The Doberman

 

There is hardly any other dog that has fallen into disrepute as much as the Doberman. However, this does not only result from the fact that this in itself great dog came again and again into the wrong hands of irresponsible owners, rather a certain guilt is to be seen here also in the breeding.

Breeders have all too often let themselves be tempted, according to the trend, to breed again and again very specifically on the aggressiveness of the dogs, which of course had fatal consequences.  Meanwhile a Doberman is considered as absolutely dangerous and is partly even classified as a fighting dog. Nevertheless, the actual nature of these dogs is not nearly as it is presented or better said presented.
However, in any case, it must be said that this dog must not fall into the hands of inexperienced people under any circumstances. A Doberman is not an easy dog, he is not easy to train and to educate and he needs a strict but nevertheless loving hand.

Above all, however, one must keep in mind that these dogs are absolute power packs, which not only have to be used to full capacity, but also have to be controlled and held on a leash. The Doberman is not necessarily equipped with a lot of patience, the stimulus threshold is quite low and therefore the dog should always be kept in mind when walking.

The nature of the Dobermann

    The Doberman is a courageous dog, which usually only binds itself to one person. He is therefore considered as a so-called one man dog. Although he also lets himself be led and guided by other people familiar to him, it is usually the case that he only recognizes one person as pack leader.
    If the Dobermann comes out of a responsible breeding, then he is indeed loving and faithful, equipped with a medium protective instinct and also has a medium sharpness.
    As a family dog he shows himself quite alert, but still obedient and towards the children as sweet and patient. Unfortunately, these breeds are not yet found very often, so that in most cases it is advisable to bring the Dobermann into the family only when the children are already a little bit bigger and show a certain sense of responsibility.
    It would also be advisable if smaller children are at least already stable in any case. Especially at a young age, the Dobermann can be quite tempestuous, which is not necessarily an advantage due to its size and weight.
    However, the Dobermann is also a breed, which is especially characterized by its eagerness to work. These dogs want to have a task and they will follow it with a lot of passion.
    Courage and a sharp instinct are given to the Dobermann as well as an unconditional loyalty to his human being.

The historical background of the Dobermann

While many other breeds owe their name to a particular region or trait, the Doberman was in fact named after the founder of his breed.  Friedrich Louis Dobermann, who came from Apolda and lived in the time of 1834 to 1894, was the first known breeder of the race Dobermann.

It took relatively normal dogs from the region at that time. From them, he mated the most courageous and intrepid among themselves. Among others also his own bitch. A mix of Pinscher and sheepdog presumably, as they occurred numerously in the region around Apolda at that time.  That bitch carried the name Schnuppe and was a mouse-gray short-haired bitch.

This bitch was verpaart with a so-called butcher-dog, who probably is to be regarded as the predecessor of the Rottweiler.  Furthermore, mixed breeds of pinschers and hunting dogs were used as well as a greyhound. So, what was available in the region was used for breeding.

The Greyhound was needed at that time to give the appearance of the now newly emerging breed a slimmer look.  Through these crossbreeds, which at first sight may seem rather random, a new breed of working and utility dogs was created. They were very well suited to guard the yard as well as humans and animals and were therefore also used as police dogs at an early stage.

However, they were also used for hunting and were used here primarily for the fight against big game.  In the first as well as in the second world war, the Dobermann was used as a mine detection dog as well as a medical dog. They could be found at the officers' sides and often served to guard the prisoners.

Today, the Dobermann is more and more used to breed not only as a guard dog, but also as a family dog and as a companion dog. His own sharpness was bred back to a healthy mediocrity by selective breeding.
The tail and ear docking is meanwhile forbidden in large parts of Europe.

The Dobermann is also available in a brown as well as in a black color shade.

Which requirements does the Dobermann have

    The Doberman is a working dog. Therefore he wants to be worked and should be in experienced hands only if possible.
    He needs a lot of work and of course also a lot of space and this leads to the fact that he is only conditionally suitable for keeping in the apartment. This should be accordingly large. Better is here in any case a house with garden.
    Of course a Doberman also needs a certain amount of exercise and physical load. But he is also very happy when he gets a task.
    If he is allowed to guard house, yard and family, he will take this task very seriously and follow it with a lot of passion.
    However, the Dobermann also wants to have a person who can assert himself, who leads him and who consistently shows him the way.
    Otherwise the Dobermann is a quite flexible dog, who can deal with many different situations and who is able to come to terms with them.

The Dobermann and his health

The Doberman itself is a very robust dog, which is not so easy to get down in health. Nevertheless, some hereditary diseases can be found here as well. For example the so-called Dilative Cardiomyopathy (DCM), a very serious heart disease, which often leads to death.

The Doberman as a breed also carries some problems in the area of the inner ear. The disease is accompanied by disturbances of the balance and sometimes also by deafness. In addition to the classic HD, the Doberman also has a special form of blood clotting disorder.
All in all, however, the Dobermann is much less afflicted with diseases compared to other dog breeds.
The perfect human for a Doberman is...

    Consistent, experienced and in any case able to take the leading position in this human dog relationship.
    He knows about the urge to work and can do justice to it.
    Nevertheless, he also shows a certain degree of leniency and follows the loyalty and devotion of the Doberman.
    In addition, the perfect human of a Doberman should also be very sporty and take the time to satisfy the dog's urge to move and work.

