Austrian Pinscher

The Austrian Pinscher is a medium-sized pinscher from Austria. Dogs of this type were farm dogs that kept barns clear of rats, guarded the house and the livestock, and helped drive animals.

History

The breed grew out of an old type of pinscher found on Austrian farms, a blend of German Pinschers and local dogs. By the end of the nineteenth century these farm dogs were dying out as their work disappeared. In the early twentieth century Emil Hauck went looking for an ancient dog type that H. von Meyer had described in 1843 as the “dog of the marshes”, and found what he took to be similar dogs in the Austrian countryside. In 1921 he began breeding them in earnest to revive and fix the type.

The Austrian Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1928 as the Österreichischer Kurzhaarpinscher, or Austrian Shorthaired Pinscher. The name marked it as Austrian and set it apart from the Schnauzer, which was then called the Rough-haired Pinscher. Today it is officially just the Österreichischer Pinscher.

After the Second World War the breed nearly vanished. By the 1970s a single registered dog was left, Diokles of Angern. He was bred to unregistered dogs of the old farm pinscher type from the area, and the breed was brought back, though it remains very small. Arche Austria, which works to preserve endangered native breeds, lists it as highly vulnerable, with only 6 to 12 breeding animals.

Besides the Austrian Kennel Club, the breed is recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in the Pinscher section of Group 2. The United Kennel Club in the United States has recognized it since 2006 and places it in the Terrier Group because of its rat-catching past.

Appearance

As with many dogs bred for work, looks vary a good deal, though there is a breed standard. The Austrian Pinscher is a strong, sturdy, normally proportioned dog standing 42 to 50 cm at the withers. It has button ears and a head said to be shaped like a pear. The double coat is short to medium-long and comes in yellow, red or black and tan, usually with white on the face, chest, feet and tail tip. The long tail is carried high. Compared with the German Pinscher it is heavier, more rugged and more rectangular in outline.

Temperament

The breed is described as a pleasant companion for country and suburban homes. Its standard asks for a playful dog with little interest in hunting, and calls it an “incorruptible guard”.

Care and health

No health data have been gathered for the breed. Good health is one of the stated aims of the restoration breeding in Austria.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.