Affenpincher - breed description and dog character

A mini-dog originally from Germany was previously kept in order to catch rats. But today it is a small fluffy pet with a cute appearance is acquired as a pet.

From the history of the breed

This breed was first mentioned in the 18th century. Outwardly, this dog is very similar to a little fluffy monkey. The ancestors of these animals are very little similar to modern representatives of the breed. They were much larger. Of modern affenpincers, very few individuals remotely resemble their long-standing ancestors. These changes have occurred thanks to many years of selection. Great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers were distinguished by their size and could afford the colors of those that today are considered unacceptable.

This breed was bred to exterminate rodents. Relatives of the affenpinchers are miniature schnauzers and Belgian griffins. Therefore, their appearance is similar to a dwarf schnauzer with a specific beard and mustache. However, the muzzle is very similar in outline to the terrier.

A miniature friend owes his appearance to Belgian breeders. Despite its amusing appearance, the affinpincher is no fluffy living toy. This is an intelligent and quick-witted animal, possessing courage and courage. Of course, a furry comrade does not cause fear, but can force himself to respect. He can fearlessly intercede for the owner and stand up for himself, completely not caring about the size of the enemy.

Even with his charming appearance, the affinpincher never became a trendy trend dog, like a Chihuahua, for example. Most people do not consider them aesthetically pleasing pets. Although this small dog combines excellent external data, compact size, courage and high intelligence.

Characteristics

When describing a breed, they are often compared with monkeys. Many call these dogs close relatives of terriers. And all thanks to the outward resemblance to dogs of this breed. You can understand this by reading the description of the breed closer:

• Very thick eyebrows.
• Cropped eyebrows.
• Docked tail.

In general, this miniature dog is built very harmoniously. A distinctive feature of the affinpincher is the habit of proudly raising his head, as if he were exalting himself above everyone else.

Torso
Small size. Growth at the withers is not more than 25 - 28 cm. The weight of an adult is not more than 4 kg. Build strong, stocky.

The disadvantages are:

• The backbone is too coarse or vice versa light.
• Weak muscular development.
• The growth deviation is more than 2 cm from the generally accepted standard, no matter which way.

Head
Small size. Proportional to the body. Set high. The skull is round, but not domed. The shape of the forehead is convex and wide. The lower jaw is slightly wider than the upper, and protrudes slightly, emphasizing the rounded chin.

The disadvantages are:

• too big or too small head;
• pronounced cheekbones;
• elongated muzzle;
• weak pigmentation on the nose, lips, eyelids.

Paws
Strong and straight with well-developed muscles. By cat type.The forearms are parallel to each other. The flexion joints look strictly backward; in the hind limbs they are at right angles.

The ends of the paws are small in size, turned forward. The claws and paw pads are black.

Disadvantages:

• X-shaped legs;
• too short or too long.

Stomach. To the best of fit. Too inverted or rounded belly is considered a disadvantage.

The ears. Small size. Set high and raised in the cartilage area. Too soft cartilage of the ears, raised or vice versa hanging ears are a disadvantage.

Eyes. Medium in size. Round shape. Dark color. Should not be light in color. Strabismus is unacceptable.

Woolen cover. Thick and stiff outer hair of different lengths on different parts of the body with soft and short undercoat.

Colors. Dark. Most often black or gray. There are white, silver and red colors, combined with black spots or a darker undercoat.

Content with other animals

Dogs of this breed are distinguished by their mobility and energy. But they are unusually loyal to their owners and are friendly to all members of the family in which they live. Affenpinchers are very curious, but a little stubborn. They like to receive an increased dose of attention from others, feel caring, love and admiration.

With pets at these cute animals, the relationship is not very good. They especially do not like the representatives of the cat family. Most likely, they are simply afraid of them. But when living in an affinpincher’s house, the need for cats disappears by itself. After all, this small, cutest dog is an excellent Pied Piper. By the way, it is just perfect for those who do not like cats and rodents.

It is worth noting that keeping rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and rats with her is also not a good idea. After all, this can end badly enough for rodents.

But they have an increased sense of responsibility for all members of the family in which this small dog lives. Despite its modest size, it will be very enthusiastic to protect the house from strangers.

Taking into account the affection of affinpinchers to their human friends, it is very undesirable to leave them alone for a long time. If this is a necessary measure, then it is worth entrusting the care of the pet to friends or acquaintances.

Character Features

Like all miniature dogs, the affinpincher grabs everything on the fly. They are quite patient with other pets and tend to forgive them all. This character trait should be taken into account by the owners. Usually other animals turn a blind eye to the tricks of affenpinchers, but their patience is also not unlimited. Of course, this feature requires increased attention from the owner of the dog and a certain upbringing of the pet.

In fact, the affinpincher is a rather capricious dog. They can be jealous of the owner, even to children. Therefore, they are not the best friends for kids. But with older adults (over 10 years old) get along just fine. They tend to show hostility towards guests in the house and attacks on private property. But they are very fervent and playful, prone to various pranks and never refuse the offer to play. They are smart enough, they understand the intonations of the owners and their mood. Sometimes they are obsessive and obsessive, which not all dog lovers will like.

Due to their intellectual abilities, they lend themselves very well to training and teaching teams. They quickly socialize and get used to new conditions.

Care and maintenance

Hair care
Their hairline requires increased attention to themselves. To avoid knocking down the wool, they need to be combed at least 2-3 times a week.Residues of wool must be removed from the body of the animal with a wet hand or a special glove. It can get into the dog’s eyes and lead to inflammation, which will cause the pet an unpleasant sensation of itching and pain. The hair around the eyes is best trimmed with a special trimmer. You can do this in the cabin and on your own. The procedure is simple if you learn to conduct it correctly.

