Affenpinscher
Here comes a small dog with an adorable monkey face. Do you wonder how can a fluffy and plain-looking dog get favored by many people? Shaggy as they are, Affenpinschers are clean somehow. Good body structure offers them balance and efficiency when walking, flipping, running.
| Other Names | Affen, Diablotin Moustachu, Monkey-Faced Dog |
| Color | Gray, fawn, black, tan, red |
| Height | Males: 9-12 inches. Females: 9-12 inches. |
| Weight | Males: 6-13 pounds. Females: 6-13 pounds. |
| Life Span | 12-15 years |
| Personality | Excitable, loyal, entertaining, fearless, alert and inquisitive |
| Exercise | Regular exercise |
| Origin |
| Popularity | #150 |
| Groom Needs | 2-3 times a week |
| Kids Friendly | Yes with supervision |
| Dog Friendly | Yes with supervision |
| Watch Dog | |
| Family Dog | |
| Litter Size | 2–3 puppies |
Affenpinscher Video
Introduction
Isn’t he unusual, the Affenpinscher? No wonder this small dog is often called a monkey terrier or monkey dog. That’s what it actually means in German. He is only around 11 inches at the shoulders and weighs around 10 pounds. This spunky little dog has a protruding jaw that makes him look like he is pouting! They are known to be playful and fearless, intelligent, mischievous, loyal, and affectionate, needing consistent training. They are prone to injury, so this might not be the right dog for you if you have young children. He makes an excellent watchdog, fearing nothing. They might be active little dogs, but they can still cope quite well without a yard which means he needs daily walks. The coat will need to be brushed twice a week and sometimes trimmed to keep him looking his best. He is rather sensitive to extreme temperatures with quite rough and dense coat. In hot weather, he can even experience breathing problems. They usually sport a black coat but you do get other colors like silver, red, black and tan, and a mix even of red, black, brown, and white hair.
Living with Affenpinscher
The hair of Affenpinscher is Medium-length and shaggy. They should be groomed twice a week. Actually grooming them is not complex, as all you need is a brush and a metal comb. The hair around heads is usually brushed forward over the face, and then barber cut an inverted V-shape for tidiness. Likewise, the hair around nose is trimmed into a fan-shape. Dogs will be more energetic with hair clearance around these eyes, as the eyes can be exposed and the sight can be more clear. Their hairs won’t grow quickly, so trimming them won’t be difficult. You can choose to groom them every few months. You can also trim Affen’s nails and brush their teeth. Keep pets in tidiness can do good to them.
Some dogs are classified as “moderately active”. So are these adorable Affenpinschers. They need exercise regularly. They would like to accompany and lay around owners when owners back from work. If owners would like to interact with them indoors, they can exercise somehow. But they are still insufficient of exercise. So a brisk walk once or twice a day is required for them. These walks give them a chance to socialize apart from exercising. Good for both owners and dogs. Their small size makes them ideal apartment dogs, but owners may ignore their health condition. Concern more about exercising which do a big help for both physical and mental health of them.
As Affenpinschers are little, what they eats depends on their size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Usually 1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. Some people will throw bones for them to chew. longlasting chew will do bad to their teeth. Bones will be easily rot, especially in summer. The best way for you to rest assured the health and safety of pet is to feed them with nourishing dog food which meet the specified safety requirements. What you buy definitely makes a difference. Several full bowls of malnourished dog food is just equal to one bowl of nutritive dog meal. Measure their food and check their daily ration. Feed him twice a day rather than leaving food out all day. Place your hands on their backs, thumbs along spines, with the fingers spreading downward. But as gentle as possible, don’t press so hard. If you cannot feel their ribs, they might be overweight. You need to feed them with less food.
Some Affenpinschers are prone to have certain genetic health problems, such as hip dysplasia. Poor breeding practices may lead to this. But not every dog of that breed will develop those diseases. It depends on their genes. If you decide to adopt a puppy. Find out which genetic illnesses are common to the breed you’re interested in can be necessary. You can also choose to ask shelter or rescue for informations about the health situation of your dog’s parents and relatives. Affenpinschers are basically healthy dogs, as responsible breeders will screen their stock for health conditions. They will check luxating patella, heart anomalies, vision problems, and hip dysplasia out. Like other shorter-faced breeds, Affens may have breathing problems if they are under longlasting overheat weather. Also they may have problems panting. Unlike human can shed sweat to lower body temperature, pets can only work that out by panting. So concern more about their habitat environment or you may put them in danger.
Total Annual Cost: $2490
Cost is estimated for the first year and may vary depending on many factors, such as dog food, health care, leash, collar, licensing, possible fencing, crates, training and obedience classes, dog-walking, grooming, treats, toys, flea, tick, and heart-worm meds, microchips, etc.
Smart and inquisitive as Affenpinschers are, owners often choose to teach Affenpinschers to obey directions. However, basic obedience training requires some techniques. This breed has an undeserved reputation that they are hard to be trained, which is actually wrong. Though Affenpinschers are independent minded and can be stubborn sometimes, trainers can easily teach them if appropriate measures are taken, such as food reward, encouraging words, etc. They are generally eager to please the humans they have bonded with, so deep emotional connections can help a lot in training period. This breed can easily get bored during long training period, so they tend to lose interest and give up obeying directions. Have them take breaks after a training session, leaving enough interval for about 5-10 mins. Training sessions should be more frequently, so that they will be more concentrated on every training process. Suitable for obedience and agility competitions, Affenpinschers can perform well and get good grades.
History
Their history can be traced back to France and Germany. Germany is claimed to be its native land, although there is no proper evidence to support their origin. He was bred to control rats in mills, farms, and homes in the 17th century. They rank as some of the oldest toy breeds used to create the Miniature Schnauzer and the Brussel Griffon.
The first Affenpinschers were imported to America in 1935 by a lady called Mrs. Bessie Mally of Cicero, Illinois. She founded her Zwergteufel Kennel, transporting dogs from Germany to America. A beautiful heiress, Evalyn Walsh McLean garnered priceless publicity for the Affenpinscher. This socialite, whom the paparazzi reported every detail of her life, had a canine pack which included Affenpinschers, Poodles, Great Danes, Saint Bernard’s, Silky Terriers, Chihuahuas, and Brussels Griffons. These dogs were photographed with her, posing with all her jewels. Because of the roaring success of other German breeds like the German Shepherds and the Dachshunds, the Affenpinscher also seemed destined for popularity in America, but unfortunately, after World War II, they never fully recovered and remain a rare breed. In 1951, Lucille Meystedt founded Balu Affenpinschers in Texas. She was approved to judge Toy breeds; going on to produce 35 homebred Affenpinscher champions. She also founded the Affenpinscher Club of America – she was the breed columnist for Popular Dogs for many years. The American Kennel Club recognized this breed in 1936.
Helpful Information
Breed Club: Affenpinscher Club of America
Breed Club Link: https://www.affenpinscher.org/
Breed Club Rescue: Affenpinscher Rescue of America
Breed Club Rescue Link: https://www.affenpinscherrescue.org/