PINSCHER: HOW SMALL CAN HE BE?

Find out how small the Pinscher can be.

This is the smallest guard dog according to FCI. The American Kennel Club (AKC) however, places the Pinscher in the group of the toy dogs. Actually, it is a little of both. As a small guardian, he sounds the alarm because of his acute hearing and singular attention. Vania Breim, from Kennel O'Breim, Cotia, SP, has had Pinschers in an apartment, and says, "he barks readily when perceiving the noise is not part of the environment's routine. But if it is a habitual noise, he sounds a quick bark at the most."

As a companion, the small size makes him a great choice for small places and apartments, where available space is enough for him to exercise, dismissing the need for daily walks. He can easily be transported in a car.

ZERO

Called a Dwarf Pinscher by FCI, and Miniature Pinscher by AKC, its height can vary. By the FCI it should be 25 to 30cm, and 25,4 to 31,75cm by AKC standard, which also specifies an ideal size (27,94 to 29,21cm). In both these standards, excellent dogs can be found, with the correct proportions.

Many people are atracted by the idea of having a very small dog, and dog dealers, aware of this market demand, produce them. This explains when Pinschers are advertised as a "zero" size, or "1". "They breed smaller individuals, to obtain even smaller dogs," says Vania. People who are not aware of the problemas this causes, end up taking them home, and even believe these are official sizes. Gladis Barck, from Kennel Kiphi, in Timbó, SP, and Christina de Oliveira, from Hefler Rander Kennel in São Paulo, calculate that out of ten people who ask for a Pinscher, nine want a "zero". When they hear there is no such thing as a "zero", they think breeder is lying because he doesn't have that kind of puppies to sell. "They think the standard sized dogs are too big, even the ones that measure the minimum allowed, 25cm," says Gladis. "I've seen a 15cm Pinscher, which is despicable," comments Joana de Oliveira, who works with Christian.

Height inferior to 25cm harms the breed, and by AKC standards disqualifies, and is considered a fault by FCI standard. The very small ones lack the typical body structure of the good Pinscher, a resistent dog, with well defined muscles. They are too thin, bones are too light, insuficient muscles and they look as fragile as they are. They are also more vulnerable to accidents. "I had a 20cm male who broke his leg because it was so thin he fell into a hole a thicker leg would never enter," says Gladis.

The female's need to have a babies taken out through surgery is also greater. "Out of my 10 females, the only one which cannot give birth by the natural means is the smalles, which measures 23cm. Imagine the bitches measuring less than 20cm," says Christian. Ailton Blois, veterinarian for the past 20 years, has done more than 50 surgeries in pregnant Pinschers. He tells us that "about two thirds of these cases were bitches that were too small and didn't have the ideal hip size, nor enough uterus dilation."

Many of these dogs who descend from breedings done exclusively among the very small individuals, have problems such as prominent eyes, round skull and fragile muzzle. However, these characteristics may appear also when they are crossbred with Chihuahuas.

INFORMATION

Purchase of Puppy: Check the parents and make sure they are as tall as the standard states they should be. Check broods coming from good sized parents, and verify how thick legs and paws are, avoiding the ones having skinny legs. Skull should be flat, not round. Distance from tip of muzzle to back part of head should be aproximately half the distance of withers to base of tail. Eyes should be dark and oval; scissors bite.
Ears: They may be operated on, or not. Surgery is performed around 4 months old.
Tail: Surgery by the 5th day, 3rd vertebra.
Colors: Several tonalities of solid colors, from tan to red, black with tan markings in the face, muzzle, above the eyes, under the chin, throat, two triangles on the chest, paws and forelegs, inner part of hindlegs, anal region and under tail. The AKC standard also describes the chocolate color with rust markings.
Standard: CBKC Standard No. 185 / 04.11.94 (translation from the FCI Standard No. 185a/ 06.25.86, except the ones mentioned as AKC.
Reading Material: The New Miniature Pinscher, by Sari Brewster, Tietjetn, Howell Book House, New York, USA.

We would like to thank our colaborators for the interviews and text review, also done by cynophilist and ACB all rounder judge Hilda Drumond, and CBKC all rounder judge José Pedutti Neto.
Research and text: Flávia C. Soares. Text editor: Marcos Pennacchi

Picture: Luiz Henrique Mendes
Owner: Kennel O'Breim