Miniature Pinscher

The Miniature Pinscher is a perfect alternative if you want to keep a Doberman pinscher but cannot afford one because of its large size. Breed has similar features and traits as the larger Doberman Pinscher but is only one-tenth of the size.

Despite their similarity, the two breeds are not closely related. The Miniature Pinscher is more directly relates to the German Pinscher and the AKC placed it in the toy breed group.

Weighing only 10 pounds at the most, the Miniature Pinscher does not grow beyond 12 inches in height. Don't be fooled by their diminutive size, however. Owners cannot treat these dogs as tame lap dogs. Like their ancestors, they can be every bit the aggressive and protective dogs they were bred to be.

This is a muscular and tough animal. It sports a black coat that may alternatively vary from deep brown to red and even rust in some varieties. The animal has a pair of deep brown eyes and a short-cropped tail. While some owners even like to have the ears cropped, if left alone, the ears grow pricked up, much like the tail.

This dogs have loads of energy, so even if they might fit comfortably in a small apartment, they need regular exercise in the outdoors. Be prepared to take your pet out for a daily walk to keep its spirits in moderation.

If you allow your dog to play in a yard, be mindful of the fact that these creatures are curious by nature and will try to make their way out of the yard through any gap in the fencing. This can be dangerous especially if your house is near a busy street. It’s small size also places at even greater risk of run over accidents by cars.

Although it is a small animal, and an aggressive creature. It can be irritable around small children and toddlers. You will have to restrain your pet if a stranger visits your house because it can become very aggressive towards them. If you have guests coming over and know that children will also accompany them, be sure to keep your dog safely away from them.

Obedience classes are an absolute must because the Miniature Pinscher can be extremely stubborn and difficult to control. The earlier you enroll your Miniature Pinscher the better the chances of its learning to obey a large number of commands. In addition, you can also enroll your pet for agility training because they are highly active and are popular for winning competitions regularly.

These animals are also excellent hunters and they will keep the vermin population in check.

You need to be careful about the health of your Miniature Pinscher since they are liable to suffer from problems such as thyroid, hip dysplasia and even epilepsy. These dogs also have a tendency to overeat and put on weight. Discussing the problem with a veterinarian can help as the vet could recommend a healthier diet for your dog..

The breed does not require a lot of effort for grooming. Brushing once a week is good enough. You need to be more attentive to its nails and make sure that you clip them when they get too long.

Despite being a little hard to manage, this is a very loyal breed.