He will have a lot of fun with his dog and also on long walks the Doberman is happy and always at his human's side.

The optimal equipment for your Dobermann

If you plan to buy a Dobermann, you should not only think of the dog basket. But also the following materials.

    Dog box or transport box for Doberman: The transport box should always be adapted to the size of the animal. Comfort is guaranteed by inserts or blankets. Please keep in mind that such a transport box seems to be important not only in puppyhood, but also when your Doberman is fully grown. In this case you can decide for a fixed box in the trunk.
    Muzzle for Doberman: Unfortunately, the muzzle for Doberman is always a topic. Think about it. There are different types of muzzle. Which are made of a natural material or of steel or metal. Please consider when buying that these products have to be adapted. In this case it is important to deal with the topic head size.
    Harness for Doberman: A harness for the Doberman can be very important if you buy the animal as a puppy. Because then you have the possibility to lead and educate the animal optimally. When buying a harness, you should also think about materials and workmanship. The model must be designed for the dog.
    Collar for Doberman: With the collar the spirits argue. There are certainly advocates of the choke collars. Who trains his dog well, can rely on leather collars or chain collars. The collars may not scuffle with the dog and also leave no traces.

Buy a Doberman: Breeding and puppies

You should only buy a Dobermann if you are willing to assert yourself. Wanting to buy a Doberman puppy is always a good basis to integrate the dog into your family. To realize this plan it is important to contact a Dobermann breeder. These can be found on the internet.

The Dobermann puppy should of course have paper and should have received the appropriate vaccinations. The Dobermann breeders in Germany pay a lot of attention to the good state of health of the animal.

Conclusion

Not a beginner's dog, but thanks to responsible breeding a well-balanced family dog that fits well into the new pack and is loyal to it.
However, one should consider in any case that the Doberman only considers one person as his unrestricted boss.

With appropriate education and a good socialization already in the puppy age the Dobermann can be kept together with other animals quite well. Towards foreign dogs he is however first of all careful and puts them through their paces.

His distinctive protective instinct lets him defend his humans, which he does independently as soon as he thinks danger is approaching.

All in all the Doberman is a very active dog, who has fun in sports and games and with whom you can not only experience a lot of adventure but with whom you can also have a lot of fun.

FAQ about the Dobermann

The Doberman is considered a robust breed of dog. In spite of the initial concerns, Dobermans are more and more intensively passed on to families. His aggressiveness, which is said to be a characteristic of this dog, does not lie in the dog breed, but in the breeding. Questions arise with future owners nevertheless again and again. Therefore we would like to answer the most important questions about the Doberman and his character.

🐶 How dangerous is the Dobermann really?

No dog breed is dangerous by nature. No matter if it is the Dobermann or the Rottweiler. Dogs become dangerous animals by human hands. Unfortunately, most breeders and unscrupulous owners are to blame for the fact that the otherwise lovable Dobermann became a dangerous "fighting machine". Fact is: the Dobermann is not dangerous, it must be, because one makes this dog a dangerous mixture.

However, as an owner you should be open to discussion. Because the Dobermann is not a recipient of orders. That is why this breed is not very easy to train. But here one must lead with strict, but argument-joyful hand. The Dobermann is felt to live through 100 puberties.

So it still has mischief in its head even after 6 months or 5 years. Basically one can assume that the normally educated and bred Dobermann is not a dangerous dog. Delete the thought "fighting dog" from your memory.

🐶 How fast is the Dobermann and how much run out does he need?

His slender line, his powerful build make the Dobermann a ravishing appearance. Almost nobody can resist the sight of a well-groomed Dobermann. As a running dog the Dobermann is optimally suitable, because he is a racing machine. Running is his life and one notices this with the speed. On long distance, however, the Dobermann will lose speed, because these animals are simply too heavy in the body mass for that.

A full-grown Doberman male can weigh up to 45 kg. The females make it to 35 kg. The dog breed has an enormous urge to move and can cover several kilometers per day. Therefore a dog scooter is recommended, which can overcome these distances without problems. An exact performance-speed is hardly mediated, with what the Dobermann would quite manage 30 to 50 km/ h in trained form.

🐶 When is the Dobermann fully grown?

The Dobermann is full-grown in its full splendor from 1-1 ½ years. During this time he develops his full shoulder height. Chest and head continue to grow after this time until the age of 3.

🐶 When can a Dobermann be castrated?

Castration is of course an important topic for many dog owners. This type of procedure should not be carried out during the growth phase, as this can lead to disturbances in normal growth. One reason for this is that the hormones developed there play an important role in Doberman growth.

🐶 When should one dock the ears of the Dobermann?

Many years ago, docking was a normal procedure that was performed on the auricles and the rods of the animals. When docking, templates are placed on the ears of the animal and the protruding parts of the ear are cut off with a scalpel. Since 1.09.2001 it is forbidden to dock the ears or the tail of the Doberman.

🐶 Which food should one give to the Dobermann?

When choosing the right dog food, one should pay attention to the quality of the ingredients. Because this can affect the performance of the dog. The Dobermann is a very active dog, which naturally needs appropriate amounts of food. However, one must bear in mind that the amount of fillers in the food must be reduced.

Whether you choose wet food or dry food is less important. It is important that proteins and nutrients are found in the food. Whether a Doberman is properly nourished can be seen quite quickly. If the coat of the animal shines, the nutrition is first class.