Austrian Pinscher Dog Breed

The Austrian Pinscher is a working dog that is not bred for companionship. They are meant for farm work by day and to be watch and guard dogs by night; hanging out with the family by the fire was not intended. They are not for everyone, and they may not get along well with other dogs. They may have a low tolerance for children too. Experienced dog handlers who have worked with the Austrian Pinscher are best suited for this breed.

Here are some details you should know about these dogs if you wish to adopt one:

PROS

• Hard-working
• Good guard dogs
• Great watch dogs
• Highly versatile
• Relatively inexpensive
• Excellent pest exterminators
• Trains easily with the right handler
• Presently undergoing breed restoration

CONS

• Frequent barker
• Highly dominant
• Sheds constantly
• Not hypoallergenic
• May not like to play with kids
• May not get along with other pets
• Regional breed that is in short supply
• Average tolerance to hot and cold weather
• Requires intense socialization early in life
• Unless DNA-tested, heritage may not be known
• Needs an extraordinary amount of daily exercise
• Very suspicious of strangers and unknown people

The Austrian Pinscher is a basic-looking dog if ever there was one. Because they were dogs that were not desired for their looks but for their abilities, they were crossbred as needed for several centuries. Those that were mated were done so to either acquire or maintain the qualities of the parent breeds, and the main purpose was to be a working dog on farms. They are strong, very active and have a lot of stamina.

Although they are not meant to be companion animals, they are working dogs that aim to please their master. They know what they need to do. For the right person, they are easy to train and can be ready to work quickly.

These dogs are not overly friendly as one of their duties is protection. They will be extremely loyal to and fond of one person. If they are to be around a family, they need a lot of early socialization. They are highly alert and tend to bark at everything that moves.

The Austrian Pinscher prefers work to play and leisure time. They need to be kept very busy both physically and mentally. They shouldn't be allowed to get bored or wait around as they become pent up and destructive fairly quickly. If they are adopted as a companion animal, they definitely require long daily walks and lots of other exercise.

Due to the very small population of these dogs, the lack of a comprehensive survey, and their regional semi-exclusivity, there is very little that appears to be known about the Austrian Pinscher's basic health. There have been studies on related breeds, however, as well as some short reports regarding the breed specifically. As this dog is known to have a great variety of bloodlines bred into them over the centuries, it is not as difficult to determine some of the possible problems this breed may deal with. If you are planning to adopt one of these dogs, it is always best to find out as much as you can about the dog's parents, get all the health tests and a DNA test if possible.

Here are some of the things that Austrian Pinschers may encounter:

• Epilepsy
• Cataracts
• Hip dysplasia
• Heart ailments
• Elbow dysplasia
• Demodectic mange
• Autoimmune issues
• von Willebrand's Disease

It is believed that the average lifespan for the Austrian Pinscher is 12 to 14 years.