Pinschers

a group of dog breeds used mainly as guards or for hunting small predators, such as polecats and weasels. The breeds include the Doberman pinscher, the short-haired pinscher (a strong black dog, about 43-48 cm tall), the wire-haired pinscher (Schnauzer; 40-50 cm tall), and the miniature pinscher (25-31 cm tall). Pinschers usually have their ears trimmed and their tails docked. They are native to Germany but have been introduced into many countries. In the USSR the Doberman pinscher and the Riesenschnauzer are bred.