Affenpinscher, monkey dog, or monkey terrier is a true terrier dog breed in spirit. Affenpinschers are generally quiet little dogs but maybe spunky and fearless in the face of aggression.
AffenpinscherAffenpinscher FAQs Frequently Asked Questions:
Let us seek some answers related to the Affenpinscher breed. Are they hypoallergenic, or do they shed a lot? Do they bark a lot? Are they good guard dogs? Are they good family dogs? Good with children? And many more questions that a potential Affenpinscher dog owner may be concerned about.
Is affenpinscher a good family dog?
Is an Affenpinscher hypoallergenic (non-shedding)?
Yes, the Affenpinscher is considered a hypoallergenic dog breed. While the fur of an Affenpinscher is wiry and is often considered hypoallergenic, this is not to be mistaken with “non-shedding.” All dogs shed or produce dander. Do you suffer from allergies? Here is a list of hypoallergenic breeds.
Does the affenpinscher shed a lot?
They do not shed a lot. But Affenpinschers do shed a little. Although they are in the hypoallergenic category of dog breeds, Affenpinschers do indeed shed. While Affenpinschers require little grooming, it is advised that their coats be stripped regularly.
Where did the affenpinscher originate from?
Germany. Affenpinscher, also called monkey terrier, breed of toy dog known since the 17th century. It is thought to have originated in Germany, where it was bred to be a ratter – to kill rats, mice, and other small vermin. Like other terriers, it is lively and playful.
Is the affenpinscher good with kids?
Like most terrier-type dogs, the Affenpinscher is proud and sensitive and does not consider being teased. This breed is happiest in a home without young children. An Affenpinscher may be right for you. An Affenpinscher may not be right for you.
How much does an affenpinscher puppy cost?
The cost to adopt an Affenpinscher is around $300 to cover the dog’s expenses before adoption. In contrast, buying Affenpinschers from breeders can be prohibitively expensive. Depending on their breeding, they usually cost anywhere from $800-$2,000.
How long does an affenpinscher live?
Ok, so you love the Affenpinscher breed!
And have decided to find yourself an Affenpinscher puppy as your next family member. How will you choose the one best Affenpinscher puppy to bring home? Let us look at some standard characteristics of the Affenpinscher breed, which will help select the right puppy. Keep reading.
Choosing a good affenpinscher puppy
The definition of the best affenpinscher puppy depends on your requirements. Your expectations from an adult affenpinscher can be broadly categorized as follows: Confirmation for show or breeding; obedience; smart guard or watchdog; homely pet.
Although it is tempting to look for all these qualities in the one affenpinscher puppy you are planning to buy, it is rarely possible to find all qualities in a single pup.
If you want your Affenpinscher puppy to grow up to be a champion in the show ring, you should look for confirmation of the Affenpinscher dog breed standards. We have put together a general guideline for selecting an all-around good puppy for you. Our guideline includes breed standards and gives importance to temperament, appearance, physical details, gait, health issues, grooming needs, and maintenance.
Look for the following characteristics while choosing an Affenpinscher puppy.
Affenpinscher General Appearance
The Affenpinscher is a balanced little wiry-haired toy dog whose intelligence and demeanor make it a good house pet. Originating in Germany, where the name Affenpinscher means “monkey-like terrier,” the breed was developed to rid the kitchens, granaries, and stables of rodents. In France, the breed is described as the “diablotin moustachu” or the mustached little devil. Both these names help to describe the appearance and attitude of this delightful breed. When evaluating the breed, the Affenpinscher’s total overall appearance is more important than any individual characteristic.
AffenpinscherAffenpinscher Temperament
The Affenpinscher’s general demeanor is game, alert, and inquisitive with great loyalty and affection toward its master and friends. The breed is generally quiet but can become vehemently excited when threatened or attacked and is fearless toward any aggressor.
Affenpinscher Size and Proportion
The Affenpinscher is a sturdy, compact little dog with medium bone and is not delicate in any way. The height at the withers is between 9 inches and 11-1/2 inches, with 10-1/4 inches being the ideal. The height at the withers is approximately the same as the body’s length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks giving a square appearance. The female may be slightly longer.
Head: The head is in proportion to the body, carried confidently upright with a monkey-like facial expression. Eyes: Full, round, dark, brilliant, and of medium size in proportion to the head but not bulging or protruding. The eye rims are black. Ears: Either cropped to a point, set high and standing erect, or natural, standing erect, semi-erect, or dropped. All types of ears, if symmetrical, are acceptable as long as the monkey-like expression is maintained—Skull: Round and domed but not coarse. Stop: Well defined—muzzle: Short and narrowing slightly to a blunt nose. The length of the muzzle is approximately the same as the distance between the eyes. Nose: Not obviously turned up or down, with black pigmentation. Lips: Black in color with the lower lip more prominent. Bite: Undershot with the lower teeth closing closely in front of the upper teeth. A level bite is acceptable if the monkey-like expression is maintained. The teeth and tongue do not show when the mouth is closed. The lower jaw is broad enough for, the lower teeth to be straight and even.
Affenpinscher Neck, Topline and Body
Neck: Short and straight with an upright carriage. Topline: Straight and level. Body: The chest is rather broad and deep; the ribs are moderately sprung. The underline is slightly tucked up at the loin. The back is short and straight. The loin is short and only slightly tucked. The back has just a perceptible curve before the tail. The tail is either docked or left natural. When docked, the tail is generally between 1 inch and 3 inches long; set high and carried erect. When natural, the tail is carried curved gently up over the back while moving. The type of tail is not a major consideration.
