MyDogBreeds
Miniature Pinscher is originated from Germany but Finnish Spitz is originated from Finland. Miniature Pinscher may grow 20 cm / 7 inches shorter than Finnish Spitz. Miniature Pinscher may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Finnish Spitz. Miniature Pinscher may live 4 years more than Finnish Spitz. Both Miniature Pinscher and Finnish Spitz has same litter size. Miniature Pinscher requires Low maintenance. But Finnish Spitz requires Moderate maintenance
The Miniature Pinscher hails from Germany. It appears to be an ancient dog breed, going back hundreds of years and being used to kill vermin.
He is a distinct breed and much older than the Dobermann Pinscher. Development of this small dog started way back in 1895 when the Pinscher Klub was formed. It was renamed the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub and the first breed standard was also written.
By 1929, the Miniature Pinscher Club of America was formed.
The “barking Bird Dog” or Finnish Spitz was Developed in Finland. The breed is fearless and small with a different style than many other hunting dogs. He style of tracking is unusual and he indicated his quarry by barking. He was bred to hunt all sizes of prey from as large as bears to as small as squirrels. He was called the “Barking Bird Dig” because he pointed at the prey by barking and giving the hunter knowledge of the prey and an easy approach to it. In Finland, the Spitz is still a hunting dog. In 1979 The Finnish Spitz became the national dog of Finland.
Spitz-like dogs have been present in Finland for over 8000 years. It is believed that dogs living in higher latitudes had more in common with the Taymyr Wolf od North Asia than with the gray wolf. Tests indicate that the chance of the Spitz being related to the Taymyr is between 1.4&a and 27.3%. The Taymyr is extinct today. This shows that the present day dog descends from more than one type of wolf and more than one area. The Spitz was a favorite of the Finno-Ugrian tribes as he helped them find food. These tribes were pretty isolated until 1880. Then the Spitz were mated with other dogs and were almost extinct as a breed separate from all the other local dogs.
However, like many other breeds the Finnish Spitz found a savior. A Finnish huntsman, named Hugo Roos, noticed the native Finnish Spitz while he was hunting up North. He decided to breed dogs that were genuine Finnish Spitz without the blood of other breeds mixed in. After thirty years the current day Finnish Spitz was born.The latest breed standard was confirmed by the Love Finnish Kennel Club in 1996.
This bright, alert little dog stands at 25 to 30cm and weighs in the region of 3 to 5 kg.
The body is lean and muscular with strong, straight legs. He has a short, sleek coat with no undercoat. The coat is black and tan, chocolate or a rusty shade. The ears are erect but sometimes they are half erect and half floppy, the little nose is black and the tail is usually docked. If you allow your Min Pin to breed, you can expect 2 - 6 puppies.
The Min Pin is a bright, feisty, alert toy breed, full of personality and full of spunk, making him an excellent watchdog too.
He isn’t aggressive towards his human family but he is full of attitude and can be aggressive with other dogs. He may be small but he isn’t a lap dog, being way too active for that, loving to be involved in a game or going for a walk.
He is loving with his human family, but training and socialization can make him a better pet, obedient and amicable. He is intelligent too so he learns easily. He gets along well with children but only when those children have been taught to be kind ad gentle with all animals, but particularly with teeny weenies like himself.
The Finnish Spitz is balanced and symmetrical in body and females are longer than males. They have a very distinguishable prick, foxy ears and face. They have a smiling expression and a curved tail. They are a golden-red color with a double coat. The under coat is dense and soft While the top coat is stiff. Puppies often look like little red fox cubs. When born they are black, grey or brown with a lot of black. As an adult the pups grow up to be a mix of fawn and dark black. Lips, nose and rims of the eyes should be black.
The Miniature Pinscher is such a sporty, fun-loving, confident little dog that is also fearless for his small size.
He thinks he is a ferocious, big Dobermann Pinscher at heart and is ready to guard and protect his family with everything he’s got.
He is full of energy too and always ready for his daily walk and other forms of exercise and games.
He may be small, but he doesn’t want to be a lap dog, as he is too active for that. He can be highly entertaining and he promises to make you the most devoted and loving little family pet.
Very child friendly – loves to play with children as long as the children pay attention to them. If not, the Spitz will go elsewhere.
They are independent thinkers and close to family but not strangers. They often “yodel” instead of howl.
Needs to be with people, bonds deeply with his humans. Most get along well with other dogs but because of their hunting instinct they are not good with small pets or birds.
They are smart and learn easily. They are great athletes and learn games and competition well.
Min Pins are robust little dogs and can enjoy good health when looked after properly. They can reach 15 years of age and even more.
Just like with any other dogs though, they’re prone to certain health conditions. Your Miniature Pinscher is highly unlikely to get any of these diseases, but it's good to be aware of some of them.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, known as PRA for short is an eye disease where there is gradual deterioration of the retina. You will no doubt see your dog being affected with night blindness – not being able to find their way around as they usually do.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is a hip joint problem that often affects toy breeds. The blood supply to the head of the femur is decreased and you’ll notice your pet limping. It’s not an ailment reserved for old dogs either but can be found in puppies that are just 4 months of age.
Hypothyroidism is a disorder of the thyroid gland and can lead to skin conditions with your dog as well as lethargy, hair loss and obesity.
Typically, a somewhat healthy breed, the Finnish Spitz does struggle with a few genetic concerns. They have been known to suffer from:
Grooming is easy and you will simply need to brush him twice a week as his coat is short and smooth. There is really no need to bath the Min Pin and you could even take a damp cloth and wipe him down to avoid using a shampoo which could dry the skin.
Always check his eyes and ears for infection and check for fleas and ticks too. His nails will need to be trimmed, more so if he doesn’t wear them down naturally.
Check your dogs teeth. Small dogs are more prone to dental disease and you want to brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste to avoid dental problems.
The amount your Miniature Pinscher eats will be determined by his age and his activity levels.
When you buy commercially manufactured food, you will need to buy food that is recommended for small, energetic dogs. You don’t want to feed your pet dry kibble day after day, so a tasty, nutritious treat is to add finely chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice of pasta and some cooked vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and spinach into his kibble.
All dogs, but particularly little dogs, love simple food that is consistent like what has been mentioned. They don’t do well on strange, exotic kinds of foods as it upsets the stomach. Make sure he has cool, fresh water available to him at all times, night and day.
Don’t overfeed the little guy. The Spitz had a good appetite for a dog its size and can gain weight quickly . Feed twice a day about 1/8th of a cup.
The same advice hold for the adult dog. Feed 1/4th of a cub of high quality dry food twice a day.
When the Spitz is a puppy you should limit strenuous exercise and jumping. Don’t spay neuter at too young an age. Wait until they are mature at 3-5 years of age.
Again do not exercise vigorously at too young an age. When older the Finnish Spitz will need a yard to run in and exercise to satisfy his hunting instincts. A long walk every day is a must.