When a Standard or Giant Schnauzer is crossbred with a Labrador Retriever, the resultant offspring is known as the Schnauzer Lab mix or the Schnauzador. The Schnauzador originated in the US. The Schnauzer has a Germanic origin, whereas the Retrievers originated from Canada. The Schnauzadors are the most sought-after pets due to their alluring stature and fluffy coat. Although the size of these canines varies based on their Schnauzer parent, they are characterized by a very calm disposition. In addition, they are known for their love for human companionship and pleasing nature. Therefore, they make excellent family pets.
Table of Contents
Schnauzer Lab Mix Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent family pets | Needs plenty of exercise due to high energy |
| Highly intelligent | High grooming needs. |
| Does well with other pets in the house | Quite sensitive to rough play |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Basic Information
- Name : Schnauzer Lab
- Height : 17 to 23 inches
- Weight: 35- 70 pounds
- Coat: Long
- Color : Chocolate, black, yellow, white in colors with markings of black, red, brindle, brown, or fawn.
- Energy: High
- Activities: Companion dogs, watchdogs, tracking, herding, agility, conformation, field trials, hunting tests, obedience and rally.
- Group: Working and Sporting Dogs
- Barking Level: Low to Medium
- Shedding Level : Low
- Hypoallergenic : No
- Litter Size : 6 – 8 puppies
- Life Span : 13 to 15 years
- Other names: Schnauzador, Giant Schnauzer Lab mix
Schnauzer Vs. Lab – A Comparison
| Features | Schnauzer | Labrador Retriever |
| Image |  |  |
| Origin | Germany | United Kingdom |
| Height | 1 ft 5 inches – 1 ft 8 inches | Over 20 inches |
| Weight | 30 – 50 pounds | 40 to 70 pounds |
| Size | Medium | Medium |
| Group | Working group | Sporting dogs |
| Children Compatibility | Medium to high | High |
| Family Compatibility | Medium to high | High |
| Pets Compatibility | Medium | Medium to High |
| Barking Level | Low to medium | Low to Medium |
| Shedding Level | Low | Low |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Grooming Needs | Low to medium | Low |
| Overall Health | High | Low to Medium |
| Energy | High | Medium to High |
| Exercise Needs | High | Medium to High |
| Trainability | Medium to high | Medium to High |
| Activities | Family dogs, companion dogs, watchdogs, tracking, herding | Agility, Conformation, Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Obedience, Rally |
| Complication inbreeding | No | No |
| Litter Size | 4 – 8 puppies | 6 puppies |
| Lifespan | 13 – 16 years | 10 to 15 years |
| Other Names | Wirehaired Pinschers | Lab |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Personality
Schnauzer Lab mixes are visually appealing, and they are an amalgamation of the Schnauzer and Labrador retriever parent. Hence, depending on their genetic expression, these canines can grow between 17 and 23 inches and weigh 35 to 70 pounds. Consequently, these dogs have a robust and athletic build with a layer of medium-length hair. However, their coat color is dependent on their parent’s color. They have a long curved tail with straight legs and dense rear pads. Their coat is pretty thick, double-layered, with soft hair growth.
Friendliness Overview
| Affection level | High |
| Family-friendly | Medium to High |
| Kid-friendly | Medium to High |
| Pet-friendly | Medium to High |
| Stranger-friendly | Medium to High |
Adaptability Overview
| Good for apartment living | Low to medium |
| Good to new owners | Medium |
| Sensitivity level | Medium to High |
| Tolerates being alone | Low |
| Cold-tolerance | Medium |
| Heat-tolerance | Medium |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Temperament
Schnauzer Lab mixes are friendly, compassionate, cheerful, quick-witted, and mischievous dogs. These canines inherit a natural guarding instinct from their Schnauzer parents with an outgoing personality. Hence, they fare well with children and other pets. However, they can get suspicious of strangers and sensitive when kids are at rough play. They are intelligent and loyal dogs who like to play outdoors with their pet parents. This makes them excellent companion dogs suitable for singles and the elderly. In addition, they are used as therapy dogs due to their gentle and caring nature.
Schnauzer Lab Mix Training
Schnauzer Lab mix or the Schnauzador is blessed with high intelligence. In addition, they love to please their pet parents. Hence, they are easily trainable. They are brilliant at learning and adapting to new commands. However, depending on their genetic expression, they may have a high prey drive like their schnauzer parent. Hence, if you find them chasing small animals, you have to always put them on a leash before taking them outdoors.
In addition, like their Labrador parents, they may tend to chew everything around them. However, you can eliminate their chewing instincts to prevent this behavior. In addition, they have to be socialized, crate, and potty trained pretty early to expect manners.
Trainability Overview
| Easy to train | Medium to High |
| Intelligence | High |
| Mouthiness tendencies | Medium to High |
| Barking and Howling tendencies | Low to Medium |
| Prey drive | Low to High |
| Wanderlust tendencies | Medium to High |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Exercise Needs
Schnauzer Lab mixes are highly energetic breeds. Therefore, they have high exercise needs to expend their rich energy reserve. However, if not, they will become rambunctious and resort to destructive behaviors like barking and chewing. In addition, you have to train them to bark on command.
