Written by: Debbie Moore and Shawna L. Krautheim
Copyright 1997 to 2010 Dogs and Puppies Central
All rights reserved.
Alternate Names:
Common Misspellings: Doberman Pincher, Dobermann, Dobermen Pincher, Dobermanpinsher, Dobermanpincher
Learn all about Doberman Pinscher Dogs and Puppies through our indepth
guide to the Doberman Pinscher dog breed. You'll find solid information
about Doberman Pinscher dog history, Doberman Pinscher life expectancy Doberman Pinscher
dog appearance, Doberman Pinscher dog temperament and personality, Doberman Pinscher dog health issues, Doberman Pinscher puppy care, training Doberman Pinscher
puppy dogs and more. Also includes important information about
choosing a responsible Doberman Pinscher dog breeder.
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The Doberman Pinscher Dog Breed In Brief
Country of Origin:
Germany
Doberman Pinscher Height:
Males - 27.5 inches at the withers (70 cm)
Females - 25.5 inches at the withers (65 cm)
Doberman Pinscher Weight: 60-115 pounds
Doberman Pinscher Color Variations: Fawn Doberman
Red Doberman
Black Doberman
Isabella Doberman
Blue Doberman
Fawn Doberman
Doberman Pinschers can possess a range of colors including red, black, blue and fawn (also called Isabella). All colors have rust colored markin
Doberman Pinscher Size Variations: The Doberman presents in just one size - big!
The Miniature Pinscher is not a Miniature Doberman - it is a distinct breed that somewhat resembles the Doberman Pin
Doberman Pinscher Exercise Needs: Demanding
Doberman Pinscher Grooming Demands: Minimal
Doberman Pinscher Trainability: Easy
Doberman Pinscher Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Doberman Pinscher
Prices: prices
Good With Children: Yes, with supervision.
Good With Other Pets: Yes
Breed Group: Working
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Apparently, tax collecting in 19th century Germany was thankless task. Louis Dobermann, whose job as tax solicitor found it not only thankless, but downright dangerous. So, Herr Dobermann went about creating a dog that could accompany him on his rounds. Ideally, Dobermann wanted a sleek and muscular dog that was highly trainable and alert. He chose as progenitors, a German Shepherd and a German Pinscher and later added the Black and Tan Manchester Terrier, the Greyhound and the Weimaraner. The result of these efforts is the widely recognizable Doberman Pinscher. By 1899, the Doberman Pincher was well established and the first breed club was formed.
The first Dobermans to arrive in America attracted many fanciers. Soon, the elegant Doberman Pinscher was finding use as guard dogs throughout America and the world. With his protection ability eclipsing his other attributes, the Doberman soon had a reputation as fearless family protector. With his soaring popularity, came the Doberman’s first foray in the show ring. There, the Doberman Pinscher's chiseled good looks and confident demeanour vaulted his profile as a show dog. The Doberman's popularity continued to grow and at its peak in 1977, the Doberman Pincher was the second most popular breed in America.
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The Doberman Pinscher is muscular, powerful and sleek. Most commonly, the Doberman Pinscher is back with tan markings, but red, blue and fawn are also acceptable colourations. Some years ago an albinistic white Doberman Pincher emerged but was quickly disallowed. Still, the genetic marker for albino Dobermans remains, so the American Kennel Club tags the registration on any specimens carrying the gene. The letter Z notates this gene in the Doberman's registration.
The Doberman Pinscher's head is long and wedge shaped. His eyes are almond shaped and his ears are either cropped or uncropped. The Doberman's tail is customarily docked near the second joint and is carried just above horizontal. Show dogs especially have well tucked stomachs and have pronounced underangulated hind legs.
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The coat care for your Doberman Pinscher is minimal. Just give him a gentle weekly brushing to let his natural oils work their magic. The Doberman's coat should be gleaming and lustrous. Some Doberman Pinscher's protest to having their feet, ears and muzzle groomed. If this is the case for your Doberman, try desensitizing him with one second touches followed by a treat, then two second touches followed by a treat and so on. With luck, your Doberman and your remaining fingers will soon enjoy grooming these areas too.
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For a lithe and muscular dog, the Doberman Pinscher takes a very sensible position of exercise. He will certainly need a daily walk of 5-8 kilometers, but he shouldn't run you ragged. The Doberman will also enjoy off leash runs in areas that are suitable, but for the sake of others, don't allow your Doberman to run freely in a park. Even when your are confident about your Doberman Pinscher's docile temperament, passers-by may be terrified of your freely roaming dog.
