n. A dog of a small breed developed in Germany, having a rough shaggy coat, a hairy face with a short muzzle, and usually cropped ears. [German : Affe, ape (from Middle High German, from Old High German affo) + Pinscher, a type of dog with ears operated on or "pinched" to make them stand up (from English PINCH).] ![]() (click for a larger image) affenpinscher |
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