The Miniature Pinscher is a small-sized breed of pinscher type having an origin in Germany. This breed is supposed to be very old, but the factual documentation began less than 200 years ago.
Miniature Pinschers are generally brilliant, smart, playful, and friendly dogs that love to hang around. Due to their mini sizes, they have a considerably longer lifespan than many other breeds, which makes them a perfect companion dog for families with kids and the elderly.
The average life expectancy of Miniature Pinschers is 12 to 16 years because of their little body and healthy gene pool. Due to their small size, they generally live more than the medium, large or jumbo size dogs. They are prone to some health problems such as Legg-Perthes Disease, Hypothyroidism, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), and some heart diseases.
In the sections below, we will discuss in detail the average lifespan of Miniature Pinschers, common health problems of this breed, factors that affect their life expectancy, and actions you can take to improve their quality of life as well as their life expectancy.
How Long Do Miniature Pinschers Usually Live?
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the average lifespan of Miniature Pinscher is around 12 to 16 years. Some of them can even live for more than 20 years with proper healthcare and training.
They age and grow slower than most of the larger breeds, which enables them to live that much longer.
There is always a potential in every breed to push itself beyond its average lifespan. Their life expectancy is directly related to how much care and love you can give to them.
Therefore, Miniature Pinschers’ life expectancy can be improved or enhanced by multiple ways that keep your dogs healthy and happy.
How Old Is the World’s Oldest Miniature Pinscher?
It is difficult to tell the oldest Miniature Pinscher because a lot of owners claim that their pinschers are the oldest Miniature Pinschers. One of the women named Jessica claimed that she had 22 years old Miniature Pinscher back in 2013.
However, it is also claimed by someone that the world’s oldest Miniature Pinscher who successfully made its place in the Guinness Book of World Records died at the age of 21 years old.
Common Health Problems of Miniature Pinschers
As a pet owner, it is essential to be aware of the common health problems or concerns your breed can be prone to. Miniature Pinschers or more frankly Min Pins are generally healthy, but still, they are likely to develop some genetic disorders that can be inherited from their parents.
These are the known health problems of Miniature Pinschers:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Hypothyroidism
Patellar Luxation
Epilepsy
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is an eye disorder that is mainly concerned with the rod cells in the retina. Rod cells lie within the retina, which is responsible for the vision in low light.
In Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), the rod cells are programmed to die by themselves, which can cause Miniature Pinschers blind in both eyes.
The main symptoms of this eye disease are night blindness, which results in low vision in the dim lights. Unfortunately, there is no cure for it. The dog becomes blind slowly, which allows it enough time to adjust the changes around him or her.
PRA is a painless disorder but the dogs can hurt themselves more easily due to vision loss.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is related to hip joints that many toy breeds are prone to. In this disorder, the supply of blood to the head of Femur, which is a sizeable rear bone is decreased. And the Pelvis which connects to the Femur is disintegrated.
The main symptoms of this disorder are atrophy and limping of the legs. It occurs typically in the puppies with four months to six months old.
The primary treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is the surgical treatment called femoral head osteotomy (FHO), which involves the removal of the head and neck of the femur by surgery.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition that is related to thyroid glands, and thyroid glands don’t produce the required amount of thyroid hormones. The thyroid hormone is the crucial element to run the metabolism of the body.
The main symptoms of this condition include slow metabolisms and secondary health concerns, such as constipation.
Hypothyroidism affects all the functions and the overall balance of the body. It can cause your dog to develop some secondary health problems, which are bad for your Min Pin in any circumstances.
Hypothyroidism can be treated with the help of thyroid hormone supplements such as Levothyroxine.
Patellar Luxation
Patellar luxation or a luxating patellar is a knee disorder. In this condition, the kneecap or patella is dislocated from its actual anatomic position.
It can only return to the actual position when the muscles in the hind legs are lengthened and relaxed. Due to this reason, dogs having patellar luxation usually hold their hind legs up.
The primary symptoms of this disorder are sudden lameness, hindlimb lameness, and occasional skipping.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which seizures are developed that causes the brain of the dogs to function abnormally. In seizures, repeated, uncontrollable, and sudden electrical disturbances happen, which change the level of consciousness, feelings, and overall behavior of your Min Pin.
Epilepsy, which is inherited by the parent breeds, is known as primary epilepsy. In contrast, epilepsy, which is caused by some toxins or infections, is known as secondary epilepsy.
Factors That Affect the Lifespan of a Miniature Pinscher
The question frequently asked by Miniature Pinscher’s owners is what actually affects the life expectancy of Miniature Pinschers.
