|
The
Affenpinscher breed is European in origin and dates
back to the seventeenth century. Its name is derived from the
German affe ("ape", "monkey") and pinscher
("terrier"). The breed predates and is ancestral to
the Griffon
Bruxellois (Brussels Griffon) and Belgian Griffon. Dogs of
the Affenpinscher type have been known since about 1600
but these were somewhat larger, about 12 to 13 inches, and came
in colors of gray, black, fawn, black and tan, gray and tan, and
even red. White feet and chest were also common. The breed was
created to be a ratter, working to remove rodents from kitchens,
granaries, and stables.
|
