Breed profile collection
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The Afghan Hound and Affenpinscher
The
The Affenpinscher is a mischievous little character.
Affenpinscher A
lthough relatively new to Britain, the little monkey-like Affenpinscher was considered an ideal ladies’ companion as far back as the end of the 19th century. Part of his attraction is his somewhat unkempt appearance. The Affenpinscher is very much a ‘wash and go’ dog, of a handy size and equable character, making him an increasingly popular pet of the 21st century.
Dogs of the Affenpinscher type have existed in Europe from the 15th century and although the breed was not in Britain when the revered ‘Hutchinson’s Dog Encyclopaedia’ was published in the first half of the 20th century, the breed is mentioned and illustrated. A man from Lubeck, in Germany, was the first to breed Affenpinschers in earnest, his prime objective being to produce an easily cared for, small, sturdy companion dog who could be used in the home as a mouser. Most of the ratting terriers at this time were salt and pepper, reddish black (red-grey with the black hair mixed) or solid black in colour. Dogs of the same description bred in other parts of Germany were salt and pepper in colour and more of the Schnauzer-ratter type. Early breeders did much crossing of this type with other dogs to perfect
At a glance Height: 24 – 28cm (9 – 11in) at the shoulder. Weight: 3 – 4kg (6 – 9lb). Average lifespan: 13 years. Temperament: Lively, self confident, loving and loyal. Watchful of strangers and fearless towards aggressors. Most common health problems: Patella luxation and Perthe’s disease. Price of puppies: £700. Maintenance costs: £10 per week.
A loving and loyal breed.
Grooming ●● Feeding ●● Exercise ●● Things you should know: An ideal companion dog with little grooming demands, the breed can be protective towards his owner and may get jealous of attention lavished on his rivals. The Affenpinscher was bred to be a companion dog with a prowess at catching rodents so lock up the family hamster!
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History
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Special care ● The Affenpinscher’s coat requires little specialist grooming — a weekly session with a bristle brush and wide-toothed comb is ideal. ● It is always advisable to wash and comb through the hair on the head and facial furnishings after a meal to ensure that no food particles are caught in the beard. ● Ears should be checked weekly to ensure that excessive wax has not built up and these can be cleaned gently using cotton wool moistened with olive oil. ● Teeth can be cleaned with a specialist tooth powder as tartar tends to build up quickly on all toy breeds’ teeth and can cause dental problems.
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A-Z of breeds
what they were looking for in a house dog. Some of the breeds used for crossing included the Pug (creating the foundation of the Griffon Bruxellois) and the smooth-haired German Pinscher, as well as a German variety of Pinscher with a rather silky coat. These crosses may be the cause of some of the reds and black and tans that occur in the Affenpinscher today. Up to 1870 a small, Schnauzer type of dog existed in South Russia that was approximately 14in high, dark steel grey in colour and used by hunters of squirrels and the like. It is believed the dogs first bred in Lubeck were of this origin and were subsequently crossed with other breeds. The majority of Miniature Schnauzer historians maintain that this breed came mostly from the crossing of Standard-sized Schnauzers with primitive Affenpinschers. This may well be true, as some of the early litters registered at the time actually recorded one half of the litter as Affenpinschers and the other half as Miniature Schnauzers. Around the 17th or 18th century the Schoshunderassen (translated as ‘pet dog’) was a popular breed in Germany and was similar to the present-day Affenpinscher. The cross of the small Standard Schnauzer and the, at the time, larger Affenpinscher is discounted by many of the very old German breeders. Excerpts from old German records and private letters dated 1720 describe the little black dogs, their characteristics, actions, coat texture and such, as the same as our present-day Affenpinscher. It appears there were two sizes with slight differences and actions, the larger eventually developing into the Miniature Schnauzer and the smaller becoming the Affenpinscher. Around 1750 Herr Hans-Jochen Kossman bred a small dog, a cross between the Miniature Schnauzer and the German Pinscher. Other dog fanciers were also breeding crosses using similar breeds but adding small differences from others. When the Pug was used the nose was greatly shortened and undoubtedly the Affenpinscher and Griffon owe their roots to
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this introduction. The breed changed very little over the last centuries and many of the old masters’ paintings show small, black bearded dogs who look very much like the modern Affenpinscher. The German word ‘affe’ means ape, so the breed’s name relates to the fact that he is a small Pinscher-type dog with an ape-like expression. Although Hutchinson’s first reference to the breed claims that he is larger than the Griffon, the current Kennel Club standards are such that the Affenpinscher is slightly smaller. The first stud book that was produced by the Pinscher Schnauzer Klub of Germany appeared in 1902 and included 14 Affenpinschers. Subsequently the numbers rose to around 60 each year. However the breed was decimated during the First World War and some Griffon blood was used to re-establish it, resulting in a slight change in head type. The breed eventually found its way to the USA where it was bred by several keen pioneers. It was to the US that others turned when wishing to import the breed, as its homeland had seen numbers reduce to a mere seven in 1984. Although an Affenpinscher had been registered with The British Kennel Club as far back as 1897, it was not until the 1950s that a further trickle of the breed appeared but failed to make any headway. Then, in 1974, four friends who were established breeders of other dogs decided to join forces in an attempt to re-establish the Affenpinscher in Britain and through the efforts of Wendy Boorer, Betty Hargrave, Toni Teasdale and Jenni Wiggins the breed was given a solid foundation in this country and has never looked back.
