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Breed Standard
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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 12 1/2 inches in height allowed, with desired height 11 inches to 11
1/2 inches measured at highest point of the shoulder blades. Disqualification - Under
10 inches or over 12 1/2 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 fore legs, 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, rich vibrant medium to dark shade is preferred. Disqualifications - 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.
Fearless animation, complete self-possession, and spirited presence.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Under 10 inches or over 12 1/2 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 (1/2) inch in its longest dimension.
Approved July 8, 1980
Reformatted February 21, 1990
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