Miniature Pinscher
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| Miniature Pinscher | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Zwergpinscher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nicknames | Min Pin, King of the Toys | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country of origin | Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Miniature Pinscher (Zwergpinscher, Min Pin) is a small breed of dog of the Pinscher type, developed in Germany. Miniature Pinschers were the first bred to hunt small mammals, especially rats. The Miniature Pinscher is also known as the "King of the Toy Dogs". 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.[1] Other kennel clubs list the Miniature Pinscher in the Toy Group or Companion Group.
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Description
Appearance
Miniature Pinschers are a cross between a Dachshund and an Italian greyhound. They are a working breed and not a toy dog, per se. Buyers should also be aware that there is no such dog as a "teacup" or "pocket" Min Pin: These are simply terms that certain breeders use to increase interest in their dogs (and sometimes the price). The miniature Pinscher also tends to have very long legs, and a small body, which can sometimes make it look quite comical. As a result of the flexible, agile body of a Miniature Pinscher, they are able to curl up in almost any position and almost always be comfortable. Having long legs and fragile bones means they are prone to broken bones, especially in the first few years of life. They should not be allowed to jump off high surfaces and be monitored when held by children. Additionally, miniature pinschers can have luxating patella, or dislocated kneecap, and should be checked by a vet for this when young. This can often lead to surgery so potential owners need to consider incurring these types of expensive bills.
Size
Miniature Pinscher breed standard calls for 10 to 12.5 inches at the withers (shoulders) with any dog under 10 or over 12.5 not eligible to be shown. The original Miniature Pinscher actually had more variance as being a cross between a smooth coated Dachshund and a Miniature Greyhound (known today as the Italian Greyhound, led to some carrying the Dachshund legs while others carried the Italian Greyhound leg creating some short and some tall. After many years of German breeding an average was maintained. Though today's standard is smaller than the original. Germans bred Miniature Pinschers until they could not stand due to small size and frailty, but there was good breeding stock left in Sweden.
Coat and color
The coat is short and smooth, with colors, according to most breed standards, of red, stag-red, and black or chocolate with tan or rust markings, in addition to the blue and fawn. Blue coats, while admitted into the UK Kennel Club, can be registered in the American Kennel Club but cannot compete in show. They still benefit from all other aspects of the AKC. The Miniature Pinscher frequently has a docked tail and cropped ears, though the AKC no longer requires ear cropping for shows. The AKC standard specifies a characteristic hackney-like action: "a high-stepping, reaching, free and easy gait in which the front leg moves straight forward and in front of the body and the foot bends at the wrist. The dog drives smoothly and strongly from the rear. The head and tail are carried high." The standard in Europe does not require the high stepping gait as the original Miniature Pinscher (zwergpinscher) did not walk in such a fashion. In Europe and Germany this high stepping gait is considered a fault.
The miniature pinscher will on occasion carry a small white patch generally located on neck or breast area. This links directly back to the original breed colouring. The Miniature Pinscher did come in Merle coloring which in the Dachshund is referred to as Dapple and in Harlequin like that found in the Great Dane. The white gene is part of the makeup of this breed; though breeders for years have fought to eliminate this gene, it is accepted by AKC in conformation and show so long as the area of white is limited to no more than 1/2 inch in direction.
Temperament
The miniature pinscher is a loyal dog that thrives on interaction. They are a "one, or two person dog". They need to feel involved, putting them in a yard and walking them 20 minutes a day is not enough. If you have a bored miniature pinscher it will eventually become destructive.
Care
- Miniature Pinschers not brought up with children may have a non-malicious problem with children; they can be yappy, but are actually being protective.
- Care should be taken in educating young people about proper handling and play. The dogs are relatively sturdy for their size but can be easily injured by rough play with a child. In addition, their high-strung temperament leaves little patience for such rough play.
- Grooming is easy, as the smooth, short-haired coat requires little attention needing only occasional brushing and shampooing.[2]
- Care must be taken in cold weather as the coat provides virtually no warmth. This also pertains to hot weather, with no guard hairs they can over heat. It is easier for them to be too cold than too hot, they usually do not like air conditioning that is set too low.
- Due to their instinct to hunt vermin, special care must be taken in preventing a Miniature Pinschers from "attacking" small objects, such as bottle caps, as they could pose a choking hazard.
- Miniature Pinschers are prone to overeating and should have their diets monitored to prevent obesity. As with all dogs feeding them once a day to prevent any problems, though you may have to put a lot down; there should be food left over.
- This breed has an insatiable curiosity, so the best toys for Miniature Pinschers are ones that stimulate their curiosity. This may include toys that move or make an interesting noise. Miniature Pinschers enjoy having a collection of such toys, which they will hoard and spend much time in moving from one collecting place to another. However, Miniature Pinschers will chew and inevitably try to eat their toys, so avoid toys made of rubber or plastic. Small stuffed animals, rope toys, and interactive toys that pose a challenge work well. Cat toys (that do not have catnip) are also suitable. As with all dogs do not give them more than three toys at the same time as they will become possessive.
