Nutrition plays an important part in the development of a puppy into an adult. Care must be taken to provide proper nutrition to meet the developmental needs at the various stages of their lives. Nutrition encompasses the proper diet combined with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that will help affens fulfill their life span.

If you’re not sure how much food to give your dog, check with your breeder or veterinarian. I find that the amount stated on the dog food bags is generally too much for the affens. I feed a good quality food, and my dogs are moderately active, they seem to do well on ½ cup per day. I generally feed twice a day for my adults. My dogs also get table scraps. I will increase or decrease the amount of food they get depending on activity.

Exercise can improve your affen’s physical and mental health. Make sure to keep your affen on a leash at all times when you are walking in public. You don’t want your dog to get distracted by cars, people or other dogs. Letting your affen out in your backyard doesn’t qualify as exercise; however, a good game of fetch, or chase the ball may do the trick. When exercising your affen, try to keep it on grass or earth. A hot sidewalk or sharp gravel surface is hard on its paws, and may cause injuries. If your dog begins to pant too rapidly, STOP exercising. Dogs can’t speak to tell you when they have had enough. The black Affens are very prone to heat stroke, so you need to keep it from getting to overheated on a sunny day.

Three points to remember are

• Puppies eat more and are highly active.
• Adult dogs have normal routines and food intake.
• Older dogs might require special diets and limited exercise.

The Affenpinscher is a dog that enjoys being with its owners, so if you are very active and would like to include your dog, be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the distances. You will find you have a very willing companion who is tougher than they look.

Choosing a Veterinarian

A veterinarian will be one of the most important people involved in your puppy's well-being. You will rely on the vet to establish a regimen of vaccinations and regular checkups and you will certainly expect her/him to be available when unexpected or emergency situations occur.

• Ask your breeder, friends, neighbours, coworkers and nearby relatives who own dogs to tell you who their vet is and why they chose that person.
• Ask your local kennel club for a list of vets who regularly work with purebred dogs. Another option is to contact your local veterinary association.
• Once you have a list of the possible candidates, call their offices.
• ask for basic information regarding office hours and fees for routine procedures such as an annual checkup or vaccinations.
• Do they accept credit cards or must payments be made in cash?
• What is the procedure if there is an after-hours emergency?
• Does the vet have 24-hour coverage on site, and if not, how often are overnight patients checked?
• Does the doctor specialize in any areas (e.g. surgery, dental care, eye care, orthopedics, allergies)? Does the doctor make house calls? What are the provisions in place for veterinary care when your doctor is not available?
• Pay attention to how the receptionists (or doctors) listen to and answer your questions. Are they pleasant and helpful, or bored and rushed? How you are treated on the phone might be a good indication of how you and your dog will be treated in person.
• Narrow down your list to conveniently located vets with office hours, payment policies, and emergency procedures that meet your needs.
• Plan to visit each office, and check to see that it is clean, well-lit, and free of strong odours. Ask to see where overnight patients are housed and how they are supervised "after hours". It is common to ask about a vet's schooling and other advanced and continuing education.
• If you don't like a vet's answer or the way you are treated by the vet or any staff member, it is probably best to remove that vet from your list.
• After you've narrowed down your choices, schedule a routine visit for your dog with the vet at the top of the list. It is better to learn about a vet before there is an emergency. This time, take note of how the staff and vet relate to your dog.

If they seem friendly, helpful, and caring, you've found the right vet. It is now up to you and your vet to work as a team to provide the best possible care for your dog. If things don't go as well as you expect, consider the next vet on your list, and so on, until you are comfortable with your choice!