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Doberman Pinschers can make very devoted and loyal companions if one is willing to put time and effort into the training and socialization of a Dobe. With a firm and loving owner, a Doberman will make a wonderful pal and protector for children, an obedient companion and loyal friend, and a loving member of the household. Unfortunately, not every person has the time or commitment necessary to properly teach the very intelligent Doberman what is expected and required of him. There are many things to carefully consider before choosing a Doberman as the breed for you. Owning a Doberman, or any dog, requires a lengthy time commitment. A dog is for life, not just until it is inconvenient. Whether your Dobe is a puppy purchased from a breeder or a mature adult from a rescue or SPCA, there will be many learning experiences and obstacles to go through in the course of ownership. Dobermans require firm yet loving training and guidance. Many Dobermans have dominant personalities and will try to "boss" around a permissive owner. To own a Doberman you must be one step tougher and smarter than your pet. Do not equate tough with harsh or abusive. Harsh owners need to look for another breed because Dobes are very sensitive and will not deal well with rough treatment. Abusive treatment will quickly result in a Doberman with a broken spirit and, quite often, aggressive temperament. If you want a dog always on the go, look no further. Dobes are generally very active dogs that need something to do. Keeping our pets mentally stimulated is always a challenge. Dobes do best if they have a job to perform. Many Dobermans and owners excel at Obedience competition, Tracking events, and Agility training. Basic obedience training, at the very least, is mandatory for every Doberman Pinscher. Training assists owners in being "alpha" to their dogs. All dogs think in pack terms and need an "alpha" figure to guide them and provide discipline. Discipline does not mean punishment. Disciplining is providing firm and nurturing guidance, which all animals need. If you are looking for an outdoor pet, do not consider a Doberman. When tied with a chain to a dog box, Dobes become surly and bored. A Doberman wants nothing more than to be a member of your family. He will not be satisfied with an occasional pat and kind word. He will demand and thrive on consistent attention on a daily basis. Is your lifestyle one that will permit a goodly amount of time spent at home? If you travel quite a bit and plan on boarding your Dobe often, please consider that being kenneled will easily stress some Dobermans. Your Dobe may not eat while boarded and lose weight. While most owners board their dogs on occasion, a frequent traveler is best advised to consider a different breed, or make different arrangements, such as leaving the dog with family. It may also be difficult to have a friend come into your home to care for your Doberman if you are not home. Dobes tend to be very protective of their house and may not allow anyone in. A trial run before leaving is an excellent idea. Do you want a dog that that is very exuberant and affectionate with every person he meets? If that is the type of dog you prefer, you would be smart to research a Golden Retriever or Collie. A Doberman is loving and affectionate with his family and close friends but is somewhat aloof and distant towards strangers and mere acquaintances. In fact, the breed standard calls for an aloof and reserved manner. Before deciding that a Doberman is definitely the breed for you, watch a dog show or two, meet Dobermans and their owners, attend a local club meeting, and ask a lot of questions. When you are positive that you want a Dobe, contact a good breeder or rescue group for a referral. The AKC has a wonderful breeder referral line that will assist you in contacting breeders. Please, do not get a Doberman puppy from a person that advertises puppies in the newspaper for a couple hundred dollars. You may think you are getting a deal, but in reality all you are getting is heartache. These people do not know about genetic or health problems that exist with any breed of dog, and many times they do not care. They want to make money. They will sell a puppy to anyone who has the money without checking to see that the puppy is going to a good home. They will not be able to help you with questions you will have because they do not have answers and often do not care. Do not buy a puppy from the commercial breeder, not even if they claim their puppies are "home/family raised", or pet store because these places are puppy mills. The parents of puppies like this are kept in small cages and given minimal or no health care. They are bred year after year until their poor misused bodies can no longer produce, then they are destroyed. If you decide a Doberman is for you, please make a responsible choice. Dobes are very loving, intelligent pets. They are termed "Velcro" dogs because where you go, they are attached to you like they were Velcro'd fast. Dobermans are termed, by many, as "the Cadillac of dogs". They do everything with a bit of extra flair. They will offer you unbound love and devotion for their every minute in this world. When their time comes to go, they will not worry about themselves but will spend their last minute of life reassuring you that everything will be okay. I have found that the only bad part about owning a Doberman is that their life-span is so much shorter than ours. © July 1998 by Jean A. Clark.
Reproduction in part or whole prohibited without express written
permission of original author. Feel free to print a copy of
this article for personal use. If a rescue group or other party wishes to
use it for educational purposes, written permission must be granted by
original author. One of the most important things you, as a potential Doberman owner, must do is select a breeder from which to purchase your new companion. This choice will influence your entire relationship with your Doberman. A puppy from a good breeder will be a joy to live with and a source of untold delight. A puppy from a backyard breeder or pet store can be a source of heartache and endless problems. To get a good start with this demanding breed it is necessary to purchase your pet from a reliable, reputable source.
