Working Group

German Pinscher

German Pinscher is a medium dog in the Working Group. Adult weight is 25–45 lb, height is 17–20 in, and the listed lifespan is 12–14 years. AKC describes the temperament as Intelligent, Courageous, Vivacious.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

German Pinscher dog
Photo: Lori Branham from Laguna Niguel, CA, US · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lifespan12–14 years
Weight25–45 lb
SizeMediumGroupWorking Group

Height

17–20 in

Energy

5 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

1 / 5

Trainability

5 / 5

Good with kids

3 / 5

The breed record

Across 59 single-size medium breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 13 years is about the same as the 13.3-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 35 lb is about the same as the 34.1 lb average for those medium breeds.

The listed origin is Germany. The coat is described as smooth, short. The AKC energy score is 5 out of 5, 1.3 points above the group average of 3.7 for the Working Group. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 1 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 5 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 3 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 139 in 2025.

AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Hip Evaluation, Cardiac Exam, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, and Von Willebrand Disease I (VWDI) - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

Frequently asked

Questions from the breed record

The verified adult weight for a German Pinscher is 25–45 lb.

Sources

More Working Group breeds

All Working Group breeds

More medium breeds

All medium dog breeds

Related calculators

Discuss on PawTalk

Got a question the chart doesn't answer?

Ask on PawTalk, our community for pet owners, and compare notes on feeding, age, and day-to-day care.

Sign in to askBrowse threads