Pawscessories is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.
Learn more.
Barking and howling are quite common with schnauzers. But when it comes to your schnauzer grunting and groaning, these are peculiar sounds. What do grunts and groans mean? And why on earth are they grunting in the first place?
Why Do Schnauzers Grunt:
A schnauzer will grunt and groan for a variety of reasons. Some less serious reasons are they want your attention, they’re dreaming, they’re very expressive, or they’re disappointed. More serious reasons for a schnauzer to grunt are they’re overweight, in pain, or depressed.
In this post you’ll discover the 9 most common reasons why your schnauzer is grunting, whether they do it on purpose or not as well as 3 simple tips to stop or reduce their grunting & groaning.
Let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
Top 9 Reasons Why Your Schnauzer Grunts & Groans
1) They Want Your Attention
Dogs are really good at picking up on patterns.
If everytime they grunt and groan you give them some attention, they’ll keep doing it.
Much of what your schnauzer does when they’re bored is to get your attention.
And grunting and groaning is no exception.
Whether you stopped petting them and they grunt to get you to keep going, groan because they’re lying down and want you to play, or asking to be let outside.
Attempting to get your attention is a super common reason for a schnauzer to grunt or groan.
Related Reading: 11 Reasons Why Your Schnauzer Is So Clingy And Needy
2) Doggo Dreams
Do you ever notice your pup grunting while they’re asleep?
In a sense, this is their way of sleep talking.
PetMD says that the way a dog’s brain is structured is quite similar to people’s.
And that they also go through similar stages of sleep, including REM sleep.
REM sleep is the stage of sleep that people as well as dogs have dreams.
So if you notice your dog is grunting while sleeping they could be remembering a good back scratch they enjoyed or even a game of fetch.
3) They’re Enjoying Something
You’re sitting on the couch giving your pup a good scratch behind their ear.
Their head is tilting and they even start grunting/groaning.
You might also find that if you stop they’ll turn and look at you and paw at you to keep going.
In this instance, they’re simply showing that they’re enjoying the good scratchin’ you’re giving them.
In dog language they’re saying, “Ohhhhhh yeahhhhhh”.
4) They’re Expressive
You might simply have a drama queen/king on your hands.
If ever since you’ve brought your schnauzer home, they’ve grunted and groaned over little things.
They might just be overly expressive.
Whether it’s enjoying a meal, enjoying a comfortable spot they’re lying on, having a great walk, or enjoying play time with you.
If in most situations you find your schnauzer is grunting they might simply be sharing with you their contentment.
Related Reading: 14 Reasons Why Schnauzers Bark So Much + Anti-Bark Tips
5) Overweight
If your schnauzer is noticeably overweight, this could largely be contributing to why they’re grunting and groaning.
When a dog is overweight, basic movements become much more difficult for them which makes them grunt when doing everyday things.
It could also be causing them breathing troubles which makes them make grunt-like sounds involuntarily.
In this case, while you may find their grunts and groans cute, it’s important to help them get to a healthier weight.
A quick way to tell if your pup is overweight is to look at how low their stomach hangs.
If their stomach hangs inline with, or lower than, their ribcage, they would be considered overweight.
A physically fit schnauzer will have their stomach further away from the ground than their ribcage.
6) Growing Pains
If your schnauzer is just a puppy and you’re noticing they often grunt and groan while laying down, they’re likely experiencing growing pains.
You probably don’t remember growing pains from when you were a kid. But similar to you, your doggo is experiencing their biggest growth spurt.
Their muscles are getting bigger, bones are growing and same with all their organs.
And this can cause some discomfort which makes them groan in pain.
The pain isn’t unbearable, but it’s definitely noticeable.
7) They’re Disappointed
Have you ever mentioned the word ‘walk’ in front of your pup only to then sit on the couch and continue watching TV?
Then you see them lie down in front of you and let out a big grunt/groan.
They’re likely telling you they’re disappointed.
They were excited about the potential of doing their most favorite thing in the world, and you decided right now wasn’t the time.
If they could complain, they probably would. But since they can’t, a grunt is all they can use to communicate their disappointment.
8) They’re In Pain
If your schnauzer recently injured themselves, had surgery or has an underlying health issue, they may grunt because they’re in pain.
