Miniature Pinscher | |||||||||||||
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![]() Miniature Pinscher | |||||||||||||
Other names | Zwergpinscher | ||||||||||||
Common nicknames | Min Pin, King of the Toys | ||||||||||||
Origin | Germany | ||||||||||||
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Dog ( domestic dog ) |
The Miniature Pinscher, also known as the Zwergpinscher and Mini Pin, is a small breed of dog of the pinscher type originating in Germany. While the breed's visual similarities to the Toy Manchester Terrier, which somewhat resembles the Pinscher breeds, remain a matter of controversy, genetic research (published in 2017) has shown that the two breeds have shared, unique ancestry. [1] The ancestors of the Toy Manchester and Miniature Pinscher may have become geographically separated many centuries ago and retained similarities simply through breeding selection for the same traits; nevertheless, the 2017 research also showed that the two breeds remain more closely related to each other than to other breeds. [2] The breed's ancestors may also include the German Pinscher, Italian greyhounds and dachshunds. [3] The Miniature Pinscher's known origins are in Germany, where it was often referred to as the Zwerg Pinscher (Dwarf Pincher) in historical documents. German Kennel Club documents also refer to the Miniature Pinscher as the "reh" Pinscher, but this term is only used for a dog of stag-red color, "reh" referring to a small red deer formerly found in German forests. The Miniature Pinscher originated several centuries ago as an efficient barnyard ratter.
Historical artifacts and paintings place the Miniature Pinscher as a very old breed, but factual documentation began less than 200 years ago, leaving its actual origins to debate. Many historians and those who have researched the background of the breed agree that this heritage is most likely correct, adding the shorthaired German Pinscher to the family tree. The international kennel club, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, lists the Miniature Pinscher in Group 2, Section 1.1 Pinscher, along with the Dobermann, the German Pinscher, the Austrian Pinscher, and the other Toy Pinscher, the Affenpinscher. [4] Other kennel clubs list the Miniature Pinscher in the Toy Group or Companion Group.
The misconception that the Miniature Pinscher is a "miniature Doberman" occurred because the Doberman Pinscher (a breed developed by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann around 1890) was introduced to the U.S. before the Miniature Pinscher. In 1919, the Miniature Pinscher was introduced to the AKC show ring. At the time, not knowing that it was referred to officially in Germany as the Zwergpinscher (little biter), the AKC referred to the breed as simply "Pinscher" and listed it in the miscellaneous category. When the Miniature Pinscher Club of America (MPCA) was created in 1929 (the year of the breed's official introduction into the AKC), they petitioned for Miniature Pinschers to be placed in the Toy group. The AKC's description, that the dog "must appear as a Doberman in miniature," led to the misconception common today that this breed is a "Miniature Doberman Pinscher".
The original name for this breed in the U.S. was "Pinscher (Toy)" until 1972 when the name was officially changed to Miniature Pinscher. [5]
Documentation of this breed begins less than 200 years ago. [3] They were used traditionally to hunt mice, lizards, small birds, rabbits, pests and vermin and were hunting dogs.There is a drawing by Jean Bungartz, published in 1888 comparing the Miniature Pinscher to the German Pinscher.
The Miniature Pinscher is structurally a well balanced, sturdy, compact, short-coupled, smooth-coated dog. They are naturally well groomed, vigorous and alert. Characteristic traits are their hackney-like action, fearless animation, complete self-possession, and spirited presence. Legs should be straight with no bending in or out. They are also known to have separation anxiety. [6] The Miniature Pinscher frequently has a docked tail and cropped ears, though the AKC no longer requires ear cropping for shows. They can also sometimes have natural erect ears.
According to the American Kennel Club, the Miniature Pinscher should be 10–12+1⁄2 inches (25–32 cm) high with most desirable height 11–11+1⁄2 inches (28–29 cm) at the highest point of the shoulder blades. Length is equal to height, though females may be slightly longer. [6] The ideal weight is 8–10 pounds (3.6–4.5 kg). [7] There are also Teacup Miniature Pinschers, which are about half the size of normal Miniature Pinschers.
