What are the Best Dog Foods for Affenpinschers?
As one of the smallest and most active dog breeds, Affenpinschers have very specific nutritional needs that need to be considered when selecting the right dog food for your precious pup. Luckily, these spunky little lap dogs can live a long and healthy life with proper feeding and care!
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Breed Info
Breed Group:Toy | AKC Affenpinscher Profile
Ideal Weight:Female Adult: 7 to 10 pounds
Male Adult: 7 to 10 pounds
Exercise Need:20 to 40 minutes per day
Breed Summary
One of the oldest toy breeds, the Affenpinscher, originated in 17th century Germany. Not surprisingly, the name Affenpinscher translates to “monkey-like terrier.” Despite their shaggy, dense, but neat, coat, these wiry-haired pups do not shed very much, but do require every other day brushings. While they are considered a moderately active breed, their small size makes them ideal for apartment living with lots of indoor exercise and the occasional walk. These spunky little pooches will provide your family with plenty of amusing antics and affectionate snuggles. Their energetic and playful personality makes them perfect for families with kids. It is encouraged to seek professional training, as these small dogs can be quite willful and independent. However, they are eager to please and very intelligent. There is never a dull moment with an Affenpinscher around!
Physical Traits
Small body, mustache, shaggy coat
Personality Traits
Loving, loyal & friendly
Health Considerations
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Standing just 9-11.5 inches tall, these little pups are prone to the same eye, heart, teeth, thyroid, and joint issues common in the toy group. Due to their short noses, they are also highly suspectable to breathing problems and exercise intolerance in hot weather. However, with a proper diet Affenpinschers can live a long and healthy life. In fact, like many small dogs, they have an average lifespan of 12-15 years. While their sturdy build makes them not quite as delicate as other toy breeds, it is still important that their diet includes plenty of nutrients to keep their bones, muscles, and joints strong. In addition, these lively dogs need lots of activity and a moderate caloric intake, but treats should be limited as these small dogs can be prone to obesity.
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Eye Problems
Like many small dogs, Affenpinschers can develop some common eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, corneal ulcers, dry eye and tear duct disorders. Each condition warrants dedicated treatment, but for overall eye health, we recommend foods with these nutrients:
Recommendations:
Anthocyanins・ Astaxanthin・ Beta-carotene・ Carotenoids・ Glutathione・ Lutein・ Lycopene・ Omega-3 essential fatty acids・ Phytonutrients・ Vitamin A・ Vitamin C -
Heart Conditions
Affenpinschers can develop serious heart issues such as patent ductus arteriosus and mitral valve disease, so it is ideal for their food to contain nutrients like:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Carnitine・ Complete protein・ Low sodium・ Omega-3 fatty acids・ Taurine -
Joint & Hip Issues
Affenpinschers are at risk for a variety of joint problems common in smaller dogs including fractures, luxating patella, legg-calve-perthes disease and hip dysplasia. A diet high in these nutrients can help:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Chondroitin・ Glucosamine・ Green Mussel・ Methylsulfonymethane・ Omega-3 from Fish Oil・ Taurine・ Turmeric・ Vitamin E -
Respiratory Issues & Weight Management
Due to the anatomy of their face and snout, brachycephalic airway syndrome is a common concern with Affenpinschers. Surgery is the vet-preferred treatment for this condition, but the following dog food attributes and supplements can be helpful with breathing issues, especially if obesity is a factor:
Recommendations:
Large bites (to slow chewing)・ L-carnitine・ Low calorie・ Low fat
Get a tailored nutrition profile for your dog
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Are Fresh Food Diets Good for Affenpinschers?
Only if they’re properly balanced.
Many well-intentioned Affenpinschers parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.
Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets
✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists・ ✓ Customized portions for weight control・ ✓ Superior digestive and immune health ・✕ More expensive than standard dog food
Foods We Recommend for Affenpinschers Puppies
How long do Affenpinscherss need puppy food?
Until they're 7 to 10 months old.
Affenpinschers are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young Affenpinschers is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.
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Our recommendation tool evaluates your puppy’s breed, age, growth stage, lifestyle, and health needs to identify a scientifically appropriate diet from over 10,000 options. Obtain personalized guidance to help support healthy development and lifelong wellness.
Foods We Recommend for Affenpinschers Adults
When should Affenpinschers start transitioning to adult food?
When they're 7 to 10 months old
From a nutrition standpoint, Affenpinschers become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for an Affenpinscher
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Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, lifestyle, and health considerations to recommend a scientifically selected diet from over 10,000 options. Personalized insights to help your dog thrive through adulthood.
Foods We Recommend for Affenpinschers Seniors
When should Affenpinschers start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but toy dogs like Affenpinschers can start to benefit from senior food around 10 to 12 years old
Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior Affenpinschers slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.
Support your senior dog's health with targeted nutrition
Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, and health considerations to recommend a science-based diet from over 10,000 options. Help maintain mobility, cognitive health, and quality of life.
Affiliate Disclosure:
We do not accept money to recommend pet foods. However, we do receive referral fees from online retailers (such as Chewy or Amazon) on qualifying purchases. Our recommendations are neutral, and diet recommendations are made without considering whether we will receive a referral fee.