Toy Schnauzer vs Irish Terrier - Breed Comparison

Irish Terrier is originated from Ireland but Toy Schnauzer is originated from Germany. Irish Terrier may grow 15 cm / 6 inches higher than Toy Schnauzer. Both Irish Terrier and Toy Schnauzer are having almost same weight. Both Irish Terrier and Toy Schnauzer has same life span. Both Irish Terrier and Toy Schnauzer has almost same litter size. Both Irish Terrier and Toy Schnauzer requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Terrier dog
Toy dog
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Ireland
Germany
Height Male:
45 - 50 cm
17 - 20 inches
33 - 35 cm
12 - 14 inches
Height Female:
45 - 50 cm
17 - 20 inches
33 - 35 cm
12 - 14 inches
Weight Male:
11 - 12 kg
24 - 27 pounds
4 - 9 kg
8 - 20 pounds
Weight Female:
11 - 12 kg
24 - 27 pounds
4 - 9 kg
8 - 20 pounds
Life Span:
13 - 15 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
3 - 8
Size:
Medium
Toy
Other Names:
Irish Red Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Colors Available:
sandy, golden, Red, wheaten
Black and silver, chocolate or a salt and pepper look
Coat:
Shortish, wiry, dense
Medium length, hard and wiry
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

irish terrierThe Irish Terrier is a dog breed from Ireland and one of the many different terrier breeds there are.

Nobody is too sure of the Irish Terrier's history but it is one of the oldest terrier breeds. It appears as if the dog breed was developed from a wheat colored terrier and the extinct black and tan terrier.

It was always a common practice to crop the ears of terriers, but in 1889 the Irish Terrier Club required that the ears remain uncropped. The first Irish Terrier was shown in 1881, and the first Irish Terrier registered with the American Kennel Club was in 1885. The Irish Terrier Club of America was founded in 1896.

The Miniature Schnauzer was actually a distinct breed as early as 1899. It is believed that the dog came from breeding the smallest Standard Schnauzers with Affenpinschers, Black Poodles, and the gray Spitz.

Miniature Schnauzers were registered as a separate breed in 1926. The Toy Schnauzer is registered as a Miniature Schnauzer but is actually a little bit smaller.

The Miniature Schnauzer was developed as a farm dog with the purpose of killing rats.

Description

irish terrier puppy - descriptionThe Irish Terrier is a medium sized dog who stands between 45cm and 50cm and weighs in the region of 11 to 12kg. He has a short, dense, wiry double coat which is a red, golden, sandy, wheaten color.

The ears of the dog are semi-erect/semi-floppy and the tail is held high and curved.The chest is deep and muscular and the front and back legs are strong, long and muscular.

Temperament:

The Irish Terrier is a companion dog today, even though he was once a guard- and hunting dog. He is an amicable dog while also being alert and active. He is also independent and strong-willed so he will require training and socialization as then he becomes obedient and relaxed and much easier to live with.

They're social dogs too, loving all the members of their human family, getting on well with children in the home.

The Toy Schnauzer is a small dog standing at between 33–35cm tall and weighing about 4 to 9 kg.

He has medium length hair which is hard and wiry and which requires minimal grooming. These low-shedding dogs make the ideal family pets for those people who have allergies.

Colors of the coat are essentially black and silver, chocolate or a salt and pepper look. You'll find they have a beard and bushy eyebrows, giving him an almost human-like expression.

These dogs were brought about to be all-around farm dogs and ratters and they are tough, muscular, and fearless without being aggressive.

Characteristics

irish terrier dog - characteristicsIrish Terriers are good with people and want to be an active member of their human families.

They are active dogs and will require ongoing mental and physical stimulation. This is a lively dog, but he still loves to spend quiet time indoors with his family.

They’re intelligent dogs with a strong sense of loyalty towards their owner, making excellent family pets.

The Toy Schnauzer is spunky, strong-willed and confident. They all have different personalities and while some people report they are aloof, stubborn and uppity, others say they are playful, friendly and amicable.

A lot depends on the owners as dogs often develop the temperaments of the owners.

With this range in temperament, you can’t say with certainty how your Toy Schnauzer will turn out. Most of them just want to be involved with their human families and they make great family pets.

Health Problems

irish terrier puppies - health problemsThe Irish Terrier is a healthy dog breed and you won't find yourself running to the vet often with him, but still he can land up with one of the common dog problems.

