Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer (Giant Schnauzer & Irish Wolfhound Mix) Pictures, Traits & Facts

Are you looking for a large dog breed with a personality to match their size? You need to meet the Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer! This designer breed is the result of a cross between the Giant Schnauzer and the Irish Wolfhound, two true heroes of the dog world.

Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers are powerful, loyal, and bursting with energy. They can be gentle giants, but they also have plenty of character, which means they need owners who understand how to train and live with large breeds.

This breed is smart, but due to their independent thinking, they can also come across as a bit stubborn! While you might be bowled over by the sheer size and presence of this breed, it pays to do your research before deciding whether they’re the right dog for you. We tell you everything you need to know about the larger-than-life Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer here.

Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer Puppies

We know that all puppies are irresistibly adorable, and Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer pups are no different. But remember that those tiny pups are soon going to grow into massive, fully-grown dogs that can weigh up to 140 pounds.

So, before you give in to temptation and put your name down for a puppy, you need to be 100% sure that you can cope with everything that being the owner of a giant dog breed means—more food and more space, for starters!

Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers are also more challenging than some other breeds when it comes to training. These dogs have an independent streak, so it’s vital to be confident in your training methods and to start training your pup from the moment you welcome them into your home.

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Image Credit: (L) Olga Cranga, Shutterstock | (R) 84kamila, Shutterstock

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Temperament & Intelligence of the Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer

The temperament of a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer can vary, depending on which parent breed they take after. Some puppies can be more gentle and affectionate like their Irish Wolfhound parent, and others will be more territorial and loyal like a Giant Schnauzer.

Either way, you’ll end up with an intelligent dog that can easily pick up new commands. The trick is persuading them to do so, as some Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers can have a stubborn streak!

Due to their hunting and herding heritage, Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers have a high prey drive and a tendency to like chasing things—cars, small pets, the local wildlife, you name it!

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

The Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer can be a great family dog, as long as their owners are used to dealing with larger breeds. These dogs are energetic and huge, so their size and bounce can make them simply too much for very young or very old members of the family. If one of these dogs gets a case of the zoomies inside the house, take care of anything breakable within reach!

This breed usually plays well with older children who have been taught how to respect dogs. It’s probably best to always have an adult accompanying them, though, as Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers are big and can get boisterous when playing.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽

They can, but it will depend on both the personality of your Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer and the other pets. Some Giant Schnauzers can be protective of their owners when it comes to allowing other dogs near, so if your Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer picks up this trait, then you may find it difficult to integrate another dog into the family.

As a breed with a strong hunting and herding background, Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers have a high prey drive. This means they can find it almost impossible to resist chasing small animals. This includes cats that run away from them, as well as rodents and local wildlife.

It can be possible to live in a multi-pet household with a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer, but this is usually most successful if you introduce the other pets when your puppy is young. Even so, it’s not recommended to leave a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer unattended with smaller pets.

Things to Know When Owning a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer

Owning a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer requires plenty of both time and money. Before you take the plunge, here’s more information to help you decide if this breed is right for you.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

You’ll need to be careful to feed your puppy the correct type and quantity of food. Larger dog breeds continue their “puppy growth” for longer than smaller breeds, so you should feed a high-quality puppy food designed for large breeds until your Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer is at least 15 months old. At that point, you should schedule a check-up with your veterinarian, who can confirm if your pup is ready to transition onto adult food.

Be careful not to overfeed your puppy either. Large breeds should grow slowly, as rapid growth can damage their delicate skeletons and even cause developmental orthopedic disease. Never free feed your Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer; always stick to regular mealtimes of the quantities recommended by your veterinarian.

Exercise 🐕

While your puppy is still young, be careful not to over-exercise them. Large breeds like the Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer have delicate skeletons that take far longer to mature than those of smaller breed dogs.

Too much exertion at a young age can cause developmental issues as your puppy matures. So, long and slow walks on the leash are best, along with controlled training sessions. As your puppy grows and matures, you can work toward off-leash exercise and slowly allow them to develop the skeletal and muscle strength that they’ll need.

Once your pup is fully grown, you’ll need to dedicate around 90 minutes per day to keep them well-exercised. This can be a combination of walks, training sessions, and games in the backyard.

Training 🦮

Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers are certainly smart, but their Schnauzer heritage means they can sometimes have a stubborn streak. Signing up for puppy training classes is a great way to find the best training methods for your puppy, as well as make sure they’re well socialized and become used to strangers.

Grooming ✂️

Most Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzers have a wiry coat of a medium length. A weekly grooming session should be enough to keep them looking in good condition, but remember that this may take longer to achieve than other breeds due to the sheer size of your pup!

They shed around twice a year, so hand stripping their coat can be required during this time. If your pup goes on long walks in grass, make sure to check their coat, ears, and between their toes for grass seeds that can get caught in their coat.

At the same time, get into the habit of checking that their nails, teeth, and ears are all looking healthy.

Health and Conditions ❤️

The Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer is overall a healthy breed. Generally, hybrid breeds like these tend to suffer from fewer health conditions than purebred dogs, but there are still a few to be aware of.

Male vs. Female

By now, you might be captivated by the idea of owning a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer and excitedly trying to decide if you’d prefer a male or female puppy.

Firstly, it’s always best to wait and meet a litter of puppies before you make up your mind. The characters of each pup will be different, and you might find yourself preferring a little male pup when you expected that you’d choose a female.

Also, as this is a relatively unusual breed, you might find that you have to put your name on a waiting list, and you might not get to specify a preference for which you’d prefer, anyway!

3 Little-Known Facts About the Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer

1. Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest dogs in the world!

It’s true! These huge dogs are imposing and can stand at least 32 inches tall, with many even taller than that. An Irish Wolfhound standing on their hind legs can easily measure 7 feet!

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2. Giant Schnauzers make excellent guard dogs.

Besides being bred to drive cattle, Giant Schnauzers make great guard dogs. Their territorial instinct combined with their imposing size and alert nature make them a force to be reckoned with. They also excel as working dogs in the police and military.

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3. With a Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer, you never know what you’re going to get.

Crossing two different purebred breeds to create a new designer breed can create a whole new range of characteristics in the resulting pups. Some Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer puppies may take after one parent when it comes to temperament and the other when it comes to looks. Others will be the opposite. Some may be a complete mix of the two!

When it comes to hybrid breeds like the Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer, the best way to be prepared for your new puppy is to know and understand the characteristics of both parent breeds. If you love both the Irish Wolfhound and the Giant Schnauzer, then no matter how your Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer puppy turns out, you won’t be disappointed!

Final Thoughts: Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer

The Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer is larger than life in not only size but also personality. While they can be extremely loving, affectionate, and laidback, this breed also has the potential to be territorial, strong-willed, and protective of their families.

As with any breed, you won’t necessarily know which of these traits your pup will possess until they’re a little older. The Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer needs an experienced owner who knows how to train with and get the best out of a large breed.

They need plenty of attention in the form of exercise and training, as well as a specialized feed regime to make sure they grow into strong and healthy adult dogs. If you feel like you can handle all that, then the Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer might just be the perfect breed for you! These eye-catching pups certainly have much going for them.

See also:

• Confetti Australian Shepherd (Mini Schnauzer & Aussie Shepherd)
• Irish Setter Lab Mix

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Featured Image Credit: GiantSchnauzer Grass, Paul Kounine, Wikimedia Commons CC SA 3.0 Unported