26-40 lbs
17-19"
Austria
The Austrian Pinscher is an interesting medium sized dog. He has been described as a pleasant companion and does best in rural or suburban areas. He is not an ideal choice for apartment living or super busy parents. Do not expect your Austrian Pinscher to be a fierce hunter even though he at one time was used as a ratter. He is better suited as a guard dog since he is assertive and strongly devoted to his family. He is suspicious of strangers and will sound the alarm. Usually, he is easy to train but does need a consistent trainer to keep him from slacking off and becoming unruly.
The Austrian Pinscher obviously originated in Austria and has a colorful history of combining several local Austrian farm dogs of varied ancestries with the German Pinscher. Local farmers were trying to develop a breed that would be a great companion, guard dog and vermin hunter. As technologies began revolutionizing farming, the Austrian Pinscher began to disappear. By the end of the 19th century he was on the verge of extinction. It was then that Emil Hauck began working to restore the breed. Hauck was able to re-establish the breed and in 1928, the Austrian Kennel Club recognized the Austrian Pinscher as a separate breed under the name of Austrian Shorthaired Pinscher. The Austrian Pinscher was still considered a rare breed even within Austria and he was almost annihilated again during World War II. There was only one dog left in the 1970s that came directly from Hauck’s lines. This dog was bred to other Pinschers of unknown lineage and the breed was rebuilt. There is a small group of Austrian Pinschers being used as foundation stock; most of these dogs are still located in Austria. The Austrian Pinschers of today do look slightly different than those of the original Hauck line. Dogs today are medium sized with pear shaped heads. He is a well muscled dog that can also be full of energy. He is not recognized by the American Kennel Club because there are too few Austrian Pinschers within the United States. However, the United Kennel Club recognized him in 2006 and allowed him to participate in all UKC sanctioned events.
The Austrian Pinscher is a medium sized dog with a pear shaped head, powerful muzzle and well muscled body. He does have a similar look to all of the Pinscher breeds. He has small sized ears that stand erect with a broad base and tapering to a point. He has a black nose with wider nostrils. His eyes are round, dark brown and somewhat large. He has dark eye rims. The Austrian Pinscher has a thick, double coat that is straight. His topcoat is short to medium-long. It is thick and is close fitting to his body. His undercoat is short, thick and softer than his topcoat. The Austrian Pinscher can be seen in several different colors including brownish yellow, russet gold, stag red, or black and tan. He can have white markings on his muzzle, neck, throat, chest, feet or tip of his tail but white markings are not required.
The Austrian Pinscher has a short, double coat and is an average shedder. He will need to be brushed at least once a week using a slicker brush, metal comb and when he is shedding heavily, a deshedder. In between brushings, a rubber mitt or a soft cloth can be used to rub him down and keep any loose or dead hairs from accumulating around the house. The Austrian Pinscher does not need to be bathed unless he has gotten into something smelly or is really dirty. Do not over-bathe your Austrian Pinscher, too many baths can cause his skin to dry out and cause itchiness. A dental plan should be discussed with your veterinarian. Daily brushing needs to be a part of his grooming. Yearly professional cleaning should also be done to ensure he has healthy teeth and gums. You need to plan on trimming his nails every few weeks to keep any toenail or feet problems from happening.
This is considered to still be a working breed, but the Austrian Pinscher is not really an ambitious hunter. He is still an excellent guard dog because he is naturally suspicious of all strangers. Expect him to become devoted to his family and he will sound the alarm if anyone unknown approaches his property. The Austrian Pinscher is great for rural or suburban homes; however, he should not be considered if you live in an apartment or a home with a small yard. He also needs a family that is devoted to him and willing to spend the time needed for socialization, training and playtime. He is the type of dog that can easily become destructive if he is left alone for too long. Since he is a natural watchdog and guard dog, he does have a natural propensity to bark. Curbing this desire may be his owner’s biggest challenge. While his prey drive is not high, he should still be watched closely around smaller pets in the home.
The most important thing to remember is that the Austrian Pinscher was bred to be a farm dog and would be miserable living in an apartment. He needs larger areas to run and play. When he is kept in small areas, he can become extremely destructive and very vocal. Expect to spend at least 45 minutes a day with your Austrian Pinscher. He will enjoy long walks, hiking, dog sports or even just playing catch in the backyard. The Austrian Pinscher has endurance and can be hard to wear out, so if you are able to spend extra time during the day with him you should do so.
Written by a Rough Collie lover Holly Ramsey
Published: 02/22/2018, edited: 02/24/2021
More articles by Holly Ramsey
Is the Austrian Pinscher usually a self learner cause mine learned how to out his paw in my hand and learned to sit and lay down by itself.
