[Kyllobernese]

At the Agility trial last weekend, I saw a little brown dog with white markings, a docked tail and floppy ears. I asked the owner if it was a Rat Terrier cross as it was so much like my nieces Rat Terrier, except not having prick ears.

He very seriously said it was a Min Pin. He then went on to say that it was a mismark and would have been put to sleep if he had not taken it. He then said that the Min Pin is a cross between.........a Dashund and an Italian Greyhound, and that was where the color came from.

He was so serious about it I didn't have the heart to burst his bubble.

 

[Willowy]

Well, that's what Wikipedia says. . .. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_Pinscher

I can't find any pictures of one with white markings but I don't know what kind of mismarks are genetically possible in the bred.

 

[Keechak]

Many Min Pins have floppy ears before they are cropped and White markings are possible in the breed as a mismark. And yes the Dachshund and Italian greyhound went into the genetics behind the Min Pin, Although to say the Min Pin is a cross between those breeds is a little misleading.

 

[Kyllobernese]

I realize those are two of the breeds in the background of the Min Pin but he said it as if those were the parents of his dog. I know that Min Pins are usually cropped and like other breeds that are normally cropped do have floppy ears but it did not have the build or head shape of a Min Pin. It was a tan color with white chest, white blaze, white on its legs, certainly not an accepted Min Pin color even without the white.

 

[momtolabs]

Maybe a poorly bred Min Pin, with something else throwing in the line somewhere?? Most pin pins I see have a black/tan coat(some have a little white on chest) or a rust color.

 

[Keechak]

Mom To labs, Min Pins also come in red as an equally acceptable color

 

[Damon'sMom]

AKC web site says "Disqualification: White on any part of dog which exceeds one-half inch in its longest dimension."

Mini pins come in other colors such as:
Chocolate with rust

Solid Stag (Red)

Black with Rust

 

[Kayota]

DQ doesn't mean it can't happen though!

 

[Keechak]

DQ doesn't mean it can't happen though!

that is absolutely correct and in fact when there are named DQ's in the breed standard it's usually because they DO occur on a semi regular basis enough for them to need to make a point of saying this trait is a DQ.

If you look at the AKC website and go to Min Pin colors "white markings" is one of the color choices you can make when registering the dog.