Mary Allen
The delicate and elegant Miniature Pinscher – also affectionately known as Minpin – is enjoying increasing popularity due to its small size. The small dog is not a comfortable lap dog and wants to be taken just as seriously as its larger relatives. Here in the profile, you can find out everything about the origin, keeping, and care of the agile dogs.
History of the Miniature Pinscher
The origin of all Pinschers lies in the so-called “peat dogs”, which were faithful companions of humans thousands of years ago. The dog helped people keep their houses and stables free from rats and other vermin. Later they were given a slightly more honorable job, protecting travelers in the carriage. However, they continued to be popular for ridding the barn of rats due to their alert and skillful nature. Towards the end of the 19th century, farmers gave the dog breed the name “Rattler”. The dogs were both rough and smooth-coated and came in different sizes.
Around 1870, breeders differentiated the dogs into the Pinscher and Schnauzer breeds known today. In 1895, Josef Berta called for the Pinscher Schnauzer Club to be founded. The miniature pinscher quickly set itself apart from its larger peers and became a popular companion dog in the city. Especially the fine ladies liked to adorn themselves with a small pinscher. The studbook from 1925 has 1300 entries. According to the classification of the FCI, the breed belongs together with the Dobermann and the German Pinscher in the FCI Group 2, Section 1.1 Pinscher.
Essence and Character
The Miniature Pinscher is an inquisitive, clever, and open-minded dog with a high urge to move. Despite its small size, it is an alert and persistent guard dog with a low threshold. The attentive dog is initially suspicious of strangers but quickly gains their trust. If he is not trained or exercised too little, he can bark and tend to get nervous.
His innate hunting instinct is particularly evident in small animals and should not be underestimated. The affectionate and cuddly dog is strongly influenced by a person whom he would like to accompany at all times. Due to its small size, it is only suitable to a limited extent for families with small children. However, the funky dog is friendly and loves to play for hours.
The Appearance of the Miniature Pinscher
The Miniature Pinscher has a square build, with body height and length being approximately the same. He has a muscular and elegant body with a shiny, smooth coat. The head is elongated with large, high-set V-shaped ears.
There are both prick-eared and flap-eared specimens. The natural tail has a saber or sickle shape – but unfortunately, it is often docked. The fur is very short and smooth with no undercoat. Single-colored deer red, red-brown to dark red-brown, or two-tone black with red to brown markings is permitted as coloring. In summary, he is a “mini-version” of the larger Pinscher.
Education of the Puppy
The active Miniature Pinscher requires consistent training and extensive socialization as a puppy. This is the only way the small dogs don’t become aggressive barkers and can be guided easily. Thanks to their high level of intelligence and willingness to work, training is relatively easy for inexperienced dog owners.
Playful training with plenty of mental and physical exercise is the key to success for these cheeky little dogs. They become loving playmates that you can take with you everywhere. Visiting a dog school is recommended so that the sociable dog can get to know other dogs there and later does not tend to hold power. So he can develop his personality freely within a certain framework.
Activities with the Miniature Pinscher
Unlike other dogs of its size, the spirited and lively Miniature Pinscher has an extremely high urge to move. He demands his occupation downright and is suitable for dog sports. It doesn’t matter whether it’s agility, dog dancing, or obedience – physical activity is good for small dogs. The Minpins are also always motivated for all other sporting activities – from horseback riding to hiking to jogging. The dogs not only want to be physically but also mentally exercised. An underemployed Pinscher has a low threshold, gets nervous easily, and tends to bark.