Doberman Pinschers are smart and affectionate, and they can make great companions for their owners. It grows to be a medium-sized dog with a compact, muscular body.
One look at a Doberman, and you can sense the regal vibe with which it carries itself. Their upright posture and watchful gaze are a natural testimony to the years of experience the breed has functioning as a police dog. While it has been extensively used as a guard dog, it has also been deployed for military purposes, used in sports, and in therapy.
However, that is not the only dimension of the Doberman. If socialized properly, it can turn out to be an extremely fun-loving, loyal, and affectionate dog.
[wpdatatable id=76]History of Doberman Pinscher
The creation of the breed is usually credited to Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector. During the 1880s, Herr Dobermann used to work as a tax collector. This was in addition to his other duties as a night watchman, a policeman, and a caretaker of the town’s dog pound.
He felt the need to have a dog to assist him during his nightly duties and protect him. Consequently, he sought to breed a dog that was instinctive and intelligent and had a strong nose.
The breeds supposed to have contributed to the Dobermann Pinscher’s development include the Rottweiler, the German Pinscher, Beaucarons, Weimaraner, etc. The National Doberman Pinscher Club was started in the year 1899.
Doberman Pinscher Breed Characteristics
The Doberman Pinscher is a powerful and intelligent breed of dog originally bred for guarding and protection work. They are known for their sleek, muscular build and are often used as police or military dogs. Dobermans are typically medium-sized dogs, weighing between 60 and 100 pounds and standing 24 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder.
Their coat is short and smooth, and can come in a variety of colors including black, blue, fawn, and red. They have a strong, regal posture and a keen sense of alertness, which makes them excellent watchdogs.
Dobermans are highly trainable and excel in obedience, agility, and tracking sports. These dogs are also very loyal and protective of their owners, making them great family pets. However, due to their protective nature, they can be wary of strangers and require proper socialization from a young age.
One important characteristic of the Doberman Pinscher is their energy level. They are an active breed and require daily exercise and mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy. Without enough activity, they may become bored and develop destructive behaviors.
Overall, the Doberman Pinscher is a powerful and intelligent breed with a strong sense of loyalty and protectiveness. With proper training and socialization, they make excellent companions and working dogs.
Moving on to specific traits of the Doberman Pinscher breed, their appearance, temperament, health and care etc., are all important factors to consider.
Size and Appearance
The Doberman exudes an appearance of power and pride. It grows to medium or large and has a noble appearance and sleek look. The first thing that strikes you about a Doberman is its sleek, muscular look. It has a stout head that rests on a long, stiff neck. There are rust markings on its face and lower body, which contrast with the darker color of its coat. The body has a brawny look, which adds to the athletic look of the Doberman.
In terms of size, male Dobermans can reach a height of 24 to 28 inches at the shoulder, while females can grow to be 22 to 26 inches tall. The breed’s weight can range from 60 to 100 pounds, with males being typically larger and heavier than females. The Doberman’s athletic and brawny look is emphasized by its size and weight, adding to its impressive appearance.
Personality and Temperament
Some of the key features of the Doberman’s temperament are as follows:
Energy: This dog is an intense breed, which requires high levels of activity and exercise at all times. It requires being in close contact with the members of the family. Because of its need to let out its energy, it might be prone to running or frequent bursts or speed.
Watchfulness: It constantly needs to be aware of its surroundings at all times, and it surely does not want to miss a thing. It has impressive senses of smell and hearing. While sight is useful for a guard dog, the earlier two are what it uses to pick up the trail of an unfamiliar person. It will frequently try to investigate a newcomer, to their annoyance.
Determination: The dog does not rest if it has made its mind up that there is a threat to the family. It will be relentless in its pursuit of the stranger or other animal it believes to be a danger. It will not stop until it is convinced that there is no problem. Extensive training may be required on this front to rein in the responsive side of the dog.
Fearlessness: The typical image of the Doberman dog is it standing alertly, ears poking upwards, and focused on a supposed intruder. In addition to its confident stance, it is also lightning-fast.
Loyalty: The Dobermann was originally bred to be aggressive since they were deployed for protective purposes. Consequently, the Doberman might be aggressive towards people that it is not familiar with or with new dogs. It takes its role as a guard dog quite seriously.
Health
Some problems commonly affect the Doberman Pinscher, and it would help if you were prepared in advance for them.
