But it was not always so. The breed has gone through many changes since its primitive days, between extremes.

At times in the 18th century, the highest ideal German breeders sought was "smallness, for which they sacrificed everything else."¹ The breed was tiny, frail, and was judged sitting on pillows or in cages, as little more than a lapdog without strength. The original breed standard of 1880 said very little about body structure, and focused mostly on head and color.

Things began to change after the breed got its official start in 1895, at the founding of the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub of Germany (PSK). One founder of the PSK, Joseph Berta, had the most influence on the development of the early Miniature Pinscher.

Mr. Berta, also a judge, guided the breed away from the tiny, unsound dogs favored by the public, and brought them toward their stronger ideal. At shows, Mr. Berta required that the breed be exhibited walking. He rewarded the dogs most solidly developed, and these stronger dogs were selected for breeding.

His demand for quality met resistance, but Mr. Berta held firm. He stated that the breed should be "healthy, well-balanced, tightly-knit specimens with good gait, uniformity in neck and head, correct color markings, and, least of all, diminutiveness."

Diminutiveness--meaning, exceptionally small size--was the least important trait of all. Berta believed breeders should seek overall soundness in type. Said Berta:

I consider as ideal the Miniature Pinscher head which fits with the four-square body, with the strong, upright forequarters, with the sinewy back, with the neck which flows alert and sinewy out of the shoulder and which carries the lines of breeding art; which, as a whole, fits in harmoniously and presents a fitting and aesthetic effect . . . I want a whole head and not merely a skull with a pair of ugly eyes; I want a head with a well-developed muzzle which works itself strongly out of beautiful lines, then a uniform and harmonious unity is formed, a perfect picture of breeding created.²

To fit that ideal, the standard was updated to emphasize the "compact and muscular" body, with a straight topline and deep chest. Thin bones became a fault, along with apple-shaped heads. The idea of the breed as a small Pinscher became elevated over the tiny lapdog. That mental picture led the FCI to require that "the Miniature Pinscher is a reduced image of the German Pinscher, without the drawbacks of a dwarfed appearance." This remains today as the ideal in continental Europe and Scandinavia.

In the U.S., where the German standard was shared for a few years, the "pinscherness" never really caught on. Although there are tales of oversized American Miniature Pinschers with hunting skills, these had no place under the standard, and were sought in South America to hunt rabbits.

Early confusion over where to place the American Miniature Pinscher is evident in the shuffling around the breed underwent in its early days. As the breed was introduced to the AKC in the 1920s, the problem arose of which group to place him in. The AKC did not have a Pinscher-Schnauzer group.

The AKC decided to place him in the Terrier Group in 1925, under the name "Pinscher (Toy)." This reflected two things: the breed was too pinscher-like to belong in the Toy Group, yet held enough Toy characteristics to be called a Toy pinscher.

But he was still out of place. Five years later, the AKC moved him to the Toy Group and changed the name to "Pinscher (Miniature)." Perhaps the name change was a compromise, to retain something above the Toy idea, and to discourage the diminutive breeding shunned by Mr. Berta.

Over the years, the American Miniature Pinscher has adapted exceptionally well to the Toy category, so much that he is dubbed the "King of Toys." His toy-ish charm makes him very popular and distinct. He has even developed in some areas of type that the breed overseas lacked.

Although he is not true to the FCI standard, the American Min Pin has been important to improving the modern European style. Of note, the Israeli kennel Me Beit Hamaayan combined American and German bloodlines, and this foundation is used by top European Miniature Pinscher breeders everywhere. Sanbrook lines have also been widely used.

The American and European bloodlines are perhaps more connected in modern times than they were decades ago. But how ever they share common genes modernly, the European and American Miniature Pinschers continue to be divided differently according to breed standard. The result is a single breed that claims two distinct, but very much related, types. One is a toy, and the other is a dwarf pinscher.

It does not take a trained eye to see there are differences between the European Miniature Pinscher and the American Min Pin. Here are some photos to prove the point.

Both types have appealing qualities, and it is not likely one style will ever overtake the other. They are the same dog developed under two different categories, and both are here to stay.

The American and European Miniature Pinschers did not become what they are today overnight. The breed could have gone in a number of directions. Both strength and frailness were available in the early German Miniature Pinscher and old American Min Pins. Over time, diversity of styles was naturally phased out to unify the breed according to standard and category. As the breed advanced in Europe, stricter attention was given to the development of strong bodies, while in the U.S., the greatest focus was given to creating and accommodating the hackney-like gait.

Prior to the 1980s, the ideal was Rebel Roc's Casanova Von Kurt, known as "Little Daddy," born Sept. 11, 1958. He has been called "the greatest American-bred toy dog of all time."³ His image continues to be used everywhere, on websites, books, logos, to represent "the" American Miniature Pinscher.

Ironically, Little Daddy did not have a hackney-like gait,⁴ which is considered an American Min Pin's distinguishing characteristic. Today, without a proper hackney, this most famous of American Miniature Pinschers would not qualify under the AKC standard, despite his many appealing qualities.

The favoring of the breed as a Toy dog also occurred in Great Britain. A rarity among European countries, the UK is not under the FCI standard, and its version of the breed has no requirement to resemble the German Pinscher. Its Kennel Club has a Miniature Pinscher standard similar to the AKC, with a “precise hackney gait” listed first among its primary characteristics. Like the AKC, the Kennel Club classifies the Miniature Pinscher in the Toy Group.

The effect of the Toy classification is evident in British the Min Pin of today, but it was perhaps less so in the past, at least in what was offered by one of its earliest kennels, Birling. During the 1960s, this kennel was known worldwide for producing Miniature Pinschers with strong build, good chests, sound toplines, in league with Rebel Roc's Casanova Von Kurt, only more Pinscher-like. (See photos at Palana page and below.) In modern times, old Birling Miniature Pinschers have become models for figurines, but their well-proportioned likeness--that balance of strength with elegance--is a rare reproduction anywhere in the world.

Australia has a breed standard identical to the UK, and has always relied heavily on British imports. In the early days of the breed, that meant using the Birling and Chaman dogs as a foundation. Below are four examples.⁵

Later, American lines were incorporated into the Australian breeding stock. In addition, other British imports appeared in the 1960s with longer bodies, straighter fronts, lower tailsets, and less chest. The combination of styles is evident in the modern Australian Miniature Pinscher, and while the old styles are faintly seen, the overall look is generally less Pinscher-like than the original Birling dogs.

When persons outside the United States say "Min Pin," they undoubtedly think of the breed they know in their own country, even though "Min Pin" originated in America as a shorthand name for its own particular style of dog. For those inside the United States, the nickname "Min Pin"--and recently, "Mini Pin"--brings to mind the common American version of the breed. The nickname is attached to such a strong image, any American familiar with the Min Pin would quickly doubt that something stronger and un-toylike can be called by this name. The American Min Pin is a charming, most popularly black/tan, high-stepping, entertaining, tiny toy. Naturally, there is an assumption that miniature means "as small as possible," and that if it's mini, it must be better the smaller it gets. The undersize, so-called "teacup" is now quite common.