Affenpinscher, the “wiry-haired terrier-like toy dog whose intelligence and demeanor make it a good house pet,” says the Affenpinscher Club of America Breed Standard. It is somewhat common to see Affens in the Breed ring doing quite well and making a name for themselves. This is where people see them, fall in love, and think, “Maybe that is the dog for me.” But look further; there is much more to the “mustached little devil,” as their fans often refer to them.
The Affenpinscher is alert and inquisitive, with great loyalty and affection toward their owners and family. Clever, daring, bold, with a bit of a comedic nature, are all attributes that are part of their personality. In Performance sports such as Agility, Obedience, and Rally, the Affen has found its way. Fast CAT and Barn Hunt have Affen participants as well. Trick titles are popular too.
Affens are dogs that like a challenge and want to meet it! They need to have fun while learning, so teaching them with toys, treats, and smiles works best. Laughter usually comes with Affen training as well.
One of our most-titled Affens is CH MACH10 PACH Merlin’s Black Jaguar FDC MXG3 MJG3 MXP3 MXPB MJP3 CAX PAX FCAT CGCA CAGU ATT. He is also known as “Jag,” for short. Jag excels in Agility, and he was the first Affen to obtain a Lure/Coursing Ability Test Championship. Jag retired at 11 years of age from Agility, but he is now doing Nose Work at almost 12 years of age.
Sharon Rafferty, of Houston, Texas, is Jag’s owner and also has a younger Affen that she competes with. Officially, he is known as CH Tamarin Tak FDC AX AXJ OF FCAT CGCA CGCU. I’m sure we will be seeing more from “Tak” too.
Another top performer in the Affenpinscher world is a dog owned by Catherine Williams of Newbury, Massachusetts: MACH4 Wildflowers Blu Blazing Star MXB2 PAD PJD MJC MFB TQX T2B2. “Blu” may be the first Affen to earn the PAD (Premier Agility Dog) and the PJD (Premier Jumpers Dog) titles. He is also the first Affen to achieve the TQX Agility title. To earn that title, a dog has to qualify in the Standard, Jumpers, and Fast courses on the same day, 10 times. That is extremely difficult to accomplish!
CH Wildflowers Viper’s Bugloss CD BN MXP MJP2CGC TKN ATT, “Bug-Z,” is my first Affenpinscher. Having had Giant Schnauzers for 30 years, I downsized a few years ago. Bug-Z is eager to still learn at almost 10 years of age. He was retired from Agility, and we started Obedience, which I was surprised he seemed to like just as much. He got his Beginner Novice (BN) and Novice (CD) titles with a High in Trial award.
I was not sure what it was going to be like to go from a Working breed to a Toy dog for any type of competition. All of my dogs in the past had achieved Breed Championships as well as upper level Obedience titles. I can say I have not been disappointed with the Affen. They are so eager to train and learn. They love adventures, so going to events gets them excited. The other exhibitors seem to enjoy them too! People are often surprised to see Affens execute their skills, but maybe not so surprised to see their antics!
“Nola” is CH Donnybrook Truly’s Magnolia AX AJX, owned by me and Billye Ward. She competed in Conformation, achieving her Championship, and then switched over to Agility, as a little bit of an older dog. She took to it immediately, now working at the Masters level, loving the challenges and the food rewards. A tossed toy for a job well done is also a huge treat for her. She has become a fan favorite with her 5-speed ability and silly antics, keeping me on my toes.
Kathryn DeBruin, of New York and Florida, is working her Affens in Rally and putting Trick titles on them. GCH YB’s It’s A Jungle Out There BN RA TKI is enjoying his Performance days with Catherine. Her pack of Champions and Grand Champions also have Trick Titles at the end of their names.
This just shows that you don’t have to start your Affen at any of these dog sports as a puppy. It is important that they have good foundation training and know basic commands, but even an older dog can start a new career in any of the dog sports. Seeing the accomplishments of so many Affens, it becomes clear that they may be companion dogs, but they are not just simply a lap dog. They will enjoy time spent together with you. So, find a sport that you like and take your Affen along for the ride. You will both enjoy the teamwork and time together.
If you are interested in a dog sport, take your Affen and try it out. If they are not interested in it, there is always another to try. We all love to laugh, and I can almost guarantee that you will laugh with your Affen in any dog sport.
Getting an Affen puppy to start out as a Performance dog, or taking your finished Affen from the Breed ring to Obedience, Rally, or Agility, may seem foreign to some. But Affens are so clever! They like to out-think you too. It keeps them young!
Nola is a perfect example of a clever Affen. She always feels she knows the Agility course better than I do. In training, I might have her rework a mistake, and while I am explaining to her that she was wrong and we should do it “this way,” she sits there and looks at me, tail wagging, just like she is laughing at me. She is starting to believe I know the right way on course, but those “lightbulb” moments are what make training and competing worth it.
Let’s get our Affens into dog sports and make them the Border Collie of the Toy Group.
