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The Canine Chronicles Directory
Doberman Pinscher
This is a moderately large, powerful dog with a noble carriage. The coat is rough,
short, and tight to its body. The colors are black, black/tan, red/tan, blue-grey,
red, fawn and white. (Some clubs see white markings as a fault, others do not).
Their markings should complement the contours of their body. The long, blunt-wedged
shaped head has a flat skull with a slight stop. The head widens at the base of
the ears, has flat cheeks and close lips. The powerful jaw has strong teeth that
meet in a scissor-like bite. The almond-shaped eyes are medium to dark brown in
color ? this is determined by their coat color. The ears can be cropped or left
natural. The nose should be black on black dogs and dark brown on brown dogs. The
squarely proportioned body has a muscular neck and widens gradually to the back.
The withers are pronounced and the topline rises slightly at the croup. They have
well-sprung ribs with a well-tucked abdomen. Their legs are perfectly straight and
their feet well-arched. Firm pasterns rise above the feet. The tail is commonly
docked a few days after birth. If docked, it should be at the first or second joint.
If undocked the tail should appear to be a continuation of the spine and slightly
raised.
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Temperament
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Doberman Pinschers have been bred for centuries to be incredible guard dogs. They
have tremendous strength, energy, stamina and are highly intelligent. They can be
fearless and assertive but not vicious. They are a dominant breed and aggression
towards other dogs is accepted in the AKC standard. However, temperament varies
in this breed. Some are more aggressive while others are submissive and some are
more family oriented while others bond only to one person. Overall, this breed is
very loyal and affectionate. They will protect their home and family members. They
enjoy human companionship and like to be physically close to their families. Doberman
Pinschers must be socialized and trained early to get along with other dogs, pets
and children. Since they will not accept children teasing them, they are better
with older more considerate children. Each member of the family should be taught
how to handle and command the dogs properly because Doberman Pinschers can be pushy
if they have their own way too often. If trained, they will usually act aloof towards
strangers but will not become aggressive. Untrained dogs on the other hand can become
very dangerous. However, each owner is responsible for their dog's behavior. This
breed has natural protective instincts and will not need additional "protection"
training. They should actually be socialized thoroughly to prevent over-protectiveness.
Doberman Pinschers make great therapy dogs for in-home patients. They have also
been used for tracking, watchdogging, guarding, police work, military work, search
& rescue, competitive obedience and schutzhund.
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Height, Weight
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Male Height: 26-28" ; Weight: 66-88 lbs.
Female Height: 24-26" ; Weight: 66-88 lbs.
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Health Problems
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Doberman Pinschers are generally a healthy breed. However they do have several issues
that arise later on in life. These issues include Von Willebrand's disease, Dilated
Cardiomyopathy, Wobbler's Syndrome, Chronic Active Hepatitis, PHPV, hip dysplasia,
and congenital heart disorders. They are also prone to obesity in middle age and
bloat.
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Living Conditions
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Dobermans do okay in an apartment if they are given enough exercise. They do better
with an average size yard. They are sensitive to very cold temperatures and should
not be left outside.
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Exercise
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This breed needs regular and frequent exercise.
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Life Expectancy
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Up to 13 years
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Grooming
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The Doberman needs little grooming and are average shedders.
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Origin
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Doberman Pinschers were created by a German man by the name of Herr Louis Dobermann
in the late 19th century. Herr Doberman lived in Apolda in the state of Thueringen,
South Central Germany and spent 60 years developing the supreme protection dog.
It is believed that he used Rottweilers, Great Danes, Greyhounds, Manchester Terriers
and a variation of other breeds including Schnauzers, German Pinschers, German Shepherds,
German Shorthaired Pointers and Weimaraners. The reason for the development of this
breed was that Herr Dobermann was a night watchman, a dog catcher and a tax collector
in rough neighborhoods. He decided to 'build' a dog that that would be alert, aggressive
and would protect him during his rounds. After his death, Otto Goeller and Philip
Gruening took over the development of the breed. The first Doberman was shown in
1876 and they were registered in the German studbook in 1893. By the end of World
War I, Doberman Pinschers were almost extinct. However, American servicemen had
developed a fondness for this breed and returned to the United States with them.
The American breeding program was then formed from these original lines. In 1921,
the U.S. Doberman club was formed. During World War II, this breed was used by the
U.S. Marines to flush the enemy. Because of this, they earned the nickname 'Devil
Dog'. It wasn't until after WWII that the breed became known in Great Britain. A
couple by the name of Curnows became dedicated to developing the breed in England
and establishing the Doberman club which was formed in 1948. They initially started
their breeding program with European stock but decided to use the American Doberman
Pinschers since they were more elegant and larger in build. Today, Doberman Pinschers
excel in police, military and guard work. They are often used in patrolling department
stores to catch thieves hiding in the store after hours. Many of this breed have
been war heroes, serving as First Aid dogs, attack dogs, patrol and sentry dogs,
messengers and mine detecting dogs. They are excellent at competitive obedience,
Schutzhund, and tracking. They are recognized by the AKC and the UKC.
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Group
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AKC Working, UKC Guardian Dog
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