Which is Better between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd? A Very Detailed Review.

Affenpinscher versus Pyrenean Shepherd

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Affenpinscher Versus Pyrenean Shepherd: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Affenpinscher and for the Pyrenean Shepherd. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Affenpinscher or the Pyrenean Shepherd

Affenpinscher versus Pyrenean Shepherd: Overview

A very important difference between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Affenpinscher is a tiny-sized dog while the Pyrenean Shepherd is a small-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Affenpinscher belongs to the Companion Dogs group. Companion Dogs were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.

On the other hand, the Pyrenean Shepherd belongs to the Herding Dogs group. Herding Dogs were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer. Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable. They have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior. Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.

Affenpinscher versus Pyrenean Shepherd: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Affenpinscher to the Pyrenean Shepherd based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Factor Affenpinscher Pyrenean Shepherd
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 1/5
Kid-Friendly 1/5 5/5
Does NOT Shed 5/5 3/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Life Span 12 to 14 years 15 to 17 years
Easy To Train 2/5 2/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 4/5 1/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 4/5 4/5
Easygoing 3/5 2/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 3/5 4/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 3/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 3/5 2/5
Easy To Groom 3/5 3/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 3/5 3/5
Low Prey Drive 3/5 2/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 3/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 3/5 1/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 2/5
Dog Friendly 4/5 2/5
General Health 4/5 2/5
Intelligence 4/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 2/5 3/5
NOT Rambunctious 2/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 4/5 5/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 5/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Weight 7 to 9 pounds 25 to 30 pounds
Height 9 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder 15 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan 13.0 years 16.0 years
Average Price $2220 No Data
Price Range $500 – $1962 No Data
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 147 178

    *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Affenpinscher in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Pyrenean Shepherd. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for a Affenpinscher is 83 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Pyrenean Shepherd is 72 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Affenpinscher is a better pet than the Pyrenean Shepherd. So, you should get the Affenpinscher!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd

    Below is a list of where the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are most different:

  • Affenpinschers do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly. However, Pyrenean Shepherds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Affenpinschers are not very vocal. They have very low tendency to bark and howl. However, Pyrenean Shepherds are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • The Similarities Between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd

    The Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are most similar:

  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are not easy to train.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are prone to nip and chew at things.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are very playful.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Affenpinscher versus Pyrenean Shepherd

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd.

    Affenpinschers weigh 7 to 9 pounds when fully grown. Affenpinschers are 9 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Pyrenean Shepherds weigh 25 to 30 pounds when fully grown. Pyrenean Shepherds are 15 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Adopting the Affenpinscher versus Adopting the Pyrenean Shepherd

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many Affenpinschers and many Pyrenean Shepherds are currently available for adoption.

    These adorable and cute dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Furthermore, adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300. In addition to your local dog shelter, a good place online to see dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.

    Below is an adorable Male Affenpinscher named Akoni that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable Affenpinschers like Akoni on pefinder.com.

    Also, like Affenpinschers, Pyrenean Shepherds are also available for adoption. For example, Boone is a Male Pyrenean Shepherd that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Pyrenean Shepherds like Boone that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    Gary***Adoption Pending*** is the name of another Affenpinscher (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new home.

    You can find more Affenpinschers and Pyrenean Shepherds that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Popularity of Affenpinscher versus Popularity of Pyrenean Shepherd

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Affenpinscher is more popular with dog owners than the Pyrenean Shepherd. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Affenpinscher is 147 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Pyrenean Shepherd is 178 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Affenpinscher

    Popularity of Affenpinscher

    Popularity of Pyrenean Shepherd

    Popularity of Pyrenean Shepherd

    Year Affenpinscher Popularity Rank Pyrenean Shepherd Popularity Rank
    2013 143 169
    2014 144 178
    2015 136 176
    2016 149 176
    2017 147 180
    2018 148 181
    2019 151 182
    2020 163 182

    Health Problems of Affenpinscher versus Health Problems of Pyrenean Shepherd

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. Therefore, there is nothing like a perfect puppy.

    Both the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Pyrenean Shepherd is prone to more genetic health problems than the Affenpinscher.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Pyrenean Shepherd than for the Affenpinscher.

    4 health tests are recommended for Affenpinscher while 5 tests are recommended for the Pyrenean Shepherd.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Affenpinschers and in Pyrenean Shepherds.