It is always wise to be aware of hip dysplasia as this is a disease which can occur in all dog breeds and all dog ages. Also look out for eye diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts as these can lead to blindness in your pet.

There is a disease known as cystinuria which is quite a concern with Irish Terriers. It’s an inherited kidney disease where increased amounts of arginine, lysine, amino acids cystine and ornithine are excreted in the urine.

In well-functioning kidneys, blood is filtered so as to create urine. Cystine is reabsorbed back into the bloodstream but with dogs affected with cystinuria they cannot reabsorb cystine back in their bloodstream, causing an accumulation in the urine. Dogs with cystinuria suffer inflammation of the urinary tract and can also develop urinary blockage and kidney failure. Immediate veterinary intervention is required.

Your Toy Schnauzer has a life expectancy of 12 – 15 years if you care for them properly. They can, however, suffer from some health problems that so many other dogs might also have to contend with.

Some of these are -

Cataracts:

You’ll notice your pet's eyes taking on a filmy look. Most times these cataracts emerge in older dogs and they can be surgically removed.

Entropion and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) are other eye diseases that may affect your dog. Most dogs are able to adapt well to their limited vision and can even adapt to lost vision.

Bladder Infection:

A bladder infection can be terribly uncomfortable for your pet and occurs when bacteria gets into the bladder. Females are more likely to get a bladder infection, but male dogs can pick up the infection too. Having a bladder infection increases the pet’s urge to urinate even when there is no urine to come out.

The little bit of urine that does come out may be cloudy or even have some blood in it. It is imperative to get your pet urgent veterinary attention. When you see your pet trying to urinate all the time with nothing happening, then this is the sign to get your dog to the vet for a course of antibiotics.

Congenital Megaesophagus: 

This is when food and liquid are retained in the dog's esophagus so that you find him regurgitating his food. This can lead to pneumonia.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

irish terrier dogs - caringThe coat of the Irish Terrier requires a brush twice a week to keep it bright. If you intend showing your dog, the coat will need to be stripped a couple of times a year to maintain the texture and color.

Other Irish Terrier owners take their dog to the groomers to have the coat clipped. The dog doesn't shed a lot and they are referred to as being somewhat hypoallergenic.

As with any other dog breed, other grooming needs with your Irish Terrier will include clipping the nails, checking his teeth for plaque build-up and checking inside the ears for infection.

If you're unsure how to perform these grooming procedures with your pet, simply ask your vet who will explain to you precisely how to ensure your dog remains in tip top condition.

Exercise:

He's a fairly active dog so you want to make sure that you are attending to his exercise needs. Take him for a walk every day, and if you've got a good sized garden, throw a ball for him. If you're a jogger you can count him in.

Diet:

What you feed your Irish Terrier will depend a lot on his age and his activity levels. Every dog is a unique individual and nothing is set in stone regarding their diets. Just like people though, feeding him a lot of junk food will contribute to illness and shorten his lifespan.

He needs quality food. If you buy commercially manufactured food, make sure to read up on how much to feed him. Try and mix in some cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables from time to time as well as some raw meat.

Learn to know what foods are toxic for him. Make sure he has a bowl of fresh, cool water constantly available to him.

Most people have their Toy Schnauzers professionally groomed on a regular basis. He is a double-coated dog with a wiry coat. Some people, looking to maintain the wiry texture do hand-stripping, certainly if the dog is used for show purposes.

Diet:

No dog deserves to have dry kibble served up to him day after day. However, there are some excellent commercial dog foods on the market and you can choose the best one.

These foods provide a lot of convenience for the dog owner. Dogs also need to have their share of home-made food. It doesn’t have to be all complicated as dogs like simplicity.

Wholesome foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and some nutritious vegetables such as sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots can do him the world of good. Schnauzers are also prone to pancreatis so you want to avoid giving him food that is high in fat.

Exercise:

Toy Schnauzers love an active lifestyle. They don't like sitting around inactive for too long.

Your Toy Schnauzer can adapt to life in the country or the city but he will certainly need to be well exercised. Walking your dog each day will be essential as will ball games and just generally giving your pet some of your attention,

Comparison with other breeds

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  45. Irish Terrier vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Irish Terrier vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
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  48. Irish Terrier vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Irish Terrier vs Askal - Breed Comparison
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