The Affenpinscher and Chihuahua are two adorable, energetic, and affectionate small purebred dog breeds. It is no wonder the Affenhuahua dog inherited similar personality traits from both parents. So, what is an Affenhuahua?
The Affenhuahua, sometimes called an “Affen Chi,” is a crossbreed between the German Affenpinscher and the Mexican Chihuahua. Like its parents, the Affenhuahua presents a playful and affectionate personality. This charming dog breed has a short scruffy coat that is not prone to shedding, making them a good designer dog for apartment living.
If you are looking for a mixed dog breed, the Affenhuahua is an excellent choice. This breed is highly adaptable, intelligent, and a great companion. Let’s dive deep into the Affenhuahua breed and everything there is to learn about these adorable pooches from their common health concerns and diets to training and grooming. Let’s start with their physical characteristics.
How Big Do Affenhuahuas Get?
An Affenhuahua is a small designer dog breed with an average height of 6 to 12 inches and an average weight between 4 to 12 lbs.
The Affenhuahua designer dog has a slender body, though they may vary to be smaller or larger than the average. Their small body sizes make the Affenhuahua a good dog for small homes and apartments. However, Affenhuahuas are slightly larger than Chihuahuas but with a similarly cheerful personality.
You can choose the size of your Affenhuahua puppy based on your preference. Besides their compact sizes, Affenhuahua puppies have a lot to offer. Let’s look at their other physical traits, so you know what to expect from your new furry buddy-to-be.
Physical Appearance
Affenhuahuas take after both parents. They have rounded skulls, wavy fur, and erect triangular ears. An Affenhuahua also takes the Affenpinscher parent’s dark eyes and scruffy fur. In addition, the Affenhuahua has a short snout.
Coat Colors And Patterns
An Affenhuahua could have one solid color, but you also find pups with white or gray patterns. The Affenhuahua’s solid coat colors are black, brown, fawn, or cream.
Affenhuahuas have varying coat colors and patterns. However, they have one thing in common: their coats are ragged and rough and short to medium in length. The fur on their face is slightly longer than the fur on the rest of their body. This canine buddy makes a perfect dog for owners with allergy problems.
How Long Do Affenhuahuas Live?
Affenhuahuas typically live up to 15 years. However, most have a lifespan between 12 to 15 years. However, there have been cases of the Affenhuahua doggie living up to 18 years.
Their long lifespan makes them excellent companions for a long-lasting friendship. The Affenhuahua dog breed is naturally healthy and not predisposed to genetic diseases. But you will still have to watch out for health issues that could affect your pup.
Let’s look at the common illnesses affecting the Affenhuahua breed.
Common Illnesses Of The Affenhuahua Designer Dog Breed
The Affenhuahua presents an exciting personality from the first day home. Other than basic care, you should also schedule regular health checkups for your puppy. Checkups help you detect any illnesses early, so your vet can recommend the best treatment method.
Here is a list of five common illnesses in the Affenhuahua dogs:
- Patellar luxation
- Hip dysplasia
- Tracheal collapse
- Dental diseases
- Behavioral illnesses
Let’s look into each of these illnesses briefly.
Patellar Luxation
The Affenhuahua dog is susceptible to knee cap dislocation. Patellar luxation is also common in other small dog breeds. A dog with a dislocated kneecap avoids using the affected leg. For instance, you may observe your doggie walking on three legs.
This illness is treatable through corrective surgery. You should visit your vet as soon as you observe this symptom. Your dog could suffer arthritis if you ignore the symptoms too long.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a common illness in both large and small dog breeds. Hip dysplasia features weakening joints, so your dog may limp when walking. Your vet will recommend the best treatment approach upon diagnosis.
Hip dysplasia is one of the common illnesses affecting the Affenhuahua designer dog breed. Unfortunately, hip dysplasia is unpreventable, but regular exercising and health supplements help.
Tracheal Collapse
Tracheal collapse is a respiratory problem caused by the collapse of the ring cartilages in the trachea of your Affen Chi. An affected dog experiences difficulty breathing, a dry hacking cough, and vomiting.
Tracheal collapse is treated by medication and changes in lifestyle. Talk to your vet if your Affen Chi displays one or a combination of these symptoms.
