Affenpinscher

Also known as: Monkey Dog

The Affenpinscher developed in Germany during the 17th century, where a small, wire-coated dog was kept in homes and stables to catch mice and rats. The name comes from the German word for monkey, earned by its oddly simian face with a protruding chin and a shaggy, unruly topknot. A male weighs barely 6 kilograms, and the rough, wiry coat needs periodic hand-stripping to keep its proper texture. Despite its toy size, it kept a genuine terrier-like drive and will still chase down small rodents given the chance. The breed is considered an ancestor of several modern toy breeds, including the Brussels Griffon. Life expectancy runs 12 to 15 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Affenpinscher: how old in human years?

25–30 cmHeight
3–6 kgWeight
12–15 yrsLife expectancy

Kuvasz

FCI group: Pinscher and Schnauzer type, Molossoid breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs
FCI section: Section 1.1: Pinscher and Schnauzer type, Pinscher
FCI: 186
Country of origin: Germany

Energy level

3/5
Trainability

3/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

3/5

At a glance

Height

Males 25–30 cm

Females 25–30 cm

Weight

Males 3–6 kg

Females 3–6 kg

Life expectancy

12–15 yrs

Coat

rough, wiry, shaggy (wire-haired)

Temperament & Family Life

Affenpinscher's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 4/5
Good with children 2/5
Good with other dogs 3/5
Friendly with strangers 3/5
Intelligence 4/5
Trainability 3/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Affenpinscher's energy and exercise needs are moderate.

Energy level 3/5
Exercise need 2/5
Apartment friendly 4/5
Prey drive 3/5
Hunting instinct 1/5

Guarding & Alertness

Affenpinscher's guarding and alertness traits are moderate.

Guarding instinct 2/5
Watchfulness 4/5
Barking level 3/5

Grooming & Care

Affenpinscher's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 2/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 3/5

Living with the Affenpinscher

An Affenpinscher walks down the street as if it owned the whole block, with no apparent awareness that it weighs less than your shopping bag. The French call it the "moustached little devil", and not without reason: it once caught rats in stables, and it has kept the curiosity, the nerve and the opinions that job required.

Its exercise needs are modest. A couple of walks and some play indoors are enough, so it is very much at home in a flat. On hot days walk in the morning or evening, because a short muzzle struggles in the heat. It is not the ideal companion for small children: it is fragile and does not like being grabbed or squeezed, so it does best in a family where the children already know how to treat a dog.

It is clearly clever, but it agrees to learn only when it sees the point. Short, cheerful sessions with treats work best, and house-training calls for patience. Strangers get a wary reception, and every noise outside the door will be reported in a ringing voice. To its own people it gives everything, and it likes to be wherever they are: on a lap, beside a chair or in a corner of the bed.

Grooming and coat

The Affenpinscher's coat is harsh, wiry and deliberately scruffy, which is what gives the dog its permanently just-got-out-of-bed look. It sheds little and asks for no daily labour: a going-over with a brush and comb once or twice a week does it, paying most attention where the hair is longer, on the head, beard and legs. To keep the coat harsh rather than letting it go soft and fluffy, a groomer strips or trims it from time to time, leaving that famous monkey face intact. Check the skin while you comb, because wiry hair is good at hiding redness or scabs.

The beard is a napkin: food and water end up in it, so wipe it after meals to keep smells and damp away from the skin. Hair around those round eyes can poke into them, so keep it trimmed and wipe the corners of the eyes daily with a damp cloth. Look inside the ears once a week; they should be clean and free of any unpleasant smell.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

Three to six kilos of nerve, a beard and the face of a small monkey: an Affenpinscher can be your shadow for twelve to fifteen years. Its health map marks the short muzzle, the knees and hips, the heart and the eyes; none of that is a verdict, just places worth watching. You see your dog every day, so you will notice first, and the vet can decide what a change means.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Brachycephalic airway syndrome

A short muzzle squeezes the nostrils, throat and soft palate into less room, so air has a harder time getting through. You may hear snoring, snorting or wheezing, especially on a hot day or after a lively game. An Affenpinscher's face is flatter than its pinscher cousins', so its breathing noises are worth showing a vet, and if your dog struggles for air, its tongue turns bluish or it collapses, it needs a vet immediately.
Patellar luxation (slipping kneecap)

The kneecap, a small bone at the front of the knee, can slip out of its groove and then pop back in. Your dog trots along, suddenly skips a few steps with one hind leg held up, then runs on as if nothing happened. An Affenpinscher is light and nimble, so the skip can look like play; film it and show the vet.
Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a fault in how the hip joint forms: the ball of the thigh bone sits loosely in its socket, so the joint wears faster than it should. You might notice your dog getting up slowly after a nap, no longer jumping onto the sofa, or walking with a sway in its hindquarters. A small dog hides discomfort just as well as a large one, so take changes like these to the vet.
Mitral valve disease

The mitral valve separates the chambers on the left side of the heart, and when it stops closing tightly, some blood leaks backwards with every beat. At first there is nothing to see, and the first sign may be a murmur the vet hears at a routine check; later your dog may tire sooner, cough, or breathe faster while asleep than it used to. Have the vet listen to your Affenpinscher's heart at every visit, and bring any change in breathing or a cough to them without delay.
Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens: the clear lens slowly turns milky and lets less and less light through to the retina. In an Affenpinscher's dark, round eyes a grey or bluish sheen in the middle of the pupil is fairly easy to spot, and the dog may start bumping into things in dim light. Show the vet any change like that; they will work out what is going on.

Food for small breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (6 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 91 g of dry food a day, from €5,00 a month For a neutered, normally active 4,5 kg dog. Calculate for your dog