The coat is short and smooth, with no undercoat. Available colors include solid red, stag red, blue stag red, chocolate stag red, fawn stag red, as well as black, grey, chocolate, blue, and fawn with tan points or rust points. For showing in the United States, the AKC disqualifies all colors but the solid or stag red and the black or chocolate with rust points. [8] The Pinscher-Schnauzer Club, which maintains the standard for showing in Germany, has the same restrictions. [9] In the UK, blue with rust points is allowed in the show ring. [10] White spots larger than half an inch or black spots on the points are disqualifications for showing in most countries. Merle is not an accepted coloring of the breed.
Grooming is easy, as the smooth, short-haired coat requires little attention, needing only occasional brushing and shampooing. [6] Care must be taken in cold weather. Sweaters or baby blankets can help keep a Miniature Pinscher from getting too cold. [11] Miniature Pinschers are an active breed and need access to a fenced yard, or be given a daily walk. [12] Some Miniature Pinschers are prone to becoming overweight, so it is necessary to watch calorie consumption and weight level. [13] Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. [13]
Miniature Pinschers are for experienced dog owners. Many people underestimate the care, time, and effort needed in order to raise a Miniature Pinscher. The Miniature Pinscher is an assertive, outgoing, active, and independent breed. [12] Miniature pinschers are energetic and need a fenced yard to run in; they make great agility dogs. They are great escape artists and some recommend having a kennel with a lid on it for them to run around in. [12] They are good watchdogs, as they are alert and wary of strangers. [6] [14] They can easily alert their owners of someone's presence, their happiness or their loneliness with their frequent high-pitched bark. [15] It is recommended that adults and teenagers, rather than young children, play with a Miniature Pinscher as younger children play rough.[ citation needed ] Miniature Pinschers are a stubborn breed when it comes to training, but once trained they will obey commands well.
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.7 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds. [16] A 2024 Italian study found a life expectancy of 11 years for the breed compared to 10 years overall. [17]
The dachshund, also known as the wiener dog or sausage dog, badger dog and doxie, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired. Coloration varies.
The Affenpinscher is a German breed of small toy dog of Pinscher type. Originally developed as a mouser, the Affenpinscher is now commonly found as a companion worldwide.
The Fédération Cynologique Internationale is the largest international federation of national kennel clubs and purebred registries. The FCI is based in Thuin, Belgium and has 98 members and contract partners.
The Miniature Schnauzer is a breed of small dog of the Schnauzer type that originated in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century. Miniature Schnauzers may have been developed from the smallest specimens of the Standard Schnauzer, or crosses between the standard and one or more smaller breeds such as the Affenpinscher, Miniature Pinscher, and Poodles, as farmers bred a small dog that was an efficient ratting dog. They are described as "spunky" but aloof dogs, with good guarding tendencies without some guard dogs' predisposition to bite. Miniature Schnauzers are recognized in four colors internationally: solid black, black and silver, salt and pepper, and white.
The Poodle, called the Pudel in German and the Caniche in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is not universally recognised. They have a distinctive thick, curly coat that comes in many colors and patterns, with only solid colors recognized by breed registries. Poodles are active and intelligent, and are particularly able to learn from humans. Poodles tend to live 10–18 years, with smaller varieties tending to live longer than larger ones.
The Toy Manchester Terrier is a breed of dog, categorized as a terrier. The breed was bred down in size in North America from the Manchester Terrier, and is placed in the Toy Group by the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club. Neither the Fédération Cynologique Internationale nor The Kennel Club recognize a Toy variety of the Manchester Terrier.
Toy dog traditionally refers to a very small dog or a grouping of small and very small breeds of dog. A toy dog may be of any of various dog types. Types of dogs referred to as toy dogs may include spaniels, pinschers and terriers that have been bred down in size. Not all toy dogs are lap dogs.
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a dog breed which was developed in the Swiss Alps. The name Sennenhund refers to people called Senn or Senner, dairymen and herders in the Swiss Alps. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are almost certainly the result of indigenous dogs mating with large mastiff-type dogs brought to Switzerland by foreign settlers. It was assumed to have almost died out by the late 19th century, since its work was being done by other breeds or machines, but was rediscovered in the early 1900s.
A Schnauzer is a dog breed type that originated in Germany from the 14th to 16th centuries. The term comes from the German word for "snout" and means colloquially "moustache", or "whiskered snout", because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout. Initially it was called Wire-Haired Pinscher, while Schnauzer was adopted in 1879.
