History of the Dobermann
The history of the breed is steeped in mystery. No definate records where kept by the man who brought about this fascinating breed. It is an intelligent assumption that several breeds where used in the evolution of the Dobermann. Herr Louis Dobermann lived in Apolda, in Germany. He was a tax collector and he also had to his advantage the job of dog pound warden, so had access to all the stray dogs that came into the pound.
He was obviously an avid dog lover who also liked an aggressive animal! Many dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes where brought into the pound, but he was after a short haired dog of medium size, full of stamina, intelligence and alertness to accompany him on his tax collecting rounds.
Herr Louis Dobermann (left) with his dog "Schnupps" (seated)
The German Pinscher, according to early photos, was a very none discript dog but with a reputation of being extremely aggressive and alert, and it was around this breed that Herr Louis Dobermann built his own dog, the Dobermann.
Almost as soon as the Dobermann was recognised in Germany in 1900 he became a popular show dog and during the first 10 yrs of this breed's popularity in Germany a number of illustrious Champions where bred, and today most Dobermanns throughout the world have some of their German ancestors way back in their pedigrees.
History of the Miniture Pinscher 
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Despite a great similarity in appearance, the Miniature Pinscher is not, as many believe, descended from the Dobermann Pinscher. The breed is, in fact, older than the Dobermann Pinscher. It was developed in Germany by crossbreeding various terriers and other dogs, including the German Pinscher, Dachshund and possibly the Italian Greyhound; the Min Pin was originally created to control the rat population in stables.
The Miniature Pinscher - or at least a similar looking dog - was first depicted in paintings and sculptures beginning in the 17th century. It was not documented in writing, however, until some 200 years ago. Many people confuse the relationship between the Miniature Pinscher and the Dobermann Pinscher, incorrectly believing that the Min Pin is a miniaturized Dobermann. During the 1930s, the Miniature Pinscher breed standard stated that the dog should resemble a small Dobermann Pinscher, when in fact the Dobermann had been created in 1890 by Herr Louis Dobermann to resemble the Miniature Pinscher. Therefore, it is actually the Dobermann that is named and modeled after the Min Pin, not the other way Today the Min Pin is a fixture at dog shows and one of the more popular breeds to run along side the Dobermann it is often referred to as "The King of the Toy Dogs."
