The Peke-A-Pin is hybrid breed made up of a combination of a Pekingese and a Miniature Pinscher which are known affectionately as Min Pins. These dogs originated in Germany and were used to catch rats. Dubbed the “King of Toys” for their strong-willed and self-assured attitude, the Miniature Pinscher is thought to be a direct descendent of the German Pinscher. Although he looks like a small Doberman, they are a completely separate breed. The Min Pins other ancestors were likely to be Dachshunds and Italian Greyhounds. In Germany the Min Pin was referred to as the Reh Pinscher because of its similarity in looks to the reh, or small deer, that lived in the forests. In 1895 the Pinscher Klub was formed but was later renamed the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub. It was then that the first breed standard was written. Miniature Pinschers were first shown at the Stuttgart Dog Show in Germany in 1900, at which time they were virtually unknown outside of their homeland. They appeared in Germany around 1919 and a decade later the Miniature Pinscher Club of America was formed. They were also recognized by the American Kennel Club that same year. The Pekingese were bred in China as companions of the imperial family of China. They take their name from what was then the capital city Peking (now Beijing) and are believed to be the oldest dog breed going back 2000 years. The first Pekes arrived in England as trophies of the Opium War in 1860. Queen Victoria was given the smallest of these which she named “Looty” in reference to the British troops burning down the imperial palace. Pekingese are also known as the Pelchie Dog, Peke, Lion Dog, or Peking Lion Dog because of their resemblance to Chinese guardian lions, stone statues which have stood in front of Imperial palaces, temples and government buildings. In the 1890s a number of dogs were smuggled out of China and became more popular. One named Pekin Peter was reportedly the first Pekingese to be exhibited at a British dog show, in 1894. Originally they were known as Chinese Pugs or Pekingese Spaniels. The Pekingese Club of America was formed in 1909.
