White Schnauzer vs Maremma Sheepdog - Breed Comparison

The White Schnauzer was established in Germany in 2006 for people looking for this particular breed of dog but in white.

The traditional color is salt and pepper. It seems that breed societies don’t allow the white breed, saying they don’t conform to the ideal breed standard.

The White Schnauzer is officially recognized in Germany, If you have a White Schnauzer you may not be able to show him with some of the major kennel clubs.

White is one of the four color varieties of the Miniature Schnauzer and it is also recognized by the  Fédération Cynologique Internationale. 

Known also as the Cane de Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, the Maremma Sheepdog is often referred to as the Maremmano or the Abruzzese Sheepdog.

This is a working dog – a guardian of sheep and an indigenous dog to central Italy. The dog has been used for centuries already to guard sheep.

It was in 1924 that the first standard for the breed was published.

There are a number of different types of White Schnauzer. The white Schnauzer is actually one of 4 color varieties and these dogs are always miniature Schnauzers.

You won’t easily find a Standard- or Giant dog in white. They aren’t albinos, as the skin does have some pigment.

These dogs also have that square-shaped build and they stand between 28 to 36 cm in height and weigh between 4 and 7kg.

The coat is wiry with a soft undercoat. The ears are often cropped to stand erect, but if left they are half-erect, half-floppy and fold forward.

Temperament:

The White Schnauzer is an intelligent dog who will be able to be socialized and trained easily.

He is an energetic little dog and very playful and will get along well with children, loving the games they provide and loving to spend time with all members of his family.

He is loving and affectionate and is willing to share his home and people with other dogs too. He will make you a good watchdog, perhaps encouraged because of his reserve with strangers.

If you provide him with the right amount of mental and physical stimulation, he can become a balanced dog with an amicable personality.

The Maremma Sheepdog is a large dog with a muscular build. Some people who have owned these distinctive-looking dogs say he is like a big bear. He stands at 65 to 73 cm in height, both male and female, and he weighs 35 to 45 kg.

The coat is long, thick and white with a dense undercoat. If you look you’ll see flashes of pale orange or apricot amid the white. There is thicker, longer hair around the neck area.

The nose is black, the eyes brown and the ears medium length and floppy. The long tail is set low and is thickly feathered. You can expect 6 – 10 puppies from these dogs.

Temperament:

The Maremma has always been used to guarding sheep, and today even though he is looked upon as a wonderful, friendly companion dog, he also makes an excellent watch dog, being brave and courageous. He isn’t the kind of dog that you think of as getting wildly excited over something, as he has a dignified aura about him.

He is an independent dog, so training and sociaization will be absolutely imperative as he is strong-willed and likes to do things his way. Once trained and socialized, it is amazing to see such a large dog obeying all your commands such as ‘lie down, come, sit an stay'. He is very intelligent and shouldn’t have any trouble learning these basic commands.

He is calm and gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home. With his role as guardian of sheep, he has learned to be loyal and patient and will make a loyal ad loving family pet he takes his role as guardian very seriously.

He loves hard work, and shepherds have always appreciated the splendid work he does guarding their flocks. As a companion you will also appreciate the many excellent qualities he possesses.

The Maremma Sheepdog isn’t recommended for life in the city where there is a tiny garden. He has always been accustomed to large open spaces and requires a large garden. He won’t tolerate heat well with that thick coat of his and will require a shady spot in your garden to retreat to.

The White Schnauzer is such an adaptable little dog and he will happily adapt to life in the city or in the countryside, just so long as he is close to his human companions and gets sufficient exercise.

He is a sociable dog that just loves to be around his human family and won’t like to be separated from them for too long.

He makes a great family dog when you provide him with the right food, a warm dry place to sleep, exercise and lots of love and attention.

This is a beautiful dog, but large, so don’t make the mistake of wanting a large dog like this for his looks. He will be expensive to feed.

If you have the means to provide a good home for him, he is friendly and good natured, even though he is strong-willed and independent.

Provide him with a good home and you’ll have a most splendid pet and companion.

While he is a spunky, robust type of dog, there are always going to be some health concerns to look out for.

Some problems to be aware of include kidney stones, cancer, and eye problems.

Kidney Stones:

Kidney stones may well not cause your pet the same pain that humans endure, but they are still a cause for concern. A kidney stone that gets too large and lodges in the ureter becomes a ureterolith. This can be very painful, resulting in pain and even vomiting.

The kidney can even swell and become damaged. Your dog could become critically ill, particularly because of the disrupted flow of urine.

Your pet will possibly have blood in the urine, fever, lethargy, poor appetite and weight loss. Veterinary-intervention will be imperative.

This ancient dog breed is robust and can reach 11 to 13 years of age when cared for properly. Like any other dogs, he can be prone to certain health problems.

One of these is hip dysplasia. Preventing your dog from becoming overweight can work towards preventing these kinds of musculoskeletal issues. Hip dysplasia occurs when your dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly so that the hips partially dislocate.

It is painful for your dog and it can be debilitating, leading to arthritis too and making it difficult for your pet to get around and to get up from lying down. There are a number of treatment options offered by your vet.

Grooming:

He is a low shedding breed so he will require a brushing just once a week. These dogs also have a certain professional grooming cut. Some schnauzer dog owners do stripping but this is mostly for show dogs.

Most people just have them sheared to make it easy to groom them. Whether stripped or clipped, they nearly always have a beard and bushy eyebrows.

Trim your pet's nails and give him a general once-over during the grooming sessions to ensure all is well.

Diet:

You White Schnauzer relies on you to make wise food choices for him. He will eat most things you offer him. That doesn’t mean you should as you can cause him to have a whole lot of digestive problems.

If you choose to give him commercially manufactured dog food, make sure its a high-quality one – devoid of toxic ingredients such as colorants, fillers and preservatives.

If you don’t know how to choose, your vet can show you the foods they have in stock and which would suit your pet best.

A little bit of home-made food now and then can also be good, but the food needs to be plain and simple to avoid abdominal pain. Boiled chicken brown rice and vegetables chopped up and added to the dry kibble occasionally can be a very good choice.

Exercise:

As already suggested, this large dog will need space and he will need to be exercised. Apart from long walks in he countryside or in the park or your neighborhood, he will also need other activities that stimulate him mentally and physically.

Grooming:

The thick, all-weather coat of the Maremma will need a thorough bushing at least twice a week to get rid of all those loose hairs. When you are brushing him, look around for signs of ticks and fleas too and run your hands over him to feel for any unusual lumps.

Diet:

The Maremma is a large-breed dog, so before you get a big dog like this, decide whether you have the financial means to feed him and look after him properly. He is going to cost a lot to feed, so think it through first.

He will need to be fed a high-quality commercial dog food which has been specially formulated for a dog of his size. Keep the food of dogs simple. We’re all tempted to feed our dog treats like things such as chocolates, coffee, nuts, onions, grapes and raisins but these can cause havoc with your dog’s stomach.

Stick to simple, nutritious food. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as potatoes, spinach and carrots can do wonders for your pet when you sometimes mix this into his kibble.

Try and mix some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.