Affenpinscher Dog Breed Information
Also known as: Monkey Terrier, Affen
A small, fearless toy breed with a wiry coat and a famously cheeky face. Confident, playful and big-personality in a small package.
A highly affectionate, high energy, highly playful dog. On the practical side: minimal drool and low shedding. The trade-off is vocal.
About the Affenpinscher.
The Affenpinscher is a small wiry-coated toy dog with a confident, comic personality. Bred originally to keep kitchens and stables free of vermin, today’s Affen is a companion first, charming its household with a mix of bold curiosity and lap-warm affection.
Its trademark feature is its face: the dense facial hair gives it a moustache-and-eyebrows look that has earned it the German nickname monkey terrier. The breed weighs 2.5 to 4.5 kg and stands 24 to 30 cm at the shoulder.
Personality and behaviour
Affens are alert, fearless and lively. They form deep bonds with their owners and will often pick one favourite person. They can be wary of strangers and other dogs at first, particularly if not socialised early. They are vocal, quick to alert, and not afraid to confront much larger dogs, which is something to manage carefully on leash.
In the home they are playful and entertaining, comfortable on a lap or busy investigating a toy. They thrive on attention and don’t enjoy long stretches alone.
Care and exercise
A daily 30-minute walk plus play is plenty for most Affenpinschers. They enjoy short training games, scent work and basic obedience. The wiry coat needs brushing two to three times a week, with hand-stripping or a tidy clip every couple of months.
The Affenpinscher, by the numbers.
Each trait scored 1 to 5 on the AKC scale. The verdict synthesises the data; the panels below show the strengths, group averages, and the full trait table.
Top strengths
Family Life
avg 3.7Affectionate with Family
Good with Young Children
Good with Other Dogs
Physical
avg 2.0Shedding
Grooming Frequency
Drooling
Social
avg 3.8Openness to Strangers
Playfulness
Watchdog / Protective
Adaptability
Personality
avg 3.8Trainability
Energy Level
Barking Level
Mental Stimulation Needs
Living with a Affenpinscher.
A 24-hour breakdown of how this breed's day typically goes, scaled to its energy, mental-stimulation, and grooming needs.
What a Affenpinscher costs to own.
An indicative NZ lifetime cost: purchase, setup, then food, vet, insurance, grooming and other annual outgoings. Adjust the inputs to see how your choices change the total.
A Affenpinscher costs about
$224per month
$52
$7
$41,582
Adjust the inputs:
Where the monthly cost goes
Food
$50 / mo
$605/yr · breed-appropriate dry & wet food
Insurance
$47 / mo
$563/yr · lifetime cover protects against breed-specific claims
Vet (avg)
$49 / mo
$590/yr · routine checks plus breed-specific risk
Grooming
$40 / mo
$480/yr · brushes, shampoo, professional clips
Other
$38 / mo
$450/yr · toys, treats, dental, boarding
Indicative NZ averages calculated from breed weight, grooming need and screened-condition count. One-off costs (purchase $3,500 + setup $450) are factored into the lifetime total but not the monthly figure.
How does the Affenpinscher compare?
This breed
Affenpinscher
$41,582
14-year lifetime cost
- Purchase + setup$3,950
- Food (lifetime)$8,470
- Vet (lifetime)$8,260
- Insurance (lifetime)$7,882
- Grooming (lifetime)$6,720
- Other (lifetime)$6,300
Reference
Average NZ medium dog
$38,920
12-year lifetime cost
- Purchase + setup$2,200
- Food (lifetime)$13,200
- Vet (lifetime)$6,000
- Insurance (lifetime)$11,400
- Grooming (lifetime)$2,400
- Other (lifetime)$3,720
A Affenpinscher costs about $2,662 more over a lifetime than the average nz medium dog, mostly lowerfood and highergrooming.
What to ask the breeder.
Reputable NZKC breeders test for these conditions and share results without being prompted. If a breeder won't share screening results, that is itself an answer.
Common
1 conditionPatellar luxation
Common in toy breeds; worth a vet check from a young age.
Occasional
3 conditionsHip dysplasia
An occasional condition in the Affenpinscher. Worth asking about and DNA testing where available.
Tracheal collapse
Use a harness rather than a neck collar.
Heart conditions
An occasional condition in the Affenpinscher. Worth asking about and DNA testing where available.
The Affenpinscher in NZ.
- Popularity: Uncommon in New Zealand. Most NZ Affenpinschers come from registered NZKC breeders, occasionally available through toy-breed rescues.
- Typical price: NZ$2500–4500 from registered breeders
- Rescue availability: rare
- NZ climate fit: Tolerates NZ winters well thanks to the dense wiry coat. Watch for overheating in Auckland and Northland summers.
- Living space: Suits Wellington and Auckland apartments, lifestyle blocks fine if fully fenced.
Who the Affenpinscher is for.
Suits
- Apartment dwellers who want a small, alert companion
- Adults and families with older, considerate children
- Owners who can give consistent, patient training
Less suited to
- Households with young toddlers
- Owners wanting a quiet dog
- First-time owners who want easy obedience
Common questions.
Are Affenpinschers good apartment dogs?
Do Affenpinschers shed?
Are Affenpinschers good with children?
Last reviewed:
Sources for this pageInformation only. Breed traits and health notes on this page are aggregated from public registry and breed-authority sources. Individual animals vary; this page is general information, not veterinary, behavioural, or insurance advice. Always consult a registered NZ vet or breeder for guidance specific to your situation.