Type the name of the breed you're looking for below
[wpdreams_ajaxsearchlite] Don't see the breed your're looking for? Click here and let us know!
Breed Characteristics
1 paw - breed exhibits the least amount of this characteristic
5 paws - breed exhibits most amount of this characteristic
[fbcomments]
Doberman Pinscher
| Other Names | Doberman |
| Nicknames | Dobie, Dobermann, Dobynm (in some countries), Warlock Doberman |
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Weight | Males: 88 - 99 lbs. (40 - 45 kg) Females: 70.5 - 77 lbs. (32 - 35 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 26 - 28 in. (66 - 71cm) Females: 24 - 26 in. (61 - 66 cm) A "Warlock" Doberman is a term given to Dobermans which are larger than the standard size the kennel clubs have placed on the breed. |
| Coat | The short, hard, thick coat lies flat. Sometimes there is an invisible gray undercoat on the neck. |
| Colour | The coat comes in black, black with tan markings, blue-gray, red, fawn and white. When markings appear they are above each eye, on the muzzle, throat, forechest, legs, feet and on the tail. There is also a solid white colour. While white markings are considered a fault in some clubs, in others they are accepted. |
| Litter Size | 3 - puppies |
| Life Span | 9 - 13 years |
| Origin & History | Doberman Pinschers were first bred in the town of Apolda, in the German state of Thuringia around 1890, following the Franco-Prussian War by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. Dobermann served in the dangerous role of local tax collector, and ran the Apolda dog pound. With access to dogs of many breeds, he aimed to create a breed that would be ideal for protecting him during his collections, which took him through many bandit-infested areas. He set out to breed a new type of dog that, in his opinion, would be the perfect combination of strength, speed, endurance, loyalty, intelligence, and ferocity. Later, Otto Goeller and Philip Greunig continued to develop the breed to become the dog that is seen today. The breed is believed to have been created from several different breeds of dogs that had the characteristics that Dobermann was looking for, including the German Pinscher, the Beauceron, the Rottweiler, the Thuringian Sylvan Dog, the Greyhound, the Great Dane, the Weimaraner, the German Shorthaired Pointer, the Manchester Terrier, the Old German Shepherd Dog, the Thuringian Shepherd Dog. The exact ratios of mixing, and even the exact breeds that were used, remain uncertain to this day, although many experts believe that the Doberman Pinscher is a combination of at least four of these breeds. The single exception is the documented crossing with the Greyhound and Manchester Terrier. It is also widely believed that the old German Shepherd gene pool was the single largest contributor to the Doberman breed. Philip Greunig'sThe Dobermann Pinscher (1939), is considered the foremost study of the development of the breed by one of its most ardent students. Greunig's study describes the breed's early development by Otto Goeller, whose hand allowed the Doberman to become the dog we recognize today. The American Kennel Club believes the breeds utilized to develop the Doberman Pinscher may have included the old shorthaired shepherd, Rottweiler, Black and Tan Terrier and the German Pinscher. After Dobermann's death in 1894, the Germans named the breed Dobermann-pinscher in his honor, but a half century later dropped the 'pinscher' on the grounds that this German word for terrier was no longer appropriate. The British did the same a few years later. Its official name, however, is still "Doberman Pinscher" (although the person's name is spelled with 2 "n"s). During World War II, the United States Marine Corps adopted the Doberman Pinscher as its official War Dog, although the Corps did not exclusively use this breed in the role. In the post war era the breed was nearly lost. There were no new litters registered in West Germany from 1949 to 1958. Werner Jung is credited with single-handedly saving the breed. He searched the farms in Germany for typical Pinschers and used these along with 4 oversized Miniature Pinschers and a black and red bitch from East Germany. Jung risked his life to smuggle her into West Germany. Most German Pinschers today are descendants of these dogs. Some pedigrees in the 1959 PSK Standardbuch show a number of dogs with unknown parentage. In the United States, the American Kennel Club ranked the Doberman Pinscher as the 12th most popular dog breed in 2012 and 2013. |
| Personality | Doberman Pinschers are very keen, super energetic with tremendous strength and stamina. Dobes like to be with their people and are not suited to kennel or backyard life; they need human interaction and leadership. Loyal, tolerant, dedicated and affectionate with the family. Determined, bold and assertive while working, they are very adaptable, highly skilled and versatile. They are intelligent and very easy to train. They are an outstanding watch and guard dog and do not need additional protection training. This breed is not for everyone. The Doberman needs an owner who is willing and able to display a natural authority over the dog. All family members must be firm, confident and consistent, setting rules and sticking to them. Learn to handle the dog properly, as Dobermans can become stubborn and willful if allowed to have their own way. Everything must be on the human’s terms. The dog is the follower, and the humans are the leaders. The dog will appreciate knowing his place in his pack and feel secure about it. He should be thoroughly socialized when young to prevent skittishness. Mental stimulation and a lot of daily exercise are important in order to produce a happy, stable-minded Dobe. The Doberman needs to be consistently and thoroughly trained. Dobes can be good family dogs if the alpha role belongs to the human and if they receive enough exercise, are well trained and are socialized with children. 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. Issues arise when they reside with owners who do not display the proper leadership and/or do not provide enough exercise. 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 their masters if it becomes necessary. Dominancy levels vary, even within the same litter and the breed’s temperament will vary greatly depending on how well the owners understand canine behavior and how willing they are to take the time to provide what the dog instinctually needs. |
Care Requirements
| Health | Prone to 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 skin issues, bloat, hip dysplasia and congenital heart defects. The gene which produces the albino (white) Doberman is said to be the same gene which produced the famous white tigers and lions owned by Siegfried & 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 other white animals such as deafness, blindness or unstable minds. Some breeders beg to differ, claiming the gene does cause health issues. |
| Grooming | Dobes need little grooming and are average shedders. |
| Exercise | The Doberman is very energetic, with great stamina. They need to be taken on a daily, long walk or jog, and need to be made to heel beside or behind the human holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way and that leader needs to be the humans. |
| Other Considerations | 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 outside dogs. That is why police in areas where it gets cold are not able to use them. Famous Doberman Pinschers Graf Belling v. Grönland: first registered Dobermann, in 1898. First Doberman registered with the American Kennel Club, 1908. Kurt, A Doberman who saved the lives of 250 U.S. Marines when he alerted them to Japanese soldiers. Kurt became the first k-9 casualty, 23 July, when he was mortally wounded by a Japanese grenade. He was the first to be buried in what would become the war dog cemetery and he is the dog depicted in bronze sitting quiet but alert atop the World War II War Dog Memorial. Kurt, along with 24 other Dobermans whose names are inscribed on the memorial, died fighting with the US Marine Corps against Japanese forces on Guam in 1944. Ch. Rancho Dobe's Storm: back to back Westminster Best in Show (1952, 1953). While other Dobermans may have more group or best in show or even more breed wins than Ch Rancho Dobe's Storm, he remains the only Doberman that has never been defeated by another Doberman. Bingo von Ellendonk: first Dobermann to score 300 points (perfect score) in Schutzhund. Ch. Borong the Warlock: won his championship title in three countries, including 230 Best of Breed, 30 Specialty Show "bests," six all-breed Best in Show, and 66 Working Groups. He was the only Doberman ever to have won the Doberman Pinscher Club of America National Specialty Show three times, and in 1961 five Doberman specialists judged him Top in the breed in an annual Top Ten competition event. |
