Miniature Pinscher
Not a small doberman: it is the older breed of the two and was never bred down from anything. The high stepping front gait is named after the hackney horse.
Photo by Daisei Iketani, CC BY-SA 4.0
Overview
The Miniature Pinscher is not a small Doberman, and the breed is older than the Doberman by a long way. It is a German ratting terrier type with a distinctive high stepping hackney gait, lifting the front feet like a carriage horse.
At eight to eleven pounds it is a toy by size and a terrier in every other respect, and it is considerably more dog than the size suggests.
Temperament
Bold, energetic and self important. Min Pins are affectionate with their families and wary of strangers, and they are fearless to the point of poor judgement.
They are escape artists, they bark, and they have a high prey drive. They are clever and trainable and they get bored fast. They are not a good match for very young children, being both fragile and unwilling to tolerate rough handling.
Care and grooming
A short hard coat, a weekly rub down, minimal shedding.
Patellar luxation, Legg Calve Perthes disease and progressive retinal atrophy occur, and PRA has a DNA test. They feel the cold badly and need a coat. Twelve to sixteen years.
Living and exercise
Forty five minutes to an hour a day plus play and mental work.
A secure fence and a house that latches, because they will find a gap. They suit flats given the exercise, with the caveat that they bark.
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