Breed Standards

Harlequin Miniature Pinscher

 

 

  • The Harlequin Miniature Pinscher is very similar to the other small breed Pinschers.

They are structurally well balanced, sturdy with a compact and a naturally well

groomed smooth coat. Characteristics of the breed include keen intelligence,

vigilance, courage, strong will and animation. The following is a description of the

idea Harlequin Miniature Pinscher. Variations are to be penalized to the extent of the

deviation.

+ Companion

+ Ratter

+ Hunter

 

SIZE/ PROPORTION

 

  • Height: There are 2 separate divisions. MINIATURE: 10to 13 inches in

height. STANDARD: over 13 inches and up to 18 inches. Measured at highest

point of the shoulder. With 10-13 inches being more desirable. Measured from

ground to point of wither.

 

  • Length: Slightly longer than height being more desirable. No more or less than

1 inch difference. Measured from the point of shoulders to bend of tail.

 

  • Weight: 9-18 pounds. 1 pound of body weight per inch of dog in height being

the more desirable weight.

 

  • Faults/Disqualifications- Any dog at six months age or older that is less than 10

inches or over 18 inches in height. Shortness in legs. Underweight or obese.

 

CONFORMATION

 

Head/Muzzle/Lips/Cheeks

 

  • Head should be refined and its shape, when viewed from the top or side, skull

should appear relatively flat, tapered slightly toward muzzle in a unbroken line

and well fitted fore face with good balance.

 

  • Muzzle with a strong appearance. Not fine and delicate. Slightly longer than

skull.

 

The head and muzzle should be in correct proportion to the body.

  • Cheeks flat and well-muscled.
  • Lips and should be small and tight

 

  • Faults/Disqualifications- Bulging cheeks, Muzzle short and blunt. Any

exaggerated deviation (more or less) of standard as stated above.

 

Eyes

 

  • Eyes should be well set, full and slightly oval in shape. Well blended with

foreface and skull. Eyes color dark, green, gold or blue. Bi color is accepted in

‘merles. Eye rims should correspond with nose color.

 

  • Faults/Disqualifications- Excessively round, Bulging or sunken eyes. Eye rim

color not self colored to nose color.

 

Ears

 

  • Ears should match in carriage and shape when alert, set high and may be cropped

or natural. V-shaped and moderately pointed at tips if natural. Length in

proportion to head. Natural ears may be carried erect, semi erect, tipped or button

without preference.

 

  • Faults/Disqualifications- Low set ears, Ears not of same set or (if cropped) not

cut in proportion to head — Too short or too long. Natural ears not V-shaped.

 

Nose

 

  • Corresponds to coat color. Nose should be black on black/tan and red coated dogs

brown on brown/tan coated dogs, blue on blue fawn or blue/tan coated dogs,

brown on tan or fawn/tan colored dogs. Reds may also have brown nose. May

be bi-colored in Merles

 

  • Faults/Disqualifications- Any color than listed. Bicolored in non Merles

 

Teeth

 

  • Teeth should be strong, well developed, clean, correct in number/shape and meet

in a scissor like bite preferred. A level bite is acceptable.

 

  • Faults- Dirty, broken or missing teeth. Teeth too fine.

 

  • Disqualifications- Hyperdontia, improperly aligned teeth.

 

Neck

  • Neck should be taut, gracefully curved, slightly arched along the crest and

proportioned to head and body. Sufficient length to carry the head proudly. Broad

and widens gradually blending well into muscular shoulders.

 

 

  • Faults- Excessive skin under throat. Narrow neck. Inharmonious blend into

shoulders.

