Affenpinscher puppies

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Affenpinscher puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Patellar luxation, graded by a veterinary orthopaedic exam
• Hip dysplasia, screened by a hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Heart anomalies, found on a veterinary cardiac exam
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Breathing difficulty in hot weather, a consequence of the short muzzle

From Affenpinscher breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/affenpinscher/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Affenpinscher puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Affenpinscher.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.2 to 4.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other toy breeds

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