Overview
The Miniature Pinscher is a German stable ratter, not a shrunken Dobermann, though it shares the red or black and tan colouring and the sleek outline. It is a toy breed with a distinctive hackney gait, lifting the front feet high as it trots, and a reputation as the King of Toys that it does nothing to discourage.
Min Pins are fearless, curious, fast and inclined to run the household. They are affectionate with their people and suspicious of strangers, and they are notorious escape artists who treat an open door or a loose collar as an invitation.
Exercise and walking needs
Fifty minutes a day in two brisk walks suits most adults, with time to run in a safe enclosed space when possible. They have a lot of energy for their size and like a fast pace and a game, but short legs tire eventually.
The smooth coat offers nothing against cold or wet. A coat in winter is essential and a shivering Min Pin needs to go home.
On the walk
- Escaping: The dog can back out of a collar, squeeze through a gap or shoot through a gate before you notice. Use a snug harness and check gates before unclipping.
- Other dogs: Confident to the point of foolishness with bigger dogs and sometimes sharp with them. Manage greetings and avoid rough groups.
- Recall: Weak when something is more interesting, which is often. Treat open spaces as lead-on territory.
- Prey drive: Rats, squirrels and birds trigger a dash. Watch bins, hedgerows and anywhere pigeons gather.
Tips for professional walkers
- Fit the harness snugly and check it each walk; the body is slim and a loose fit comes off.
- Carry a coat for the dog and keep winter walks moving.
- Pick quiet routes with sightlines so you can see large dogs coming.
- Keep the dog off hot pavements in summer and away from icy patches in winter.
What to ask the owner
- Has the dog ever escaped a collar or harness, and which equipment do you trust?
- How does it react to larger dogs and to strangers approaching?
- Any knee or eye issues, which the breed can be prone to?