At home, your Doberman Pinscher will enjoy romps in the yard punctuated with games of fetch. Be sure to engage your Doberman Pinscher daily as bored Dobermans can be destructive and landscaping is a favourite pastime.
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The Doberman Pinscher's guarding and protection ability has caused his reputation to take a bit of a beating. People unfamiliar with the breed may think that the Doberman is an aggressive and hostile dog. This characterization is more urban legend than it is reality. In fact, the Doberman Pinscher is intelligent and obedient. The Doberman is sensitive and keen to please his owner and anyone in his family pack.
The Doberman can show aggression towards other dogs, but often has a surprising gentleness with felines. Strangers will be greeted with suspicion, but careful training can moderate the Doberman Pincher's response.
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Properly training the Doberman pinscher requires time and patience. Highly intelligent and receptive to positive reinforcement, the Doberman is a willing companion who is eager to learn. However, because they are large breed of dog and due to the fact that they do have a lot of energy, it's highly recommended that you enroll your Doberman pinscher puppy into early obedience courses. As a puppy gets bigger, you'll find adult obedience courses much easier and you may discover that your athletic Doberman pinscher enjoys doggie sports, such as Frisbee catching agility training.
If you do choose to train your Doberman at home, there are a few guidelines to follow. First, don’t try to train your Doberman in your living room. The Doberman is an extremely active breed that needs lots of space to run. Similarly, the Doberman Pinscher’s intelligence dictates that he will not be responsive to boring training; he needs space and excitement. So, begin your Doberman training in a spacious area and be well-armed with plenty of fetching-for-reward type tricks.
Finally, the temperament of your Doberman depends in part on your treatment of him during training. As his trainer, you should be firm yet kind with some measure of authority. For a sweet tempered dog, avoid yanking on his lease, using an overly harsh tone and never punish your Doberman by hitting him.
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Some common health concerns for your Doberman Pinscher include; CVI, cardiomyopathy, vWD, demodicosis, osteoscarcoma, gastric torsion, CHD, albinism, hypothyroidism, PRA and narcolepsy.
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While the Doberman pinscher can be a wonderful family dog, careful consideration should first be given, prior to bringing one into your home. For starters, the Doberman pinscher is a high maintenance dog because it tends to be a highly intelligent and very athletic, two aspects they can make for a very destructive dog, should he become bored or develop other behavioral problems. The Doberman pinscher enjoys interacting with his human family, and is not the type of dog that's easily forgotten. If you have plenty of time to devote to your canine companion, lots of love and lots of patience, the Doberman pinscher may very well be the right breed for you!
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Average Doberman Pinscher Price: price
Price always varies when it comes to the
purchase of a quality, home-raised healthy Doberman Pinscher dog or puppy. It's of
utmost importance that you place the most weight on acquiring a great Doberman Pinscher
puppy from a highly responsible, reputable breeder, and put the price
as a secondary concern in making your decision.
Buying a Doberman Pinscher dog or puppy at a cheap price
from a breeder of questionable reputation can be a one-way ticket to heartbreak
and great additional expense throughout the dog's life, should your Doberman Pinscher
puppy have hereditary health problems or behavior and temperament issues (which
very often is the case with cheap-priced puppies). Buying from a highly
reputable Doberman Pinscher breeder is your best insurance for acquiring a well
socialized, healthy puppy of stable temperament.
Doberman Pinscher prices
also will vary according to the puppy's conformation; puppies placed as pets and
companions will generally be less expensive as show-quality Doberman Pinscher
puppies intended to be shown in conformation.
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If you are ready to add an adorable Doberman Pinscher puppy to your family, be
sure to check
out Dogs and Puppies Central's directory of
Doberman Pinscher Puppies For Sale, where
you will find photos and information posted by
reputable Doberman Pinscher breeders. We
actively screen Doberman Pinscher breeders who wish to advertise on our service by
asking that they meet and follow our
Guidelines For Responsible Dog Breeders. We
also ask for - and check - three references from each breeder.
By performing an initial dog breeder screening, it is our hope that we can
help put you in touch with a caring, responsible Doberman Pinscher breeder near you. We
cannot physically inspect the premises and dogs owned by breeders advertising
with us, so you need to be responsible for doing the final inspection and
interview.
Let's stop the cruelty of puppy mills. Please help us keep money out of the
hands of puppy mills, back yard breeders and pet stores. Buy your Doberman Pinscher
puppy only from a responsible, caring hobby breeder that raises their dogs and
puppies in a loving home environment.
When you locate that perfect Doberman Pinscher puppy - please be sure to send us
some photos to be included in our growing gallery of Doberman Pinscher dog and puppy
pictures!
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