Kennel Club Breed
Standard for the
Miniature Pinscher

The Breed Standard
A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance including the correct colour of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

From time to time certain conditions or exaggerations may be considered to have the potential to affect dogs in some breeds adversely, and judges and breeders are requested to refer to the Breed Watch information related to this breed for details of any such current issues. If a feature or quality is desirable it should only be present in the right measure. However, if a dog possesses a feature, characteristic or colour described as unacceptable, it must not be rewarded in the show ring.

Last updated January 2025 (reproduced by kind permission of the Kennel Club)

General appearance
Well-balanced, sturdy, compact, elegant, short-coupled, smooth-coated toy dog. Naturally well groomed, proud, vigorous and alert.
Characteristics
Precise hackney gait, fearless animation, complete self-possession and spirited presence.
Temperament
Fearless and alert.
Head and skull
More elongated than short and round. Narrow, without conspicuous cheek formation. In proportion to body. Skull flat when viewed from front. Muzzle rather strong and proportionate to skull. Nostrils well formed. Nose black with the exception of chocolate and blue in which it may be self-coloured.
Eyes
Oval, giving an alert and keen expression. Neither prominent nor deep set. Black to dark brown according to coat colour. Eye rims black in black or red dogs and correspondingly lighter in chocolate or blue dogs. Round, prominent or light eyes highly undesirable in any coat colour.
Ears
Set on high, as small as possible, erect or dropped.
Mouth
Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Neck
Strong yet graceful, slightly arched. Well fitted into shoulders. Free from throatiness.
Forequarters
Forechest well developed and full, moderately broad; shoulders clean, sloping with moderate angulation. Legs straight, medium bone, elbows close to body.
Body
Square, back line straight, sloping towards rear. Belly moderately tucked up. Ribs well sprung, deep rather than barrelled. Viewed from top slightly wedge shaped.
Hindquarters
Parallel and wide enough apart to fit in with a properly built body. Hindquarters well developed, muscular with good sweep of stifle, and hocks turning neither in nor out. Legs straight, medium bone.
Feet
Cat-like; nails dark.
Tail
Previously customarily docked.
Docked: Short. Continuation of topline. Carried a little high.
Undocked: Continuation of topline. Set and carried a little high. Length to give an overall balanced appearance.
Gait/movement
Co-ordinated to permit a true hackneyed action.
Coat
Smooth, hard and short. Straight and lustrous. Closely adhering to and uniformly covering body. Hair forming ridge on any part of head, body or legs highly undesirable.
Colour
Black, blue, chocolate with sharply defined tan markings on cheeks, lips, lower jaw, throat, twin spots above eyes and chest, lower half of forelegs, inside of hindlegs and vent region, lower portion of hocks and feet. All above colours have black pencilling on toes without thumb marks except chocolates which have brown pencilling. Solid red of various shades. Slight white on chest permissible but undesirable.
Size
Height from 25-30 cms (10-12 ins) at withers.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Sample tab
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Kennel Club Breed Standard for the Miniature Pinscher

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Well balanced, sturdy, compact, elegant, short-coupled, smooth-coated toy dog.  Naturally well groomed, proud, vigorous and alert

CHARACTERISTICS

Precise hackney gait, fearless animation, complete self-possession and spirited presence.

TEMPERAMENT

Fearless and alert.

HEAD AND SKULL

More elongated than short and round.  Narrow, without conspicuous cheek formation.  In proportion to body.  Skull flat when viewed from front.  Muzzle rather strong and proportionate to skull.  Nostrils well formed.  Nose black with the exception of chocolate and blue in which it may be self-coloured.

EYES

Fitting well into face.  Neither too full nor round, nor too small or slanting.   Black or nearly black.

Black & Tan

mitch

EARS

Set on high, as small as possible, erect or dropped.

MOUTH

Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

NECK

Strong yet graceful, slightly arched.  Well fitted into shoulders.  Free from throatiness.

FOREQUARTERS

Forechest well developed and full, moderately broad; shoulders clean, sloping with moderate angulation.  Legs straight, medium bone, elbows close to body.

BODY

Square, back line straight, sloping towards rear.  Belly moderately tucked-up.  Ribs well sprung, deep rather than barrelled.  Viewed from top slightly wedge-shaped.

HINDQUARTERS

Parallel and wide enough apart to fit in with a properly built body.  Hindquarters well developed, muscular with good sweep of stifle, and hocks turning neither in nor out.  Legs straight, medium bone.

FEET

Cat-like; nails dark.

 Chocolate & Tan

chocpin

 

TAIL Customarily docked. 

Docked: Short.  Continuation of topline.  Carried a little high.

Undocked: Continuation of topline.  Set and carried a little high.  Length to give an overall balanced appearance. ( As of April 2007 there is now a ban on docking in the UK)

GAIT/MOVEMENT

Co-ordinated to permit a true hackneyed action.

Undocked dog

tails

 

COAT

Smooth, hard and short.  Straight and lustrous.  Closely adhering to and uniformly covering body.  Hair forming ridge on any part of head, body or legs highly undesirable.

COLOUR

Black, blue, chocolate with sharply defined tan markings on cheeks, lips, lower jaw, throat, twin spots above eyes and chest, lower half of forelegs, inside of hindlegs and vent region, lower portion of hocks and feet.  All above colours have black pencilling on toes without thumb marks except chocolates which have brown pencilling.  Solid red of various shades.  Slight white on chest permissible but undesirable.

 Redreds

SIZE

Height from 25.5 – 30cm (10 – 12in) at withers.

FAULTS

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

NOTE

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

(reproduced by kind permission of the Kennel Club)