Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher vs Chipoo - Breed Comparison

Hailing from Austria, the Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher, better known as the Austrian Short-Haired Pinscher has always been depicted on paintings from the Baroque period.

The dog is a terrier-type canine and has always been used as a watchdog but he was also used to hunt because of the terrier qualities he possesses.

This dog has always been used for working on farms. Breeding of this dog started in 1921 and the dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

The Chipoo is not a purebred dog but rather a cross between the Toy Poodle and the Chihuahua. In the 1970’s the two breeds were crossed and the Chipoo was born. Chihuahuas have their origin in Mexico while the poodle is believed to come from Germany. This hybrid dog, because he comes form two purebred dogs is considered to be a designer dog. The Chipoo is not of course a purebred dog and is not recognized by the American kennel Club (AKC), but it is recognized by the designer groups and hybrid groups. These organizations include the International Designer Canine Registry, the American Canine Hybrid Club, the Designer Breed Registry, and the Designer Dogs Kennel Club.

As a medium sized dog, both males and females stand at between 42 and 50cm in height and the dog weighs roughly between 14 and 20kg.

The coat is shortish, dense and smooth and is essentially black and tan with some white, fawn or brindle. The ears of the dog are fairly short and they look as though they wanted to be erect but then decided to be floppy. The nose is black and the eyes dark brown.

The tail is usually docked but when it is left long, it curls over the back. If you want your dog to be bred you can expect between 4 – 6 puppies.

Temperament:

These are playful dogs, getting on well with their human families and wanting to get involved in their activities. They are suspicious of strangers. They are good with kids, making them a good playmate, but they don’t like small children being allowed to climb over them.

They are able to get along well with any other pets in the house. It would be to your benefit to have the dog trained and socialized as he becomes obedient and good around people in social settings. He is an intelligent dog and will find training easy.

They also take their role as guardian and protector seriously.Because he was bred to be a farm dog, he wouldn’t e able to adapt to life on a tiny property in the city.

The Chipoo varies greatly in looks depending upon which breed it got most of its characteristics from. It is a toy dog, but it can have a curly coat or a straight one. It can be fluffy or wiry. It can be just about any color. All of them have Chihuahua tails but again depending on the mix, they can look like poodles or they can look like chihuahuas. They can vary in size from a very small toy to a larger sized small dog. You can have two Chipoos from the same litter and they will not be recognizable as littermates. However, they will all be adorable.

Have your Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher trained and socialized if you want him to be amicable and obedient around you and your visitors.

He does well with a human family who are firm, kind and patient with him. He loves to be kept busy with both mental and physical exercise, thriving on challenging activities, and he will become frustrated if he is left day after day just to lie around.

Take him with you on walks, buy him nice chewy, stimulating toys, throw a ball or frisbee with him and include him in your activities.

This is a dog more suited to life in the countryside as opposed to life in the city. Care well for this splendid family pet and you’ll quickly begin to see why dogs like him are known as man’s best friend.

This is a friendly dog and a great family member. They love to play and are easy to train. He does like to bark and makes a good guard dog. Get him a lot of toys for smart dogs. He is loyal and affectionate. You can carry him around all day if you want.

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher is a robust kind of dog that isn’t going to have you rushing to the vet very often. True, he does have some hereditary health issues but it is highly unlikely that you will find these health issues in your pet.

Nonetheless it pays to know about one of the more serious conditions -

Congenital Heart Condition:

This is a heart disease that is present from birth and could have been passed down from the parent dog to the puppy. A congenital heart defect occurs as a malformation of any valve, with the most common congenital heart diseases in dogs being patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonic stenosis as well as subaortic stenosis, all potentially inherited defects.

Sometimes a dog can live a fairly normal life with this disease but other times there are complications which can lead to congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, causing symptoms such as difficulty with breathing, cough and weakness. Your dog will need to get to the vet to discuss treatment options.

Hybrid dogs often do better health wise than the original parents, but this is not true of 2nd and third generation crosses. However, this is not generally true of the Chipoo, as they are no longer bred poodle to chihuahua but rather Chipoo to Chipoo. They are basically healthy but face some issues such as:

Overactive tear glands

This is what causes the tear stains on most small light-colored dogs. This is called Epiphora and is not an irritation in the eye, just overly active glands.

Hypoglycemia

This is low blood sugar and can cause all kinds of problems for your Chipoo. This can be fatal if not cared for. It has many causes if the dog is not diabetic including Xylitol (sugar free gum and other) parasites, stress, diarrhea or bacteria.

Luxating patella

This loose knee cap condition is found in many small breeds and can lead to arthritis and lameness.

Exercise:

They need quite a lot of exercise, and even though they can adopt to life in the countryside or the city, they will require regular walks, ball- and rope games to prevent them becoming bored, frustrated and destructive.

Grooming:

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher sheds quite a bit so he will need to be brushed at least twice a week to remove the loose hairs.

Diet:

As a medium sized, energetic dog, you want to ensure you maintain your dogs energetic nature by providing him with excellent food.

Choose your commercially manufactured food carefully as some of them are of a poor quality and can actually be detrimental to your dog’s health. Choose a high quality kibble that has quality ingredients.

Home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes all chopped up and added to his kibble occasionally will do wonders for this dog. He will thrive on also getting in some raw meat from time to time.

Ensure a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Feeding

Because they are prone to hypoglycemia, make sure you feed a high quality dry food and break it up into three or four small meals a day in order to maintain the blood sugar and avoid the drops and spikes that can cause them serious health issues.

Health issues

Glaucoma

This disease of the eyes can lead to blindness.

Dry skin

This is common in the Chipoo and it makes it hard for the dog to absorb things through the skin such as topical ointments for ticks and flea prevention.

Dental Issues

Dental issues can lead to lost teeth and gum disease. Brush their teeth.

Cold

If the outside temperature is less than 50’, then your Chipoo needs to wear a sweater as they get cold very easily.

Exercise and games

The Chipoo is an energetic little dog and he loves to go on walks, play in the yard and be with the family. Both the Chihuahua and the Poodle are very intelligent dogs and so this cross gets bored and destructive if not stimulated enough. He’ll be great at agility and obedience. Like the poodle you can teach him a lot of tricks.