Before you call a breeder, take a few minutes to sit down and write out some questions to ask. It is very important to ask about the health testing the breeder does on his breeding stock. You should look for a breeder that x-rays hips and possibly elbows (not a big problem in Dobermans) for OFA certification, tests for normal thyroid function, and does a VetGen DNA test for Von Willebrand's disease. You'll also want to ask what health problems are common in the breeder's lines. Be aware of the Doberman breeder that tells you he has no known health problems in his lines. This is rarely true. While many breeders are striving to eliminate genetic health problems, I have yet to meet a breeder that has never had a genetic health problem somewhere in his lines. Do not rush off to see a litter of the first person you talk to. Once you see the puppies, it is hard to make a rational decision. Talk to several different breeders first and get answers to all your questions. The breeder you are interested may not even have puppies at the time or may have a waiting list. Do not decide to go to someone else just because they have available puppies. A good breeder does not breed until he has enough people interested in his puppies that homes are almost guaranteed. Get on the list for the breeder of your choice. If you have to wait several months or more, use that time wisely by learning all you can about the breed. Ask the breeder how she socializes her puppies. A good breeder should expose her puppies to a variety of different experiences from the day they are born. Be sure that the breeder you are considering does this. A poor socialization period can result in a temperament problem with the pup. Ask the breeder about the parents' temperaments. It is best to note the dam's temperament yourself when you visit to make sure she is what you want. Inquire about how many litters are bred each year. Stay away from the breeder that produces litter after litter. Be careful you do not mistake a breeder that co-owns many bitches as someone who over-breeds. Be sure you ask about contracts and agreements. Ask to have a copy of the purchase contract mailed to you before you visit. Make sure it is one you can live with. If you are interested in a companion puppy, some breeders will give you limited registration, which allows you to show in performance events such as obedience and agility, but prevents registration of any offspring your dog produces. It is best to spay or neuter a pet puppy. It is better health wise and behavior wise to have this simple procedure performed. Most breeders will have a spay/neuter contract for any puppy sold to a pet home. This is to guarantee that a puppy with a disqualification or conformation fault will not be bred and further produce this fault in his/her offspring. Some breeders will sell a puppy on a co-ownership basis if they do not know you or you do not have recommendations by someone they know. This is to insure that their puppy is getting the best possible care. If you do not like the idea of co-ownership, then investigate a different breeder. Ask the breeder for references from people who own dogs of her breeding as well as vet references. If you are going to co-own, make sure there are several people on the list who are co-owners. Inquire as to what breed clubs she belongs to. Check in the breeder's contract to see if he has a return policy. A good breeder will require that if, for any reason, you cannot keep your dog, you contact him and return the dog for replacement. A good breeder is concerned about the welfare of each and every dog he has produced. When you call the breeder, be prepared to answer more questions than you ask. Any breeder worth his salt will want to know about your situation, previous experience, and reasons for getting a dog. She will want to know that her puppy is going to a good home and will be treated as a member of the family. Answer all questions honestly, as the breeder will probably arrange for a home visit to apprise the situation himself. Research a breeder carefully. Your
breeder will be the biggest source of information and help you will ever
have. A good breeder won't just be someone you buy a dog from, he will be
a lifelong friend and confidant. She will share your joys and triumph in
your accomplishments, encourage you when thing get difficult, and she will
comfort and mourn with you when your dog crosses the Rainbow Bridge.
Truly, a good breeder is the perfect complement to your Doberman.
MYTH: Dobermans turn on their
owners. MYTH: Dobermans may be good dogs
when they're young, but when they're older their skull stops growing but
their brain doesn't. Then their brain swells against the skull and they
attack people. MYTH: If you want a Doberman to be
protective, you have to make it mean. MYTH: If you want a Doberman to
protect you from strangers and intruders you have to keep it away from
people except your family. What Should A
Doberman Look Like? GENERAL APPEARANCE
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE
HEAD Top of skull flat, turning with slight stop to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to top line of skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Nose solid black on black dogs, dark brown on red ones, dark gray on blue ones, dark tan on fawns. Lips lying close to jaws. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes. Teeth strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors true scissors bite. 42 correctly placed teeth, 22 in the lower, 20 in the upper jaw. Distemper teeth shall not be penalized. Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth. NECK, TOPLINE, BODY Chest broad with forechest well defined. Ribs well sprung from the spine, but flattened in lower end to permit elbow clearance. Brisket reaching deep to the elbow. Belly well tucked up, extending in a curved line from the brisket. Loins wide and muscled. Hips broad and in proportion to body, breadth of hips being approximately equal to breadth of body at rib cage and shoulders. Tail docked at approximately second joint, appears to be a continuation of the spine, and is carried only slightly above the horizontal when the dog is alert. FOREQUARTERS HINDQUARTERS COAT Color and Markings
GAIT TEMPERAMENT Shyness: A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree. Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack either the judge or its handier, is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness. FAULTS DISQUALIFICATIONS What a Doberman Should Never Look Like? Dobermans should not be Albino. The people who create this unfortunate animals call them white in an attempt to decieve the public. Albino Dobermans are the result of a genetic mutation, they are partial albinos. Avoid anyone who intentionally breeds White Dobermans or claims they are "rare" and charges more for them. No responsible breeder will intentionally breed an animal that is genetically unsound or is prone to having genetically unsound puppies. ALL breeders of Albino Dobermans DO BOTH. Where Can I Get More Information About Dobermans The American Kennel Club can provide information about the
Doberman and Pure Bred Dogs respectively.
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