Affenpinscher

History

Dated back to the 1600's in Germany, this petite and vigorous dog breed is what we know of today as the Affenpinscher. Typically used for hunting rats and small rodents, they were mainly kept on farmland. Though the exact combination of breeds is somewhat unknown, the Affenpinscher traces back to bloodlines of the Brussels Griffon, and the Schnauzer.

Appearance

In German, the word "Affen" translates into "Monkey", and the word "Pinscher" translates into "Terrier", therefore in Germany this small breed is known as the "Monkey Terrier". Germans gave the breed this description based on its appearance. When this breed originated, it was 2-4 inches larger in size than it is today. Due to the Affenpinscher's hunting qualities, it made sense for them to be able to be in smaller living areas where as rodents typically thrive. Today, you will find that this breed can measure from 7-13 inches tall, and weigh 6-10 pounds depending on the sex of the dog. Males typically measure more in height and weight. The Affenpinscher breed is commonly known for its black coat, however they come in a variety of colors including brindle, red, gray and black and tan combination to name a few.

Temperament

The Affenpinscher is a great family dog. Their love towards humans and other pets cannot be denied. These good-natured and cheerful dogs love playing and being included with all family activities inside and out of the home. This is one trait of the Affenpinscher that separates them from other terrier-like breeds. As with any breed, it is recommenced that you socialize your puppy with as many other pets and people as you can while it's young, to ensure bringing out the best of its' traits. It's important to remain consistent with your individual house rules for your Affenpinscher, as always making sure you use positive reinforcement techniques while training them. Keeping your Affenpinscher busy in the home is best for them to prevent them becoming bored and mischievous, and this can be avoided easily by basic training commands and practicing them through out the days.

Grooming

Another great trait of the Affenpinscher is that it does not shed. They are particularly easy to care for, and just remember to regularly brush their coat in between baths to prevent any tangles within their hair.

Special Notes

Please note that along with all other breeds, we highly recommend fully researching the breed you are interested in, prior to adding it to your family, to ensure a forever home. Do not add an Affenpinscher to your family unless you are fully able to meet their care and financial requirements. All dogs originate from wolves (Canis Lupus). Each breed of dog was originally created by mixing different breeds together in an effort to bring forth certain characteristics. Once a breeder has created acceptable “breed characteristics” within their bloodline and these “breed characteristics” have shown to be reliably reproduced in the offspring for three (3) generations, the bloodline may be upgraded from the category of “foundation stock” to “pure-bred”. The same “pure-bred” breed standards vary from different continents, countries, territories, regions, breed clubs, and canine pure-breed registries depending on the goals of their breeders. Dog DNA testing companies can have accurate results for a specific bloodline of a small colony of dogs. However, there are tens of thousands of different bloodlines in the world which have not yet been tested for marker baseline results by Dog DNA testing companies as of 2017. For this reason Dog DNA testing companies do not guarantee the 100% accuracy of their breed lineage results and will also show different marker results for the same pure-bred breed in different continents, countries, territories, regions, breed clubs, and canine pure-breed registries depending on the goals of their breeders.