Carnauzer (Cairn Terrier Schnauzer Mix): Info, Pictures, Care Guide, Temperament & Traits

Today, you can find more and more people combining all sorts of purebred dogs, which means more and more breeds to learn about and love! That’s the case with the Carnauzer, which is a mix of two extremely popular and lovable breeds: the Cairn Terrier and Schnauzer. They’re great pups with some unique traits that you’ll want to learn more about before bringing one home.

Breed Overview

The Carnauzer is a mix between a Cairn Terrier and a Schnauzer, which are both more allergy-friendly terrier breeds. However, they can be a bit more challenging to own because Cairn Terriers and Schnauzers have so many differences, so you’ll definitely want to learn a bit more before rushing out to get one.

Carnauzer Breed Characteristics

Carnauzer Breed Puppies

While some breeds have really taken off as designer breeds, that’s really not the case with the Carnauzer. While you can occasionally find a breeder for them, most of the time when you find a Carnauzer, they come about by accident.

Other possibilities include that there are more than two parent breeds. While they might be mostly a Carnauzer, often you can find Cairn Terrier and Schnauzer mixed together with something else in shelters. Just keep in mind that without purebred parents, they can have an even wider range of personality traits, making them a bit more challenging and unpredictable to own.

But no matter how you find your Carnauzer, we highly recommend vetting any breeders to ensure you’re not supporting a puppy mill by mistake. Always find a reputable breeder that lets you inspect the facilities, has references, and offers a health guarantee with each puppy.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Carnauzer

While Carnauzers can have a wide range of temperaments depending on which parent breed they take after, one area they really don’t struggle much in is their intelligence. These pups are almost always eager to please their owners, and because they’re so smart, they can learn various tasks and commands. This is regardless of which parent breed they take more after.

With that said, their temperaments can vary quite a bit depending on which breed they take after more. If they take after their Cairn Terrier parent, they can be a bit more temperamental, although they’re still pretty loyal and loving to their owner.

Meanwhile, if they take a bit more after their Schnauzer parent, they’re generally more likely to get along with everyone, especially children and other family members. Just keep in mind that any pup can have their own personality regardless of their breed, so get to know your dog individually, if possible, before making any assumptions!

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Carnauzers are usually great family dogs, but if they take a bit more after their Cairn Terrier parentage, you need to socialize them a bit more around kids. Also, keep in mind that these dogs can be as small as 12 pounds, so you need to be careful with them around smaller children.

While you can teach your kids how to behave around them, all it takes is for them to fall on them for something bad to happen to your child, your pup, or both.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

While a Carnauzer can get along with other pets, we highly recommend socializing them early on and introducing them to other pets in your house before you bring them home. Part of the problem many Carnauzers have is that while they can be small dogs, they have big personalities, and they often don’t realize just how small they are!

This means they’ll play along with larger dogs, and all it takes is a misstep by the larger pup to accidentally hurt the smaller Carnauzer. These dogs also have strong herding instincts, which can lead to all sorts of problems with cats.

Finally, since many of these dogs have ratting instincts, you should never keep them around rodents and other small pets.

Things to Know When Owning a Carnauzer

Owning a Carnazuer is much like owning any other type of dog, but you’ll want to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into before you bring one home. The last thing you want is to discover that you don’t have the time or financial resources to care for them, so keep reading to get a general understanding of the basic care requirements for these hybrid pooches.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

The size of a Carnauzer can vary quite a bit, so it’s no surprise that the amount you need to feed them can vary too. Smaller Carnauzers that weigh about 15 pounds need about 1.25 cups of high-quality dry kibble daily, while larger Carnauzers that weigh about 40 pounds need about 2.5 cups of high-quality kibble daily.

Generally, a dry kibble diet will cost between $25 and $35 a month for a Carnauzer, while fresh and wet food diets will cost significantly more, often ranging between $75 and $125 a month, depending on the specific food you go with. Regardless, we recommend following the feeding guide found on the packaging of the food you purchase, as well as speaking to a vet about your dog’s individual nutritional needs.

Exercise 🐕

While Carnauzers tend to be active and high-energy dogs, because of their smaller size, it’s usually a little bit easier to meet these requirements. If you have a Carnauzer under 20 pounds, you might be able to meet most of their exercise requirements inside your home, although you’ll still need to take them for two short walks per day.

Larger Carnauzers would benefit from a fenced-in outdoor area to run around, although longer walks and more frequent trips to the dog park can offset this quite a bit.

Training 🎾

Carnauzers are usually very easy to please their owners, and because of this, it can be a little bit easier to train them compared to other dog breeds. However, consistency is critical, and you need to ensure you’re meeting all their exercise needs daily; otherwise, they won’t be able to sit still long enough for training, which could also lead to other behavioral issues.

Aim for one training session daily, and each session should only last between 10 and 15 minutes. Stick solely with positive reinforcement. You want your pup to look forward to their training sessions!

Grooming ✂️

A Carnauzer is considered a “hypoallergenic” dog because both Cairn Terriers and Schnauzers are. This means you really won’t have to worry about shedding, but you will need to schedule monthly trips to the groomer. However, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog, and just because they shed less does not mean that they won’t trigger your allergies.

Additionally, you need to brush them out a few times a week, and you’ll need to do it more frequently if you’re keeping their coats longer. Moreover, you need to brush their teeth daily and clip their nails as needed, although many groomers will do this for you for an additional fee.

Overall, they’re easier to care for from a grooming standpoint compared to most other breeds, but they do need those additional trips to a groomer from time to time.

• See Also: 11 Best Dry Dog Shampoos

Health and Conditions 🏥

Like many mixed breeds, the Carnauzer doesn’t suffer from as many health conditions as purebred Cairn Terriers or Schnauzers. But since they have two parent breeds, you do need to look out for twice as many potential problems.

This is why it’s so important to find a reputable breeder and take your pup in for yearly health checks. If you can catch a problem early, it’s far more likely to be treatable.

Male vs. Female

Typically, there aren’t too many differences between a male and female Carnauzer. While many males are a little larger than females, and the males require a bit more attention, what complicates the matter is that the parent breed they take after plays a much larger role than their gender.

This is especially true after you spay or neuter them, as males tend to mark their territory a bit more and can be harder to housebreak if you don’t neuter them.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Carnauzer

1. They Like to Herd and Hunt

When you look at a Carnauzer, you probably don’t see a hunting dog at first glance. But with a rich hunting history, that’s exactly where these dogs continue to thrive to this day. It’s also why you need to be a bit more careful with them around other pets because they still love to hunt and herd!

2. They’re Incredibly Persistent

If these dogs weren’t so eager to please their owners, they’d be incredibly challenging to train. That’s because they’re as persistent as they come, which is why you never want to get into a battle of wills with one.

3. They Love Their Families

One thing you can never doubt about a Carnauzer is how much they love their families. While they might not always see other pets as members, when it comes to the humans in the family, they’re about as affectionate as they come.

Final Thoughts

While a Carnauzer can be a bit tricky to own since you don’t always know which parent breed they’re going to take after, their large and unique personalities are part of their charm. They’re amazing dogs that always bring something new to the table, and they’re bound to make you laugh from time to time.

No matter their size, their personality is going to be the biggest thing in the house, and once you bring one home, we’re sure you’re going to fall head over heels in love.

See Also:

• Male vs. Female Irish Setter: The Key Differences (With Pictures)
• Great Pyrenees Health Problems to Watch For (Vet Answer)

Featured Image Credit: Left (Cairn Terrier) Marina Plevako, Shutterstock , Right(Schnauzer) Debra Anderson, Shutterstock