Hence, this breed is not for you if you are a quiet, laid-back person. As they long for their pet parents’ companionship, these dogs are extremely playful and are good at obedience, agility, tracking, carting, and herding. In addition, they excel at narcotics detection and are involved in search and rescue operations. However, these dogs require moderate to vigorous activity. Hence, you need to schedule an hour every day for their exercise routine.
Exercise Needs Overview
| Energy level | High |
| Exercise needs | High |
| Intensity | Medium to High |
| Playfulness | High |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Grooming
Schnauzer Lab mixes have a long hairy double coat. Therefore, if your canine inherits his Labrador parent’s traits, you have to expect your pet to shed more. On the contrary, if your pet inherits his schnauzer parents’ traits, he will shed less. However, in both cases, you must ensure to brush him daily outdoors. His hair tends to accumulate at the corners, making it challenging for you to clean later.
Additionally, brush your pet’s coat in the direction of his hair growth to prevent any discomfort. You don’t have to bathe your pet often as it will dry up his skin while bathing. Hence, ensure to bathe him with a dog-friendly shampoo.
Teeth: Since the Schnauzer parents are prone to periodontal diseases, you need to brush your pet’s teeth daily at least twice or thrice weekly to avoid tartar or bacteria formation.
Ears: If your pet resembles his Schnauzer parent, he will have a thick fur growth. This will make him prone to yeast and bacterial growth. To prevent this, clean his visible areas with a cotton swab dipped in dog ear wash. Then, you can wipe off the excess moisture with a soft dry cloth.
Nails: To prevent any discomfort for your pet while walking, use a guillotine dog nail clipper or dog nail grinder to trim their nails to a convenient length.
Grooming Overview
| Easy to groom | Low to High |
| Drooling tendency | Low to Medium |
| Amount of shedding | Low to High |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Health
Schnauzer Lab mix canines enjoy good health in general. However, like all breeds, they are predisposed to specific health conditions. In addition, their weight gaining tendencies vary drastically concerning their parent’s genetic expression. Hence, it is always better to monitor their caloric intake and exercise them appropriately.
Health Overview
| Overall health | Medium to High |
| Weight gain tendencies | Low to High |
| Size | Medium |
Schnauzer Lab Mix Specific Health Conditions
Some of the health conditions schnauzer lab mixes are prone to include:
Hip dysplasia: Hip Dysplasia is a heritable condition that occurs when your pet’s thigh bones don’t fit aptly into the pelvic socket of the hip joint.
Other Causes of Hip Dysplasia:
- Injuries
- Excessive weight gain
- Wrong exercises
Symptoms of Hip Dysplasia:
This condition can present with or without symptoms, and some of the notable signs may be present on one or both rear legs. They include:
- pain
- lameness
Treatment: X-ray screening for hip dysplasia, medication, and hip replacement through surgeries may also be preferred. This condition, if ignored, can be life-threatening.
Elbow dysplasia: Elbow dysplasia occurs due to the malalignment of the elbow joint which leads to chronic rubbing. This causes an abnormal pressure at the joint, resulting in severe osteoarthritis.
Symptoms
- Mild to moderate pain
- Lameness in the forelimbs
Although the symptoms begin to show as early as four months of age, some dogs will not show these signs until later in life. Further, this may involve both the elbows, but one of them may be heavily affected.
Bloat: Bloat or GDV is a life-threatening condition that occurs when your pet’s gut twists and becomes distended with gas. This trapped gas hampers your canine’s ability to belch or vomit, blocking the normal return of blood to the heart. This phenomenon leads to a drop in blood pressure resulting in shock. If untreated, this shock could eventually lead to death.
Causes Of Bloat:
- When they are fed more than one large meal per day.
- They eat rapidly
- Drink large volumes of water after eating.
- Exercise vigorously after eating.
Symptoms of Bloat:
- A distended abdomen
- Excessive salivation.
- Retching without vomit
- Restlessness
- Depression
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Rapid heart rate
Hypothyroidism: A condition in the thyroid gland that is recognized to cause obesity, lethargy, dark skin patches, hair loss, epilepsy, and other skin diseases. You can treat this illness with proper nutrition and medication.
Cardiomyopathy: The process of thinning and weakening of the heart muscles results in cardiomyopathy. It may cause widening of the heart chambers, an abnormally large heart, and heart failure in dogs.
Treatments:
- Fluid therapy
- Oxygen supply
- Medication
Panosteitis: Panosteitis is a painful condition that occurs during the phase of growth. This condition is characterized by a painful inflammation of your dog’s developing bones.. It is prevalent amongst male, large breed dogs. Some of the signs include,
- Lameness
- A decrease in appetite and activity.
This disease stops when your pup stops growing. Hence, treatment often involves the administration of pain killers until your pup’s growth ceases.
