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With the outwards appearance of a Doberman Pinscher which has been shrunk in the wash, the 'Min Pin' as it is often called actually is no relation of the larger dog.
Despite a great similarity in appearance, the Miniature Pinscher is not descended from the Doberman Pinscher. In fact this small breed is much older than the Doberman Pinscher. It was thought to have developed in Germany by crossbreeding various terriers and other dogs, including the German Pinscher and Dachshund. It was created to be sued as a ratter.
A similar looking dog to the 'Min Pin' as owner's affectionately know it, was first depicted in paintings and sculptures as far back as the 1600's. Many people confuse the relationship between the Min Pin and the Doberman Pinscher, incorrectly believing that the Min Pin is a miniaturised Doberman.
They remained a popular dog until the turn of the 20th century when during the subsequent World Wars, like all dog populations they suffered heavy losses in numbers. Since then, they have enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence in popularity, mainly in the US.
Average height to withers: Males and females both between 10-12.5 inches.
Average weight: Up to around 4.5kg for both sexes.
The Min Pin is a compact, sturdy, muscular, sleek dog belonging to the Toy Group. It has a smooth, straight and glossy coat that is quite dense, closely following the contours of the dogs body from head to toe. The coat is usually red in colour, but can also be found in black and tan or chocolate. It features small rust-coloured markings over its body, which are well defined. The eyes are dark, piercing and are slightly oval in shape. The ears are triangular and erect and were customarily docked until the change in legislations that prohibited this (in the UK and many European countries at least). This is a similar story with the tail - in its natural state, it is long and tapers away in a whip like form, set high on the back. The Miniature Pinscher has a strong and well defined muzzle and always has a black nose. Its small feet are often described as catlike in appearance. Although small and compact, the Miniature Pinscher is a sturdy dog with a well-developed chest and a muscular body.
The Miniature Pinscher is intelligent, stubborn, proud and very, very energetic! True to its terrier roots, it can also be tenacious and courageous. This is a dog which is always attentive, alert, and extremely loyal to its owner. Quick to learn and always curious, the Min Pin is easily taught, when it decides to listen to you. Though generally aggressive and possessive with other dogs, the Miniature Pinscher can get along with children and other pets, provided it is socialised with them from an early age, but they are best suited to life with older children who can understand its body language and respect it. The instinct to chase small animals is strong in the Min Pin, being as the ratting instinct is still alive in many of them. While it is not your typical docile lapdog, but it can be very sweet and enjoys a hug on lap, however, the owner should take care not to give into the temptation to 'baby' it as is often the case with small dogs. By doing this, the boundaries of leadership can be blurred and the Min Pin can easily take advantage of this. This dog is a prolific chewer and needs to be watched carefully to ensure that choking does not occur as it will have a go at anything left lying around. Constant mental and physical stimulation are required otherwise this dog can become very bored - regular walks and access to toys are required to keep it on track, otherwise it can become quite destructive with little to occupy its mind.
In good health, the Min Pin can live until the age of 15 years, but some have been known to exceed this by as much as 5 years. They suffer from few hereditary complaints and are regarded as a healthy breed with few serious diseases being recorded routinely in this breed.
The short and hard coat of this dog is very low impact in terms of grooming with many owners choosing to simply wipe over the coat with a damp cloth each week and occasional grooming with a soft bristled brush.
This is a small dog which can happily live in a smaller home, but it does have quite a high energy drive for its size and therefore requires at least a good, daily walk to keep it stimulated and fit, but ideally two walks a day will be better.
