Where did Giant Schnauzers originate?
The Giant Schnauzer originated in the Bavarian highlands of southern Germany during the 18th and 19th century. German cattlemen desired a larger dog for driving cattle and cross-bred the Standard Schnauzer with long-haired sheep dogs, Great Danes and probably Bouviers to arrive at what were the earliest Giants, or Reisenschnauzer as they are called in Germany. The first recorded show entry of a Giant was at the 1909 Munich Dog Show as the “Russian Bear Schnauzer”. Giants were first recorded in the German PSK stud books in 1921 and were accepted into the AKC in 1930.
