According to the English Kennel Club standard, the Affenpinscher has a coarse, 2.5 cm long coat that does not need trimming. However, in practice, dogs have to be pinched, because a rare affen has an ideal coat by nature. Once every few months, it is supposed to remove the “overripe” wool, and this can be done manually (stripping) or using a stripping knife. It is not recommended to get too carried away with the process and pluck out all the loose hair. The trick of the breed lies precisely in its shagginess, and too careful trimming will only worsen the situation.