Doberman Pinscher Dog Breed

If you are ever upset about your taxes and you have a Dobie, you should understand the irony in this combination. These dogs were bred by a German tax collector seeking superior protection while making his duty rounds, and to this day they are believed to be the topmost top-shelf protection canine. While they remain formidable dogs, they, like all dogs, are mean, friendly, or in-between depending on their owners. They are fine with families and children provided there is close supervision of the kids. They are very protective of those they love, and yet they should not be left to only be guard dogs. They prefer to be near their humans, and they desire to be inside the home. They are not the best therapy or guide dogs, however, as they can be stubborn, hard to housebreak, and highly independent. Doberman Pinschers are typically only prone to attack if trained to do so, abused by their owners, or neglected.

Here are some Doberman facts and information regarding the good, the bad, and the problems:

The Doberman Pinscher is considered a medium-sized breed. It has a compact, muscular body. Males of this breed reach 26-28 inches with an ideal height of 27 inches while females are slightly smaller, standing 24-26 inches with an ideal height of 26 inches. Weights for this breed have been reported anywhere from 65 pounds to 99 pounds with European members of this breed slightly larger than those found in America.

In the early years of this breed's emergence, these dogs were sharper and more aggressive, however this has declined much over time, making them much better house dogs. They form a close, loyal bond with their owner or family (including children). This breed does not do well alone for long periods of time either outdoors or kennels and confined spaces indoors. They may become lonely and therefore destructive if not kept with their companions. Although they are considered high energy dogs, they are not extremely affectionate or playful. Another dog is not recommended, especially a male, but Dobies should get along fine with other pets. Doberman Pinschers are sometimes aggressive towards strangers, although most settle at watchful and reserved.

Dobermans are fairly low maintenance dogs. They do require daily exercise, which can be fulfilled with a long walk, a run, or a few hours of playtime in the yard. This breed is confident, intelligent and obedient making it very easy to train as long as the owner takes the dominant position; the training will be easily retained so they will need only occasional refreshing. Grooming will be minimal; weekly brushing will be enough to keep the short, hard coat shiny and remove shedding.

The reason of origin for the Doberman breed is quite funny and begins in 1890. Tax collector Louis Dobermann of Apolda, Germany needed a dog for alert, protective companion -- as he was in a very unlikeable profession. It is thought he used parent breeds such as the Black and Tan Terrier along with the German Pinscher, Rottweiler and even the German short-haired shepherd breed and Greyhound. The breed was such a success that in 1899 the National Dobermann Pinscher Club was formed in Germany. Shortly after, the Doberman was recognized by the AKC in 1908. This breed quickly became popular in show and won many awards due to its elegant yet muscular frame and obedient, alert demeanor. In 1921 a Doberman Pinscher Club of America was formed and the breed shot to 2nd place in popularity of all dog breeds in 1977. They still remain one of America's most popular dog breeds, coming in at 14th place.

Members of this breed are so loyal and obedient they were used as police and war dogs. One such example occurred in 1944 during the liberation of Guam; during that time at least 25 Doberman Pinschers gave their lives to be guards, messengers and scouts. In fact, at a Guam naval base in the War Dog Cemetery exists a bronze statue of a Dobie that reads "Always Faithful". One year later in 1945 these dogs were present during the invasion of Okinawa, Japan. This is truly a testament to the intelligence and ease of training for Doberman Pinschers. In recent years they have become primarily owner and family guardians.

Although the original Dobermans bred by Louis Dobermann in the late 1800s were round-headed, heavier, bulkier dogs, the modern Dobie is more elegant and compact in appearance. The smooth, short and hard coat lies close to the chiseled muscles that help this breed stand proud and alert. The coat is either black, red, blue or fawn in combinations with rust. Rust colored markings are standard over the eyes, on the muzzle, neck and chest as well as below the tail and on all legs and feet. Its walk is confident and vigorous; when trotting the fore and hind legs on each side move gracefully in unison.

The head and neck is in proportion with the rest of the body. The head is long and wedge shaped (getting wider as it goes towards the ears) with energetic, dark almond-shaped eyes. The teeth and jaws are strongly developed with the jaws not overlapping. Their ears are usually cropped so they stand erect on top of the head and the nose varies based on the coat color. The legs of the Doberman are well muscled and straight with the feet pointing neither in or out. The tail is naturally long but is also usually cropped although many areas are now outlawing this practice.

Though crafty dog breeders lead people to believe that multiple Doberman Pinscher breeds exist, the AKC and other clubs explicitly state that there is only one accepted breed. Breeders will offer Doberman dog "breeds" with vast differences in size, color, and coat: "We have small Dobermans!" "Ever heard of our Long-Eared Doberman?" or "Come see the King of Dobermans!" Don't be fooled--these dogs are simply crossbreeds. Those in doubt can have their potential pets genetically tested to be sure.

