Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher vs Miniature Schnauzer - Breed Comparison

Miniature Schnauzers were first bred in Germany in the 19th century being bred from Affenpinschers and Standard Schnauzers.

This dog was always used to control rats on farms, but these days he is more a companion. It is believed that the start of the modern Miniature Schnauzer in the United States was around 1924 when dogs were imported from Germany.

It was in 1933 that the Miniature Schnauzer was recognized by the AKC as a separate breed from the Standard Schnauzer.

The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an ancient dog breed and dates back to 1780. It is believed that this dog breed is extinct, but that the German Pinscher of today is family of this dog breed. The dog used to be good on the farm as an all-purpose working dog.

When you look at the history of dogs, there are so many that have come and gone, never to be seen or heard of again. Other animals become extinct because of environmental factors, but with dogs it’s a bit different and most, like the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, died out simply because it became unfashionable.

Maybe the jobs that this dog was designed to do no longer existed and he died out because he was no longer needed.

The Miniature Schnauzer is a small dog breed that stands between 30 to 36cm in height and weighs between 5 and 10kg.

He has a sturdy body with a dense, wiry coat which most people prefer to have stripped. Because stripping is quite tedious, many of these dog owners prefer to have the coat clipped which actually gives the coat a greyish look to it.

The coat is usually a mix of black and silver. Some people refer to the Miniature Schnauzer as having a salt-and-pepper coat – hairs that are a mix of black and white. The dog has a double coat with the outer coat being wiry and the undercoat being a lot softer.

This is a dog that will need to be groomed frequently to prevent matting. A noticeable feature with these dogs is the rectangular shaped head with alert slanted eyes and bushy eyebrows, mustache and beard. In fact the word ‘Schnauzer’ means beard or muzzle.

The ears have been traditionally cropped but these days they are left and then they tend to be half-erect, half-floppy.

Temperament:

This is a tough little dog, fearless, cheeky, arrogant, alert and also friendly. A draw-card with him is that he is considered as a low-shedder and being hypoallergenic.

They’re very intelligent dogs too and will learn quickly when you give him training and socialization. This is important for a dog like this as he can quickly show you that he is strong willed and independent. Training and socialization makes him much nicer as he becomes more balanced and obedient.

He is full of life and extroverted and you can count on him to join you wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. Whether watching TV, swimming or hiking, he’ll be there and turn every occasion into a festive event. He is a loving, loyal dog, making a splendid pet.

He's protective of his human family and tends to be suspicious of strangers, and this is what makes him such a great watchdog.

Described as a medium sized dog, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an extinct variety of the German Pinscher. Like that dog, the Swiss Shorthaired had a muscular, strong square build.

Possibly he also had his ears and tail docked at that time. It is thought that he stood between 40 – 48cm in height and weighed in the region of 11 to 15kg.

He had the typical looks of the Doberman Pinscher with short smooth hair in black and tan, short erect ears and a tail that was traditionally cropped. He was lean and muscular with brown eyes. They were working dogs in their day and were not considered the best dogs to have for the first time dog owner.

Tempeament

These dogs have always been hardworking, brave and fearless. They make good family pets too and get on well with children. They would have been adaptable too to life in the city or the countryside, so long as he got his exercise.

A well bred Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher was alert and a good guard dog, and one wonders why this dog with its good qualities died out.

Miniature Schnauzers are such adaptable little dogs, quite happy to make a home with you in the city or in the countryside.

They’re sociable dogs, so just being with his human family wherever they are will suit him well. If he lives in the city however, he will need to have a walk everyday or taken to the park for a run.

He is also a dog that scarcely sheds, so he suits people battling with allergies. With an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, if you nurture your Mini Schnauzer and give him the best food and exercise there is, as well as loving him, you’re going to have a loyal and devoted pet.

The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is no longer around but he would no doubt have made a good family pet. He would have wanted to protect his human family.

He was a stubborn, bold dog, and maybe socialization and training didn’t exist then, but he would have benefited from it.

He’s the kind of dog that would have adapted well to life in the city or the countryside, but you could never neglect his exercise needs. In the right environment, this Pinscher would have made a loving, loyal pet.

Your Miniature Schnauzer is pretty healthy and he isn’t likely to cost you much in terms of vet fees. There are however some common dog problems that you want to be aware of such as cataracts of the eye and hypothyroidism.

Cataract:

This a a problem in the lens of the eye. The lens should be clear, and when a dog has a cataract, it obscures the vision. The size of the cataract can lead to blindness.

Diabetes in a dog can bring on cataracts as can genetics or damage to the eye from exposure to ultraviolet light. Fortunately, dogs with cataracts can still see. Dogs with old cataracts can have surgery to remove them.

When a dog owner suspects a cataract in their pet’s eye it is best to treat it immediately with anti-inflammatory dog cataract eye drops. Cataracts never go away however without surgery.

Hypothyroidism:

The thyroid gland in the neck produces a hormone called thyroxine. It controls metabolism, but with hypothyroidism, enough of the hormone isn’t made. Its a common disease which affects all dog breeds.

Signs of hypothyroidism include hair loss, weight gain, intolerance to cold and a troublesome skin. To have the disease diagnosed, the vet will do a series of blood tests.

It is not too sure about the health status of this extinct dog but we can assume that he would have been prone to some of the typical dog illnesses there are.

Hypothyroidismd, bloat, cancer, cataracts, infections and obesity were just some of the diseases this dog would have had to contend with.

Hypothyroidism:

The thyroid glands in the neck produce hormones. These hormones affect the functioning of the body. Hypothyroidism in dogs is usually caused by shrinkage of the thyroid gland or inflammation.The disease occurs more often in Pinscher dogs.

You may notice a dulling or thinning of your dog’s hair, weight gain and reduced activity. Hypothyroid dogs also tend to battle more with ear- and skin infections. Veterinary treatment will become necessary.

Catarats:

It causes a whiteness,cloudiness or opacity on the lens of the eye. It's not painful for a dog but it can cause loss of vision. Surgery can improve vision for the dog.

Let’s look at several ways you need to care for your Miniature Schnauzer -

Make sure you have his puppy injections on time. This means knowing which veterinarian you’ll use. Later on if you don’t want to go in for breeding, you will need to have your pet spayed or neutered.

Make sure you have a nice warm, dry spot for your dog to sleep. It can be a cardboard box, or you can buy a dog basket or sleeping platform. Make sure your pet loves it and knows he can retreat to it anytime he wants.

If he goes outside for a few hours, make sure that he has a place to lie in the shade and away from the elements.

Good food promotes good health and longevity. You can feed your pet one of the top quality commercially manufactured foods and give your pet some variety by adding in some boiled chicken, vegetables and brown rice. Some raw meat occasionally can also be excellent for your pet.

Diet:

In those days of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, maybe commercially manufactured dog foods weren’t available. If the dog were still around today, you would feed him dry kibble for medium sized dogs.

Probably the owners of these dogs fed them from the food they ate. It can be a good idea to feed any dog you have with some homemade food.

This can include things such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This is the kind of simple food that dogs love.

Being a farm dog in his day, he was probably tossed raw meat occasionally and this would have done him the world of good.

General Care:

Although the short, smooth hair of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is looked upon as low maintenance, the dog would have needed a good brush twice a week just to keep it shiny and healthy.

After a hard day of work on the farm, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher would have required a nice warm, dry spot to sleep.