SCHNOODLES
About The Breed
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THE MOST POPULAR DOG OUT THERE IS THE SCHNOODLE!!

It is a FIRST GENERATION cross between a pure-bred poodle and a pure-bred schnauzer.   I am a "purist" breeder.  I have spent my lifetime breeding poodles and 20 years with schnauzers, so it still amazes me that I am now a huge fan of a "cross".  Various poodle crosses have been bred for years and years.  Having bred poodles all my life, I KNOW full well why this is the most popular dog to cross with anything!  The poodle brings enormous personality and a "smarts" level that surprises most owners. I have read about and seen most of the crosses even bred many of them, but to me there is ONLY ONE---the SCHNOODLE!   

FIRST GENERATION SCHNOODLES are ALL I breed.  The cross consistently incorporates the best of the poodle and the schnauzer. It is important to me to choose female and male parents that will compliment each other.  They should be similar in size and frame so the pups come out well balanced. Schnoodles are nice looking - the poodle lengthens the schnauzer leg, refines the body and gives a lovely coat, while the schnauzer adds solid bone, making the Schnoodle physically well-suited to any family lifestyle.  The schnauzer squares up the head and the Schnoodle face is so adorable you would expect to see it in a Disney movie.There is NEVER a doubt that Schnauzer breeding is in these pups! Schnoodles walk like a schnauzer. The Schnoodle hair generally starts out very fine and stringy, often standing up in a seemingly unruly fashion (use crème rinse). The coat eventually matures into a soft wave.  The Schnoodle coat is not the wiry hair of the schnauzer or the tight curl of the poodle.  When you see photos of Schnoodles on the net, or when you are out looking at dogs, you will see that they can be BIG dogs depending on the size of the parents.  Usually the cross is between a regular 15 pound schnauzer with a toy or miniature poodle.  Thus, you get various offspring weights between 8-15 pounds. I am often asked for a dog in the 20-30 pound range at maturity. To achieve this large size, one needs to cross a standard poodle with a larger size or standard schnauzer.  These larger dogs are uncommon and hard to find to cross.  The reason is simple.  The standard poodle breeders spend a great deal of effort and money on genetic testing. It is also necessary to x-ray for hip dysplasia. The standard poodle requires much more testing than the smaller varieties of the breed. These breeders tend to be purists and seldom out cross their dogs. Most families have busy lives and small back yards - or no back yard - so they need small to medium sized dogs that fit their life style.   A smaller dog can self exercise in a smaller area, it is that simple. Many buyers are surprised at the “total quiet and laid back personality” of the Schnoodle pups.  Some say “Gee it is so shy.”  NO, it is not shy - just quiet--that is what these pups are all about.  They have lots of “get up and go,” love to play and currently are the most popular family pet going.  They don’t need entertaining; they love to just lie quietly in your lap or on the floor. 

First generation Schnoodles are similar in overall appearance, but differ in their size, color and in the texture of the coat. Most have a soft, wavy coat; a nice combination of the straight, thin Schnauzer coat and the thicker, curly coat of the Poodle. Interestingly, whereas the Schnauzer and Poodle coats can mat, the Schnoodle coat is less likely to do so and is easily maintained with brushing. Occasionally, Schnoodles will have a more Schnauzer-like coat or they may have the more “exaggerated” curl of the Poodle. Coat texture is often determined early on, so I can advise you regarding the final coat texture you might expect. Note that the thinner the coat the easier it will be to look after – the thin coat offers the unique Schnoodle “look” with a no maintenance body!

The most often asked questions are: 

1. what kind of coat will this puppy have?
2. what size will this puppy be?
3. what is the personality of the puppy?

I can appreciate that it is hard for you to picture a week old pup as I am describing it to you over the phone.  These photos are to help you see why I have so much trouble answering some of your questions.

COAT: Look at the first 2 photos.  You can see that it is impossible to tell you much about the coat.  The next 2 photos are at 4 weeks.  NOW you can see a coat developing BUT still you can’t tell the texture.  Finally, you have the pups at 8 weeks.  This is a typical Schnoodle coat.  I have found that coats come slightly different.  Some are thick with a pronounced wave---these require brushing or should be kept short.  The other coat is straighter yet soft.  This coat seems to require almost no maintenance. (See photos below)

SIZE: can you look at the birth photos and tell?  Well, even though I do this all the time, you can see it is just as hard for me!  I use the pup birth weight, size of parents and in some cases a past litter to help me give you as accurate a “guess” but still I can be wrong! I have found that one of the main reasons for this question is that the pup is to grow up with kids and understandable parents are concerned for the pup.  That is probably the best reason to buy a Schnoodle.  Not only are they fabulous with kids, they are sturdy, dense boned and thus can handle whatever kids dish out!  Don’t forget they are hypo-allergenic so asthma/allergy children never have a problem with these pups.

PERSONALITY:  my best answer to this is to return the question, “what personality did your kids have when you brought them home from the hospital”?  Just as with humans, dogs are outgoing, quieter, higher energy etc.  Schnoodles tend to be a dog for “all seasons”.  When put into a family with kids they are up for anything including doll dress up!  The elderly love them as companions because they are not demanding and will adapt to a quiet atmosphere. The obvious fact here is that your pup will take on the “personality” of the home and its’ family life.  Needless to say, this is done after you own the pup and develops over the next several months.

To help you visualize what each coat type looks like, I have put some example photos of what Poodle coats and Schnoodle coats look like below: