“PURE-BRED DOGS”

The Breeds and Standards

AS RECOGNIZED BY

THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

Edited by the Following Special Committee of the

American Kennel Club

CHARLES T. INGLEE, Chairman

HENRY D. BIXBY

HAROLD OBER

With an introduction by

Dr. J. E. DE MUND, President

Copyright, 1929, by

G. HOWARD WATT

Group IV

TERRIERS

PINSCHERS (MINIATURE)

     Miniature Pinschers are natives of Germany in which country they are called “Zwergpinscher” or “Reh Pinschers.”  They are somewhat similar in appearance to the Doberman Pinscher except as to size and should measure only about eleven inches in height at the shoulder, whereas the Doberman Pinscher measures in the neighborhood of twenty-four inches.  In spite of their small size they are game little dogs, full of spirit and pluck and valuable as ratters and watchdogs.  They can be conveniently kept in apartments in cities where it is necessary to keep a dog not requiring much room.  Their short coats require very little care and they can be classed as “easy kee pers.”  They make desirable pets and companions.

     NOTE:  New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts have laws which forbid the cropping or cutting of dogs’ ears, or the possession of dogs whose ears have been cropped in those States, subsequent to the enactment of such laws.

DESCRIPTION AND STANDARD OF POINTS

(By Courtesy of the Pinscher-Schnauzer Clubs of Giessen, Germany)

     General Appearance. – From muzzle to stern, trim and clean in outline with well distributed, flexible muscles that must not be knotty or bunchy.  Quick in movement, proud in carriage, alert and watchful in manner denoting eagerness and intelligence. 

     Head. – Moderately long and in correct proportion to body and not thick nor cumbersome.  Cheeks and lips to be firm and tight and in no way pendulous.  Head should have pronounced slope from occiput to muzzle and to have appearance of ruggedness rather than too much refinement.  Entire head to be well balanced and without distortions.  Jaws to be of even length, formed for clean bite, neither overshot nor undershot. 

     Nose. – To be black on the blacks and red-blacks; on the brown and spotted ones the nose may be lighter, flesh colored and spotted nose not to disqualify on the brown and spotted dogs.

     Eyes. – To be of the size to conform to head, neither too full and round, nor too small and slanting. Color of eye to be dark – nearly black, or black.

     Ears. – Well set on, pointed and stubby.

     Head Faults. – Heavy skull, short and snippy muzzle, apple-head, large or protruding eyes, uneven jaws.

     Neck. – Strong and muscular, slightly arched and sloping smoothly into shoulders without throatiness or loose skin.

     Body. – Compact and muscular, length to equal height except in bitches when body may be somewhat longer.  Top line to form straight slope from shoulders to hips.  Chest to be deep with well sprung ribs; to taper back to clean loin giving free movement to quarters.

     Body Faults. – Higher at hips than at shoulders, sway back or roach back, low stern, too sloping rump, hollow chest, too wide chest, or too slab sided.

     Legs and Feet. – Front legs and hind legs to have good bone formation, strong, firm and springy pasterns, toes to be strong, close together, well arched with black toe nails.  Well bent stifles with strong, short hock joints and wide, flat quarter muscles. From side view the front and hind legs are to stand at slight angle to body giving appearance of being ready to spring.

     Leg Faults. – Light bone, weak pasterns, crooked pasterns or hocks, crooked legs, loose shoulders or elbows, cow-hocks or legs bowed out.

     Tail. – Short and strong, set high on rump pointing upward, cropped short.

     Coat. – Short and thick lying close to body which must be evenly covered, coat must have healthy, glistening appearance.

     Color. – A. Bright black, with rusty-red to yellow markings on cheeks, lips, under jaw, a spot over each eye, two spots on chest, also markings on throat, on pasterns, and inside of hind legs and around vent.

     B. Solid yellow; solid red; and solid stag-red.

     C. Brown; blue or blue-toned with red or yellow markings the same as for A.

     D. Spotted on white body, flecked, mostly gray, with black spots and red or yellow markings the same as for A.

     Color Faults. – White on pasterns, chest, eyebrows or on parts as indicated for A.  White marking not to disqualify on D.  If yellowish white or grayish white, to be counted as faults on D.

     Height. – Ideal shoulder height eleven inches, but moderate variations not to disqualify.