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Legg-perthes Disease Neonatal Encephalopathy (news) Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Patellar Luxation Premature Graying Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Runny Eyes Sebaceous Adenitis Von Willebrand's Disease	Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Persistent Pupillary Membranes Entropion Ectropion Distichiasis Cataracts Abnormally Small Eyes GM-1 Storage Disease Juvenile Dilated Cardiomyopathy Gastrointestinal Diseases Irritable Bowel Disease (ibd) Colitis Megaesophagus Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis Lymphangiectasia Addison's Disease	Cataracts Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection (MAI) Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-14 years	12-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	Yes	Yes
Energy Level	Poodles have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Portuguese Water Dogs are high energy dogs.	Miniature Schnauzers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Poodles need quite a lot of exercise.	Portuguese Water Dogs need quite a lot of exercise.	Miniature Schnauzers have an average exercise need.
Sleeping Need	Poodles are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Portuguese Water Dogs don't need too much sleep.	Miniature Schnauzers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	2 to 2.5 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Portuguese Water Dog can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	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.
Stinkiness	Medium The Poodle has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Portuguese Water Dog has a low chance of bad smell.	Low The Miniature Schnauzer has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Poodle is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Portuguese Water Dog is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Miniature Schnauzer is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog vs Miniature 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	2-4 puppies	4-8 puppies	3-6 puppies
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