The Miniature Pinscher was developed and refined in Germany to hunt rats in stables. Despite popular misconception that the breed is a miniature version of the Doberman Pinscher, in fact the Miniature Pinscher is much older than the Doberman Pinscher, though the two breeds do share some common ancestors. The fact that the two breeds share ancestors isn't a coincidence as the Doberman Pinscher was purposely bred to look like the Miniature Pinscher.
Miniature Pinschers were very popular in Germany and Scandinavia before their widespread introduction to other countries in the early 1900's. The Miniature Pinscher was imported to the United States in 1919 and was first registered with the American Kennel Club in 1925. The breed is affectionately referred to by its fans as the "Minpin".