Cataracts: This condition is caused due to the thickening of the eye lens, leading to cloudy vision in dogs. Although it occurs primarily because of their age, you can treat this condition either with medications or surgery.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: The gradual deterioration of the retina of the eye marks the progression of this disease. Affected dogs exhibit symptoms of night-blindness which slowly progresses to complete loss of vision. Most of the affected dogs adapt well to their limited or lost vision if they continue to reside in the same environment when they had a vision.
Patellar Luxation: When the dog patella (kneecap), which typically lies in the cleft of the femur (thighbone), slips out of position, it is known as luxating patella. Your dog may feel periodic hind limb “skipping,” lameness, or locking up the leg at an abnormal angle if the patella luxates.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a type of cancer affecting the skin where the squamous cells are present. Salt and Pepper Giant schnauzers mainly develop this cancer in their toes. This cancer is treatable if detected early, while detection in the later stages may lead to death.
Osteochondrosis Dessicans: Osteochondrosis Dessicans is an inflammatory condition that occurs due to the cartilage’s abnormal development, leading to its separation from the underlying bone. Although it most prominently affects the shoulder, it may be prevalent at the elbow, hip, or knee.
Symptoms of OCD
- Limping in the affected leg
- Extremely painful when the affected leg is manipulated
- Swollen or warm joint
- Treatment generally involves following a strict rest schedule, medications, supplements, and surgery if necessary.
Schnauzer Lab Mix Diet and Nutrition
It is necessary to feed your schnauzer lab mix a well-balanced diet with a good balance of nutrients according to your dog’s age. Since they are prone to obesity, you have to substitute their calorie-loaded treats with healthy fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables. In addition, you can feed them boiled eggs or boiled meat in place of red meat and other parts. It is also recommended to avoid sugar as it has the potential to curb immunity.
Schnauzer Lab Mix Living Condition
Schnauzer Lab mixes are highly energetic breeds that are the most comfortable in spacious locations. Therefore, they are not very well-suited for apartment life. However, they will get accustomed to small spaces through proper training. In addition, Novice owners may find this breed a little challenging until they are appropriately trained. Finally, if your work demands you to be away for a long time, this is not the pet for you as they suffer from separation anxiety if left alone.
Adding a Schnauzer Lab Mix to Your Family
Things to Remember Before Breeding a Schnauzer Lab Mix
If you plan to adopt a Schnauzer Lab mix, you must remember that they are hybrid dogs whose characteristics and health conditions vary indefinitely. In addition, a lack of owner clubs and dog breed registries for these canines makes it hard to find one. However, you can purchase or adopt a pet from a reputable breeder who will furnish you with the health clearance of your pet-to-be parents. In addition, ensure to visit your veterinarian periodically to identify potential health issues early.
Schnauzer Lab Mix Images
Schnauzer Lab Mix Videos
Ozzie | 1 Year Old Lab Schnauzer Mix
Black Mini Schnauzer & Schnauzer/Lab wrestle
Other Schnauzer Mixes
- Airedale Terrier and Schnauzer Mix
- Affenpinscher and Schnauzer Mix
- Basset Hound and Schnauzer Mix
- Bichon Frise and Schnauzer
- Bolognese and Schnauzer Mix
- Border Collie and Schnauzer
- Boston Terrier and Miniature Schnauzer
- Brussels Griffon and Schnauzer Mix
- Bulldog Schnauzer
- Cairn Terrier and Schnauzer Mix
- Cocker Spaniel and Schnauzer
- Eskimo Schnauzer
- German Shepherd and Schnauzer Mix
- Havanese and Schnauzer Mix
- Jacknauzer
- Lhasa Apsa and Schnauzer Mix
- Maltese and Schnauzer Mix
- Miniature Pinscher and Schnauzer Mix
- Miniature Schnoxie
- Miniature Schnaupin
- Pitbull and Schnauzer
- Pom-A-Nauze
- Schnauzer and American Eskimo Dog
- Schnauzer and Boston Terrier
- Schnauzer and Husky Mix
- Schnauzer and Corgi Mix
- Schnauzer and Dachshund Mix
- Schnauzer and Havanese Mix
- Schnauzer and Jack Russel Mix
- Schnauzer and Labrador Mix
- Schnauzer and Labrador Retriever Mix
- Schnauzer and Pug Mix
- Schneagle
- Schnelpie
- Schnoodle
- Shiba Ina and Schnauzer Mix
- Shih Tzu and Schnauzer Mix
- Yorkshire Terrier and Schnauzer Mix
- Welsh Terrier and Schnauzer Mix
Other Lab Mixes
- Afador (Lab x Afghan Hound)
- Bassador (Lab x Basset Hound)
- Borador (Border Collie Lab Mix)
- Boxador (Boxer Lab Mix)
- Cavador (Lab x Cavalier)
- Chabrador (Lab x Chow Chow)
- Pug and Labrador Mix
- Doberman Lab Mix
- German Shepherd Lab Mix
- Goldador (Golden Retriever Lab Mix)
- Huskador (Husky Lab Mix)
- Labernese
- Labmaraner
- Labradoodle
- Lab Pointer Mix
- Rottador (Rottweiler Lab Mix)
- Springador
- Pitbull Labrador Mix