Dental Illnesses
The Affenhuahua mixed dog breed is also prone to dental illnesses, including periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is one of the most common dental illnesses in dogs with an 80% prevalence in adult dogs. Regular dental checkups help detect and treat dental illnesses early.
Behavioral Issues
Like most small dog breeds, the Affen Chi is also susceptible to behavioral issues. These behavior issues often lead to much bigger problems like anxiety and stress disorders. The Affenhuahua dog also suffers from extreme phobias of loud noises, such as thunderstorms or honking.
However, proper socialization alleviates most of these behavioral issues. It is also critical to schedule regular health checkups for your Affen Chi. This helps with the early diagnosis and treatment of any arising behavioral health issues.
How To Take Care Of Your Affenhuahua?
It is essential to understand how to take care of your Affenhuahua puppy before you buy or adopt. This is a simple guide to help you understand the different needs of an Affen Chi. What does an Affen Chi eat? How much food should you offer your Affenhuahua doggie? Read on to find answers to these questions.
You will need the following to keep your Affenhuahua happy:
- A consistent routine
- Regular exercises
- Healthy diet
Consistent Routine
Dogs love routines. Your Affenhuahua will be more relaxed when they have a routine that reduces their chance of suffering from anxiety. A good puppy routine also enhances the dog training process.
Establish a routine from the first day you bring your puppy home. You should include feeding, exercising, and play sessions in your pup’s routine. It lessens your dog’s anxiety when they know what to expect every day.
Regular Exercises
An Affenhuahua is a high-energy dog breed despite its lean body size. These dogs need at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It is critical to set aside some time to exercise your pooch, preferably in the morning and evening.
Lack of exercise leads to annoying behavior issues. Though the Affenhuahua is already a mouthy dog, It can worsen. Some dogs adopt excessive barking behavior to release pent-up energy. Others may start soiling the house or take up other destructive behavior.
In addition, your Affenhuahua needs plenty of attention. We recommend setting aside some time to play and exercise your furry companion every day. Games like fetch, swimming and daily walks are some of the best activities to exercise your dog.
High-Quality Diet For Your Affen Chi
Your Affenhuahua will need a healthy diet, thanks to their high-energy demand. Likewise, an unhealthy diet can easily lead to obesity. So what do you feed your Affenhuahua?
Your pooch’s diet should include proteins, minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats. Invest in high-quality food that enhances your pup’s health. Avoid dog foods with additives. Pet Plate offers high-quality dog food that contains human-grade ingredients to keep your pup happy and healthy.
Your Affenhuahua’s food intake varies as they transform from puppyhood to adulthood. But they do not eat as much as the larger dog breeds. Your Affenhuahua puppy will need ¼ to 1 cup of food per day. An adult Affenhuahua requires ¾ to 1 cup of healthy dog food per day. The amount depends on the weight and energy levels of your pup.
Ensure that your Affenhuahua gets enough to eat, but also refrain from the free-feeding method. An Affenhuahua puppy will need to feed 3 to 4 times a day. An adult Affenhuahua will do well feeding at least twice a day.
Multivitamin Supplements
Yes, your Affenhuahua benefits from a healthy diet and multivitamin supplements. Multivitamin supplements strengthen your dog’s immunity. However, consult your vet before you give multivitamins to your canine friend.
Benefits of multivitamin supplements include improved digestion and food absorption. Supplements also improve your Affen Chi’s coat.
Use Dental Water Additives
Affenhuahua dogs are prone to dental illnesses. Dental water additives act like mouthwashes for dogs, preventing periodontal disease and other dental problems. Add dental additives to your dog’s drinking water every day for improved dental health.
Temperaments Of Affenhuahuas
It is critical to understand a dog’s personality before adopting. It helps you to predict the dog’s behavior and make the necessary adjustments in your household. Let’s look at the personality and temperaments of the Affenhuahua mixed dog breed.
The Affenhuahua Personality
When you think of an Affenhuahua dog, the following should come to mind:
- Affectionate
- Playful
- Confident
- Smart
Affectionate
The Affenhuahua dog is affectionate towards its owner. They tend to bond with a single person in the household even though they are generally friendly.
With proper socialization, Affenhuahuas should make great family pets, though not in households with small children. Affen Chi puppies may tend to lash out when provoked or handled inappropriately.
