Differences and Similarities between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund.

Last Updated: May 01, 2022

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Miniature Schnauzer Versus Norwegian Lundehund: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Miniature Schnauzer and for the Norwegian Lundehund. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Miniature Schnauzer or the Norwegian Lundehund.

Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund

Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund: Overview

A very important difference between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Miniature Schnauzer is a small-sized dog while the Norwegian Lundehund is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Miniature Schnauzer belongs to the Terrier Dogs group. Terrier Dogs were originally bred to go underground to hunt rodents and other small wild animals (vermin). Terriers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but all terriers are energetic, highly intelligent, and territorial. Terries also have the tendency to escape. They require a securely fenced yard.

On the other hand, the Norwegian Lundehund belongs to the Working Dogs group. Working Dogs were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families. Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless. Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.

Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Miniature Schnauzer to the Norwegian Lundehund based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund

FactorMiniature SchnauzerNorwegian Lundehund
Does NOT Drool5/55/5
Weight11 to 20 pounds13 to 16 pounds
Life Span12 to 14 years10 to 12 years
Height13 to 14 inches tall at the shoulder1 foot to 1 foot, 3 inches tall at the shoulder
Does NOT Shed4/51/5
Easy To Groom2/54/5
Does NOT chew on things4/53/5
Good For Novice Owners3/51/5
Kid-Friendly3/55/5
Dog Friendly3/55/5
Friendly Toward Strangers3/55/5
General Health3/53/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl3/55/5
Tendency NOT to Wander3/51/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor3/52/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living4/51/5
Easygoing2/53/5
Tolerates Cold Weather4/55/5
Tolerates Hot Weather4/53/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight2/53/5
Intelligence4/55/5
Low Prey Drive2/54/5
Potential For Playfulness4/55/5
Tolerates Being Alone5/52/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Easy To Train5/54/5
NOT Rambunctious1/52/5
Minimal Exercise Needs1/51/5
Average Lifespan13.0 years11.0 years
Average Price$1950No Data
Price Range$1400 – $2500No Data
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Mycobacterium Avian Complex
  • Myotonia Congenita
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination- after the age of 24 months
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds17188
    *Data from AKC.org (The American Kennel Club),dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (The American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Miniature Schnauzer in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Norwegian Lundehund. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for the Miniature Schnauzer is 82 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Norwegian Lundehund is 83 out of 125.

    Despite the higher Better-Pet score of the Norwegian Lundehund, we still believe that the Miniature Schnauzer is a better pet than the Norwegian Lundehund.

    This is because Miniature Schnauzers are much cuter but you cannot put a score on cuteness. If you could put a score on cuteness, then the Miniature Schnauzer will come out on top.

    Also, we are biased in favor of the Miniature Schnauzer :-). We are for the Miniature Schnauzer. So get a Miniature Schnauzer!

    Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund

    Below is a list of where the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are most different:

  • Miniature Schnauzers do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies. However, Norwegian Lundehunds shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.
  • Miniature Schnauzers adapt well to apartment living. However, Norwegian Lundehunds do not adapt well to apartment living.
  • Miniature Schnauzers can be left alone for some time without problems. However, Norwegian Lundehunds do not like to be left alone.
  • The Similarities Between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund

    The Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are most similar:

  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are not prone to nip and chew at things.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund can tolerate hot weather.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are very playful.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are very easy to train.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Size Comparison of the Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund.

    The Miniature Schnauzer weighs 11 to 20 pounds when fully grown. The Miniature Schnauzer is 13 to 14 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, the Norwegian Lundehund weighs 13 to 16 pounds when fully grown. The Norwegian Lundehund is 1 foot to 1 foot, 3 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Size of Miniature Schnauzer versus Size of Norwegian Lundehund

    Lifespan of Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund

    The lifespan of the Miniature Schnauzer is between 12 to 14 years. The average lifespan of the Miniature Schnauzer is 13.0 years.

    The lifespan of the Norwegian Lundehund is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of the Norwegian Lundehund is 11.0 years.

    The Miniature Schnauzer live longer than the Norwegian Lundehund.

    Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund
    Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund

    The Popularity of Miniature Schnauzer versus Popularity of Norwegian Lundehund

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Miniature Schnauzer is more popular with dog owners than the Norwegian Lundehund. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Miniature Schnauzer is 17 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Norwegian Lundehund is 188 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Miniature Schnauzer

    Popularity of Miniature Schnauzer

    Popularity of Norwegian Lundehund

    Popularity of Norwegian Lundehund

    Year Miniature Schnauzer Popularity Rank Norwegian Lundehund Popularity Rank
    2013 17 175
    2014 16 184
    2015 16 182
    2016 17 188
    2017 18 190
    2018 19 191
    2019 18 192
    2020 19 195
    2021 18 197

    Health Problems of Miniature Schnauzer versus Health Problems of Norwegian Lundehund

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

    Both the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Miniature Schnauzer is prone to more genetic health problems than the Norwegian Lundehund.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Miniature Schnauzer than for the Norwegian Lundehund.

