What Are the Traits and Care Requirements of the Affenpinscher Breed?

Affenpinscher: a rough coat with an expressive face

The Affenpinscher is small and compact, with a rough coat that gives its face a distinctive outline. Bushy eyebrows, a beard and hair around the eyes contribute to the monkey-like expression described in its FCI standard. Its nearly square build is quite different from the longer, flowing outline created by a Yorkshire Terrier’s coat.

The hair around the head matters

The body coat is harsh and dense. Around the head, the hair stands out more strongly, rather than falling in silky curtains. This is a useful contrast with the Yorkshire Terrier, whose body hair is fine, straight and silky.

Compared with the French Bulldog’s short, smooth coat, the Affenpinscher has much more visible hair around the face. These three small breeds should not be treated as having the same coat simply because they share a broad size category.

A small dog still takes time

The earlier UK guide lists grooming more than once a week, up to one hour of daily exercise, a flat or apartment and a small or medium garden. Its location category covers town or country. The French Bulldog has the same exercise category but weekly grooming, while the Yorkshire Terrier’s entry is daily.

These older guide categories are starting points for comparing the time and space you can provide, rather than promises about any individual dog.

Put the small outline in perspective

The FCI standard gives 25–30 cm for both sexes and an approximate weight of 4–6 kg. Those figures describe the standard alongside its compact proportions. Use the Yorkshire and French Bulldog links below to compare the coats and outlines as well as size.