The Pinscher is a group of German dog breeds, developed originally as ratters on farms or as guard dogs. In the twenty-first century they are commonly kept as companion animals.
The Schnauzer or Mittelschnauzer is a German breed of dog in the Pinscher and Schnauzer group. It is characterised by an abundant bristly beard and whiskers, usually lighter than the coat. It is one of three Schnauzer breeds, the others being the Giant Schnauzer or Riesenschnauzer, and the Miniature Schnauzer or Zwergschnauzer. In Germany it is an endangered breed, and is listed in category III of the Rote Liste of the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen.
The Giant Schnauzer is a breed of dog developed in the 17th century in Germany. It is the largest of the three breeds of Schnauzer—the other two breeds being the Standard Schnauzer and the Miniature Schnauzer. Numerous breeds were used in its development, including the black Great Dane, the Bouvier des Flandres, and the German Pinscher. Originally bred to assist on farms by driving livestock to market and guarding the farmer's property, the breed eventually moved into the city, where it worked guarding breweries, butchers' shops, stockyards and factories. It was unknown outside of Bavaria until it became popular as a military dog during World War I and World War II.
The Dobermann is a German breed of medium-large domestic dog of pinscher type. It was originally bred in Thuringia in about 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector. It has a long muzzle and – ideally – an even and graceful gait. The ears were traditionally cropped and the tail docked, practices which are now illegal in many countries.
The German Pinscher or Deutscher Pinscher is a German breed of terrier in the Pinscher and Schnauzer group. It shares common origins with the Schnauzer, of which it is essentially a short-haired equivalent. It is seen in two colours, either black-and-tan or self-coloured red, this varying from deer-red to a dark reddish brown.
The Austrian Pinscher is a medium-sized breed of pinscher-type dog from Austria, where dogs of the type were originally farm dogs, keeping barns free of rats and acting as home guards, livestock guardians, and drovers. The name originally given to the breed in 1928 was the Österreichischer Kurzhaarpinscher to differentiate it from similarly named breeds, but today in its country of origin the breed is officially called the Österreichischer Pinscher, or Austrian Pinscher in English.
The Russian Toy is a very small breed of dog originally bred in Russia from the English Toy Terrier. There are two types of coats in the breed: smooth coat and long coat. The smooth-coated variety was previously known as the Russian Toy Terrier and long-coated as the Moscow Long-Haired Toy Terrier. Both were brought together under the same Russian Toy Terrier name in 1988 and the "Terrier" was dropped from the name when the breed was added in 2006 to the official list of breeds registered with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. The breed has been registered in the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 2008, and has been allowed to compete in AKC companion events since 2010. The first official breed standard of the two varieties was written in 1966 in Russia.
The Dutch Smoushond is a small breed of dog, related to the Pinscher and Schnauzer breed type kept in stables to eliminate rats and mice in Germany and the Netherlands. It is very rare and not well known outside the Netherlands, its country of origin.
The Kennel Club of India is a registry of purebred dogs in India. As well as maintaining a registry of pedigrees, the club promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including annual dog shows and specialty shows. The Kennel Club of India is a member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
Cropping is the removal of part or all of the external flaps of an animal's ear. The procedure sometimes involves bracing and taping the remainder of the ears to train them to point upright. Almost exclusively performed on dogs, it is an old practice that was once done for perceived health, practical or cosmetic reasons. Veterinary science states there is no medical or physical advantage to the animal from the procedure, leading to concerns of animal cruelty over performing unnecessary surgery on animals. In modern times, cropping is banned in many nations, but is still legal in a limited number of countries. Where permitted, it is seen only in certain breeds of dog, such as pit bull and bull terrier type breeds, the Doberman Pinscher, Schnauzer, Great Dane, Boxer and Cane Corso.
The Miniature American Shepherd, frequently abbreviated MAS, is a small herding dog breed. The MAS is highly intelligent and biddable. The breed is often trained for dog sports such as herding, agility, obedience, canine freestyle, flyball, and others. The Miniature American Shepherd was recognised by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2015 and is the club's 186th breed. In September 2019, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) officially accepted the breed.