An Affen Chi is also friendly with strangers and other pets. However, you should not leave your puppy with large dogs without supervision. These charming lapdogs are bold and confident when confronting larger pets.
Playful
Affenhuahua dogs are energetic and playful. Your pooch will do anything to get you to play. This is why you need to set aside some time to play and pet your Affen Chi. Their playful nature demands that you offer your dog plenty of attention.
Confident
Affenhuahuas are friendly but also very confident. An Affen Chi will not back down when confronted by a larger dog. However, proper socialization eliminates aggressive behavior to leave you with a cute and playful furry buddy.
Smart
Affenhuahua dogs are intelligent tiny pooches, but are they easy to train?
The Affen Chi dog breed is moderately trainable. Their stubbornness often gets in the way of Affenhuahua training. However, with patience and consistency, an Affenhuahuahua will learn just about any trick you want them to.
Are Affenhuahuas Easy To Train?
Begin training your Affen Chi puppy the first day they arrive home. Adult Affen Chi dogs can be challenging to train. Nevertheless, you need to be committed and consistent to train an Affenhuahua.
Start with basic dog training, such as crate training and simple obedience training. Be patient with your pup during training. Establish your Affenhuahua’s care routine to include training.
We strongly encourage dog owners to refrain from using punishment or yelling when training their dogs. Instead, remain calm and opt for a positive reinforcement method to train your canine friend.
Does The Affenhuahua Shed? Grooming Tips For Affenhuahuas
The Affenhuahua designer dog is a low shedder or a non-shedder, thanks to its short and scruffy coat. Affenhuahua dogs are hypoallergenic.
This makes the Affen Chi a perfect indoor dog for people with allergies. These dogs have short to medium rough coats that do not require too much brushing. Affenhuahua dogs do not require a lot of effort to groom. However, proper grooming is still necessary to keep your dog happy and healthy.
Below are some top grooming tips for Affenhuahuas:
Brush Your Affenhuahua Coat At Least Once A Week
Affenhuahuas are low-shedding pooches. However, it is essential to brush your puppy’s coat at least once a week to remove loose fur. We recommend the Furminator Undercoat Tool to remove loose hair from your Affen Chi’s coat.
Wash Fully Once A Month
Your Affenhuahua puppy also needs an occasional bath, at least once a month. However, you can also wash your Affenhuahua when they become too dirty.
Please use a gentle dog shampoo to avoid negatively affecting your Affen Chi’s skin oil balance. Paws & Pals 6-In-1 Oatmeal Dog Shampoo is formulated to clean your dog’s coat and skin without altering the natural skin oil balance.
Avoid bathing your Affenhuahua too frequently as it could lead to skin dryness and other problems.
Keep Your Dog’s Environment Clean
When caring for your Affenhuahua, I cannot emphasize enough the need to keep your pooch’s environment clean. This includes cleaning their bedding and vacuuming carpets regularly. This prevents flea infestation and keeps your canine companion happy.
Remember to clean your dog’s food bowl before each meal and provide clean drinking water.
Do Not Neglect Your Affenhuahua’s Dental Hygiene
As mentioned earlier, Affenhuahuas are prone to dental diseases. Brushing your pup’s teeth regularly prevents dental decay. Do not forget to add dental water additives in your Affen Chi’s drinking water every day for proper dental hygiene.
Related Questions
How Much Does The Affenhuahua Cost? Affenhuahua puppies range from $400 to $600 from breeders and pet stores. However, you can also adopt the cute tiny lap dog from a shelter or a rescue center. In addition to the cost of an Affen Chi pup, you must factor in vet and equipment costs before purchasing your puppy.
Do Affenhuahuas Swim? Yes, Affenhuahua dogs have excellent swimming skills. Swimming is one of the best methods to exercise and spend time with your Affen Chi. Your Affenhuahua enjoys getting in the pool during summer. You can also improvise a swimming pool at home, for instance, by using a bathtub, for your Affen Chi.
Do Affenpinschers Get Along With Chihuahuas? Yes, the Affenpinscher is a friendly lap dog that gets along with other pets, including Chihuahuas. Despite the friendly and affectionate nature of this small dog breed, they need proper socialization to get along with household pets. Focus on proper introduction and socialization before allowing these charming dogs to play together.
