Our Miniature Pinscher Flunked Out of Puppy Kindergarten

Lets just say that Camelot's Lady Antoinette is a gorgeous representative of her breed - she has the looks and hackney action that is so desirable in the breed and her black & tan color is perfect.

It's the activity level of the Miniature Pinscher, the independence, the stubborn streak and the occasional selective hearing that makes life with this breed so interesting. This little dog is full of personality and pound for pound, Toni has been an amazing watchdog.

She is now 16. Our two miniature pinschers, Toni and her half-sister Rosie (one year younger) were out of the same dam but had different sires. Both dogs are striking representatives of the breed. Toni started into schooling early in life but her effervescent personality was not to be denied - she was definitely not one of the well behaved students. She liked to frolic to her heart's content and nip at the ears and tails of the bigger dogs if they got in her way. After a few weeks of this lack of restraint and bursts of min pin personality, she flunked puppy kindergarten.

Still, she was such a pretty dog. When on the lead, she'd strut her stuff with tail and ears high, legs bouncing along like the champion she already knew she was and then - oh my. Setting her up to model was always interesting. Toni didn't want to show her teeth let alone have someone touch her mouth. She never did have a long attention span. She also decided early on that standing still and permitting all that groping and touching was not for her.

I tried, oh yes I tried. And why not? She was such a showy dog. It was Toni that decidedly said no to dog shows.

She soon settled in to being a great companion dog. She was protective of us and always tried to be a good girl. Her sister, on the other hand, was impish and would often get her into trouble. Both loved playing and cavorting around in high spirits. When my back was turned, they enjoyed raiding the garbage can.

As the two dogs aged, Rosie became the dominant dog and insisted on picking on Toni. At around 10 and 11, the posturing became fighting. Rosie got increasingly aggressive toward Toni and on more than one occasion I had to separate them because the blood flowed. Rosie was the attacker each time; she needed no provocation to start a battle.

All this aggression undoubtedly had to do with pack position and the jostling between the dogs. It was only the sisters that had the fights. I soon learned how to keep a level battleground and an uneasy peace could be maintained. We lost Rosie a little over a year ago and Toni marches on. She is every bit of 16 now, white around the muzzle, blind, deaf, and almost toothless. Yet she has that amazing spirit of the Miniature Pinscher. This small 11 inch dog, weighing no more than 17 pounds, is quite a force.

She is now in her twilight. Even with all the physical problems of blindness, deafness and mobility limitations, she gets around like the trooper she always was. She was and still is quite a dog.

This article and horse as well as non-horse articles by The Old Gray Mare™ are found on www.DressYourHorse.com™.