Newfoundland Dog vs Miniature Pinscher - Breed Comparison

The Miniature Pinscher hails from Germany. It appears to be an ancient dog breed, going back hundreds of years and being used to kill vermin.

He is a distinct breed and much older than the Dobermann Pinscher. Development of this small dog started way back in 1895 when the Pinscher Klub was formed. It was renamed the Pinscher-Schnauzer Klub and the first breed standard was also written.

By 1929, the Miniature Pinscher Club of America was formed.

The Newfoundland dog is a large working dog. They were bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Dominion of Newfoundland, an eastern province of Canada. With their web feet they were also used for water rescue.

The history of the Newfoundland Dog is unsure, but the breed as we know it today originated from dogs which were brought from Newfoundland to England in the early 1800's.

The Newfoundland Club was founded in 1886 so as to promote the breed.

This bright, alert little dog stands at 25 to 30cm and weighs in the region of 3 to 5 kg.

The body is lean and muscular with strong, straight legs. He has a short, sleek coat with no undercoat. The coat is black and tan, chocolate or a rusty shade. The ears are erect but sometimes they are half erect and half floppy, the little nose is black and the tail is usually docked. If you allow your Min Pin to breed, you can expect 2 - 6 puppies.

Temperament:

The Min Pin is a bright, feisty, alert toy breed, full of personality and full of spunk, making him an excellent watchdog too.

He isn’t aggressive towards his human family but he is full of attitude and can be aggressive with other dogs. He may be small but he isn’t a lap dog, being way too active for that, loving to be involved in a game or going for a walk.

He is loving with his human family, but training and socialization can make him a better pet, obedient and amicable. He is intelligent too so he learns easily. He gets along well with children but only when those children have been taught to be kind ad gentle with all animals, but particularly with teeny weenies like himself.

The Newfoundland is a large dog standing at between 63cm to 74cm, both male and female. Weight can vary from 45kg to 80kg.

He has a double coat of medium-length straight hair and the hair can be black, brown or gray. Although it is common for the Newfoundland to have a solid-colored coats, you will sometimes find small patches of white on their chest, toes, or at the tip of the tail. Then again you get the less common Newfoundlands where the coat is white with some black markings and these are known as Landseers.

The outer coat is coarse, oily and water-resistant quality, suited to a dog that loves to spend time in the water. The head is broad and large with small ears that he keeps lying close to his head. The tail is long and plumed and the feet are wide with webbing between the toes which aids him with swimming.

Temperament:

As with many large dogs, the Newfoundland is docile and his sheer size makes it that he is best suited to life in the countryside as opposed to living in the city. This is also because this particular dog wants to be close to water where he can swim.

He is a trustworthy, loyal dog and will get on well with children and pets in the home. Training and socialization is always recommended for any dog, but a big dog can often ‘get in the way’ indoors and you want him to lie down or sit when you tell him to. He is an intelligent dog so will respond well to training.

The Miniature Pinscher is such a sporty, fun-loving, confident little dog that is also fearless for his small size.

He thinks he is a ferocious, big Dobermann Pinscher at heart and is ready to guard and protect his family with everything he’s got.

He is full of energy too and always ready for his daily walk and other forms of exercise and games.

He may be small, but he doesn’t want to be a lap dog, as he is too active for that. He can be highly entertaining and he promises to make you the most devoted and loving little family pet.

Your beautiful, cuddly puppy will soon become a giant dog with a big appetite. Don’t just buy a cute puppy if you can’t afford to feed him properly and you can’t give him lots of attention.

Your dog will also be shedding, so be aware of these aspects before you bring a large Newfoundland into your home. He is a gentle dog, but his size could be worrisome if he isn’t trained, socialized and supervised.

Newfoundlands are amicable dogs, and while he may like to spend times indoors with you relaxing, he is a working dog and will require exercise and activities for mind and body.

Give this giant of a dog a loving home, and you will have a special, devoted friend like no other.

Min Pins are robust little dogs and can enjoy good health when looked after properly. They can reach 15 years of age and even more.

Just like with any other dogs though, they’re prone to certain health conditions. Your Miniature Pinscher is highly unlikely to get any of these diseases, but it's good to be aware of some of them.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, known as PRA for short is an eye disease where there is gradual deterioration of the retina. You will no doubt see your dog being affected with night blindness – not being able to find their way around as they usually do.

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is a hip joint problem that often affects toy breeds. The blood supply to the head of the femur is decreased and you’ll notice your pet limping. It’s not an ailment reserved for old dogs either but can be found in puppies that are just 4 months of age.

Hypothyroidism is a disorder of the thyroid gland and can lead to skin conditions with your dog as well as lethargy, hair loss and obesity.

The Newfoundland can be prone to serious health conditions such as hip dysplasia and gastric torsion. Deep chested dog breeds like the New Foundland are susceptible to bloat, a life threatening condition where the stomach swells, it can twist and the dog can die if help isn’t available. He will be salivating, restless and whining while also trying to vomit.

Giant breeds are also prone to elbow and hip dysplasia, a genetic problem which can ultimately affect your dog’s mobility.

When in any doubt about your pet’s health, get him to the vet.

Grooming:

Grooming is easy and you will simply need to brush him twice a week as his coat is short and smooth. There is really no need to bath the Min Pin and you could even take a damp cloth and wipe him down to avoid using a shampoo which could dry the skin.

Always check his eyes and ears for infection and check for fleas and ticks too. His nails will need to be trimmed, more so if he doesn’t wear them down naturally.

Check your dogs teeth. Small dogs are more prone to dental disease and you want to brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste to avoid dental problems.

Diet:

The amount your Miniature Pinscher eats will be determined by his age and his activity levels.

When you buy commercially manufactured food, you will need to buy food that is recommended for small, energetic dogs. You don’t want to feed your pet dry kibble day after day, so a tasty, nutritious treat is to add finely chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice of pasta and some cooked vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and spinach into his kibble.

All dogs, but particularly little dogs, love simple food that is consistent like what has been mentioned. They don’t do well on strange, exotic kinds of foods as it upsets the stomach. Make sure he has cool, fresh water available to him at all times, night and day.

Grooming:

Your dog’s coat will need to be brushed at least twice a week as he is a heavy shedder.

Do the nails of your dog as soon as they start getting long. Long nails can hook on things and cause injury to the dog’s paw area.

This is a dog with floppy ears so check inside the ears to prevent ear infections, more so because this is a water-loving dog. The dampness inside the ears can cause bacteria.

Diet:

This is a giant breed and sadly, they have the shortest lifespans. You want to make sure that you keep your giant breed as healthy as possible to ensure he reaches the 10 or so years allotted to him and to also prevent health problems.

Make sure your giant breed puppy and adult has the very highest quality commercially manufactured food to ensure he gets the right balance of nutrients in. This food also makes sure that your puppy rather grows at a slower rate and stronger as opposed to growing too quickly. Rapid growth comes with joint problems.

All dogs, large and small, don’t want exotic, strange food that upsets their stomachs. They want consistency and simplicity and they want tasty food. Give him some homemade food such as cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach. You can add this occasionally to his dry kibble.

Add in some raw meat from time to time too. Your pet will be strong, healthy, happy and content.