You won’t find a miniature pinscher on any band breed lists, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a temper.
Many of the dogs on band or restricted breed lists tend to be less likely to bite than their smaller cousins but would do considerably more damage if they did bite.
That being said, if a miniature pinscher, or min pin, was the size of a bulldog, they’d definitely find themselves on a list!
The American Kennel Club describes miniature pinschers as ‘spirited,’ ‘self-possessed,’ and ‘fearless.’ In reality, they mean that these dogs like everything to be on their terms. If not, they can become pretty snappy.
Min pins tend to be territorial, possessive, and highly suspicious of strangers. They definitely have ‘small dog syndrome’ in that they like to dominate and boss other dogs around to make up for their small stature.
They’ll take on the biggest dogs in the park if they have the chance.
While we hesitate to outright label any breed as aggressive, min pins are particularly…willful. They need an experienced and firm owner to train and socialize aggressive tendencies out of them.
If you leave a min pin act as it wishes without correction, you will find yourself with a pint-sized terror on your hands.
And remember, ‘though they be but little, they are fierce.’ You do not want an out-of-control min pin, any more than you’d want an out-of-control bully.
Do Mini Pinschers Bite?
Min pins have a destructive side which sees them bite and rip toys, clothes, and anything they can get their mouths around.
If you don’t provide enough mental and physical stimulation, min pins can and will destroy a room with their mouth.
When it comes to humans, min pins are suspicious of strangers and will begin barking and yapping if someone new approaches their territory or things. While the barking might seem funny, it can turn to biting if not corrected.
Similarly, min pins are not good around small animals like hamsters, birds, or rodents. They will chase, bite, and kill thanks to their prey drive.
The other reason why min pins might bite is that they think they are in control. Hugely stubborn, and domineering, min pins tend to think themselves the boss. If you don’t train and manage your min pins behavior, they will try to correct and coral everyone by biting.
Are Min Pins Protective?
Min pins are incredibly possessive and protective of their people and their things. They are always on high alert and make deceptively good guard dogs considering their size.
Miniature pinschers are always on the look-out for threats or intruders. It is part of their naturally suspicious attitude. This can mean that they end up barking a lot when at home because they see threats in every passerby.
When it comes to other dogs, min pins need to be socialized young, or they can become very possessive of their people, home, and things.
Min pins are notorious for resource guarding which is when they guard things like food, toys, and space from other people or pets.
Often referred to as ‘one person’ dogs, min pins tend to bond with a single person, which can cause issues in a household. Sometimes, min pins will take to guarding a single family member, even from others in the home.
With the right guidance and training, min pins can become good family pets, but you must be firm, consistent, and fair.
Small children and min pins do not get on particularly well. Rather than protecting the child, min pins can become suspicious and jealous of children.
Why Do Min Pins Shake?
There are a few reasons why miniature pinschers shake. Most are not cause for concern, however abnormal or excessive shaking should be checked out with your vet.
The first reason for shaking in min pins is excitement or hyper arousal. Many dogs shake when they are excited or wound up. It is commonly reported in small dogs, but larger dogs do it as well. In fact, the Doberman pinscher, a larger relative of the min pin, also shakes when excited.
We use the term excited to refer to a dog that is highly stimulated. This can be a negative or positive thing. For instance, a dog who is happy and excited to see their own, may shake. This is a lovely positive display of emotion.
On the other hand, a dog who is so fixated on another dog that they shake, is a sign that the dog is likely going to react in some way. It could be that they’ll start barking, pulling at the leash, or running toward the dog.
Unfortunately, a lot of the time, min pins tend to fall in the second category. They do become hyper aroused by other dogs and people.
Another reason why min pins might shake, is because they have so much energy. These dogs do not stop. They are like the Energizer bunny!
Sometimes, when they are standing still, they are simply raring to get moving again which can cause them to shake.
Finally, it could be that your dog is cold. Smaller breeds tend to have a harder time staying warm because they’ve got more skin compared to their body mass. This means they lose heat quickly.
How Do You Calm a Min Pin?
One of the major issues with min pins is that they are highly reactive. They will bark at anything that moves and can get incredibly wound up about guests or other animals.
The best way to calm these dogs is to train them consistently.
A lot of the time, min pins act out because they believe they are in charge, and therefore they need to handle the situation. Naturally, there is only so much a dog the size of a loaf of bread can do, and barking is the most effective.
You need to show your dog that you are in control of the situation. They need to be able to trust you to take care of them, so that they don’t feel the need to take care of you.
