[New and Revised Edition]

BOOK TWO, PURE BRED DOGS:

THE RECOGNIZED BREEDS AND STANDARDS

COPYRIGHT 1935, 1938, BY THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

Group V

PINSCHERS (MINIATURE)

(Illustration facing page 652)

(By Courtesy of The Miniature Pinscher Club of America, Inc.)

     The Miniature Pinscher has been in existence for several centuries.  Their native land is Germany, but they have been bred also in the Scandinavian Countries for a long time.  The real development of the breed abroad started first in 1895 when the Pinscher Klub was formed in Germany.  This Club is now called the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub.  It gave the breed its first standard.

     From the time of the formation of the Pinscher Klub, the breed moved forward, both in type and popularity, but the real spurt began in 1905 and continued up to the World War.  The war, of course, considerably handicapped forward progress in almost everything.  After it, or beginning in 1919, the breeders and fanciers abroad again started the advancement of the Miniature Pinscher and through several importations to the United States breeding stated here on a very limited and scattered scale. 

     There were, however, few Miniature Pinschers seen at dog shows in the United States before 1928 and the real start of the advancement of the breed began in 1929 when the Miniature Pinscher Club of America, Inc., was organized.  The breed previously had been shown in the miscellaneous class in the dog shows.  After the formation of the present Miniature Pinscher Club here and its acceptance as a member of the American Kennel Club, the breed became classified under the name of Miniature Pinscher, and a considerable upswing in breeding and showing became noticeable.  The breed because of its small size has been put in the Toy Group.  This little dog’s popularity has steadily increased and as many as 34 entries of the breed often appear in dog shows.  Many times there are just as many entries as of any other breed in the Toy Group.

     Imported and American-bred dogs of this breed have won the Toy Group many times.  One American-bred dog was awarded best in the Toy Group at the Chicago show of 1935.

     Although the Miniature Pinscher is similar to a Doberman on a smaller scale, it has the nature and a way about itself suggesting a much larger dog.  Therefore, it is noted as a watch dog and will bluff itself about, perhaps, in many cases better than a dog twice its size.  It is a born show dog because of its attractive and smart appearance, and is noted for its active and lively temperament. Its gait is similar to that of a good hackney pony.  The Miniature Pinscher is most intelligent and is often used on the stage because of its style, smartness and “pep.” 

     For the above reasons and qualifications the breed has enjoyed the support of many socially prominent persons in Germany for a long time, and when the breed was finally introduced here a number of prominent people flocked to the fancy and to the support of it, many of them have become so attached to the Miniature Pinscher that they have established kennels of the, their favorite breed. 

     The owners of Miniature Pinschers will get great companionship from their pets.  The close, slick coat requires very little attention; they always look clean, and their fondness for home and master is exceptional.

     If you like a small “Pinscher” with smart appearance and full of life, see them trotting around and “showing off,” in some of the dog shows and you will have found what you are looking for.

DESCRIPTION AND STANDARD OF POINTS

(Adopted August, 1935, by The Miniature Pinscher Club of America, Inc., and Approved by The American Kennel Club)

     General Appearance. – A miniature of the Doberman Pinscher, having on a modified scale most of its physical qualifications and specification, viz., symmetrical proportions, sturdy though slim, pert, lively, attentive, with well distributed muscle formation and a carriage suggestive of an active and lively temperament.

     General Faults. – Heavy set, coarse, poor quarters, too long or short coupled, knotty muscles, lethargic, timid or dull. 

     Head. – The head should be in correct proportion to the body.  As viewed from the side – elongated and tapering, with only a slight drop to the muzzle, which should be parallel to the top of the skull.  As viewed from the top – narrow with well fitted but not too prominent foreface.  As viewed from the front – the skull appears flat, tapering forward to the muzzle.  Muzzle itself strong rather than fine and delicate and in proportion to the head as a whole’ cheeks and lips small, taut and closely adherent to each other.  Teeth in perfect alignment and apposition.

     Faults. – Too big or too small for body, too short or coarse, too long or fine or distorted, top too broad, foreface too prominent, skull too round or hollow with too much stop, poor teeth, jaws undershot or overshot.

     Eyes. – Full, slightly oval, almost round, clear and bright, dark, even to a true black, set wide apart and fitted well into the sockets.

     Faults. – Too round and full, too small or large, too bulging or deep-set, too close or far apart.

     Ears. – Well set, and placed, firm, upstanding (or when legal, cropped short, pointed and upstanding).

     Faults. – Poorly set, placed low, weak or hanging, or poorly cropped.

     Nose. – Black in black and tan, red or stag red.

     Faults. – Brown or spotted in black and tan, red or stag red.

     Neck. – Slightly arched, and gracefully curved, blending into the shoulders, relatively short, muscular, and free from throatiness.  Length from occiput to withers equal distance from nose to occiput.

     Faults. – Too straight or too curved.  Too thick or too thin.  Too long or short, knotty muscles, loose, flabby or wrinkled skin.

     Body. – Compact, wedge shaped, muscular with well spring ribs, the base line of which is level with the points of the elbows; well knit muscular quarters set wide apart, with back level or slightly sloping towards the rear.  Length of males equals height, females may be slightly longer.

     Faults. – Chest too narrow or barrel shaped, quarters too wide or too close to each other, too thin or too fat, sloping rump, swayback, roachback, wryback, hips higher or considerable lower than shoulders.

     Legs and Feet. – Straight and upstanding as viewed from the front or rear with strong bone development and small joints; viewed from side – all adjacent bones should appear well angulated with well muscled stifles, short well developed hocks, well-knit flexible pasterns, strong, well-arched and closely knit toes with thick blunt nails.

     Faults. – Bow or X-legs – too thick or too thin bone development, large joints, thin stifles, large or crooked hocks, floating knee caps, weak pasterns, spreading flat feet, feet turning in or out..

     Tail. – Set high, broad, held erect and cropped 1 to 2 inches.

     Faults. – Set too low, too thin, drooping, hanging or poorly cropped.

     Coat. – Thick, hard, short, straight, and lustrous, closely adhering to and uniformly covering the body.

     Faults. – Thin, too short, dull, upstanding, curly, dry, areas of various thickness or bald spots.

Color

     1. Lustrous black with tan, rust-red or yellow markings on cheeks, lips, lower jaw, throat, above eyes, twin spots on chest, lower half of forelegs, inside of hindlegs and vent region.  Black pencil stripes on toes.  Faults – light colored or white, very dark or sooty spots, - in listed markings.

     2. Solid yellow.

     3. Solid red or stag-red.

     4. Solid brown or brown with red or yellow markings.

     5. Solid blue or blue toned with red or yellow markings.

     Height. – Approximately eleven and a half inches at the shoulder or withers, with a slight variation permissible.

     Faults. – Too small or too large.

     Weight. – Five to ten pounds.

VALUE OF POINTS

                                                                           Points

General appearance and movement …     25

Nose …………………………………       5

Mouth ……………………….……….       5

Eyes ………………………………….       5

Ears ………………………………….       5

Neck …………………………………       5

Body …………………………………     15

Feet ……………………………….….       5

Color …………………………………     10

Coat ………………………………….     15

Tail …………………………………..       5

                                                                            -------

             Total number of points …….     100