Affenpinschers

Affenpinschers

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A live monkey type toy would probably be the best way to describe the Affenpinscher dog breed.

Health
Personality
Lifetime Care

Breed Profile

Height

9 – 12

Inches

Weight

7 – 10

Pounds

Life Span

12 – 14

Years

Health

health

Legg-Perthes Disease

Affects
6%
of dogs

What is it?:

Also called the Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, it is a form of arthritis where the head of a ball and socket joint lacks blood supply which leads to bone dying. This can cause immense pain for the dog because the resulting misshaped bone leads to a poor ball and socket joint fit causing arthritis.

Clinical signs

  • Frequent limping

  • Howling in pain when the leg is used

  • Loss of muscle over the affected limb area

Treatment

Surgical treatment may be needed in severe cases here which is called Osteotomy. Mild cases, however, can be solved through medical therapies. Pain relief drugs are usually used.

Eligible vet bill

$2,000

Reimbursement Rate

Amount a Spot accident & illness plan could cover*

$1,800

Your Net payment

$200

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*Hypothetical reimbursement examples illustrate reimbursement of an eligible vet bill at the noted reimbursement rate, assuming the annual deductible had already been satisfied and the annual coverage limit has not yet been met. Annual deductible, co-insurance, benefit and coverage limits, and exclusions may apply. Eligibility may vary. Visit https://www.spotpetinsurance.ca/sample-policy for full terms. For Canada enrollments only, reimbursement rate is based on the pet's age.

health

Luxating Patellas

Affects
7%
of dogs

What is it?:

Patellar luxation is a condition where the kneecap (patella) slips out of the groove in which it normally rides up and down. It could be slipped medially, which is towards the opposite leg, as opposed to laterally, which would be away from the dog.

Clinical signs

Skipping or hoping for a few strides while running and kicking the leg frequently to put the kneecap back in place.

Treatment

If it is a mild condition of luxating patellas, common arthritis medicine may be prescribed. But, if the problem is severe then a re-alignment surgery may be needed

Eligible vet bill

$2,500

Reimbursement Rate

Amount a Spot accident & illness plan could cover*

$2,250

Your Net payment

$250

Click For Price

*Hypothetical reimbursement examples illustrate reimbursement of an eligible vet bill at the noted reimbursement rate, assuming the annual deductible had already been satisfied and the annual coverage limit has not yet been met. Annual deductible, co-insurance, benefit and coverage limits, and exclusions may apply. Eligibility may vary. Visit https://www.spotpetinsurance.ca/sample-policy for full terms. For Canada enrollments only, reimbursement rate is based on the pet's age.

Personality

Courageous

These cute looking dogs are actually very fearless and respond to no threats even from bigger dogs

Intelligent

Bred to kill rats, mice and other vermin, the toy dogs are very intelligent

Independent

The Affenpinschers are known to think on their own usually and follow their guts most of the time

Lifetime Care

Coat

A shaggy wiry type coat with more hair on their face than the body makes a unique coat for this breed

Colors

Seen mostly in solid colors, the Affenpinschers are seen in black, grey, red, tan, silver and beige shades

Hypoallergenic

Yes

Grooming

A twice a week brushing with a brush and then a metal comb is recommended for their wiry hair. The hair on the head should usually be brushed forward over the face, and then an inverted V-shape is cut to stay clear of the eyes.

Training

Affenpinschers can be very stubborn and feisty while training making it difficult for the owners to train them. But their tendency to please their human partners is what makes it better to train them if done right

The origin of the Affenpinscher dog breed goes back to the 17th century Germany. ‘Affe’ is the German word for Ape from where it gets it owing to its monkey like appearance. The breed was basically created to be a ratter, which is to remove rodents from the kitchen. The unique looking dog breed have also been used as show dogs for quite a while now. The Affenpinschers belong to the terrier family.

Affenpinscher Dog: Introduction to the Breed

The breed was always kept in a family type environment which is inside houses, stables or ranches. However, it is always better to do know as much as possible about a breed before bringing them home.

Affenpinscher Dogs are generally:

  • Energetic

  • Entertaining

  • Dominating

  • Independent

  • Loyal and protective

Affenpinschers are best suited for –

  • First time dog owners

  • Apartment living setting

  • Households with grown up children

  • Owners seeking for lapdogs

Health Risks for a Affenpinscher Puppy

Apart from the above-mentioned common health problems, these terrier dogs are also prone to some other health related issues which can give the owner a hard time to their time, head and even wallet.

  • Dehydration – Due to their smaller size and high level of energies, they are often seen to run out of water in their bodies to keep them hydrated during physical tasks. Some signs of dehydration can be lethargy, loss of appetite, sunken eyes, dry nose and gums, thicker saliva, etc. Do make sure that you make it have regular water breaks in the middle of exercise

  • Dental problems

  • Eye problems

Things to watch-out before deciding to own a Affenpinscher

There are a few cautions that you need to know before deciding to adopt a Affenpinscher puppy

  • They can be very stubborn during training making it very difficult for you. This is usually because of their independent thinking

  • The monkey dogs often forget their size and end up going against bigger dogs and animals

  • Although protective and loud, due to their size they don’t make a very good gate-keeper

  • They are not very good with younger kids in the house. They can get aggressive or even destructive at times

  • They do require grooming on a regular basis due to their hairy coat

  • Affenpinschers are difficult to housebreak and may continue littering around even during adult phases

  • They are not very great around smaller pets in the house especially rodents as it will awaken the hunter in them

  • They can also get bored easily if enough physical stimulus is unavailable

  • Know about the cost of owning an Affenpinscher here.

Conclusion

Affenpinschers are a remarkable household dog breed best suited for apartment settings or the city-life. They are fearless and will always keep you entertained. Sometimes you might even feel like that the Toy Dog owns you rather than the other way around. So, just look at the caution list and if nothing seems like an issue, get yourself a stuffed live toy in the form of an Affenpinscher.

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