Pin-Tzu

The Miniature Pinscher is originally from Germany and although they may look like a miniature Doberman Pinscher, they are not even related. In fact, they have been around longer than the Doberman, originating over 2000 years ago according to Renaissance paintings from that time. They are believed to have been bred originally from the German Pinscher but others say they are part Terrier, Italian Greyhound, and Dachshund. The name Pinscher actually means Terrier or biter in German. These dogs were originally used for getting rid of rats but they soon became popular as family companions. In the late 1800s, the Pinscher Klub was formed and almost 20 years later, the breed was brought to America, where it was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1925. Five years later, the Miniature Pinscher Club of America was founded and recognized by the American Kennel Club. The Shih Tzu originated in ancient times in China and has been treated as royalty there since the Tang Dynasty. These little dogs were used as both companions and watchdogs to royal families, bred from the Tibetan Mountain Dog, Pekingese, and Lhasa Apso. Sometime during the Ming Dynasty, around 1400 A.D., the Shih Tzu became popular with more common folk and their numbers soared. However, they were nearly made extinct during the Chinese Revolution when there were only seven females and seven males saved. The modern Shih Tzus are all thought to have come from those 14 dogs. The first Shih Tzus to come to America were mistaken for Lhasa Apsos and were not distinguished as their own breed until they were registered with the American Kennel Club in 1969.