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Doberman Pinscher
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The Doberman Pinscher (alternatively spelled Dobermann in many
countries) or Doberman is a breed of domestic dog. Dobermann
Pinschers are among the most common of pet breeds, and the
breed is well known as an intelligent, alert, and loyal companion
dog. Although once commonly used as guard dogs, watch dogs,
or police dogs, this is less common today. In many countries,
Dobermann Pinschers are one of the most recognizable breeds, in
part because of their actual roles in society, and in part because
of media attention (see temperament). Careful breeding has
improved the disposition of this breed, and the modern
Dobermann Pinscher is an energetic and lively breed suitable for
companionship and family life.
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Doberman Pinscher
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Country of origin
Germany
Weight
Male: 75 to 115 lbs
Female: 60 to 90 lbs
Height (average)
Male: 27.5"
Female:25.5"
Coat
Short
Color
Black, black and tan, red, blue, fawn,
white
Life span
10-14 years
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Description
Kennel club standards describe Dobermann Pinschers as dogs of
medium size, square build and short coat. They are compactly built
and athletic with endurance and speed. The Dobermann Pinscher
should have a proud, watchful, determined, and obedient
temperament. The dog was originally intended as a guard dog, so
males should have a masculine, muscular, noble appearance.
Females are thinner, but should not be spindly.
Size and Proportions
The Dobermann Pinscher is a dog of medium size. Although the
breed standards vary among kennel and breed clubs, the dog
typically stands between 26 to 28 inches 27.5 being ideal (66 to 72
cm), the female is typically somewhere between 24 to 26 inches,
25.5 being ideal (61 to 68 cm). The Dobermann has a square
frame: its length should equal its height to the withers, and the
length of its head, neck and legs should be in proportion to its
body.
There are no standards for the weight of the Dobermann Pinscher.
The ideal dog must have sufficient size for an optimal combination
of strength, endurance and agility. The dog generally weighs
between 75 and 100 pounds (34 and 45 kg) and the female
between 60 and 90 pounds (27 and 41 kg).
Color
Two different color genes exist in the Dobermann, one for black (B)
and one for color dilution (D). There are nine possible
combinations of these allelles (BBDD, BBDd BbDD BbDd, BBdd,
Bbdd, bbDD, bbDd, bbdd), which result in four different color
phenotypes: black, red, blue, and fawn (Isabella). The traditional
and most common color occurs when both the color and dilution
genes have at least one dominant allele (i.e., BBDD, BBDd, BbDD
or BbDd), and is commonly referred to as black or black and rust
(also called black and tan). The red, red rust or brown coloration
occurs when the black gene has two recessive alleles but the
dilution gene has at least one dominant allele (i.e., bbDD, bbDd).
"Blue" and "fawn" are controlled by the color dilution gene. The
blue Dobermann has the color gene with at least one dominant
allele and the dilution gene with both recessive alleles (i.e., BBdd
or Bbdd). The fawn (Isabella) coloration is the least common,
occurring only when both the color and dilution genes have two
recessive alleles (i.e., bbdd). Thus, the blue color is a diluted
black, and the fawn color is a diluted red.
Expression of the color dilution gene is a disorder called Color
Dilution Alopecia. Although not life threatening, these dogs can
develop skin problems. Since 1994 the blue and fawn colors have
been banned from breeding by the Dobermann Verein in Germany
and under FCI regulations Blue and Fawn are considered
disqualifying faults in the international showring.
In 1976, a "white" Doberman Pinscher bitch was whelped, and was
subsequently bred to her son, who was also bred to his litter
sisters. This tight inbreeding continued for some time to allow the
breeders to "fix" the mutation. White dobermans are a cream color
with pure white markings and icy blue eyes. Although the disorder
is consistent with albinism, a proper characterization of the
mutation is currently unknown. The animals are known to be
tyrosinase-positive albinoids, lacking melanin in oculocutaneous
structures, but no known mutation has been identified. Thus, these
Doberman Pinschers are not actually white, rather they suffer from
a deleterious genetic disorder that is associated with increased
health risks.
Tails
The Doberman Pinscher's natural tail is fairly long, but individual
dogs often have a short tail as a result of docking, a procedure in
which the majority of the tail is surgically removed shortly after birth.
The practice of docking has been around for centuries, and is
older than the Doberman as a breed. The putative reason for
docking is to ensure that the tail does not get in the way of the
dog's work. Recently, docking has become a controversial topic.
The American Kennel Club standard for Doberman Pinschers
includes a tail docked near the 2nd vertebrae. Docking is a
common practice in North America, Russia and Japan (as well as a
number of other countries with Doberman populations), where it is
legal. In many European countries, docking has been made illegal,
and in others it is limited.
