MINIATURE PINSCHER BREED STANDARD
“THE
KING OF THE TOY GROUP”
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Miniature Pinscher is structurally a well-balanced, sturdy, compact, short-coupled, smooth-coated dog. He naturally is well-groomed, proud, vigorous and alert. Characteristic traits are his hackney-like action, fearless animation, complete self-possession and spirited presence.
SIZE, PROPORTION,
SUBSTANCE
Size – 10 inches to 12 ˝ inches in height allowed, with desired height 11 inches to 11 ˝ inches measured at highest point of the shoulder blades. Disqualification – Under 10 inches or over 12 ˝ inches in height. Length of males equals height at withers. Females may be slightly longer.
HEAD
In correct proportion to the body. Tapering, narrow with well fitted but not too prominent foreface which balances with the skull. No indication of coarseness. Eyes: full, slightly oval, clear, bright and dark even to a true black, including eye rims, with the exception of chocolates, whose eye rims should be self-colored. Ears set high, standing erect from base to tip. May be cropped or uncropped. Skull appears flat, tapering forward toward the muzzle. Muzzle strong rather than fine and delicate, a proportion to the head as a whole. Head well balanced with only a slight drop to the muzzle, which is parallel to the top of the skull. Nose black only, with the exception of chocolates which should have a self-colored nose. Lips and Cheeks small, taut and closely adherent to each other. Teeth meet in a scissors bite.
NECK, TOPLINE, BODY
Neck proportioned to head and body, slightly arched, gracefully curved, blending into shoulders, muscular and free from suggestion of dewlap or throatiness. Topline back level or slightly sloping toward the rear both when standing and gaiting. Body compact, slightly wedged-shaped, muscular. Forechest well developed. Well-sprung ribs. Depth of brisket, the base line of which is level with points of the elows. Belly moderately tucked up to denote grace of structural form. Short and strong in loin. Croup level with topline. Tail set high, held erect, docked in proportion to size of dog.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulders clean and
sloping with moderate angulation coordinated to
permit the hackney-like action. Elbows close to the body.
Legs-strong bone development and small clean joints. As viewed from the front, straight and
upstanding. Pasterns strong,
perpendicular. Dewclaws should be removed.
Feet small, catlike, toes strong, well arched and closely knit with deep
pads. Nails thick,
blunt.
HINDQUARTERS
Well muscled quarters set wide enough apart to fit into a properly balanced body. When viewed from the rear, the legs are straight and parallel. From the side, well angulated. Thighs well muscled. Stifles well defined. Hocks short, set well apart. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet small, catlike, toes strong, well arched and closely knit with deep pads. Nails thick, blunt.
COAT
Smooth, hard and short, straight and lustrous, closely adhering to and uniformly covering the body.
COLOR
Solid clear 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 eyes, chest, lower half of forelegs, inside of hind legs and vent region, lower portion of hocks and feet. Black pencil stripes on toes. Chocolate with rust-red markings the same as specified for blacks, except brown pencil stripes on toes. In the solid red and stag red, rich vibrant medium to dark shade is preferred. Disqualifications – Any color other than listed. Thumb mark (patch of black hair surrounded by rust on the front of the foreleg between the foot and the wrist: on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). White on any part of dog which exceeds one-half inch in its longest dimension.
GAIT
The forelegs and hind legs move parallel, with feet turning neither in nor out. The hackney-like action is a high-stepping, reaching, free and easy gait in which the front leg moves straight forward and in front of the body and the foot bends at the wrist. The dog drives smoothly and strongly from the rear. The head and tail are carried high.
TEMPERAMENT
Fearless animation, complete self-possession, and spirited presence.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Under 10 inches or over 12 ˝ inches in height.
Any color other than listed. Thumb mark (patch of black hair surrounded by rust on front of the foreleg between the foot and the wrist: on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). White on any part of dog which exceeds one-half (1/2) inch in its longest dimension
Approved
Reformatted
Additional Tidbits of
Information about the Miniature Pinscher
(From the AKC web site)
The Miniature Pinscher originated in
The Miniature Pinscher is noted for its lively temperament and intelligence.
The Miniature Pinscher is proud, vigorous and playful, even in his old age.
The Min Pin is an ideal size for a house dog.
The Miniature Pinscher is very possessive of his loved ones, fearless when on guard, and makes an alert watch dog.