- Pure black with black undercoat
Small, sturdy toy breed with a distinctive monkey-like expression and shaggy, wiry coat. Known for its confident, terrier-like personality despite its small size.
Originating in 17th-century Germany, bred down from larger terriers to be skilled ratters in homes, kitchens and stables. Refined in Munich and Berlin, recognized by AKC in 1936. Name translates to 'monkey-like terrier'.
“Fearless, alert, persistent and devoted, sometimes full of quick-tempered passion. He is an agreeable family dog in all aspects”
Quoted from FCI standard n°186. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Drawn from sources, not opinion: FCI breed standard; McMillan et al. 2024, median age at death. An empty column means we hold nothing for that side, not that there is nothing to say.
What a judge marks the Affenpinscher down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Marked heavily against a specimen in the ring.
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
The Affenpinscher standard is published by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), the international federation of pedigree-dog clubs, and it is what show judges apply. This section sums up what it says about coat and colour and size. It does not assess any one animal: use it to know what to ask the breeder.
The body coat should be harsh and dense.
The head is typically adorned by bushy, bristly eyebrows and wreath-like hair surrounding the eyes, by an impressive beard, by the top knot and by the hair on the cheeks.
The coat on the head should be as hard, straggly and sticking out as possible.
It contributes essentially to the monkey-like general expression
Shortened from FCI standard n°186 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
The colours and patterns the standard admits, and what it prefers, discourages or disqualifies in each. An accepted colour says nothing about health.
Height at the withers (cm)
The same scale for every breed: no source defines size categories by height.
The standard's words
“Height at withers: Dogs and bitches: 25 to 30 cm Weight: Dogs and bitches: appr. 4 to 6 kg”
Quoted from FCI standard n°186.
An adult's measurements, per the standard. It does not say how big this puppy will be. Quotations from the FCI are in English, as the standard publishes them; the headings are ours.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Affenpinscher in general; any individual animal can differ.
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Affenpinscher on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.