    Affenpinscher Health Problems

    Affenpinschers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Affenpinscher puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Affenpinscher puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Affenpinscher breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Affenpinschers for:

  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes
  • Patellar Luxation
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Affenpinschers here.

    Pyrenean Shepherd Health Problems

    Pyrenean Shepherds are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Pyrenean Shepherd puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Pyrenean Shepherd puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Pyrenean Shepherd breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Pyrenean Shepherds for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Pyrenean Shepherds here.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Affenpinscher versus Pyrenean Shepherd

    Affenpinschers do not like to be left alone.

    Pyrenean Shepherds do not like to be left alone.

    How Kid-friendly are Affenpinschers and Pyrenean Shepherds?

    Affenpinschers do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.

    Pyrenean Shepherds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Do Affenpinschers shed more than Pyrenean Shepherds?

    Affenpinschers do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Pyrenean Shepherds shed moderately.

    Which one drools more, the Affenpinscher or the Pyrenean Shepherd

    Affenpinschers do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Pyrenean Shepherds do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Is the Affenpinscher Easier to Train than the Pyrenean Shepherd?

    Affenpinschers are not easy to train.

    Pyrenean Shepherds are not easy to train.

    Do Affenpinschers Bark and Howl? What about Pyrenean Shepherds?

    Affenpinschers are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Pyrenean Shepherds are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Wanderlust Potential: Affenpinscher vs. Pyrenean Shepherd

    Affenpinschers do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

    Pyrenean Shepherds do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

    Can Affenpinschers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Pyrenean Shepherds Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Affenpinschers can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    Pyrenean Shepherds can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Can Affenpinschers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Pyrenean Shepherds Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Affenpinschers can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Pyrenean Shepherds can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Affenpinscher or the Pyrenean Shepherd?

    Affenpinschers are moderately easy to groom.

    Pyrenean Shepherds are moderately easy to groom.

    Does the Affenpinscher Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Pyrenean Shepherd?

    Affenpinschers have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.

    Pyrenean Shepherds have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Affenpinscher or the Pyrenean Shepherd?

    Affenpinschers are very good for new dog owners.

    Pyrenean Shepherds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Affenpinscher or the Pyrenean Shepherd?

    Affenpinschers get along very well with other dogs.

    Pyrenean Shepherds do not get along well with other dogs.

    Is the Affenpinscher Better for Apartment Owners than the Pyrenean Shepherd?

    Affenpinschers adapt very well to apartment living.

    Pyrenean Shepherds adapt very well to apartment living.

    Are Affenpinschers good family dogs? What about Pyrenean Shepherds?

    Affenpinschers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Pyrenean Shepherds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Affenpinscher

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Pyrenean Shepherd that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Pyrenean Shepherd:

  • Cairn Terrier (73 percent match with Pyrenean Shepherd). Here is our comparison of the Affenpinscher vs Cairn Terrier.
  • Lakeland Terrier (73 percent match with Pyrenean Shepherd). Here is our comparison of the Affenpinscher vs Lakeland Terrier.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Pyrenean Shepherd

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Affenpinscher that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Affenpinscher:

  • Dandie Dinmont Terrier (75 percent match with Affenpinscher). Here is our comparison of the Pyrenean Shepherd vs Dandie Dinmont Terrier.
  • Peek A Poo (75 percent match with Affenpinscher). Here is our comparison of the Pyrenean Shepherd vs Peek A Poo.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the Affenpinscher and how the Pyrenean Shepherd compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Affenpinscher and of the Pyrenean Shepherd to other breeds:

    Affenpinscher Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Affenpinscher versus Shihpoo     Affenpinscher versus Shih Tzu     Affenpinscher versus Bedlington Terrier     Affenpinscher versus French Spaniel     Affenpinscher versus Chinese Shar-Pei     Affenpinscher versus Yorkshire Terrier     Affenpinscher versus Shichon     Affenpinscher versus Yorkipoo     Affenpinscher versus Great Dane     Affenpinscher versus Black and Tan Coonhound     

    Pyrenean Shepherd Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Pyrenean Shepherd versus Cardigan Welsh Corgi     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Doberman Pinscher     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Schipperke     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Cane Corso     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Norwich Terrier     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Bearded Collie     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Bearded Collie     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Treeing Walker Coonhound     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Cane Corso     Pyrenean Shepherd versus Sheepadoodle     

    Conclusion: Affenpinscher versus Pyrenean Shepherd. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Affenpinscher and the Pyrenean Shepherd better suits you and your family.