Ears
Doberman Pinschers will often have their ears cropped, as do
many other breeds, a procedure that is functionally related to
breed type for both the traditional guard duty and effective sound
localization. Like tail docking, ear cropping is illegal in some
countries, and in these Doberman Pinschers have natural ears.
Doberman Pinscher ear cropping is usually done between 7 and 9
weeks of age. Cropping done after 12 weeks has a low rate of
success in getting the ears to stand. Some Doberman Pinscher
owners prefer not to have their pet's ears cropped because they
are concerned the procedure is painful for the animal. The process
involves trimming off part of the animal's ears and propping them
up with posts and tape bandages, which allows the cartilage to
develop into an upright position as the puppy grows. The incision
scabs fall off within a week and stitches are removed a week after
that. The puppy will still have the ability to lay the ears back or
down. The process of posting the ears generally takes about a
month, but longer show crops can take several months. Ear
posting is more discomforting to the dog than the surgery itself.
Posting techniques and the associated discomfort vary from one
posting technique to the next.
In some countries' conformation shows, Doberman Pinschers are
allowed to compete with either cropped or natural ears. In
Germany a cropped or docked dog cannot be shown regardless of
country of origin. Special written exception to this policy does occur
when Germany is the location for international events.
Temperament
Doberman Pinschers are the target of a mistaken stereotype of
ferocity and aggression. As a personal protection dog, the
Doberman was originally bred for these traits: it had to be large
and intimidating, fearless and willing to defend its owner, but
sufficiently obedient and restrained to only do so on command.
These traits served the dog well in its role as a personal defense
dog, police dog or war dog, but were not ideally adapted to a
companionship role. In recent decades, the Doberman Pinscher's
size, short coat, and intelligence made it a desirable house dog.
Although these dogs are mistaken for their aggression, they are
extremely loyal. They can easily learn to 'Respect and Protect'
their owners. In response, they are excellent guard dogs that
protect the ones they love. There is evidence that Doberman
Pinschers in North America are calmer than their European
counterparts because of these breeding strategies. Because of
these differences in breeding strategies, different lines of
Doberman Pinschers have developed different traits. Although
many contemporary Doberman Pinschers in North America are
gentle, loyal, loving, and intelligent dogs, some lines are bred more
true to the original personality standard.
Although the stereotype is largely mistaken, the personality of the
Doberman Pinscher is peculiar to the breed. There is a great deal
of scientific evidence that Doberman Pinschers have a number of
stable psychological traits, such as personality factors and
intelligence. As early as 1965, studies have shown that there are
several broad behavioral traits that significantly predict behavior
and are genetically determined. Subsequently, there have been
numerous scientific attempts to quantify canine personality or
temperament by using statistical techniques for assessing
personality traits in humans. These studies often vary by
identifying different personality factors, and by ranking breeds
differently along these dimensions. One such study found that
Doberman Pinschers, compared to other breeds, rank high in
playfulness, average in curiosity/fearlessness, low on
aggressiveness and low on sociability. Another such study ranked
Doberman Pinschers low on reactivity/surgence, and high on
aggression/disagreeableness and openness/trainability.
Health
On average, Doberman Pinschers live about 10–14 years, and
they frequently suffer from a number of health concerns. Common
serious health problems include dilated cardiomyopathy, cervical
vertebral instability (CVI), von Willebrand's disease (a bleeding
disorder for which there is genetic testing), and prostatic disease.
Less serious common health concerns include hypothyroidism and
hip dysplasia.
Studies have shown that the Doberman Pinscher suffers from
prostatic diseases, (such as bacterial prostatiti, prostatic cysts,
prostatic adenocarcinoma, and benign hyperplasia) more than any
other breed. Neutering can significantly reduce these risks (see
Dog for information).
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a major cause of death in Doberman
Pinschers. This disease affects Dobermans more than any other
breed. Nearly 40% of DCM diagnoses are for Doberman
Pinschers, followed by German Shepherds at 13%. Research has
shown that the breed is affected by an attenuated wavy fiber type
of DCM that affects many other breeds, as well as an additional,
fatty infiltration-degenerative type that appears to be specific to
Doberman Pinscher and Boxer breeds. This serious disease is
likely to be fatal in most Doberman Pinschers affected Across
multiple studies, more than half of the Doberman Pinschers studied
develop the condition. Roughly a quarter of Doberman Pinschers
who developed cardiomyopathy died suddenly from unknown
causes, and an additional fifty percent died of congestive heart
failure] In addition to being more prevalent, this disease is also
more serious in Doberman Pinschers. Following diagnosis, the
average non-Doberman has an expected survival time of 8
months; for Doberman Pinschers, the expected survival time is less
than 2 months. Although the causes for the disease are largely
unknown, there is evidence that it is a familial disease inherited as
an autosomal dominant trait. Investigation into the genetic causes
of canine DCM may lead to therapeutic and breeding practices to
limit its impact
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Doberman with natural ears
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Doberman with undocked tail
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