Miniature Pinscher

Miniature Pinscher Hair & Coat

Miniature Pinscher Health & Care

The Min Pins’ small bones tend to be brittle and extra care should be taken to keep them from jumping from high places. A common condition that this breed suffers from is Patellar Luxation. In this condition the kneecap is dislocated and the ball-and-socket joint moves in both directions. In some cases, this condition can be treated through medication, although often, surgery is required. Another common condition in the Min Pin is Legg’s Perthes Disease, a condition that makes osteoporotic and arthritic changes in the dog’s body. As the condition progresses, it is easily confused with hip dysplasia. Legg’s Perthes Disease can be treated effectively with medicines or surgery.

Miniature Pinscher Behavior

Miniature Pinschers are an assertive, active and independent breed. They are willing and capable of undertaking any task. However, they can sometimes be misconstrued as difficult or stubborn dogs, because they are very intelligent and require innovative training methods. Min Pins can get easily bored with routine and will benefit from a patient and experienced behaviourist or trainer, and a creative individual or family. As a family dog, it is best to socialise this breed at an early age with children, and other animals in the house. If this is taken care of, Min Pins can generally get along well with everyone. Min Pins also make good watch dogs, because they are alert and often wary of strangers. The Min Pin loves to overeat and, if left unchecked, can put on a lot of weight.

While Miniature Pinschers are small and make for great apartment dogs, they are also extremely active and agile dogs. They need plenty of exercise every day, failing which they can turn into cranky, even angry, restless dogs. Plenty of long walks and runs will need to make up for the time they spend inside the apartment. Min Pins are not lap dogs and should not be mistaken for cuddly indoors dogs, just because they’re tiny. They can do well in all climates but special care needs to be taken in the colder months. Their short hair tends to make them cold and they will need warmer bedding in the winter to maintain their health. Training and intelligence Min Pins are feisty little dogs, extremely intelligent and quick to learn. However, as in the case of all intelligent breeds, they can be stubborn and quite hard to train unless your methods are creative and you can keep things exciting for them. Be creative with teaching methods, socialise your Min Pin with young children and other animals from puppyhood, and you’ll have an affectionate and often hilarious little companion! Min Pins are known for being crafty escape artists, so make leash walking an integral part of your puppy training.

Miniature Pinschers are extremely intelligent breeds so do not be fooled by their stubbornness at times. If you thing that you will be able to make this breed work because of its size then you are in for a surprise. This is a feisty breed with a huge ego and you have to work around it. Training them requires patience but training them can be a breeze as well because of their intelligence. Regular training can make them excellent competitors for both agility and obedience competitions.

The best aspect about training them is that they will retain whatever you teach them. If you teach them once they will remember everything for the longer term as well. You will need to socialize them early with other dogs as these miniature dogs come with a larger than their size ego and this at times can lead to dog fights if not dealt with well. If you have this breed then you would know by now that why is it called the ‘King of Dogs’.

In addition to this they need to be socialized with children and family members early to ensure a well rounded dog. Crate training is absolutely essential when it comes to training your Miniature Pinscher. In addition to this it is absolutely integral for you to train your Min Pin to walk on a leash as they are big escape artists and it will be difficult to control them without a leash.

Miniature Pinscher Breeding

Unlike some of the other toy breeds, Min Pins are easier to breed. As in the case of all breeding, it is important to ensure that you already have enough potential adopters who will be responsible pet parents. Breeding of any sort – even that one adorable home litter – can go terribly wrong, if you realise too late that you cannot ensure the continued safety of every single puppy that is born. An average Min Pin attains sexual maturity between six to nine months of age though he or she may still be too young to have a litter. The average litter size is about three to five puppies per litter. If you are mating your dogs for the first time, you will need the help of a vet or someone who has experience with the birthing of a litter. Puppies Min Pin puppies are really tiny! As they grow and start teething, they will chew everything they can find. Provide them with appropriate toys and chewies, ideally with a mix of tastes and textures, so they can explore, learn and keep their inquisitive little minds occupied. Their short coats don’t keep them warm enough in cold weather, so make sure you provide enough warm blankets and bedding. Puppyhood is the ideal age to start training and socialising your Min Pin. 

Remember when you get a Min Pin home that this puppy will be small. The puppies love to chew so to save your prized possessions and furniture you need to give them appropriate chew toys and sticks. The sticks will also help to keep the teeth clean. These intelligent breeds are inquisitive with sight and sound so it will be a good idea to give them squeaking toys. The short coat of your Min Pin make them susceptible to cold weather so it is integral to make him or her wear warm clothes and provide enough blankets in the colder month.

These puppies will not fare well when left alone for a long time. They can turn destructive and at times injure themselves because of their high energy levels. They love companionship especially from their human counterparts. The Miniature Pinscher has high energy levels so he will love to run around in the house or in the yard. They love to play so you will have to keep him or her busy otherwise they can turn destructive. Regular walks are integral for this little pooch to ensure that its energy is well spent. It would be a good idea to socialize your pet early to ensure the growth of a well rounded dog.

Miniature Pinscher Appearance

Min Pins come with the fearless spirit of a dog almost twice their size. They have a square-built body with a deep chest and a level or slightly sloping back with a moderate tuck up belly. The coat is short and smooth, the forelegs are straight and the muscular hind legs are set wide apart. The feet are short and round with thick pads and short dark nails. The head is narrow and has a tapering skull with a flat top. The ears are set high and are carried erect on the head. The upper teeth closely overlap the lower teeth and the muzzle is strong and proportional to the head. The tail is carried fairly high on the body.