Care for a Miniature Pinscher

The miniature pinscher is an energetic, inquiring, and demanding breed of dog. Although small in stature, at around 10 to 12 inches high at the shoulder, they are action packed and determined. Their small size makes them suited to apartment life, but only if they are given plenty of opportunities to express their love of activity and exploring. Be sure you understand all the physical and emotional needs of a miniature pinscher, also known as a min pin, in order to decide if they are a good match for you. Once you are convinced there is a min pin shaped hole in your life, here's how to keep the dog healthy and happy.

Steps

Assessing a Miniature Pinscher's Character

1. Assess how much of a hunting instinct your dog has. Miniature pinschers may look physically delicate but they are mentally tough and determined. This is because they were originally bred to be working dogs tasked with the job of hunting and catching vermin, such as rats.
   • Consider this side of their character if you have other pets, because the min pin will believe small mammals such as pet rabbits, guinea pigs, hamster or mice are actually prey that need to be hunted down.
2. Determine if your miniature pinscher has an independent attitude. This will shape how you train it. Because the miniature pinscher is a working dog it will think for itself and make its own decisions. This can lead to problems when training the dog, unless you are either totally clear and focussed about how to train or are an experienced dog handler.
   • If you are a first time dog owner who wants an easy pet that you can cuddle but not invest a lot of time into training, then a min pin isn't the best dog for you.
3. Figure out how your miniature pinscher reacts to strangers. Most miniature pinschers have a natural guarding instinct that can make them wary of strangers. This can lead to possible behavioral issues, such as guarding the door or being territorial to visitors.
   • A miniature pinscher's prowess and bravery in the face of vermin also translates into this attitude to strangers. This means that if the dog feels insecure it is more likely to express that as aggression than as hiding or running away.
4. Figure out how inquisitive your min pin is. It is also in the miniature pinscher nature to want to run free and explore. Because of this they are consummate escape artists.
   • The min pin is adept at dodging between your legs when you answer the door and escaping outside, so you need to be prepared for this.
   • If you have a yard then you need to make sure it is utterly escape proof, as a min pin will seek out the smallest gap or loose fence panel and run away.
5. Assess whether you want the dog around small children. Miniature pinschers are not an ideal dog if you have very young children. This is because the dog has relatively delicate legs and if rough-housed by a boisterous child, it could result in physical harm to the dog.
   • Another factor is the min pin's tendency to displays of aggression should it feel threatened. Young children do not always recognize the subtle early warning signs of discomfort that dogs give off. If the child ignores the signs and approaches a fearfully aroused dog, the dog is then more likely to attack.

Socializing a Miniature Pinscher

1. Begin socializing the dog as early as possible. Because of the miniature pinscher's suspicion of strangers, it is essential for the dog to be well-socialized as a puppy with all manner of people, dogs, and experiences. If you are getting the dog from a breeder, make sure the breeder has regularly exposed the dog to men, women, and children, and a wide variety of sights, sounds, and smells.
   • It is also best to choose a puppy that has been raised inside the home, rather than outside in a kennel. This will assure that the pup is confident about the noises associated with a house, such as the vacuum cleaner, washing machines, TV, and the general noises people make.
2. Continue socialization for the dog's whole adolescence. When you take your puppy home, be sure to keep up this socialization and take your new dog out and about so that it becomes confident it different situations. If the puppy is not yet fully vaccinated and cannot be put on the ground yet, then carry it under your arm or use a small pet carrier, so it can experience being alongside a busy highway or being outside a school when the children are playing.
   • Lack of socialization and experience can lead to an anxious dog, and in the case of the min pin, this can lead to aggressive behavior.
3. Plan to be around. These dogs need companionship. They do not do well when left alone for long periods. Make sure your dog has plenty of mental stimulation. Provide it with toys, puzzle feeders, and a stuffed KONG for times when you can't be with it.
4. Teach older children how to interact with the dog. Older children can be taught the body language associated with warning of arousal and so are a better match than young children. Signs that a dog is increasingly outside their comfort zone and about to attack include:
   • The dog staring directly at the person
   • Excessive yawning.
   • Excessive lip licking.
   • Hunched and cowering behavior, which then becomes more upright with the head raised and weight on the forequarters.
   • Tail held stiffly, but may wag in a slow beat (Not all tail wagging indicates friendliness).
   • Raised hackles or hair on the dog's body.
   • Snarling, raised lips, and growling.

