Affenhuahua Dog Breed

Below are details and specs for the Affenhuahua dog breed.

The Affenhuahua is considered a small dog. In fact, you could call it a tiny, weighing between 1 and 5 pounds and standing 8-12 inches. Some information suggests these dogs may sometimes reach up to 9 pounds.

These dogs will be affectionate and charming with their closely bonded owner and pretty friendly towards strangers; or at least they are unlikely to be aggressive or bark. Although this breed can do ok with children that are old enough to gently handle a small dog, their Affenpinscher traits will likely be better for households without kids. Affenhuhuas are ok for multiple pet situations (except, perhaps, for rodent-like pets). Due to their small size playtime with larger, more energetic dogs should be supervised.

Despite the toy dog appearance, this breed is quite low maintenance. Due to its small size it can get much of the necessary exercise indoors and the rest can be met with short daily walks or outdoor playtime. Grooming of the medium length coat requires little more than weekly brushing. These dogs are not known for being readily obedient but they are considered moderately trainable by a firm, patient owner. Both parent breeds are known as funny little entertainers so they should excel at learning tricks once a training method is figured out.

Although the parent breeds of the Affenhuahua have extensive histories, the Affenhuahua itself likely came about over the last 20 years as the desire for designer mixes increased. Affenpinschers are considered one of the most ancient toy breeds and Chihuahua ancestors date back to the ancient Mayans.

As a crossbreed, the Affenhuahua will inherit physical traits from both parent breeds. Not all will inherit the same traits which means some individuals may appear more Affenpinscher while others will look closer to the Chihuahua. Typically, the Affenhuahua will have medium length, wavy to curly fur with thick eyebrows, beard and moustache. The round eyes will be dark and full of spunk. Overall, breeders claim they retain many more of the Affenpinscher characteristics.

Affenhuahuas are affectionate companion dogs that will form a close bond with their owner. These dogs, although confident, are not the independent type that will want to spend hours alone doing their own thing. They will likely be well appreciated by their owner for being charming and funny.

They are considered moderately trainable and many owners enjoy teaching them tricks; the Affenpinscher breed is notably clownish and entertaining. They are not known for being overly obedient, however, so a firm and patient owner is required; this is especially important as many people tend to baby their toy dogs leading to small dog syndrome.

Members of this breed are not aggressive and do not bark frequently making them ideal for indoor living but poor watchdogs and guard dogs.

As a hybrid, the Affenhuahua will be healthier than its purebred parents. Owners should still familiarize themselves with the most common health concerns for both breeds. Affenpinschers and Chihuhuas are generally healthy but the most common issues include: hip dysplasia, luxating patella, heart and eye diseases.