Miniature Pinscher

Miniature Pinscher
The Miniature Pinscher, the "Male monarch of Plaything Breeds", alias the Min Pin, is a strain of little dog in the Plaything family. In its aboriginal Deutschland, the dog is known as the Zwergpinscher. Pinscher, refers to a categorization of dogs bred as shielders or to seek varmint. Min Pins were first engendered to find varmint, especially rats. Zwerg, in German, means Dwarf or Midget. Pinscher, in German, means Terrier. Though the Miniature Pinscher is considered a toy breed because of their small size, their temperament resembles the terrier more.

Eventhough the Miniature Pinscher looks like a smaller version of the Doberman Pinscher it is not a "Miniature Doberman". The Min Pins origins are much older than the Doberman. The Miniature Pinscher appeared in paintings and sculptures several centuries ago. The Miniature Pinscher was introduced to the AKC show ring in 1919. At that time not knowing that it was referred to officially in Germany as the Zwergpinscher the AKC referred to the breed as simply, Pinscher. In 1929 the breed was officially introduced into the AKC. Not knowing it was a true Terrier breed, decided to officially place it in the toy breed classification. For conformation purposes the description that the AKC noted "must appear as a Doberman Pinscher in miniature" led to the misunderstanding still known today that this breed is a "Miniature Doberman Pinscher" when in point of fact it is not even related. The Miniature Pinscher and Doberman Pinscher share no common ancestry. In 1836, Dr. Reichenbach after years of study of the breed determined that the Miniature Pinscher was derived from crossing a smooth coated Dachshund with an Italian Greyhound. The goal was to make a faster ratter. This breed was primarily used on farms where open fields left for a faster dog to chase down rats and mice. The Min Pin was also used to hunt vermin in stables and farm kitchens.
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