Miniature
Pinscher Breed Standard
Toy Group
General Appearance
The Miniature Pinscher is structurally a well balanced, sturdy,
compact, short-coupled, smooth-coated dog. He naturally is well
groomed, proud, vigorous and alert. Characteristic traits are his
hackney-like action, fearless animation, complete self-possession,
and his spirited presence.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size - 10 inches to 12½ inches in height allowed, with
desired height 11 inches to 11½ inches measured at highest point of
the shoulder blades. Disqualification - Under 10 inches or
over 12½ inches in height. Length of males equals height at withers.
Females may be slightly longer.
Head
In correct proportion to the body. Tapering, narrow with well fitted
but not too prominent foreface which balances with the skull. No
indication of coarseness. Eyes full, slightly oval, clear,
bright and dark even to a true black, including eye rims, with the
exception of chocolates, whose eye rims should be self-colored.
Ears set high, standing erect from base to tip. May be
cropped or uncropped. Skull appears flat, tapering forward
toward the muzzle. Muzzle strong rather than fine and
delicate, and in proportion to the head as a whole. Head well
balanced with only a slight drop to the muzzle, which is parallel to
the top of the skull. Nose black only, with the exception
of chocolates which should have a self-colored nose. Lips and
Cheeks small, taut and closely adherent to each other.
Teeth meet in a scissors bite.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck proportioned to head and body, slightly arched,
gracefully curved, blending into shoulders, muscular and free from
suggestion of dewlap or throatiness. Topline - Back level
or slightly sloping toward the rear both when standing and gaiting.
Body compact, slightly wedge-shaped, muscular.
Forechest well developed. Well-sprung ribs. Depth of
brisket, the base line of which is level with points of the elbows.
Belly moderately tucked up to denote grace of structural form. Short
and strong in loin. Croup level with topline.
Tail set high, held erect, docked in proportion to size of dog.
Forequarters
Shoulders clean and sloping with moderate angulation
coordinated to permit the hackney-like action. Elbows close to the
body. Legs - Strong bone development and small clean joints.
As viewed from the front, straight and upstanding. Pasterns
strong, perpendicular. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet
small, catlike, toes strong, well arched and closely knit with deep
pads. Nails thick, blunt.
Hindquarters
Well muscled quarters set wide enough apart to fit into a properly
balanced body. As viewed from the rear, the legs are straight
and parallel. From the side, well angulated. Thighs well
muscled. Stifles well defined. Hocks short, set well
apart. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet small,
catlike, toes strong, well arched and closely knit with deep pads.
Nails thick, blunt.
Coat
Smooth, hard and short, straight and lustrous, closely adhering to
and uniformly covering the body.
Color
Solid clear red. Stag red (red with intermingling of black hairs).
Black with sharply defined rust-red markings on cheeks, lips, lower
jaw, throat, twin spots above eyes and chest, lower half of
forelegs, inside of hind legs and vent region, lower portion of
hocks and feet. Black pencil stripes on toes. Chocolate with
rust-red markings the same as specified for blacks, except brown
pencil stripes on toes. In the solid red and stag red a rich vibrant
medium to dark shade is preferred. Disqualifications for showing
purposes (NOT for registration purposes) - Any
color other than listed. Thumb mark (patch of black hair surrounded
by rust on the front of the foreleg between the foot and the wrist;
on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). White on any part of
dog which exceeds one-half inch in its longest dimension.
Gait
The forelegs and hind legs move parallel, with feet turning neither
in nor out. The hackney-like action is a high-stepping, reaching,
free and easy gait in which the front leg moves straight forward and
in front of the body and the foot bends at the wrist. The dog drives
smoothly and strongly from the rear. The head and tail are carried
high.
Temperament
Fearless animation, complete self-possession, and spirited presence.
Disqualifications
Under 10 inches or over 12½ inches in height.
Any color other than listed. Thumb mark (patch of black hair
surrounded by rust on the front of the foreleg between the foot and
the wrist; on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). White on any
part of dog which exceeds one-half (½) inch in its longest
dimension.
Approved July 8, 1980
Reformatted February 21, 1990
AKC
Miniature
Pinscher Club of America
