BEES-N-TEES
KENNEL & STORE
Miniature Pinscher History

The Miniature Pinscher is not a scaled-down, version of
anything, especially the much larger Doberman Pinscher,
although both are likely descended from the German
Standard Pinscher. It is a distinctly German breed often
referred to as the Zwerg or Dwarf Pincher in historical
documents. German Kennel Club documents also refer to
the Miniature Pinscher as the "reh" Pinscher, but this term is
only used for a dog of stag-red color, "reh" referring to a
small red deer found in German forests years ago. The one
fact remains that the Miniature Pinscher originated several
centuries ago as an efficient barnyard ratter, with no
relation to the Doberman or the Manchester Terrier.

Historical artifacts and paintings place the Min Pin as a very
old breed, but factual documentation began less than 200
years ago, leaving his actual origins to debate. The
Miniature Pinscher is reported to include the Dachshund
and Italian Greyhound among its ancestors. Many
historians and those who have researched the background of
the breed agree that this heritage is most likely, adding the
shorthaired German Pinscher to the family tree.

Until the early 1900's Miniature Pinscher popularity was
primarily contained in Germany and the Scandinavian
countries but has gained great popularity in the US since the
first one was registered with the AKC in 1925. Originally in
the Terrier Group and reclassified as a Toy in 1930, the
official name was changed from Pinscher (Toy) to
Miniature Pinscher in 1972.