Publisher's Synopsis
Originally, the Affenpinscher was commonly known as the monkey dog because that is what Affenpinscher means in German. Presumably, the breed was named this because of their apish looking face. They were bred to hunt rats, so they were also known as ratters. The breed originated in Germany from different types of small terriers in the 17th and 18th century. They were so small and cuddly, women decided they would make good lapdogs and Affens were soon bred to be more compact, to make them a better size to be companion dogs. They are small dogs, only about 9 to 11 inches tall and they weigh about 9 pounds. Their fur is medium length and wiry, usually beige, tan, red, silver, gray, or black. It is not a very common dog now and is even considered to be rare. It is best not to have these dogs in a home with small children because they do not like to be squeezed or chased.
