The Miniature Pinscher

The Miniature Pinscher, also known as the Min Pin by fanciers, is a toy breed of dog. Miniature Pinschers were first bred to hunt vermin, especially rats. In its native Germany, the dog is known as the Zwergpinscher. Pinscher is the German word for biter and Zwerg means Dwarf in German. The Miniature Pinscher is also known as the "King of the Toy Dogs". Though the Miniature Pinscher is considered a toy breed, it is in fact one of the oldest of the terrier breeds.

• Although the breed is not necessarily bad with children, much care must be taken in educating youths about proper handling and play. Although relatively sturdy for their size, they can be easily injured by rough play with a child. In addition, their high-strung temperament leaves little patience for such rough play.
• Grooming is easy, as the smooth, short-haired coat requires little attention. Care must be taken in colder weather as the coat provides virtually no insulation from the cold.
• Due to their instinct to hunt vermin, special care must be taken in preventing a Miniature Pinscher from "attacking" small objects, such as bottle caps, as they could pose a choking hazard.
• Miniature Pinschers are also prone to overeating and should have their diets monitored to prevent obesity.
• This breed has an insatiable curiosity, so the best toys for Miniature Pinschers are ones that stimulate their curiosity. This may include toys that move or make an interesting noise. Miniature Pinschers enjoy having a collection of such toys, which they will hoard and spend much time in moving from one collecting place to another.
• Miniature Pinschers are territorial, so they should be provided with their own place to rest and sleep, though they will commonly stake a claim to a particular piece of furniture or curtain under or behind which they will sleep when people are in the room. They prefer to sleep on soft objects as well as under soft objects, so a small blanket should be provided to cover them. Unless the owner is amenable to sharing his or her bed, bedroom doors must be kept closed at night as Miniature Pinschers will jump onto beds and crawl under the covers. Care should be taken not to accidentally injure a Miniature Pinscher while they are sleeping under blankets.

It is essential due to the energy level of this breed that a secured fenced yard be provided. Miniature Pinschers need to exercise regularly. In addition, due to the nature of this breed, when in public this breed must be kept on harness and leash. It is natural for this breed to bolt if something of interest catches its eye. It is better to use a harness as a collar can hurt the dog's neck when he or she bolts.