If your pup is getting to their senior years their pain could also be coming from conditions like arthritis and general stiffness.
It’s important to inspect them to see if you can find anything noticeable on their body that might be causing them pain.
If their grunts and groans turn into whines or cries of pain, it’s important to take them to the vet.
Dog’s are quite good at hiding illnesses from their family so if you notice unfamiliar behavior it’s better to be safe than sorry and have a vet look at them.
9) They’re Sad
It’s still unclear whether dog’s experience depression the same way that humans do, but they can definitely demonstrate behaviors of being sad.
If you recently lost a family member, human or dog, your schnauzer might be grunting or groaning due to their sadness of the event.
If you notice them also isolating themselves, not showing interest in walks or other things they used to love doing, or even eating and drinking, there’s a chance they’re depressed.
PetMD shared a story of a woman whose dog demonstrated these behaviors after her other dog passed.
The only way that she was able to bring her pup out of their funk was by bringing home a friendly foster dog for a week.
After that her pup was back to their normal happy self.
Related Reading: 7 Ways To Tell If Your Schnauzer Is Depressed + Helpful Tips
3 Tips On What To Do When Your Schnauzer Grunts & Groans
1) Manage Their Weight
If your schnauzer is overweight, simple things like getting up, jumping on and off furniture or going up and down the stairs will be more challenging for them.
The increase in difficulty will likely make them grunt or groan.
Similarly to when you hear people at the gym grunting and groaning when they lift weights.
It’s because your pup is carrying more weight than they need to and requires more energy to move their body.
The best thing to do is to help them lose weight so basic, everyday movements aren’t strenuous on their body.
A simple formula to help you know roughly how many calories your pup should be eating each day to reach a lower, ideal weight is:
Their weight in kilograms (their current weight divided by 2.2)
Multiplied by 30. Then add 70.
For example, if you wanted your schnauzers ideal weight to be 40 pounds it would look like this.
40 / 2.2 = 18.18
18.18 x 30 = 545.4
545.4 + 70 = 615.4 calories per day
Of course it’s important to gradually reduce their daily calorie intake to help them lose weight rather than something drastic.
It’s also a good idea to consult with your vet to make sure your weightloss plan is healthy and if they have any recommendations.
2) Don’t Reward Their Grunts & Groans
Sometimes your schnauzers grunts and groans are quite funny or down right cute.
My pup does a long, drawn out groan/sigh that is the funniest thing ever.
And it always makes me go to her, give her some lovin’ and say, “Oh life is so hard isn’t it!”.
But my doing this is rewarding her for groaning which means she’s likely going to keep doing it.
She’s learned that a groan gets my attention, which is what she really wants.
So if you want your schnauzer to stop or slow down on the grunting and groaning, don’t do what I do! Lol.
Whenever they grunt or groan, don’t give them attention or make a big deal of it.
If they don’t get attention for doing it, they’ll likely stop doing it because it’s not working to get what they want.
3) Take Them To The Vet
Since there are many reasons why your schnauzer could be grunting and groaning, it’s a good idea to take them to the vet.
They’ll be able to take the biggest concern off the table, which is whether they have an underlying health issue.
They can let you know if it’s something serious or they’re simply being expressive.
It’s never a bad idea to have a vet look at your pup a couple times a year to ensure everything’s okay.
Bonus: Get Them a Sibling
If you think your schnauzer is grunting and groaning because they’re unhappy or bored, getting another furry friend might be a good idea.
Bringing home another four-legged friend will give your schnauzer a companion to keep them company as well as entertained.
Of course this is an added expense that not everyone can afford.
But if it’s within your budget, getting another dog could help your pup stop grunting and groaning from being bored or depressed.
Related Reading: Schnauzers Get Along With Other Dogs? 11 Breeds Reviewed
Other posts you might find interesting:
8x Why Schnauzers Are So Aggressive + 11 Tips To Stop It
7 Reasons Why Your Schnauzer Eats Everything + 5 Tips
9 Reasons Why Schnauzers Dig + 7 Tips To Reduce It
Citations:
Nutrition – General Feeding Guidelines for Dogs
