Correct Miniature Pinschers measure only 10" to 12.5" at the shoulder, but pack quite a bit of energy into a small package!!! They can be incredible escape artists, hard to housebreak and obedience train, but in the right home, with the proper training, they can be the best companion dog you have ever owned.  Loving, affectionate and playful, the Miniature Pinscher makes its own rules, but will bend to yours if treated with affection and care.

Miniature Pinschers can be good with children, if the children are good with dogs!!! While this is a Toy breed, they are not toys.  Children should always be supervised with dogs, and most especially with small dogs.  While a Miniature Pinscher will tolerate a certain amount of attention from a child, grabbing, pinching, sudden moves and aggressiveness will be met with defensive reactions.  If you have young, active children, you may want to look at larger, calmer breeds, such as the Golden Retriever, Labrador, Newfoundland, etc.  If you are in a situation where you must have a smaller dog, you may want to look into Standard Poodles, Bichon Frise, Beagles and other small to medium breeds more suited to an active environment.

One of the questions which often comes up in Miniature Pinscher rescue is the relation of Miniature Pinschers to Doberman Pinschers.  Miniature Pinschers may have been used in the creation of the Doberman Pinscher, but it is highly unlikely.  Much more likely is the probability that the two breeds are related through their common ancestor, the German Pinscher.  Miniature Pinschers bear no resemblance to Doberman Pinschers in temperament, they are *not* miniature Dobermans, and really only have a resemblance in coloring - head type, gait, and other conformational aspects are all completely different.

Many more questions regarding the Miniature Pinscher can be answered on the General Information page of the Miniature Pinscher Club of America located at: www.minpin.org.