Schnauzer vs Billy - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Billy (or Billie) Dog is a rare breed developed in France and mostly still only found in France. Created in the 19th century by Monsieur Gaston Hublot de Rivault and named after his home, Chateau de Billy, he is hunting dog of high quality. The Billy dog was developed by crossing the Poitevin’s original three lines – the Larrye, the Ceris and the Montemboeuf. In developing the Billy, Rivault favored the colors found in the Ceris and Montemboeuf strains as opposed to the tricolors of the Larrye strain. The Billy is a scent hound from all the lines leading back to the monks of the Saint Hubert Monastery in the middle ages, in Belgium, then refined in Gaul (France). The Billy line was considered the most elegant French breed and they were the last breed to come from that large scent hound type that the French nobility and royalty loved to breed.

In 1886 the Federation Cynoloquique Internationale established the standard for the Billy breed. The breed was a great hunter with resilience, speed, scenting and fortitude. The Billy hunted in large packs in pursuit of Wild Boar and Roe Deer. This was accomplished by the crossing of great hunters developed for their specific skills. The Ceris was amazing in its skill to hunt down wolves and hares. The Montemboeuf was a large, elegant dog that hunted wild boar and Larrye for his strong scent ability. Since these three breeds were true French breeds, the Billy was a true aristocratic scent hound in a pure scent hound line.

This gregarious, handsome dog became extremely popular in France in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the World Wars of the 20th century would take their toll on this rare breed and they were almost extinct by the late 1900’. There were only two hounds left by the end of the Second World War. Anthony Rivault, the son of Gaston, set about saving the breed by incorporating the lines of Harrier, the Poilevin and the Porcelaine with the two remaining hounds. From there the breed has been revived and is no longer on the verge of extinction. They are still rare and certainly not “popular”, but they are excellent hunters, especially hunting in packs. Today they are considered one of the breeds used to develop the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Orange in France and there are several packs that hunt roe deer in France, while a couple packs are used to hunt wild boar.

These dogs hail from Germany and are particularly well known for their stern faces and their facial hair - the mustache and eyebrows. You get 3 types of Schnauzer – the Miniature, Standard and Giant.

These dogs have always been used for their rat catching skills. The Standard Schnauzer is also known as Mittelschnauzer and they have been categorized as working dogs but also as Terriers.

They've always been good herders of livestock and have been regarded as a good all-round farm dog. Most Standard Schnauzers have earned American Kennel Club (AKC) herding titles. They also make excellent watchdogs.

A breed standard for this dog was written in 1880. Also, the Bavarian Schnauzer Klub was formed in Munich in 1907.

The Billy dog is powerful, beautiful and built extremely well. He is large but he should also be light weight and lean. He has an athletic look, powerful muscles, and strong bones. He has floppy ears, dark eyes with dark rims and a white coat. This breed has a medium size head with a domed forehead and square muzzle. The ears are high on the head, flat and floppy while the neck is long and strong. Shoulders are also long and the back broad, the thighs muscular and the feet round. He has a long fluffy tail. The coat is short and can be seen through to the skin. He has white skin with brown spots and the fur is white or off white. The females are smaller than the males. He is a great family companion as well as a hunter. They have high pitched voices and they can be howlers. They have a strong prey drive and are great hunters. They can be great companion dogs for any family, just watch them with small children and small animals. They are big enough to need a lot of space and a lot of exercise. Scent hounds can be stubborn, and that trait is not lost on the Billy dog.

You get the miniature and giant Schnauzer as well as the Standard. The Standard Schnauzer stands at between 43 to 51cm and weighs between 14 and 20kg. The dog comes in different color variants - black, black and silver and a greyish color.They have wiry coats that don’t shed much.

They are squarely and robustly built and a typical feature is the mustache, beard and significant eyebrows of the dog. The ears are set high and were once clipped but they are left floppy these days.

The tail has always been traditionally cropped to around three vertebrae,giving the dog a distinctive look, but now it is often left as is and is medium length and curls over the dog’s back.

Temperament:

The Schnauzie is a seriously intelligent dog and this makes them highly trainable so that he can obey quite a few commands. These dogs get bored easily and will require exercise and games that will stimulate him mentally and physically.

They’re alert too, and will bark in warning at any intruders, making them excellent watchdogs. Other notable characteristics are courage and stamina and they have been used for search and rescue work.

These dogs have strong personalities, and are inclined to be stubborn so you want to be sure that they are trained and socialized. This makes them more amicable to be around – they’re obedient and know their place.

Even though the Billy Breed is very rare and faced potential extinction it is a terrific sporting dog who loves children, other dogs, and adults. He could be a good family dog if his exercise needs are met. He is social, gregarious, and gentle with people. They are happiest in a pack and do not do well in a one dog household. They form extremely strong bonds with their people and household. They are friendly and outgoing. This makes them a poor choice for guard dog. They have an exceptionally well-developed prey drive do they might be aggressive toward any animal smaller than them. This includes the family cat, other smaller dogs, hamsters etc.

Energetic, strong-willed and loyal, the Schnauzer can be an affectionate friend for children in the home as well as adults.

He is cool towards strangers and he is also a bit snooty and aggressive with other dogs, but if he is brought up with them, he will show some loyalty and friendship towards them too.

Despite their history of almost becoming extinct the Billy dog is a hearty and healthy group. They do tend to get Bronchitis and colds due to the short, thin coat. Keep them indoors during winter. Another area of concern is the ears. They are prone to ear infections so keep their ears clean. They should not be exposed to cold weather. The Billy life expectancy is 10-14 years which is very good for such a large dog.

Schnauzers are very healthy dogs. Nonetheless even these dogs can succumb to some of the many dog illnesses there are.

Hip dysplasia is a common dog ailment and the Schnauzer isn’t immune to it. Hip dysplasia can be very sad in dogs as it can cripple a dog, with painful arthritis being his lot as well. It is no comfort for dog owners to know that hip dysplasia is common in most dog breeds – they are devastated when their once playful dog is brought down by hip dysplasia and exhibits signs of stiffness and pain.

Feeding

The Billy dog is large, muscular and lean. Do not overfeed him, but you can safely free feed. Watch to be sure he does not gain too much weight and if he does go to two feedings per day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this is a healthy, long-lived dog. Watch for ear infections and keep him out of extreme cold.

Exercise/Games

This is a very athletic, active hunter, who needs a lot of exercise. Daily walks are good, but he needs 45 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. Remember he was bred to hunt and loves to do so. Find activities that let him use his athletic skills and strong sense of smell. He needs a big yard to romp in. He will excel at obedience, barn hunt and agility. A lure game might be good also, but he would be happier with a scent oriented “find it” game.

Your Schnauzer will need to have his hair brushed twice a week as well as being professionally groomed. This is by hand-stripping or by clipping.

Standard Schnauzers have lots of energy and will require adequate exercise every day – walks, ball games and runs off the leash.

Check his eyes and make sure there is no discharge. Check inside the ears and make sure there is no sign of redness and discharge. Look inside his mouth for rotting teeth. Bad teeth can cause lots of health problems with a dog, not just in terms of the teeth, but bad teeth can negatively affect other parts of the body too.

You want your Schnauzer to benefit from good food, after all nourishing food contributes to good health and longevity. If you choose to give your Schnauzer one of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are, make sure it is one of the better brands with more natural ingredients, The cheaper ones are filled with toxic ingredients.

Choose food according to his age, size and activity levels. To add some variety, feed him some home made food twice a week which can be added to his dry kibble. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Try and include some raw meat into the diet. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water for him.