 

Topline

  • Topline should be level or slightly sloping blending well toward the hindquarters

 

Body

  • Body should be compact, flexible with taut skin, slightly wedge-shaped with

belly moderately tucked up to denote grace of structural form. Well muscled that

blends into body. Chest should be deep with well sprung ribs. Ribs appearing

slightly oval when viewed from the front. ~ Strong in short loin with slight

muscular arch blending smoothly into rump and level with topline. Males

should have 2 palpable testicles. Females vulva should be neatly presented with

10 skin fold covering it or recessed

 

  • Disqualifications- V chest, Cryptorchidism, Redundant vulva. Fine boned and

toyish in appearance. Bulkiness

 

Tail

  • Tail should be set high, and held erect unless complete natural bob tail.

docked, the tail should be 1-2 in. Undocked tails are acceptable but not preferred.

Natural bobtails are accepted. Carriage of undocked tails is variable depending

on attitude but should not be over the back or ring tailed

 

  • Faults- Tail docked too short or too long.

 

  • Disqualifications- Low tail set, kinked or twisted tail. Over the back or ring

tailed carriage

 

Forequarters

  • Shoulders should be well muscled and laid back with enough space between the

shoulder blades to allow for free movement.

 

  • Elbows should be close tothe body tuming neither in or out.
  • Forelegs should be strong boned with small clean joints and long. Straight and

upstanding when viewed from the front.

 

  • Paw stems should be strong and perpendicular. A slight slope is acceptable.

Dewclaws should be removed.

 

  • Feet should be small and compact with strong well arched toes. Oval in shape

Pads should be deep.

 

  • Nails should be thick, blunt and well groomed.

 

  • Disqualifications- Any over-exaggeration (more of less) of standard as stated

above. Dew claws on any leg.

 

Hindquarters

  • Hindquarters should be well muscled but balanced with forequarters. Not bulging

or course. As viewed from the rear, the legs are straight and parallel. From the

side, with a moderate angle.

 

  • Thighs should be well muscled with well defined stifles and short hocks set well

apart.

 

  • Dewclaws should be removed.

 

  • Feet should be slightly smaller than forequarters, compact with strong well

arched toe sand closely knit with deep pads

 

  • Nails should be thick, blunt and well groomed.

 

  • Disqualifications-Any over-exaggeration (more or less) of standard as stated

above. Straight or over extended hindquarters. Dew claws on any leg.

 

COAT

 

  • Coat should be smooth, short, straight and lustrous, compact to body and.

uniformly covering the body. Single layered with no undercoat.

 

  • Disqualifications-Coat being anything other than short, flat, smooth and tight to

body. Absence of coat or bald patches

 

COLORS

 

  • Black/Tan, Brown/Tan, Blue/Tan, Fawn/Tan- With tan marking on cheeks,

lips, lower jaw, throat, twin spots above eyes and chest, lower half of fore legs,

inside of hind legs and vent area, lower portion of hocks and feet. Can have some

colored pencil stripes on toes.

 

  • Red- Red being either solid clear red or red with black intermingling hairs

Reds with a brown nose can have brown intermingling hairs. No tan markings

 

  • BlueFawn- Dilute phase of a red base with blue tint. No tan markings.

 

  • Tan- Dilute phase of a red base with a brown tint. No tan markings

 

  • Disqualifications- Any color or markings other than listed. Thumb mark (patch

of black hair surrounded by rust on the front of the foreleg between the foot and

the wrist; on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). Red with tan markings

Bi-colored nose pad.

 

 

PATTERNS

  • Merle, Brindle, Piebald, Tuxedo, Tricolor, Bi-color or combinations thereof.

 

  • Disqualifications- Any pattern other than listed. Double Merle

 

GAIT

  • Gait should be graceful and well balanced suggesting agility, speed and power.

 

  • The forelegs and hind legs should move parallel with feet tuning neither in nor

out. Strong and smooth drive from the rear. The head and tail are carried high.

 

  • Disqualifications- Any over-exaggeration (more or less) of standard as stated

above.

 

TEMPERAMENT

  • Courageous, vigilant, strong willed and animation. Friendly, loyal and willing

to please. Easily trained and obedient to command.

 

  • Disqualification- Aggressiveness, shyness or timidness.