White Schnauzer vs Kromfohrlander - Breed Comparison

Many troops of World War 1 and World War II would have some or other mascot that they would keep close to them as a reminder of home. The mascot would also inspire them, giving them hope to endure.

A Kromfohrlander dog, ‘Original Peter’ was one such mascot – a scruffy Terrier-type dog that army troops from the USA found in France.

This particular dog was accidentally mated with a Fox Terrier, with the breed essentially developing from the military dog from the 1940s. After 10 years of development, the Federation Cynologique Internationale accepted the breed in August, 1955.

It is still a rare breed, being found mainly in Germany.

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. 

Fondly referred to as the Kromi or the Lander, the purebred Kromfohrlander, known as a companion dog, is medium sized.

Both males and females stand at roughly 38 – 46cm in height and they weigh about 9 – 16kg.

They have two different coat types – the smooth haired one and the rough haired one, both coming with a soft undercoat. The dog is a moderate shedder. If you really want to be smart then the smooth coat is referred to as Glatthaar and the wire-haired Rauhaar. The color of the coat is white with brown, orange tan markings with the ears and part of the face mostly covered in the brown/tan markings.

The head of the dog is fairly round shaped and he has half-erect, half floppy ears. His legs are straight and firm and the medium length isn’t docked.

Temperament:

The Kromfohrlander is known for being a loving family pet that loves nothing more than staying within reach of one of his human family members. This closeness with his people means that he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside, so long as he is with his humans.

Wherever he lives though, because he is such an active dog he will require a good dose of mental- and physical stimulation. He is a docile dog, but not timid and not aggressive either, being friendly and amicable by nature. He makes a great playmate for children and is willing to get along with other pets in the home too.

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 Kromfohrländer is one of those dogs that has been bred specifically to be man’s best friend.

When you delve into his history you see that he has never had any particular role as a working- or hunting dog but that he has been bred to be a companion animal.

He can’t be left alone for too many hours as his very nature makes it that he longs to be around his human family constantly. He is therefore not a dependant dog, relying totally on his human family for his sense of well-being.

Low maintenance, easy-going, loving, devoted, lively and social, when you bring the medium-sized Kromfohrlander into your home, it won’t be long before he will have crept into your heart as well.

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.

Feisty, energetic, full of life, entertaining and comical, your Kromfohrlander is intelligent too and with good care, exercise and lots of love your dog will maintain all these good characteristics and reach anything from 12 to 16 years of age.

However, there are some dog illnesses that could affect your dog such as hip dysplasia, ear- and eye infections such as lens luxation which can actually cause loss of vision, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, bloat and others.

Dogs that are ignored in terms of getting enough exercise are prone to weight gain and this in itself can lead to joint disease and other illnesses.

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.

Grooming:

Your Kromfohrlander has two coat types - wirehaired or smooth. Don’t be overwhelmed by the brush and comb selections there are to keep his coat shiny ad healthy.

The idea is to simply choose a brush such as a bristle brush that can be used on all coat types. A brush like this will allow you to gently brush your pet’s coat to remove grass, dust and burrs and to make it a pleasant experience for your pet.

You want your Kromfohrlander to look forward to his brushing session. You can check him over for lumps, fleas and ticks at the same time.

Other grooming routines that your Kromfohrlander will need is nail clipping, checking inside and outside the ears for fleas and ticks as well as wax- and dirt build-up as well as teeth brushing. If teeth brushing for dogs is new to you there are pet groomers and even your vet who will offer this important service for you.

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.