affenpinscher

/af"euhn pin'sheuhr/, n.

one of a breed of toy dogs having a dense, wiry, red or gray coat with tufts of hair around the eyes, nose, and chin, cropped ears, and a docked tail. Also called monkey pinscher, monkey dog.

[1900-05; < G, equiv. to Affen (comb. form of Affe APE) + Pinscher terrier]

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Sturdy breed of toy dog, known since the 17th century.

Standing 10 in. (26 cm) high or less and weighing 7–8 lbs (3–3.5 kg), it is a terrier-like dog with small, erect ears, round black eyes, and a short, docked tail. Its wiry, preferably black coat is short on parts of the body but longer on the legs and face, where it produces the monkeylike expression for which the breed is named (from German Affe, "ape").

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▪ breed of dog

also called  monkey terrier  

      breed of toy dog known since the 17th century. It is thought to have originated in Germany, where it was bred to be a ratter—to kill rats, mice, and other small vermin. Like other terriers, it is lively and playful. The affenpinscher stands 9.5 to 11.5 inches (24 to 29 cm) and weighs 7 to 8 pounds (3 to 3.5 kg). A sturdily built dog, it has small, erect ears that are usually cropped, round, black eyes, and a short, docked tail. While a black coat is preferred, it may also be gray, silver, red, black and tan, or beige. The wiry coat is short on parts of the body but longer on the legs and on the face, where it produces the monkeylike expression for which the breed is named (Affen being the German word for monkeys).

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