All Dog Breeds >>History of German Pinscher
The Wire Haired and Smooth Haired Pinschers, as the Standard Schnauzer and German Pinscher were originally called, were shown in dog books as early as 1884. However drawings of the German Pinscher date back to at least 1780,[4] and the breed likely traces its roots to varieties of ratters well established on farms in Germany as far back as the 15th century.
These medium-sized dogs descended from early European herding and guardian breeds. The source of the German Pinscher can be followed back until 1836 when this breed surpassed the Mops in popularity. Pinschers were used as guardians for coaches. They also lived in homesteads where they were used to kill vermin, a job they completed independently by instinct. This behavior did not need to be trained into the German Pinscher.
Even today you can observe German Pinschers searching for and finding rats in open areas and in homes. This high prey drive is a good reason not to leave a German Pinscher off lead outside of a fenced area. The Standard Schnauzer (then referred to as the Wire Haired Pinscher) was originally born in the same litter as the German Pincher. Over time, breeders decided to separate the "varieties," changing them to actual "breeds".
After three generations of the same coat were born, the Pinscher-Schnauzer club allowed them to be registered as their respective "breed". From 1950 to 1958 no litter had been registered. Credit is attributed to Werner Jung for collecting several of the breed in 1958 to continue the German Pinscher as we know the breed today.