Do Affenpinschers Shed? (Affen Shedding Guide)

Affenpinschers are toy dogs from Germany that are also known as Monkey Terriers due to their wiry coats. They may be small dogs, but they boast a big, funny personality that’s sure to leave your family in stitches. 

Does the Affenpinscher shed much? 

Affenpinschers, despite that their coats are rough and thick, are considered a low-shedding dog breed. They will shed somewhat more than usual when the seasons change, but not enough that mountains of dog hair will take over your home. They also don’t need much in the way of grooming.

You probably have yet more questions about the Affenpinscher’s shedding propensity, and we’re here to provide answers. Ahead, we’ll discuss when the Affen sheds, what grooming requirements it has, and whether this breed is hypoallergenic. You won’t want to miss it!

Affenpinscher Shedding

If you’re looking for a dog that doesn’t leave a trail of fur in its wake, you’ve found it in the Affenpinscher. 

Although it’s not a very low-shedding breed like the Bichon Frise or the Shih-Tzu, the Affenpinscher still doesn’t shed much. Affens have a single coat with a thick, rough texture. The length of their coat is only an inch long, and since there’s not very much of this dog to begin with (remember, it’s a toy breed), the Affenpinscher is quite low-shedding.

Low shedding doesn’t mean no shedding though. The Affen will lose hair throughout the year just like any dog does. This amount should be no cause for concern and might be so little enough that you don’t even notice it.

You’re a little more likely to see the Affenpinscher shed fur in colors like black, tan, beige, or gray as the seasons change. In the late winter, in anticipation of warmer days ahead, your Affen will begin slimming down its thick coat. 

Then, as summer gives way to fall, more shedding will occur as the Affenpinscher prepares to beef up its coat to stay nice and toasty in the winter. 

Grooming Your Affenpinscher

There’s even better news when it comes to the Affenpinscher. Besides its low shedding potential, this breed is also quite easy to groom and maintain.

You only need to tend to the Affenpinscher’s coat about twice a week when it’s not seasonally shedding. Then you might increase the rate of grooming to three, even four times per week.

First, you should brush through your Affen’s coat with a slicker brush, a tool that’s the norm for most dog breeds. Then you have to finish up your Affenpinscher’s grooming by going over their coat again using a metal comb. 

The slicker brush can remove loose hairs so they don’t float all over your house. If your Affen’s coat is a bit tangled or knotty, you can also rely on a slicker brush to detangle. However, the only way this breed’s coat tends to fall into such disarray is through a lack of maintenance.

Mats are uncommon as well, but if you spot one, do not try to remove it with the slicker brush. Instead, loosen the fur mat with your fingers. 

Most Affen lovers will brush their dog’s chest first, brushing upward towards its chin. Then they move on to the belly and along the inside of all four legs before brushing the spine and then the outside of the legs. You can then repeat those steps to comb the Affenpinscher.

Trimming is something you can do on an as-needed basis with the Affenpinscher. Since its coat is short when fully grown and regrowth can take a while, it’s perfectly normal to only have to trim your Affen once every few months. 

The fur around the Affenpinscher’s face is usually styled in a specific way. With your slicker brush, gather the hair on the dog’s head and then brush it down over its face. Then take your dog-grooming scissors and cut an inverted V into the hair. This will allow your Affen to see.

Next, you can tend to the hair near the bridge of the Affenpinscher’s nose. This is trimmed to fan out around the snout but stay out of the eyes. 

When doing any grooming for the Affen, whether it’s trimming or brushing, the key is to take it slow. Affenpinschers have much rougher fur than what you might be used to, which complicates the grooming process. 

That rough coat does buy you time between baths though. Unless the dog is very dirty, you can wait six to eight weeks before bathing your Affenpinscher. That’s up to two months!

Are Affenpinschers Hypoallergenic?

Certain dog breeds are touted as being hypoallergenic. Does the Affenpinscher count among those breeds?

Well, to be clear, no dog is truly hypoallergenic. All dogs have dander or dead skin, and that’s the allergen that causes symptoms if you’re allergic to dogs. However, some dog breeds are less likely to trigger sneezing, itchiness, and redness in allergy sufferers.

Using that definition of hypoallergenic, then yes, the Affenpinscher fits the bill. 

Why is that? Despite that dog fur itself does not cause allergic reactions, dog fur is how dander gets around. When a dog sheds its fur, dead skin might come out with it. As the fur floats throughout the house, dander gets deposited as well.

Thus, the higher-shedding the dog breed, the less hypoallergenic it is. 

If you look at the American Kennel Club’s list of hypoallergenic dogs, the Affenpinscher tops the list. That’s because the list is arranged alphabetically, but the point still stands. 

Affens are small dogs, and on top of that, they don’t shed very often. Those factors combined make the Affenpinscher a safe dog to have in the home of a person who’s allergic to canines. 

That said, whether Affenpinschers cause a reaction in someone with allergies will vary on a case-by-case basis. Also, despite that the dog is considered less hypoallergenic, you’d still have to take your allergy meds with an Affen in the house!

Is an Affenpinscher Right for You?

The Affenpinscher seems like a wonderful canine companion, but is it the right dog for you? To help you decide, let’s use this section to fill you in on the basics of owning and caring for this German-bred toy dog.

The Affenpinscher is named after the German word for monkey or ape, which is Affe. This sweet little dog has been bred since the 17^th century. Although you’d think a toy breed couldn’t be much of a hunting dog, that’s not true. The Affen’s original purpose was to hunt rodents like rats.

According to the AKC’s description, Affenpinschers are fearless, confident, and “famously funny.” Affens have even been called human-like. They don’t seem to know that they’re as small as they are, which just makes an Affenpinscher even more endearing. They also love fiercely and are very loyal.

Here’s a fun YouTube video showing just how loyal Affens can be:

The average size of an adult Affenpinscher is 9 to 11.5 inches tall and 7 to 10 pounds. If you live in an apartment or a small home, your property will seem like a palace to the tiny Affen. They also don’t bark to excess so you won’t get angry calls from your neighbors. 

Just be careful about the Affenpinscher’s housemates. Affens aren’t particularly good with young kids, but if you have older children, that’s different. You also can’t have any small pets in the house, such as hamsters, gerbils, or rodents. These animals will trigger the Affen’s hunting instincts! 

Bottom Line

Affenpinschers are toy dogs with monkey-like fur. As a low-shedding dog, Affens won’t leave hair all over the place, nor will you have to groom them too often. Well, besides their face, which needs careful maintenance to uphold the breed standard of the Affenpinscher.

This sweet little dog with big bravado could be just what you’re looking for!