With a name like this, it is surely easy for us to imagine that we are dealing with one of the dog breeds of German origin What we may not know is that the affenpinscher make up one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, along with others such as the chow chow, the Pekingese or the Siberian husky. Do you know that they are called that because of the resemblance they may have to monkeys? It is even believed that they were baptized in this way because the myth that the Affenpinscher were the result of a mixture between dogs and monkeys was widespread in the 16th century. Do you want to know the truth about them? We present these wonderful dogs on our site! Keep reading and discover the characteristics of the affenpinscer, its care, origin and much more.
History of the Affenpinscher
Given the antiquity of this breed, experts have encountered various difficulties in establishing the exact moment in which it originated, as well as the crosses that led to its appearance. Therefore, everything is based on conjecture, as well as on some pictographic evidence. For example, it has been established that the breed already existed in the 16th century because specimens of Affenpinscher dogs appeared in paintings dating from that date.
Due to the morphological and genetic characteristics of the Affenpinscher, it has been determined that is most likely descended from German terriers, the pinscher or miniature schnauzer, among other options.
As a curious fact about the origin of the affenpinscher, we can say that the name of the breed literally means “monkey pincher” due to the resemblance of these dogs with a primate; at that time it was even thought that this resemblance was due to the fact that the affenpinscher were the product of a hybridization between a monkey and a dog, which of course is not real.
Characteristics of the Affenpinscher
Affenpinschers are small sized dogs, as it is the smallest breed within the pinscher group, its weight is between 3 and 6 kilograms, with females being somewhat smaller than males. The height at the withers is between 25 and 30 centimeters, so it is a fairly small dog.
As for the physical characteristics of the Affenpinscher dog, the body is fairly compact, with a short and strong back, a somewhat wide and a sickle-shaped tail. Its legs are straight, robust and end in round and short feet, whose nails are equally short and black. The head is rounded, with a prominent forehead and a short, straight muzzle with a stop. Affenpinschers have dark-colored and round-shaped eyes, high-set, V-shaped ears that droop forward, although some specimens may have them erect, in In this case, their size is much smaller and they must be vertical.
The coat of the Affenpinscher is made up of a hard, high-density hair, with very bushy eyebrows that surround the eyes, like a crown, a marked beard and a forelock on top of the head, which must be made of hard, straight hair and perpendicular to the birth, as if it had the shape of a lightning bolt. The color can only be pure black, including the woolly undercoat that the breed presents.
Affenpinscher Character
These dogs are affectionately called “black devils” due to their restlessness and because They are very attentive and active, with a strong. But that does not make us think at any time that it is a difficult dog to deal with, because it is quite the opposite, it is one of the most recommended breeds for family life, because they are veryaffectionate and love spending time with their human family.
However, they may be somewhat mischievous, and this may lead to them doing some damage at home, so it will be important that you Let us allow daily physical activity, so that they are calmer, as well as educate them to respect the furniture and play exclusively with the toys we provide them. Especially if we have adopted an Affenpinscher puppy, early education will be the key to success.
These puppies don't hesitate to assert themselves if they think someone is hurting theirs, as they will be very brave and fierce to defend their owners in the face of any threat, regardless of their small size. This can make Affenpinschers somewhat wary of strangers, but they are not usually aggressive if we have trained them properly.
Affenpinscher care
Although the coat of the Affenpinscher may seem difficult to treat due to its thickness, hardness and length, it is not at all difficult to keep this coat in good condition, since the breed standard establishes that the An affenpinscher's appearance includes having somewhat disheveled hair. For this reason, it will be enough for us to brush weekly so that our Affenpinscher looks neat and well cared for. In addition, in this way we will be able to eliminate the dust and dirt that may have accumulated in that dense fur. In this way, we can also detect possible attached parasites such as fleas or ticks.
Due to the high energy level of the breed, as well as its small size, it is recommended to look for a specific feed for mini-sized dogs, because in this way they will have their nutritional needs met and will be able to enjoy the walks and activities, which are very necessary for them to be he althy and relaxed, taking advantage of every second of them. And if you prefer to opt for a homemade diet, it will be essential to ensure that all these nutritional needs are guaranteed, offering quality animal protein and, to a lesser extent, fruits and vegetables that are good for dogs.
On the other hand, and given precisely that they are very active, it is essential perform physical activities so that the affenpinshcer puppy or adult dog keep yourself properly stimulated and exercised. To do this, we can take the dog to the field to throw the ball and make him fetch it, take him to an agility course, etc.
Affenpinscher Education
One of the biggest challenges we have to face when it comes to training an Affenpinscher is their nervous nature. In order to calm them down and prevent them from being mischievous and destructive, it is recommended to use training techniques that relax our pet. Do you know that dogs can also practice yoga to maintain a balanced character?
To prevent Affenpinschers from being aggressive towards strangers, we must ensure that their socialization is being optimal and that they get used to being treated with strangers at a very young age, otherwise things can be quite difficult, sometimes being very difficult to get adult specimens to change their way of behaving with people who are unknown to them. Thus, if we have adopted an Affenpinscher puppy, we will begin its socialization as soon as the veterinarian allows us to. In case of having adopted an adult specimen, we will start the first day, always after having evaluated the character of the dog.
In order to obtain the best results and establish a strong affective bond between dog and human, we must make use of positive training, since this not only allows us to educate him in a calm way, but also helps us to keep him stimulated. Punishments are not recommended for any breed of dog, however, in dogs like the Affenpinscher, with such a marked temperament, it is even more counterproductive.
Affenpinscher dog diseases
Do you know that Affenpinschers are among the top 10 he althiest dogs in the world? Normally an affenpinscher will be a very he althy dog, and quite long-lived, so if you wonder what the life expectancy of an affenpinscher is, you should know that they usually live between 12 and 15 years, although specimens have been recorded that have exceeded that age.
Still, the breed can suffer from some conditions, such as hip dysplasia, for which screening is essential as early as possible, since the more advanced it is, the more difficult it will be to palliate it. They can also present patellar problems, such as patella dislocation, which comes out of its socket, in many cases having to be repositioned by a professional.
Another pathology that can affect Affenpinschers is related to eye he alth, sometimes because having a such long fur in the eye area this hair comes into contact with the retina, damaging it, or dirt accumulates, which we must remove with ear cleaners suitable for use in dogs.
