Instructions
Look at the well-balanced general appearance of this breed. It packs a lot of dog in a compact body, making it sturdy and spirited. This breed stands 10 to 12 ½ inches at the withers. The females are generally longer than the males.
Make sure the rest of the body is proportionate, starting with the neck. The body should arch slightly into the muscular shoulders. There is no dewlap. The deep chest reaches to the elbows. There should be no front dewclaws and the small feet are cat-like, leading to arched toes protected by deep pads. The rear dewclaws are also removed and the rear feet are the same as the front, small and cat-like with arched toes and thick pads. The high-set tail is docked and held up.
Check the head of the Miniature Pinscher. The slightly oval eyes are dark, almost black. The ears stand straight up and may be cropped or natural. The strong muzzle is proportionate to the rest of the head. The nose is black, unless the dog is chocolate, in which case the nose is self-colored.
Pet the smooth coat. It is straight, hard and short. It should be a solid red, but may have some black hairs mixed into it. The Miniature Pinscher may also be black with rusty markings on the lips, lower jaw, cheeks, throat, over the eyes and the legs. Chocolate dogs with rust markings have black lines on their toes.
How to Identify a Miniature Pinscher
The Miniature Pinscher is an animated, demanding little breed. It likes to bark and is quite courageous for its size. This high-energy breed is very loyal to its family and is stand-offish with strangers, unless the dog is heavily socialized at an early age. The Miniature Pinscher is a fast learner and would do well with obedience classes. Care should be taken to be sure small items are not in reach of this breed, as it likes to chew and may choke on non-edible pieces.