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Doberman
Pinscher
(Dobermann Pinscher)
| Description |
The
Doberman Pinscher is an elegant, muscular
and very powerful dog. It has a well proportioned
chest, a short back and a lean, muscular
neck. Its hard, short-haired, close-fitting
coat comes in black, black & tan, blue-gray,
red, fawn and white. While white markings
are considered a fault in some clubs in
others it is accepted. The hair is short,
thick, hard and tight to its body. Its teeth
are strong and close in a scissors bite.
Eyes are dark with a lively, intelligent
expression. The ears are usually cropped (cut
at the age of about 12 weeks). The
pup's ears have to be taped for a couple
of months to make them stand up. I believe
England has banned the cropping of pup ears
and the docking of their tails. Lately,
many breeders have left their pups natural.
If left natural they develop ears somewhat
like a hound. The tail is usually docked
at the age of 3 days. If the tail is not
docked it grows a tail somewhat like a hound.
Its legs are perfectly straight. The
Dobermans gait must be elastic, elegant,
and cover a lot of ground. |
| Temperament |
Bred
for a century to be an outstanding guard
dog, the Doberman Pinscher is intense
and energetic with tremendous strength and
stamina. Versatile, highly intelligent
and very easy to train. Determined, fearless
and assertive, but not vicious. Noble, loyal
and affectionate with the family. It likes
to be physically close to the family members.
Devoted and watchful, this is a very people
oriented breed. The Doberman needs an owner
who is willing and able to discipline the
dog without being afraid of him. All family
members should learn to handle the dog properly,
as Dobermans can be pushy if allowed to
have their own way too much. The Doberman
is naturally protective and does not need
additional "protection" training to be a
fine guard dog. In fact he should be thoroughly
socialized when young to prevent over-protectiveness.
Mental stimulation is important for a truly
well-adjusted and happy Dobe. The Doberman
must be consistently and thoroughly trained
to be a good pet. Training should be through
positive reinforcement. Dobes can be good
family dogs if of good temperament, well
trained and raised with children from
early puppyhood. Best with experienced owners.
Female Dobes are a little more stubborn
to train than the male. Although the Doberman
has the reputation of being a very aggressive
dog, this is just not the case. For example,
Dobes make great therapy dogs. They are
sweet and gentle with nursing-home patients
- tippy-toeing over IV tubing and walking
at the resident's speed (which can be very
slow), while at the same time will fiercely
defend his master if it becomes necessary.
These dogs are like big, protective babies.
Doberman Pinschers have many talents including
tracking, watchdogging, guarding, police
work, military work, search & rescue,
therapy work, competitive obedience and
schutzhund. Aggression towards other dogs
is accepted in the AKC standard. Though
generally a dominant breed, Dobermans vary
greatly in temperament. Some are even very
submissive. Some individuals are family
dogs, and some bond only to one person.
The Doberman has been bred to work
with man, and he needs this interaction
often. They must be with family, and not
abandoned to the backyard. |
| Height,
Weight |
Height:
Dogs 26-28 inches (66-71cm.), Bitches
24-26 inches (61-66cm.)
Weight: 66-88 pounds (30-40kg.)
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| Health
Problems |
Generally
healthy; possible cervical spondylitis (wobbler
syndrome) due to fusion of neck vertebrae
and compression of spinal cord; possible
inherited blood disorder (Von Willebrands
disease); obesity in middle age. Also prone
to bloat, hip dysplasia, and congenital
heart disorders. Veterinary check is advisable
before purchasing a puppy. The gene which
produces the albino (White) Dobermans is
said to be the same gene which produced
the famous white tigers and lions owned
by Siegfriend & Roy in Las Vegas. Some
also believe the gene is a masking gene,
meaning it "takes over" and masks the color
that the dog would be otherwise. White Dobe
fanciers say there is no evidence, that
this gene carries with it any deleterious
or adverse health concerns that are sometimes
associated with all white animals such as
deafness, blindness, or unstable minds.
Some breeders beg to differ claiming the
gene does cause health issues. |
| Living
Conditions |
Will
do okay in an apartment if sufficiently
exercised, but does best with at least an
average-sized yard. Dobes are very cold
sensitive and are not an outside dog. That
is why police in areas where it gets cold
are not able to use them. |
| Exercise |
The
Doberman is very energetic and needs thorough
frequent exercise. They need to be taken
on a daily, long walk or jog. |
| Life
Expectancy |
Up
to 13 years. |
| Grooming |
Dobes
need little grooming and are average shedders. |
| Origin |
This
is a breed of relatively recent origin.
It was developed in Germany in the 1860's,
presumably by crossing among German Pinschers
with Rottweilers, Beauceron, Pinschers,
Greyhounds and English Greyhound to create
the sleek and highly intelligent Doberman
Pinscher. The creator of this mixture was
a German tax collector named Louis Dobermann.
Dobermann had to travel frequently through
bandit-infested areas, and decided to "construct"
a watchdog and bodyguard capable of handling
any situation that might arise. Bearing
the name of its originator (shortened by
one n), the Doberman was first presented
at a dog show in 1876. It was immediately
a big success. |
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