Affenpinscher’s Forequarters
The front angulation is moderate. Shoulders: With moderate layback and flexible enough to allow free front action. The lengths of the upper arm and the forearm are about equal. Elbows: Close to the body. Front Legs: Straight when viewed from the front. Front Pasterns: Relatively short and straight. Dewclaws: Generally removed. Feet: Small, round, and compact with black pads and nails.
Affenpinscher’s Hindquarters
The rear angulation is moderate. Hind Legs: Straight when viewed from behind. When viewed from the side, they are set under the body to maintain a square appearance. The lengths of the upper thigh and the second thigh are about equal. Stifle Moderate angulation. Hock Joint: Moderate angulation; straight when viewed from behind. Rear Pasterns: Short and straight. Dewclaws: Generally removed. Feet: Small, round, and compact with black pads and nails.
Affenpinscher’s Coat
The hair is dense, rough, harsh textured, and approximately 1 inch in length on the shoulders, body, and back, but maybe shorter on the rear and tail in contrast to the longer, shaggier, and less harsh hair on the head, neck, chest, stomach, and legs. At maturity, the neck and chest coat may grow longer to form a cape. The longer hair on the head, eyebrows, and beard stands off and frames the face to emphasize the monkey-like expression. The hair on the ears is usually cut very short. The correct coat needs little grooming to blend the shorter hair into the longer hair to maintain a neat but shaggy appearance.
Black Affenpinscher
Grey/Silver Affenpinscher
Black and tan AffenpinscherAffenpinscher Colors
Black, grey/silver, or black and tan – with symmetrical markings, or red varying from a brownish red to an orangey tan. Some blacks may have a rusty cast or white or silver hair mixed in the coat and furnishings. Some reds have black, brown, and/or white hairs mixed in the coat with tan furnishings. The furnishings may be a bit lighter with the various colors, and some may have black masks. A small white spot or fine line of white hairs on the chest is not penalized, but large white patches are undesirable. Color is not a major consideration.
Is there a white affenpinscher?
No! Affenpinscher colors – beige, red, grey, tan, silver, black.
The Affenpinscher’s Gait
The Affenpinscher has a light, sound, balanced, confident gait and tends to carry itself with comic seriousness. When viewed from the front or rear while walking, the legs move parallel to each other. While trotting, the feet will converge toward a midline depending on the speed.
Affenpinscher Videos
We hope you enjoyed reading about the Affenpinscher dog breed. You may consider sharing your views in the comments section below. Inputs and priceless experiences from dog owners, Affenpinscher breeders, and dog lovers, in general, help us better understand our most loyal friends. Thank you for your interest.
Affenpinscher is German – “Affe” for monkey and “Pinscher” for a terrier.
Monkey Dogs or Affenpinscher dog breed just adore hanging around home, in get-togethers and shops. Their size is not considerable and they are seen as the best women companions.
These dogs are so proactive and enthusiastic even though they are small in size. They are equally attractive and brave – so adorable.
They are born to travel around and explore and for that reason, they adapt quickly to new environments. Even that they are small in size and have a great sense of kindness, they are also daring and cautious, thus being fearless and excellent watchdogs.
They are typically calm and noiseless, though, when they are excited and alerted, they do not easily calm down. They are unquestionably territorial animals – protecting everything that is theirs: the family, the owner, the yard and everything else, besides – if they feel someone getting close to their belongings, they can easily become furious and bark a lot.
They are naturally stubborn dogs, but when they get the proper training exercises, they, without a problem, can learn respect towards the owner.
It is important not to get the wrong association of stubbornness with an impoliteness or vulgarity, as they are very caring dogs – ready to obey and learn new techniques from the owner.
Something to keep in mind when planning to have a Monkey Dog is that they do not easily get friendly with kids – sometimes they can even bite them if they consider they are being provoked.
Most Affenpinschers live a good long life, but they are vulnerable to a devastating neurological disease called syringomyelia. They may also suffer from chronic allergies and itchy skin, as well as knee joint problems that can require expensive surgery.
Affens are more like humans! You should make friends with an Affen rather than trying to train him!
The Affenpinscher is a generally delightful household companion. Affenpinschers often do well with children, although some individuals have lower tolerance for the high energy of kids. Owing to its heritage as a rodent hunter, affenpinschers typically are not compatible with small pets, particularly rodents.
Although they are in the hypoallergenic category of dog breeds, affenpinschers do indeed shed. While Affenpinschers require little grooming, it is advised that their coats be stripped on a regular basis. A simple technique, stripping involves pulling the dead, dull hair out, leaving the shiny new hair behind. Diligent stripping dramatically reduces shedding.
Affenpinschers are kind of expensive to purchase and relatively rare breed. The best way to find one, I think, is to search for Affenpinscher breeders near you. That’s what I did and was able to find a puppy about 6 hours from me.
Expect to pay at least $1500 for a puppy and that could go higher depending on the quality of the puppy you want (whether you want pet quality, show quality, etc.). This is my second Affen and I’ve found that well-bred ones seem to be very healthy dogs and their vet costs are about what you’d expect for any dog, shots, checkups, etc.
I would recommend reading up on them as much as you can before buying one just to be familiar with the breed. The Affenpinscher book by Jerome Cushman is excellent and it’s available everywhere even in ebook format. The author was one of the people responsible for establishing the breed in America in the 70s and was the historian for the Affenpinscher Club of America so while you’ll learn a lot of important training techniques you’ll also learn a lot of history of the breed. He’s also got a four-part interview on YouTube which is pretty interesting. In my experience, they are a pretty unique breed. They’re certainly not the easiest dogs to potty train for instance but it can be done with due diligence relatively quickly. I find the toughest part about training a puppy is that it’s hard to single out bad behavior because they’re so damn cute and absolutely hilarious that as soon as they do something they’re not supposed to they’ll do something that’ll make you bust out laughing.
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