The Miniature Pinscher
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The Miniature Pinscher has been around for many centuries. Germany is the breeds native land, but it has been bred in Scandinavian countries for a long time. Real development of the breed began in 1895 when Germany's Pinscher Klub (now called the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub) was formed.
There were few Miniature Pinschers seen in American dog shows before 1928. The Miniature Pinscher Club of America was formed in 1929. They seem similar to the Doberman on a smaller scale, but they are not miniature Dobermans. The breed decended from the German Pinscher with the possibility of being crossed with the Italian Greyhound and Dachshunds. The Miniature Pinscher was a recognized breed in Germany many years before the Doberman was developed. In Germany the breed is often called the Reh Pinscher because of its resemblance to the Roe deer, a small deer that is said to abound in the forests of the Rhineland. One of the Miniature Pinscher's most attractive characterisitics is its high-stepping "hackney" gait, which would seem to verify the fact that somewhere in its ancestry the Italian Greyhound can be found.
They are a very lively breed and are very intelligent. They grow to be about 10-12 and a half inches, but have the spirit of a larger dog. They are great as watchdogs, at times even keener than dogs twice their size.
Miniature Pinschers always look neat and clean. They have a short slick coat, and are found in a variety of colors. The colors can be Solid red, stag red (red with intermingling of black hairs), black with sharply defined rust-red markings on cheeks, lips, lower jaw, throat, twin spots above the eyes and chest, lower half of forelegs, and inside of hind legs.
Grooming for this breed is very simple. Bathing and brushing as needed, as well as nail trimming and ear cleaning are usually all that is needed. These dogs tend to get cold easily, so if you plan on walking your dog daily, you may want to look into getting him a sweater.
Miniature Pinschers are very fond of their home and especially their owners-they will guard both willingly. They must be indoor dogs, there are no exceptions at all.
Health concerns with the breed include Mucopolysaccharidosis which is when certain large sugars of the body are not properly broken down. This problem results in skeletal deformities, including defects in the sternum, vertebrae and particularly the hip joints. This can also cause corneal cloudiness and facial dysmorphia.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCPD) is a disorder of the hip joint conformation. It is most often seen in the miniature and toy breeds between the ages of four months and a year. LCPD results when the blood supply to the femoral head is interrupted resulting in avascular necrosis, or the death of the bone cells. Followed by a period of revascularization, the femoral head is subject to remodeling and/or collapse creating an irregular fit in the acetabulum (hip socket) and causing stiffness and pain.
The Miniature Pinscher was recognized by the AKC in 1925.
