The larger than life personality of a Miniature Pinscher is that of a lion in a kitten suit; these little power houses are more than what one expects. They are one of the most interesting of the small dog breeds and many people are taken by surprise by the little dynamo.
Even though these dogs are adorable and do like to cuddle, they cannot be treated like lapdogs. Doing so will make the dog dominant and harder to train. They have extremely strong willed temperaments and therefore will require assertive training. There are many sides to a Min Pin but the most predominant ones are examined below.
The Energetic Min Pin
Min Pins are a high energy dog and need an owner that will be able to keep up. It is often suggested by breeders that a fenced in exercise yard needs to be available for the little bundle of energy to burn off steam. The fence needs to be secure because these dogs are great escape artists and once they get free they are hard to catch.
Territorial Behaviors
Keeping guard is a built in mechanism for these little dogs, as they are leery of strangers and make amazing guard dogs. They do not hesitate to bark at newcomers or other animals. Feeding can be difficult because they will protect their dish from other pets and children. These dogs often show dominance by kicking their hind feet at those they intend to take charge of.
Living with the Strong Willed
Assertive and consistent training is a must for any Min Pin owner. Size is deceiving in this cute breed as they are very smart and focused and will take charge at any chance. Because they are strong willed and exceptionally smart any sign of weakness in the owner soon will get taken advantage of and this little dog will be ruling the roost before the owner knows it. Coming when called, walking on leash properly and sit/stay are among the most important, basic commands they need to learn.
Athletic and Agile
Full of energy, these small dogs make great agility dogs and love lots of interactive play time. Keeping in mind even though they are strong and athletic, they are still a small dog with a fragile frame so rough play would not be appropriate. It is often best to restrict play to teenagers and adults as younger children tend to be too rough during play.
A Curious Personality
Keeping the Min Pin confined is a good plan; they tend to sneak out of the house or garden gate at any opportunity. They want to explore everything and curiosity tends to get the better of them, often leading them into situations they really do not need to be involved in. Small objects, everything from tubes of lip balm to cell phones will be laid claim to immediately so items need to be out of reach.
The Miniature Pinscher is a sleek looking, smart little dog with a mind of its own and will not be fully compliant when it comes to training but persistence will pay off with this breed who has personality plus.