Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer" Compare Pug and American Cocker Spaniel. Which is better: Pug or American Cocker Spaniel or Standard Schnauzer?

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

Name	Pug	American Cocker Spaniel	Standard Schnauzer
Origins	China	United States	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Gun Dog	Working Dogs
Popularity Rank	31	29	90
Reviews	6	0	1
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Other Names	Mops, Carlin, Chinese Pug, Dutch Bulldog, Dutch Mastiff, Mini Mastiff	Cocker Spaniel, Cocker, Merry Cocker	Mittelschnauzer, Schnauzer, Wirehair Pinscher
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885 as a Toy breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878 as a Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904 as a Working breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Small Molossian type Dogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Flushing 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	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 Canine Registry American Kennel Club Australian National Kennel Council Canadian Kennel Club Continental Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club North American Purebred Registry, Inc. United Kennel Club American Canine Association, Inc.
Price	$300-$500	$600-$800	$1200-$1500

General Appearance - Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer

Size	Small	Medium	Medium
Weight	Male: 13-20 pounds (6-9 kg), Female: 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg)	15-30 pounds (7-14 kg)	Male: 30-45 pounds (14-20 kg), Female: 30-40 pounds (14-18 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 16.5 pounds (7.5 kg), Female: 15.5 pounds (7 kg)	22.5 pounds (10.5 kg)	Male: 37.5 pounds (17 kg), Female: 35 pounds (16 kg)
Height	Male: 12-14 inches (30-36 cm), Female: 10-12 inches (25-30 cm)	15-16.5 inches (38-41 cm)	Male: 18-20 inches (46-51 cm), Female: 17-19 inches (43-48 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 13 inches (33 cm), Female: 11 inches (27.5 cm)	15-16.5 inches (39.5 cm)	Male: 19 inches (48.5 cm), Female: 18 inches (45.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer

Coat	Fine	Feathered	Wiry
Colors	Fawn Black	Brown Red Tan Buff Silver Black	Pepper Salt Black
Grooming	Effortless: The Pug requires minimal grooming.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Pugs shed above average.	American Cocker Spaniels shed moderately.	Standard Schnauzers shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer

Temperament	Affectionate Courageous Intelligent Going Loyal Cheerful Gentle Friendly Playful	Outright Tempered Merry Intelligent Trusting Joyful Outgoing Sociable	Devoted Intelligent Playful Good-natured Lively Trainable
Intelligent Rank	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.	Very smart: American Cocker Spaniel is an excellent dog breed.	Very smart: Standard Schnauzer is an excellent dog breed.
Trainability	Pugs aren't famous for their trainability.	American Cocker Spaniels are quite easy to train.	Standard Schnauzers are easy to train.
Playfulness	Pugs, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The American Cocker Spaniel is a playful breed.	The Standard Schnauzer is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Pugs have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	American Cocker Spaniels have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Pugs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	American Cocker Spaniels are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Standard Schnauzers are highly affectionate dogs.
Social Needs	Pugs need a lot of social interaction.	American Cocker Spaniels are a social breed.	Standard Schnauzers are a social breed.
Barking	Average: The Pug barks occasionally.	Average to high: The American Cocker Spaniel is a vocal breed.	Average: The Standard Schnauzer barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Pugs are average watchdogs.	American Cocker Spaniels are average watchdogs.	Standard Schnauzers are good watchdogs.
Territorial	Pugs strongly protect their territory.	American Cocker Spaniels are average defenders.	Standard Schnauzers are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Pug has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The American Cocker Spaniel has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Standard Schnauzer has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Pugs have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	American Cocker Spaniels have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Standard Schnauzers have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Pugs tend to escape less than other breeds.	Wanderlust potential of the American Cocker Spaniel is strong enough to escape from home.	Standard Schnauzers have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.
Prey Drive	Pugs 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.	American Cocker Spaniels have a high impulse to chase and catch something.	Standard Schnauzers have a high impulse to chase and catch something.
Apartment Friendly	Pugs are very apartment-friendly dogs.	American Cocker Spaniels are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Standard 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	Pugs adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	American Cocker Spaniels adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Standard Schnauzers adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Pugs tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	American Cocker Spaniels 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.	Standard 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 - Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer

Stranger Friendly	Pugs are very stranger friendly dogs.	American Cocker Spaniels are very stranger friendly dogs.	Standard Schnauzers are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Pugs are kid-friendly dogs.	American Cocker Spaniels are very kid-friendly dogs.	Standard Schnauzers are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Pugs are very cat-friendly dogs.	American Cocker Spaniels are average friendly towards cats.	Standard Schnauzers are cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Pugs are very dog-friendly dogs.	American Cocker Spaniels are dog-friendly dogs.	Standard Schnauzers are dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Pug is not the best dog breed for office environment.	Yes American Cocker Spaniel is one of the best dog breeds for office environment	No Standard Schnauzer is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Pugs are usually recommended for elderly people.	American Cocker Spaniels are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Standard Schnauzers are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Pugs are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	American Cocker Spaniels are generally with other pets.	Standard Schnauzers are usually friendly towards other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Pugs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes American Cocker Spaniels are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	No Standard 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	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	Not really Pug breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Yes American Cocker Spaniel breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really Standard 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 - Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard Schnauzer

Health Issues	Very healthy dog breed.	American Cocker Spaniels are commonly healthy dogs.	Standard Schnauzers tend to have a lot and frequent health issues.
Health Problems	Allergies Cheyletiella Dermatitis Corneal Ulcers Demodectic Mange Distichiasis Dry Eye Entropion Epilepsy Hemi-vertebrae Hip Dysplasia Legg-perthes Disease Nerve Degeneration Patellar Luxation Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Proptosis Pug Dog Encephalitis Staphylococcus Infection Vaccination Sensitivity Yeast Infection	Allergies Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Cataracts Glaucoma Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Idiopathic Epilepsy Patellar Luxation Primary Seborrhea Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Follicular Dermatitis Hip Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	12-15 years	12-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	Yes
Energy Level	Pugs have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	American Cocker Spaniels have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Standard Schnauzers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Pugs exercise need is minimal.	American Cocker Spaniels need quite a lot of exercise.	Standard Schnauzers need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Pugs sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	American Cocker Spaniels are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Standard Schnauzers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.	1.5 to 2.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day.	1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two or three meals.
Weight Gain Potential	High: The Pug breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Average to High.	Low.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to warm weather conditions	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Standard Schnauzer can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	High The Pug has a high chance of bad smell.	Medium The American Cocker Spaniel has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Standard Schnauzer has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Pug is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The American Cocker Spaniel is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Standard Schnauzer is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Pug vs American Cocker Spaniel vs Standard 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	4-7 puppies	4-8 puppies
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