In regards to specific features like head size or weight, there is a bit of variety among individual dogs, but these are naturally occurring and don't indicate a specific sub-type or separate breed. There can, however, be a difference in these dogs' ears--but it's because of owners' choice of cropping length. Overall, three crop styles exist: Military, Medium, and Show. Of these, the Doberman Medium ear crop is probably the most popular among pet owners. (The Show crop is the longest, and takes the most time to develop.)

Another minor difference around the world is in the spelling: in Europe, this breed is often called the "Dobermann" (with two n's instead of one, after German breeder Louis Dobermann, the creator of the breed). Even so, dogs in Europe and in North America are not different breeds of Doberman.

The Doberman breed of dog is consistent in coat length as well: short-haired, smooth, and close-lying. Again, dishonest breeders may advertise "Long-Haired Doberman Pinschers" or a "Furry Doberman" for sale--but these dogs are mixed breeds as well.

The most frequent "variety" is in size, which can be a bit confusing. If a breeder claims to have a "Teacup Doberman Pinscher" or a "small Doberman Pinscher," those dogs may in fact be purebreds--but they're likely Miniature Pinschers (or Min Pins), which is a separate breed. And though the Min Pin may look exactly like a little Doberman, it is in fact genetically different from the standard Doberman breed.

On the other end of the spectrum is the "King Doberman," which can be 32 inches or more in height and 120+ pounds in weight. And though these giant dogs look like extremely big Doberman Pinschers, they're also crossbreeds (most often with the Great Dane), and the Doberman "King" is simply added as a marketing ploy.

Dobie's characteristic qualities are alert and watchful, obedient and loyal, and energetic and fearless. Dobies are loyal and obedient to their owner as well as intelligent. They are ranked similarly in these categories to the Collie, German Shepherd, Poodle and Golden Retriever. This makes them quite easy and willing to train. These dogs are very confident and dominant so the trainer or owner must be capable of consistently guiding them; Doberman Pinschers will quickly respond to this attention. If training is properly given to these dogs they will readily take it in and retain that learning throughout life.

In the early years of this breed's emergence, these dogs were sharper and more aggressive, however this has declined much over time, making them much better house dogs. European lines may be closer to the original temperament. This breed does not do well alone for long periods of time either outdoors or kennels and confined spaces indoors. They may become lonely and therefore destructive if not kept with their companions. Although they are considered high energy dogs, they are not very affectionate or playful, however when they make a bond with the family or owner, they will love and protect them fearlessly. Doberman Pinschers are sometimes aggressive towards strangers, although most settle at watchful and reserved.

The average Dobie will live between 10-12 years. Major health issues include Wobbler's Syndrome (spinal cord compression) and Cardiomyopathy, which affects more than 50% these dogs making the incidence more than in any other breed; osteosarcoma, gastric torsion and demodicosis are minor health concerns. Hip dysplasia and Von Willebrand's Disease (prolonged bleeding time) and Retinal Atrophy can also occur. Interestingly, Blue coated Dobermans are more likely to suffer from hair loss. The white (Albino) Dobermans are likely to have additional specific problems related to their condition such as light sensitivity, skin lesions or tumors and temperament issues. Dogs can be tested for all aforementioned genetic diseases at a veterinarian via blood sampling. Special attention should be payed to the detection of these diseases, especially Cardiomyopathy, to ensure your Dobie lives a long, healthy life.

• There are a large number of Doberman uses. Because of the breed's combination of high intelligence and extreme athleticism, these dogs have been used by the police, military (especially by U.S. troops in World War II), and as guard dogs by property owners. If well-trained, they even make good therapy dogs--and of course, they're affectionate, active, protective family pets.
• The foundation breeds for the Doberman are unknown. Louis Dobermann, the German tax collector who developed the breed for protection, allegedly kept no notes about these dogs' original development. Scientists and breed experts speculate that the Doberman was created from a variety of breeds including the German Pinscher, the Rottweiler, the Manchester Terrier, and the Weimaraner, among others.
• In fact, the origin of the word "pinscher" is debated as well. In German--the native language where the breed was created--pinscher refers to a fox terrier type of dog. Some historians instead believe it's taken from the Old French "pinchier," which means "to bite, squeeze, or pinch," a reference to terrier-type dogs' ability to kill rats. Still others believe "pinscher" describes these breeds' cropped ("pinched") ears.
• Those cropped ears originally served a practical purpose. Though in modern times ear cropping is done purely for aesthetic reasons, the practice of shaping a dog's ears so they'd stand erect was first done so that guard dogs like Dobermans could hear better.