During linking in the hot season, you can make your pet a beautiful haircut. Today it is a popular procedure. It is worth noting that it also positively affects the well-being of the animal in the heat and during periods of intense molting. Yes, and the owner himself will greatly facilitate his life, eliminating the dirtying of sofas, carpets and clothes.

Walks
This active dog is unlikely to give up long daily walks. But travels too exhausting are not for affinpincers. They get tired quickly, because their small size requires a lot of effort to move long distances. Independent walking is contraindicated for these animals. They can suffer from larger and stronger representatives of the animal world and become a victim of cruel people. You need to walk the affinpincher exclusively on a leash. It is best to accustom them to a specific schedule that is convenient for the owners.

Important! Due to their curiosity, these animals are often injured when trying to climb a tree, a fence or into bushes.

Nutrition
It plays an important role in the life of dogs of this breed. They basically like to eat, especially if the product came to taste. The owner is simply obligated to monitor the volume and quality of the food consumed by the pet so that it does not cause excess weight and other possible health problems.

They are not picky in food and can eat everything in a row - in the literal sense. It is required to draw up a diet in advance and control the amount of food consumed by the pet. You can feed the affinpincher with high-quality dry food or standard food. It all depends on the preferences of the owner. If the dog eats natural food, you need to know the list of products that you should not give it.

Prohibited Products:

• sweets and desserts;
• fatty meat and fat;
• smoked meats and pickles;
• butter baking;
• chocolate;
• alcohol;
• potatoes.

In the diet of the animal must be present: meat, low-fat marine fish without bones, cereals, boiled vegetables. Therefore, it is best to feed the animal with its own food, excluding products from the prohibited list. The meat is best suited for chicken, turkey or beef.

In the diet of puppies, it is imperative to include fermented milk products: kefir, yogurt (homemade), sour cream, cottage cheese. During growth, the fast-growing organism of the animal requires a lot of useful substances that enter it with food. Additionally, complex vitamins for puppies can be included in the diet.

Do not neglect cereals, they have a lot of useful substances, in addition, they are simply necessary for dogs as a source of fiber. Preference should be given: oat, buckwheat, corn, rice. It is undesirable to give the dog: semolina, millet, wheat porridge.

Eyes
They, as a rule, very often act as an identifier of a dog’s health. When the eyes are clear and shiny, one should not worry about the health of the pet. If the animal’s look is sad and drooping, then by itself it can signal that his mood is not very good. With diseases, the eyes can become inflamed, sunken, tearing appears. Therefore, when the pet's eyes began to look different, then you should show it to the veterinarian.

Eye care is very simple. They need to be inspected periodically in daylight and wiped with a decoction of chamomile using a cotton pad once a week.

Paws and claws
Affenpincher, as a rule, does not really need long claws. Once a month they can be trimmed by a veterinarian or on their own.This is done as a preventive measure so that a claw accidentally caught does not cause the dog to feel uncomfortable.

Some owners shear the claws of animals so that they do not tap on the floor or to protect things in the house from damage. This procedure, when performed correctly, is painless and completely safe for the animal. It has many advantages, but is not required.

If the animal has cracked paw pads, then you should show it to the veterinarian. Most likely, he simply does not have enough vitamins. Wounds need to be treated with an antiseptic, and then moisturized with a cream or cosmetic oils: sea buckthorn, almond, olive and others.

Teeth cleaning
Affenpincher’s teeth are usually quite strong. To preserve their health until the dog’s advanced years, it is necessary to feed him balanced and fully. Of the other preventive measures, only cleaning. She needs to be carried out 1-2 times a week and she needs to be taught a pet from this procedure from an early age.

Health and Life Expectancy

Affenpichers cannot be called centenarians. The life span of this cute animal is about 12 years. Given several centuries of breeding of this breed, its representatives acquired quite good health. As a rule, affenpinchers do not have characteristic diseases. But due to their small size and excessive activity, they are often injured. First of all, the limbs are injured, on which the dog jumps from a great height, but other parts of the body can also suffer. Therefore, with the pet you need to be extremely careful and somewhat limit its activity.

Purchase

It is necessary to take the purchase of an animal very seriously. In principle, this breed of dog does not require any special conditions of detention. They may well live in a small apartment and do not take up much space in it. Nevertheless, it is necessary to think over in advance what angle to give the pet so that he can be alone and feel comfortable there.

These little dogs can walk on the tray. However, in order for the affenpincher to teach him to walk, the dog’s toilet should be in the house before the pet appears in it. A small animal is quite suitable for a special cat tray, which has a grill on top. This will help keep the feet clean and dry after the rule of natural need.

You need to clearly determine in advance the sex of the animal, and determine for yourself what it should be. Then you can start the search. This breed is not very common in the CIS countries, but finding nurseries in big cities is not difficult. Of course, it is better to contact professional breeders with a good reputation, because such a four-legged friend is not cheap, and little puppies are all very cute. Having run into an unscrupulous seller, there is a chance to buy a cutest mongrel at the price of a thoroughbred dog.

The price of puppies of this breed is quite decent and starts at $ 400. But, if the animal has good pedigree data and value in breeding, then its cost will quickly pay off. Showing affenpincher at exhibitions and earning rewards, you can have not just a four-legged friend, but a pet who earns himself.

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