Von Willebrand Disease: This is a common disease among dogs that is hereditary. It is a clotting disorder that makes your Doberman bleed excessively. The symptoms include bleeding at the nose, blood in the urine or stool, and bloody gums.
Hypothyroidism: This is caused due to lower secretion of thyroid hormones, and the symptoms include lethargy, dry skin, sensitivity, etc.
Cervical Vertebral Instability: It is a neurological disorder that is caused due to compression in the spinal cord. Some of the symptoms include irregular movements such as a gait, weakness in the posterior legs, jerky steps taken by the front legs, etc.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy: The heart muscle becomes increasingly weaker and can fail the circulatory or respiratory system. This is characterized by fainting, shortness of breath, and weakness.
Care
A proper routine should be followed for both exercises as well as feeding. This can help to avoid basic complications such as obesity. This cannot be overemphasized since overweight Dobermans are more prone to diseases such as cancer, arthritis, etc.
Let the Doberman into only those rooms where small objects are out of reach. Regular brushing of the teeth should be done, at least thrice a week. Also, ensure the dog does not chew on potentially harmful objects such as tennis balls or cubes.
Feeding
The diet should be consistent and should consist of high-quality food. The main requirement is that the food is palatable or easily digestible. Meats such as chicken or lamb make for good options, while whole grains such as rice or sweet potatoes may also be added. Lower-quality products may be avoided, such as grain cereals like corn and wheat, along with animal by-products. The diet should also be by the age requirements of the Doberman. The shine of the Doberman’s coat is retained if you feed it a good supply of fatty acids.
Grooming
The Doberman Pinscher is a low-maintenance animal. A weekly brush with a comb or mitt will suffice for the coat. This will prevent the coat hairs from shedding around the house. Bathing is recommended once every six weeks to three months. Regarding paw care, it may be done depending on the activity level of the dog. Trimming the nails may be done monthly, although more frequent treatment might be required if the Doberman spends a lot of time outside.
Children and other pets
In the case of proper training and socialization, the Doberman is relatively safe around kids or children. Although, they might be a bit more problematic when they are pups and have not been socialized completely.
Again, while the Doberman will usually be compatible with a new dog, they might occasionally demonstrate an aggressive streak in a dog-on-dog situation. This might be either due to provocation or other factors such as boredom, old age, lack of stimulation, etc. To socialize the Doberman into such situations, you can take the dog on shared walks with other dogs. If your Doberman frequently displays aggression when facing other dogs, you can try making some lifestyle changes.
Conclusion
With the proper training, the Doberman can be an immensely valuable pet. Not only are they low maintenance, but they are also brilliant. They will remain loyal to the family household as long as they are there.
FAQs
In case you wish to use your dog for competitive sports, it may be noted that it is reported that dogs without cropped ears are supposed to be as competitive. There are increasing controversies around this old practice, and several veterinary schools are reluctant to pass on instruction in this. Ear cropping is merely for cosmetic purposes, and there does not seem to be any known health or another physical benefit.
Historically, the objective behind cropping the ears of the Doberman was to make them grow upwards in a vertical manner. The characteristic pointed ears that we now see are a result of this process. Since the Doberman was used as a guard dog or for other practical purposes, it was believed that floppy ears could become a nuisance during activities. For instance, if the dog were to accompany the owner on hunting activities, their ears could get torn while running through the woods or get caught in the trees.
The word Pinscher probably comes from the name of one of the breed’s ancestors, i.e., the German Pinscher. The word translates as ‘to seize.’
It can sometimes be the case that the owner cannot handle the breed because it turns out to be aggressive. Alternatively, they might not have done a good job in training or socializing the dog. If the owner does not have the time or the patience to socialize the dog, they need to consider other options. One solution could be to hand over the Doberman to a shelter or to a rescue home where they will be handled better.
Several households might not be comfortable with the idea of their neighbor having a Doberman. They might be likely to sue the owner in case the Doberman steps out of line or does anything which seems to be threatening. Thus, there might be an issue of public perception or bans on the breed in the neighborhood by the police.
The right age to start training for the pup is when it is between 6 to 18 weeks old.
Hi, I’m Walter,
I live in Oklahoma City, USA, and have extensive dog caring and grooming expertise. In addition, I provide dog training tips and tricks through my blogs in Canine Weekly. I have a Dog Behavior and Training diploma and have previously worked as a Dog Trainer at ROC Animal Training and Behavior and Tip Top K9 of OKC Dog Training.
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