Austrian Pinscher

The Austrian Pinscher is an old working breed developed from German Pinschers and various hounds and sheepdogs of Austria and the Balkans, such as the Taurunum Dogge, Jamar and Alopekis. Believed to had remained unchanged since the Middle Ages, this hardy and resilient dog has traditionaly been used to drive and protect livestock, but it also makes an excellent hunter, vermin killer and all-around farm dog.
The Austrian Pinscher is extremely powerful for its size, capable of great speeds and famous for its strong bite. Being primarily working dogs, there are some appearance inconsistencies within the Austrian Terrier population, like different ear shapes, coat types and height variations. Sturdy, rugged and muscular, this is a very strong and healthy little working dog. Quite rare outside its native country, the Austrian Short-Haired Pinscher makes an agreable companion pet, but it can be overly suspicious of strangers and aggressive towards other dogs, needing early socialization and obedience training.
The coat is dense, hard and short, most commonly seen in shades of fawn with white markings, but other colourings exist. Average height is around 18 inches.