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
-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