The Affenpinscher

The Monkey Dog

The Affenpinscher is a sturdy little dog, standing between nine and eleven inches high and weighing between seven and nine pounds. It has a cheeky, monkey-like expression, hence the name, which in German means "Monkey Terrier".

The Affenpinscher breed has a rough, shaggy coat which is usually black (the preferred color for show dogs) but also occurs in gray, red, silver and black and tan.

The Affenpinscher history goes back a long way, being created in Germany, in the seventeenth century. Its purpose was as a ratting dog, to  keep kitchens and granaries free fom rodents.
In common with most of the Toy breeds, the Affenpinscher does not make a good guard dog but is a very efficient watchdog. It is alert and inquisitive and has above average learning ability and is a very active dog. House training can be a problem with this breed. 

The Affenpinscher Club of America    The Affenpinscher Club UK    Affenpinscher Rescue  

The breed is confident, lively, affectionate towards family members and also very protective and loyal.It can also be quite stubborn, so training needs to be firm, consistent and varied, to avoid the dog becoming bored. Short and frequent training sessions are the ideal.

The Affenpinscher is prone to hip displaysia. Care should be taken when walking the dog, as like many small breeds, they can suffer collapsed trachea, from rough treatment with a collar.A harness is probably more suitable. Average life span is about eleven years.

Affenpinschers should be  groomed two to three times a week because of their thick one inch coat.

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Here are The Breed Standards for The American Kennel Club

Here are The Breed Standards for The Kennel Club UK