- Miniature Pinschers are territorial, so they should be provided with their own place to rest and sleep, though they will commonly stake a claim to a particular piece of furniture or curtain under or behind which they will sleep when people are in the room. They prefer to sleep on soft objects as well as under soft objects, so a small blanket should be provided so they can nestle. Unless the owner is amenable to sharing his or her bed, bedroom doors must be kept closed at night as Miniature Pinschers will jump onto beds and crawl under the covers. Care should be taken not to accidentally injure a Miniature Pinscher while they are sleeping under blankets. They can easily be trained to sleep on a soft object on the bed.
- Miniature Pinschers need a medium sized yard. Daily walks are important, as is attention from their owners; a bored Miniature Pinscher will become destructive. In addition, when in public this breed must be kept on harness and leash, as it is natural for this breed to give chase if something of interest catches its eye.
- Miniature Pinschers that have more than two puppies need help for the additional puppies to feed.
History
Although the Miniature Pinscher and the Doberman are similar in appearance, the Miniature Pinscher is not a "Miniature Doberman"; it predates the Doberman by at least 50 years (although both are likely descended from the German Pinscher,[3][4] but the relationship ends there). The Doberman Pinscher was bred by Karl Frederich Louis Dobermann in 1880, and Dobermann had noted that he was looking to create a dog resembling the Miniature "Zwergpinscher" Pinscher but 15 times larger.
In 1895, the Pinscher Schnauzer Klub officially recognized Dobermann's Pinscher. At that time they also officially recognized the Deutscher Pinscher (German Pinscher) as a separate breed from the Standard Schnauzer as well as the Reh Pinscher giving it the official name Zwergpinscher. The misconception in the U.S. that the Miniature Pinscher is a "miniature doberman" occurred because the Doberman Pinscher was introduced to the US before the Miniature Pinscher. In 1919 the Miniature Pinscher was introduced to the AKC show ring. At that time, not knowing that it was referred to officially in Germany as the Zwergpinscher (dwarfpinscher), the AKC referred to the breed as simply "Pinscher" and listed it in the miscellaneous category. By 1929 (the year of the breed's official introduction into the AKC), not noting it was a true Terrier breed, it was decided to officially place it in the Toy breed classification. Unfortunately 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 US was "Pinscher" until 1972 when the name was officially changed to Miniature Pinscher.
The original Miniature Pinscher was not a true house pet but a working breed left to the barn with minimal human contact, much like feral cats on farms today. This may have contributed to the unique independent trait in the breed that is still found today.
Historical artifacts and paintings indicate that the Min Pin is a very old breed, but factual documentation begins less than 200 years ago,[5] which leaves the breed's actual origins open to debate. In 1836 (the oldest documented writings on the breed history of the Miniature Pinscher) Dr. Reichenbach determined that the Miniature Pinscher was derived from crossing a smooth coated Dachshund (a favorite German breed of the time with excellent ratting skills) with an Italian Greyhound. Additionally, many historians[6] and those who have researched the background of the breed agree that the ancestry of the Miniature Pinscher most likely includes smaller German smooth-haired Pinschers,[7] the Italian Greyhound and the Smooth Haired Dachshund.[8] Including the Italian Greyhound made a swifter ratter as this breed was primarily used on farms where open fields required a faster dog to chase down rats and mice.
It must also be noted that the word "pinscher" in German does not translate to "terrier" as many believe but pinscher in German in fact translates to "biter". The word "terrier", like "setter", pertains to the way the breed works. The word "pinscher" is taken from the English word "pincher" to describe the biting action the breed uses when holding prey, pinching manner. As with all terriers, Miniature Pinschers were bred for the purpose of killing small animals, i.e. rats, mice etc.
See also
- Affenpinscher
- Companion dog
- Companion Dog Group
- Doxie-Pin
- Toy Group
References
- ↑ Fédération Cynologique Internationale Group 2
- ↑ http://www.akc.org/breeds/miniature_pinscher/index.cfm
- ↑ American Kennel Club "Miniature Pinscher History". Retrieved 07/03/2009.
- ↑ Miniature Pinscher Club of America, Inc. "MPCA Judge's Education - Breed History & Characteristics." Retrieved 07/01/2009.
- ↑ American Kennel Club "Miniature Pinscher History." Retrieved 07/03/2009.
- ↑ Miniature Pinscher Club of America, Inc. "MPCA Judge's Education - Breed History & Characteristics." Retrieved 07/01/2009.
- ↑ American Kennel Club "German Pinscher History". Retrieved 07/02/2009.
- ↑ American Kennel Club "Miniature Pinscher History." Retrieved 07/03/2009.
External links
- American Kennel Club article on Miniature Pinschers, retrieved March 20, 2007.
- Miniature Pinscher Club of America
- Canadian Miniature Pinscher Club
- Internet Miniature Pinscher Service (IMPS), U.S. breed rescue organization
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