The Affenpinscher is a mischievous little character who is lively, inquisitive and confident.
Health The Affenpinscher is generally a very tough and hardy breed with no major hereditary problems. He is sometimes affected by patella luxation and Perthe’s disease, both bone-related conditions.
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The Afghan Hound and Affenpinscher
Since they were originally bred as ratters, smaller pets may be too tempting for an Affenpinscher.
Temperament & character
The breed’s somewhat unkempt appearance makes it very much the urchin of the dog world but consequently anyone can own an Affenpinscher and compete with him, safe in the knowledge that he does not require sophisticated trimming and presentation to compete on equal terms. The Affenpinscher is a mischievous little character who is lively, inquisitive and confident. These dogs have been described as being ‘comically serious’, or ‘little ruffians with a swagger’. They are loyal and loving companions but are fearless towards any threat. They can become quite protective of their owners and sometimes resent attention being given to the competition. Providing they are raised with children, they will respond well to them but because of their size, it is not advisable to have an Affenpinscher as a companion for small toddlers who can be, quite unintentionally, rough when playing with animals. As these dogs were originally bred to be ratters it is not advisable for them to be around pet mice, rats, gerbils or hamsters but they can happily coexist with other domestic pets and many live with other breeds of dog without any problems. They are remarkably skilful when handling things
with their forepaws and are adept at ‘holding’, playing with and tossing toys around. Unlike some toy breeds, Affenpinschers are not given to unnecessary yapping, so when one starts to bark for no apparent reason the chances are that there is a very good cause and his concerns should always be investigated. They are discerning with strangers and will not bond instantly with unfamiliar people — they tend to become acquainted at their own pace. The breed needs to live in a home and not a kennel, as these dogs need companionship to blossom. ● Our thanks go to Cransbere Winterkloud Affenpinchers, Nottinghamshire, whose dogs feature in our photos.
Affenpinschers can become quite protective of their owners.
Breed clubs Affenpinscher Club Contact the secretary Mrs T. Teasdale, tel. 01932 847679, email tonsarne@ lineone.net or visit the website www.the affenpinscherclub.co.uk Contact the above number for details of breed rescue.
Books
Points of the breed Here are some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Affenpinscher.
Monkey-like expression.
Tail curves gently over back when moving.
Ears can be upright or neatly dropped.
Moves with goose-stepping action.
Harsh black coat with some silver or grey hairs.
● ‘Affenpinscher, A Complete Canine Compendium’ is a Petlove special rare breed edition tracing the history of this unusual monkey-faced breed. Author Jo Ann White describes this little dog’s big character in an entertaining way, as well as giving practical information on feeding, care, health, basic obedience and much more. ‘Affenpinscher, A Complete Canine Compendium’ costs £14.99, plus £1.95 p&p and is available through the Your Dog Bookshop by contacting tel. 0870 071 0070 or you can email your order to your dogbookshop@sparkle direct.co.uk Please allow seven to 10 days for delivery. Your Dog May 2006 43