Following is a list of factors that may affect the life expectancy of a Miniature Pinscher:
Family health history
Body size
Amount of exercise
Dental Health
Care
Family Health History
You should get a good idea of the life expectancy of your pinscher by looking at the lifespan of its parents. Keep in mind that the healthier the parents, the healthier their puppies will be.
Due to inheritance, the puppies have a high chance to develop the disorders their parents are having. Genetic disorders such as cardiovascular diseases in dogs can be passed down to their puppies, which can reduce the quality of life as well as the life expectancy of the puppies.
Fortunately, all the good breeders maintain a complete log of every breed’s history, and they have a pretty good idea of the life expectancy of the pups.
Body Size
Size is one of the most obvious factors that determine a dog’s lifespan. This phenomenon is well known to many dog owners and dog lovers; larger dogs don’t live as long as smaller ones.
Smaller dogs usually live longer than large dogs because they grow and age slower. It is also believed that smaller dogs live longer because their internal organs do not have to work as hard as larger dogs to function properly. Large dogs, which grow faster, tend to develop age-related health issues at an earlier age.
Amount of Exercise
The Miniature Pinscher is naturally very energetic and full of attitude, which loves to exercise and engage in different activities with the family members. They are naturally very jumpy and excited that you will not resist doing playful activities with them.
Therefore, you must provide regular healthy exercise to your pinscher, which can help prolong its lifespan. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight which reduces the risk of getting some health problems such as obesity and diabetes.
Dental Health
Your dog’s teeth are equally important as any other organ of the body. Some dog owners take it lightly, but it can be life increasing or decreasing factor for your little friend.
The plague and tartar gathered on the teeth by the bacteria can lead to periodontal disease, which enters the bloodstream and damages vital organs.
Care
The overall lifespan of your Mn Pin can determine the amount of love and care you have given to him or her. The more you care about it, the happier and more prosperous it will be with you.
You should be careful and cautious about its health, exercise, and proper dietary plan, which are the combined factors of your Miniature Pinscher’s longevity.
Ways to Improve the Lifespan of Miniature Pinschers
You can improve or enhance the lifespan of your pinscher by applying best practices and recommendations by veterinary and dog experts.
Those life-extending practices for your Miniature Pinschers are as follows;
Keep your pinscher away from dangerous things or objects
Dog Training
Feeding a healthy diet
Regular exercise
Keep Your Pinscher Away From Dangerous Things or Objects
Your Min Pin is an impatient companion when it comes to playfulness and exciting activities. It loves the adventurous rides down the hills, but you should be careful and protective to extend its lifespan.
You probably have some items that are toxic to dogs in your house. And you should keep those poisonous things away from them.
Common household items that are toxic and dangerous to your Miniature Pinscher:
Grapes and raisins
Pest-control products
Antifreeze
Chocolate
Detergent
Medicine for humans
Garbage
Sugar-free gum and candy
Dog Training
Basic dog training programs such as behavioral training and obedience training are essential for Miniature Pinschers for a long healthy relationship with their owners.
They don’t look like a very dominating breed physically, but they do have a very dominating mind that should be led by a strong pack leader.
They can start fighting or misbehave if not adequately trained, which can potentially hurt them, and ultimately decrease their life expectancy.
Feeding a Healthy Diet
To improve the life expectancy of Miniature Pinschers, you must feed them the right diet. On average, an 8-pound Miniature Pinscher will need around 350 calories a day to maintain his body weight. Make sure you feed them high-grade dog food with sufficient nutrients.
However, every dog has its own nutritional needs and it depends on its weight, activity level, and health condition. Therefore, it is recommended to have a dog nutritionist formulate a diet plan for you.
Regular Exercise
Exercise is a crucial need for pinschers; they need at least 20 minutes of walk exercise daily to stretch their legs a little bit. Regular exercise not only keeps your pinscher happy but also physically and mentally healthy.
Exercise helps your pinscher to maintain a healthy weight which reduces the risk of developing some health problems such as obesity and diabetes. If they are not getting enough exercise, they may release their energy in some undesirable ways, which can cause them to injure themselves.
Final Thoughts
The Miniature Pinscher is a very energetic and active breed having tons of never-ending charisma and stamina to work around because of its small and flexible body.
They live relatively similar to other small breeds having a life expectancy of up to 12 to 16 years. However, there are many things you can do to extend their lifespan including dog training, regular exercise, a healthy diet, and keeping them away from dangerous things.
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