 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Affenpinscher
Description:
The Affenpinscher is a sturdy toy dog with a rough shaggy coat and hairy face. The Affen’s body is almost square being a little longer than its height. It has a short back that slopes down slightly to a high-set tail which is usually docked to two-thirds of its length where permitted. The Affenpinscher’s head is round with a undershot jaw that protrudes below the short muzzle. The Affen has round and black eyes with V-shaped hairy ears that can be dropped or cropped and carried erect. The facial shape and expression may remind you of a monkey. The Affen has a thick, harsh and rough coat with long spiky hair on its head. The coat is usually plain black but black with gray, brown or red tones is also acceptable. Affens stand 9.5 to 11.5 inches tall at shoulder height and weigh from 7 to 8 pounds.
Affenpinschers are members of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Toy Dog Group.
Affenpinscher Pictures:
Click On Image To Enlarge
History:
The Affenpinscher seems to have originated in Germany but little is known of its early history. Dogs similar to the Affen but somewhat larger were used as farm dogs and ratters as far back as the early 17th century. The breed was probably miniaturized during the 18th and 19th century. It was named “Monkey Dog” because of its monkey-like facial expression and curious temperament. The Affen seems to be related to the Brussels Griffon and also seems to have some terrier in its background. The breed was registered by the AKC in 1936 although the national breed club was formed later. Today the Affen is primarily a companion dog. The Affen was ranked 125th out of 154 dog breeds registered by the AKC in 2005.
Temperament:
The Affenpinscher is lively, affectionate, loyal, comical and alert with a terrier-like temperament. Like most terriers they are busy, confidant, playful, mischievous and independent but unlike most terriers they seem to get along fairly well with other pets and dogs. This friendly and amusing dog loves its family and does well with older children. However Affens are not suitable for young children and toddlers as they are toy dogs and also because they are quite possessive of their toys and food. The breed is quite intelligent and can learn fairly easily but Affens get bored easily unless training is made into a game. Like most toy dog breeds, the Affenpinscher may be difficult to housetrain. See our report on Puppy Training for information on house breaking your puppy. Early socialization and obedience training is necessary to try and control its feistiness toward other dogs and its reactions to strangers. Affens make excellent watch dogs and do fine with first time or novice dog owners.
Exercise:
Affenpinschers get lots of exercise running around the apartment or the house and yard investigating everything that is going on. The breed adapts well to apartment life but loves to play games and be taken for a walk or drive. This toy breed does not enjoy temperature extremes. The Affen makes a good traveling companion. Use a harness when taking the Affen for a walk as the trachea is easily damaged.
Grooming:
The Affenpinscher does not need a lot of grooming beyond a weekly brushing and regular combing of its beard and mustache. The Affen is a non shedding or low-shed breed and its coat will need to be hand stripped or plucked several times per year. The Affen’s coat should not be clipped short as it will take a long time to grow back in.
Health Issues:
Affens live for 10 to 13 years and are generally pretty healthy. Some bloodlines can suffer from luxating patella and cataracts. Like most short nosed breeds the Affen can have respiratory problems in hot and humid weather. Information on these genetic diseases can be found in our article Hereditary Diseases in Dogs. Prospective buyers should ask for the breeding parents Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) test results for luxating patella.
If this article interested you, check out our article on
Pet Allergies
Do you run a site that should be listed here? Link to this site and then tell us about it.
Articles
Choosing the Dog Breed For You
You should decide what kind of dog will best meet your requirements. You may want to choose a cross-breed, designer or pure-bred dog...
Hereditary Diseases in Dogs
An article on hereditary dog diseases that lists common health problems and the breeds that commonly inherit them.
Top 10 Toy Dog Breeds
The Toy Group includes most of the very small and miniature lap dogs and apartment-sized companion dog breeds. Toy dogs play a critical role in the lives of people that live alone and their presence can have beneficial effects on the health of the sick, the elderly and the housebound. Toys are popular companion dogs for people living in cities and adapt well to apartment life.
Top 10 Terrier Dog Breeds
The Terrier Group includes those small but lively terrier breeds that were developed (mainly in Great Britain) to hunt small burrowing animals such as badgers, foxes, otters, rabbits and rats.
Top 10 Hound Dog Breeds
The Hound Group includes dog breeds with a wonderful sense of smell and/or great athleticism. These breeds were developed to follow game either by sight or by smell.
How Dogs Can Help Teach Your Children Responsibility
Owning a dog is a great way to engage your kids in the process of responsibility. Teaching your children to be responsible is probably one of the most important aspects of being a parent. And why not have a little help in this department with the assistance of a brand-new puppy?
Making A long Road Trip More Comfortable For Your Dog
If your road trip is going to be a long one then you need to take a few extra steps to plan accordingly and ensure that you and your puppy get to your destination safe and happy. Here are a few suggestions that can help...
Xoloitzcuintli Dog Breed
The Xolo is one of the world’s oldest and rarest breeds. Statues and effigies dating back more than 3,000 years have been found in Mayan tombs. Xolos were valued for their loyalty, companionship and intelligence as well as their curative and mystical powers.
Our List of Dog Breeds
A list of over 110 Dog breeds and growing.
Additional Content
If you have a picture of your dog that you would like us to use either in a 'dog photo needed' spot or in our up coming dog breeds photo gallery, you can e-mail us the picture at dogphotos@Dog-Breed-Facts.com
All submissions become the sole property of Dog-Breed-Facts.comRead our term of use and privacy statements.
For quick browsing of our site visit our site map.
