Austrian Pinscher

The breed standard describes the ideal Austrian Pinscher's temperament and character as playful, not inclined to be a hunter, and being an "incorruptible guard".

Austrian Pinscher (Österreichischer Pinscher, no. 64)

It is also recognised by the United Kennel Club in the United States as the Austrian Pinscher as of 2006, in the Terrier Group, for its background as a rat hunter.

Ark Austria (Arche Austria), an association for the preservation of endangered indigenous breeds, lists the Austrian Pinscher and states that it is highly vulnerable, with only 6 to 12 breeding animals, who are being carefully bred to preserve health and breed type.

The international kennel club, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, lists the miniature pinscher in Group 2, Section 1.1 Pinscher, along with the Dobermann, the German Pinscher, the Austrian Pinscher, and the other toy pinscher, the affenpinscher.

The Austrian Pinscher (Österreichischer Pinscher, FCI No. 64) is a medium large breed of pinscher-type dog from Austria, where dogs of the type were originally farm dogs, keeping barns free of rats and acting as home guards, livestock guardians, and drovers.

Purchasers of puppies and dogs from groups outside the Austrian breed restoration program should read the original standard (obtainable in translation from the FCI) and their dog's pedigree to make sure they are buying an Austrian Pinscher and not an excessively inbred or a random-bred dog.

The name originally given to the breed in 1928 was the Österreichischer Kurzhaarpinscher (Austrian Shorthaired Pinscher) to differentiate it from similarly named breeds, but today in its country of origin the breed is officially called the Österreichischer Pinscher, or Austrian Pinscher in English.