The Miniature Pinscher is a "miniature Doberman" and not a separate breed.

The misconception that the Miniature Pinscher is a "miniature Doberman" occurred because the Doberman Pinscher (a breed developed by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann around 1890) was introduced to the US before the Miniature Pinscher. In 1919 the Miniature Pinscher was introduced to the AKC show ring. At the time, not knowing that it was referred to officially in Germany as the Zwergpinscher (little biter), the AKC referred to the breed as simply "Pinscher" and listed it in the miscellaneous category. When the Miniature Pinscher Club of America (MPCA) was created in 1929 (the year of the breed's official introduction into the AKC), they petitioned for Miniature Pinschers to be placed in the Toy group. The AKC's description, that the dog "must appear as a Doberman in miniature", led to the misconception common today that this breed is a "Miniature Doberman Pinscher".

The original name for this breed in the US was "Pinscher (Toy)" until 1972 when the name was officially changed to Miniature Pinscher.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

26 Comments

JRW

The pictured dog did not look like a doberman to me. So based on that, I'd have been surprised if the answer was true.

Char

I figured it was different

earlepg

The Doberman Pinscher (large), German Pinscer (middle size), and Miniture Pinscher (small) are all unrelated. They are bred from different mixtures of parent breeds. The AKC (American Kennel Club) puts the Doberman Pinscher and German Pinscher in the Working Group and the Miniature Pinscer in the Toy Group.

nzscubadiver

Ambiguous question, needs fixing

Sheila Robinson

momwantstotalktoo, Is that because she will be a “little biter”?

Judy Wilson

I’ve always just heard them called Minsture Doberman Pinschers

Jacky Pierce Friedman

Love Min Pins. We have 3 of them. Al from the same parents but different litters. And they all look different. One is black and tan. One is all tan and the other is the size of a dachshund and all black. All sweethearts. All girls.