    4 health tests are recommended for Miniature Schnauzer while 3 tests are recommended for the Norwegian Lundehund.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Miniature Schnauzers and in Norwegian Lundehunds.

    Miniature Schnauzer Health Problems

    Miniature Schnauzers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Miniature Schnauzer puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Miniature Schnauzer puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Miniature Schnauzer breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Miniature Schnauzers for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Mycobacterium Avian Complex
  • Myotonia Congenita

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Miniature Schnauzers here.

    Norwegian Lundehund Health Problems

    Norwegian Lundehunds are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Norwegian Lundehund puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Norwegian Lundehund puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Norwegian Lundehund breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Norwegian Lundehunds for:

  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination- after the age of 24 months
  • Patellar Luxation

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Norwegian Lundehunds here.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund

    Miniature Schnauzers can be left alone for some time without problems.

    Norwegian Lundehunds do not like to be left alone.

    Do Miniature Schnauzers shed more than Norwegian Lundehunds?

    Miniature Schnauzers do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Norwegian Lundehunds shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Miniature Schnauzer or the Norwegian Lundehund?

    Miniature Schnauzers require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Norwegian Lundehunds are very easy to groom.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Miniature Schnauzer or the Norwegian Lundehund?

    Miniature Schnauzers get along fairly well with other dogs.

    Norwegian Lundehunds get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Miniature Schnauzers good family dogs? What about Norwegian Lundehunds?

    Miniature Schnauzers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Norwegian Lundehunds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Miniature Schnauzer Easier to Train than the Norwegian Lundehund?

    Miniature Schnauzers are very easy to train.

    Norwegian Lundehunds are very easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Miniature Schnauzer or the Norwegian Lundehund

    Miniature Schnauzers do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Norwegian Lundehunds do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Miniature Schnauzers and Norwegian Lundehunds?

    Miniature Schnauzers get along fairly well with kids. They are quite kid-friendly.

    Norwegian Lundehunds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Miniature Schnauzer Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Norwegian Lundehund?

    Miniature Schnauzers have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Norwegian Lundehunds have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

    Do Miniature Schnauzers Bark and Howl? What about Norwegian Lundehunds?

    Miniature Schnauzers bark and howl, but not very much.

    Norwegian Lundehunds are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Can Miniature Schnauzers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Norwegian Lundehunds Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Miniature Schnauzers can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Norwegian Lundehunds can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Miniature Schnauzer vs. Norwegian Lundehund

    Miniature Schnauzers have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Norwegian Lundehunds have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Miniature Schnauzers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Norwegian Lundehunds Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Miniature Schnauzers can tolerate hot weather.

    Norwegian Lundehunds can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Is the Miniature Schnauzer Better for Apartment Owners than the Norwegian Lundehund?

    Miniature Schnauzers adapt very well to apartment living.

    Norwegian Lundehunds do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Miniature Schnauzer or the Norwegian Lundehund?

    Miniature Schnauzers are OK for new dog owners.

    Norwegian Lundehunds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Miniature Schnauzer Versus Other Dog Breeds

    You may also be interested in how the Miniature Schnauzer compares to other breeds aside from the Norwegian Lundehund. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Miniature Schnauzer to other breeds:

    Miniature Schnauzer versus Chi-Poo     Miniature Schnauzer versus Doberman Pinscher     Miniature Schnauzer versus Xoloitzcuintli     Miniature Schnauzer versus Pomeranian     Miniature Schnauzer versus Black and Tan Coonhound     Miniature Schnauzer versus American Pit Bull Terrier     Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Buhund     Miniature Schnauzer versus Lancashire Heeler     Miniature Schnauzer versus Catahoula Bulldog     Miniature Schnauzer versus Puli     Miniature Schnauzer versus American Eskimo Dog     Miniature Schnauzer versus Biewer Terrier     Miniature Schnauzer versus Great Dane     Miniature Schnauzer versus Samoyed     Miniature Schnauzer versus Field Spaniel     Miniature Schnauzer versus Australian Cattle Dog     Miniature Schnauzer versus Lakeland Terrier     Miniature Schnauzer versus Mountain Cur     Miniature Schnauzer versus Jack Russell Terrier     Miniature Schnauzer versus Bearded Collie     

    Conclusion: Miniature Schnauzer versus Norwegian Lundehund. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Norwegian Lundehund better suits you and your family.