Should I Get An Affenpinscher As A Pet?

Can you take care of a pet that can be easily injured?

Can you provide enough socialization for an Affenpinscher to learn to behave around other people?

Do you mind having a dog that is difficult to housebreak?

Do you mind having a dog that is difficult to train?

Can you deal with a lot of shedding?

Do you mind having a breed that is predisposed to several health issues?

Do you mind being on a long waiting list to get this dog?

Affenpinschers are very fragile pets. Like other toy breeds, they can be very easily injured or even killed by the owner's carelessness or by meeting a larger dog. Affenpinschers require constant monitoring and must be kept out of danger, either in the house or in a fenced yard. While on a walk they require a leash. These dogs are just too easy to injure when not under your complete control.

Most Affenpinschers have a very pronounced defensive instinct towards people they do not know, so for that reason they need constant socialization with people to learn to behave in the presence of people other than their owners. Without careful socialization, an Affenpinscher may be suspicious of everyone.

Affenpinschers, like other toy breeds, are very difficult to train to defecate in a designated place. If you hope to housebreak a toy breed, consistent crate training is mandatory. Toy breeds should not be loosed in the house for many months until their small internal organs become strong enough for reliable control.

Affenpinschers are hard-headed dogs and will make you prove that you can make them do things. For example, they are often too fast to bark, so you have to teach them not to bark too much and to stop barking when you tell them to. This only works if you establish the right relationship between you and your Affen, where you are the leader and he is the follower.

If you do not want to clean dog hair from your carpets and mats every day, Affenpinschers require regular brushing and combing, as well as trimming every few months. You must either learn how to use an electric hair clipper or pay a professional hairdresser for it.

Most Affenpinschers live a good long life, but they are vulnerable to a devastating neurological disease called syringomyelia. They may also suffer from chronic allergies and itchy skin, as well as knee joint problems that can require expensive surgery.

Affenpinschers are hard to find in the United States. New owners should expect a long waiting list. Also, their rarity means a small gene pool, which means inbreeding levels can be high. A higher inbreeding level increases the risk of many health problems.

If you want a small dog, that is easy to carry and doesn't take up much space, but also makes a keen watchdog and doesn't need a lot of exercises an Affenpinscher may be right for you.