Training a Miniature Pinscher

1. Practice firm and consistent training. The independent mind of the miniature pinscher means you need to be prepared to give firm, fair, and consistent training so that it takes you seriously. Reward-based training methods, especially clicker training is appropriate because this rewards the dog's good behavior while minimizing its levels of stress or anxiety.
2. Train your dog regularly. Teach it all the basic commands, such as sit, stay, and lay down. Be prepared to train your min pin twice a day for 10 - 20 minutes at a time, depending on the level of its concentration.
   • Always end the session on a positive note, so if its attention is wandering, give it a simple command, such as "sit" and reward when it does it. Then resume the session another time.
3. Teach a strong recall from an early age. In light of the min pin's love of running away to explore, it is vital to teach the dog to come back to you on demand. This will allow the dog to have some freedom to explore without a huge risk of it running off.
   • Remember the vital rule that if it gives you the run around and takes a long time to come back, never vent your frustration on the dog. To do so only teaches the dog that it is punished when it comes to you. This will make the dog less likely to listen next time.
4. Crate train your min pin. The dog should have a safe den to retreat to when strangers come in your home or when it needs alone time. Again, do this training with rewards, so treats in the open crate and feed the dog in the crate, so that it associates the crate with positive experiences.
   • Never use the crate as a prison or punishment for the dog, since this will stop it from thinking of it as a safe place and defeats the idea behind a crate.

Feeding a Miniature Pinscher

1. Watch your min pin's weight. The miniature pinscher is an active dog but does have a tendency to put on weight. Taking care of your min pin means feeding it responsibly so that it is neither under or over weight.
   • You should be able to identify the bones of the dog's ribs by feel, without pressing fat out of the way. Likewise it should have a tucked up waist when viewed from the side, and a curve in at the waist when viewed from above.
2. Feed a high quality dog food. The food should list a named meat as the main ingredients (the first one to three ingredients on the label). Consult with your vet about good brands to feed your dog.
   • Don't forget to give your min pin access to water at all times. A clean source of water is important for all dogs.
3. Wait between feeding and exercise. The min pin is a deep-chested breed which means it is at risk of bloat and gastric torsion, which is a life-threatening condition. To reduce the risk of GDV (Gastric dilation and torsion) always leave at least 90 minutes between feeding and exercise.

Caring For the Health of a Miniature Pinscher

1. Brush your min pin regularly. The min pin has a short coat that needs minimal grooming, although regular brushing is always a good idea. It stimulates the circulation to the skin and coat, and helps condition it.
   • Brushing also helps bond you and the dog, promoting a strong relationship.
2. Keep your min pin warm. The min pin's short coat and lack of body fat mean that it does feel the cold. Thus, in colder weather it will appreciate a jacket and make sure it has a warm bed to snuggle into at night.
3. Take your dog for regular check-ups. Being a responsible owner and caring for your miniature pinscher means having regular check ups with a veterinarian to make sure it is healthy. Annual vaccinations are also recommended, including against rabies.
   • Your vet can advise about which diseases are prevalent in your area, and therefore which to vaccinate against.
   • Also use preventative healthcare, such as parasite control and deworming, as advised by your veterinarian.
4. Have your dog desexed. If your dog is a pet, rather than a breeding animal, then consider desexing it. It is best to get a dog "fixed" before it is 6 months old. This will help eliminate the risk of some diseases, such as breast cancer in female dogs, and it will help the overall behavior of your dog, whatever its sex.
5. Consider pet insurance for your min pin. They are a pedigree dog, which means there are certain genetic conditions that are statistically more likely to occur in this breed than other breeds or a mixed parentage dog. These conditions include Legge-Perthes disease (a hip problem), luxating patellas (a kneecap problem), under active thyroid glands, and epilepsy.
   • These problems can be corrected or managed, but the costs involved can be large. Either make sure you have the financial capacity to cope with the unexpected or take out a pet insurance policy.

Tips

• Training your min pin is good for both you and the dog. These dogs have strong pack associations and expect you to tell them what to do. They will often be aggressive around larger dogs, constantly testing boundaries. They think that they are just as big, if not bigger, than the opposing animal.
• Invest in a good quality, tall, strong fence that cannot be climbed, jumped over, dug under, or burrowed through. The min pin has an extreme prey drive, and if they spot a squirrel on the other side of an electric fence, they are going to take the shock.
• Miniature pinschers are wild and have personality in spades! They always love to be the center of attention and to be petted often. They are humorous and will keep you smiling and laughing with their constant antics.
• Some min pins like to bark. If this behavior is unacceptable, you need to correct them early and often.
• Most clothing you buy for your min pin will be size Small, not XS, since they have such deep chests for their size.
• Miniature pinschers have a sense of ownership, and may hoard toys or chew treats. If you have more than one dog (any breed), you should gently work on this, as well as having plenty for everyone.
• Start teaching them good manners on a walk early. It is a good investment to get them a no-slip dog harness or train them on a small martingale collar, as they are escape artists and will easily slip normal collars and harnesses.

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