Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher gets it's name from Louis Dobermann of Apolda. The roots of the Doberman are somewhat obscure, though within a short time this breed became very popular. They were first recognized by the AKC in 1908.

Dobermans are medium sized and have a clean-cut appearance. By looking at a Doberman, they do not look as if they have great muscular power. The Doberman is a very compact dog, most would even underestimate the dogs weight by 15 pounds at first glance.

Dobermans came from the old shorthaired shepherd-dog stock with mixtures of Rottweiler, black and tan Terrier, and smooth-haired German Pinscher. The Doberman gained all the excellent qualities from each of those breeds. They have proven themselves not only as a friend, but also as a guardian. Their qualities of intelligence and ability to absorb and retain training brought it into demand as a police and a war dog. Doing so, the Doberman's agility and courage made the breed highly prized. They also have an excellent nose, which has led them into criminal training as well as a hunting dog.

Doberman Pinschers are not the vicious dogs that you see in the movies. It is actually very rare that you will see a Doberman in such a way these days. Dobermans are very loving dogs who adore their families, and most tend to welcome friendly strangers. Dobermans will protect their territory and family against those they know shouldn't be around, however having an owner bring a guest into the home will not be a problem. Many Dobermans can be dog aggressive. They do well with pets they're raised with however many have same sex aggression especially toward dogs they're not familiar with. This an be limited with proper socialization beginning at an early age. Dobermans do tend to excel at Schutzhund, which is protection training. This still does not mean they are in any way vicious. A protection trained dog and a vicious dog are totally different things. Schutzhund has three parts of training, obedience, tracking and protection work. Protection training is similar to the methods for dogs in police work. Dobermans come in several colors. Black & tan, Red, blue, and fawn. Grooming a Doberman is very simple. Bathing and brushing as needed, nail trimming and ear cleaning regularly, as well as trimming the whiskers.

Both parents should have the following certificates: OFA (hips), cardiac-clear (cardiomyopathy), normal thyroid (full panel), and a DNA certificate that shows whether they are affected, carriers, or clear of vWD. Also ask about Wobbler's syndrome, renal dysplasia, autoimmune problems, and cancer in the lines. Dobermans tend to have skin allergies as well.

The "White Doberman" is not actually a rare breed, it is the product of massive interbreeding and mutated genes. The first white Doberman was a produced in 1976 in a litter of cream colored Dobermans. Her parents and littermates were normal color. She was bred to a dominate black male, and produced a litter of 14 dogs-all the rest were of normal color. The white Doberman was impregnated by her son, and then a brother/sister mating occurred. Later, these albinos were bred together and produced all Albinos.

Albino Dobermans are photophobic, (sensitive to sun light). They have vision problems resulting from abnormal development of the retina.

They are prone to skin cancer and skin lesions. Due to the lack of pigment, they are extremely susceptible to skin damage from the sun.

Poor temperament in the Albino Doberman is a significant concern. Due to the intense inbreeding to obtain the mutation, the temperaments on a great many are totally unstable. These problems range from fear biting to outright vicious attacks. Shyness is prevalent. Most are not suitable for homes with small children. Yes, there are exceptions, but hardly enough to make them acceptable to most families.

The Doberman Pinscher Club of America rejects Albino Dobermans, and the AKC will not permit them in the show ring, though they can still be registered with the AKC.