Could a Doberman be the Right Dog Breed for You?

by Andy Matthews

They were originally bred in Germany over a century ago to be watchdogs and bodyguards. They are extremely powerful animals, and the sight of one of these big, dangerous looking dogs coming after you would fill anyone with dread.

The German miltary, and police were quick to recognise this, and the Doberman became a willing recruit. Fearless, and devoted to its owner and family members this is a versatile dog capable of excelling at many tasks.

Classified by the American Kennel Club as a member of the Working Group, the Doberman is a dapper dog with a powerful chest and bullet shaped head. They weigh in at anywhere between 55 to 90 pounds, and stand 24 to 28 inches tall.

The Doberman Pinscher has a short coat either black, black and tan, red, blue, or fawn with tan markings. Their almond shaped eyes are always dark in color.

In America most Dobermans have their tails docked, and quite often their ears cropped. In the UK both of these practices have been banned. If left natural the ears, and tail develop much like a hounds. Lately though, there has been a movement away from docking and cropping by some American breeders.

This is an energetic breed. Life in an apartment is not the best setting for a Doberman. A fenced yard, and quality exercise is a much better fit for them. A brisk daily walk on and off of the lead should keep your dog in top condition.

Despite their poor public image, most Dobermans are great with young children and other pets. They really are devoted family dogs. However, they are perhaps not the ideal dog for a 1st time dog owner. They are highly trainable, and they will do anything to please their owners. But they are a dominant breed, and they need to understand exactly who is in charge.

To avoid problem behaviors, you will definetly need to start socializing and training your dog as soon as you bring him home. They are a very intelligent breed, and you could find them getting in to real mischief if you do not check their behaviour. Either choose a dog training method that works or puppy obedience classes.

These are a good idea, since the classes will help you to socialize your puppy while he is reasonably little and much easier to control. Trust me, it is far better to teach a smallish puppy to sit, than to try it with an adult dog weighing almost as much as you do!

These are large, energetic, muscular dogs and consequently need a substantial amount of dog food. Make sure that you feed your dog a well balanced food that is specifically formulated for large breeds. Doberman Pinschers can suffer from hypothyroidism and a hereditary condition called von Willebrand's disease [a blood disorder].

Hip dysplasia, and heart problems are also a danger. As they get older, these sweet natured dogs can often become overweight, so make sure that you keep the lid on the cookie jar.

They are average shedders, and grooming is quick and easy. Simply, brush your dog once a week to remove dirt and loose hair, and that's it.
Doberman Pinschers may look like natural born killers, but they are really just oversized lap dogs. If you want a dog that will guard your home, but still loves to curl up beside you and the family at night, then a Doberman may just be the right breed of dog for you.

Andy Matthews is the best friend of Suki, a 2 year old Cocker Spaniel, who has tirelessly built from scratch http://www.top-dogs-names.com. Check it out it’s kind of unique!

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The Doberman: A Modern Dog for Modern Times

By Michael Russell

Herr Louis Doberman of Thuringen, Germany, was the man who crossed the Rottweiler, the Pinscher and the Black and Tan Terrier to attempt to produce the "ideal" guarding dog. The original purposes of guarding and attacking the stranger who invaded the property was the premise on which the Doberman was developed. Those that chose to have a guard dog expected them to attack strangers. Fenced yards were respected and the Doberman or other protective dog was a part of a family in early Germany. In fact, guard dogs were highly prized and were expected to be intelligent, obedient and courageous.

The Schutzhund Trials, also formalized and standardized in Germany, was a way to test these characteristics. An important ingredient of the Schutzhund trials, however, is the Obedience component which requires a reliable response at all times to the commands of the dogs' master.

The Doberman Pinscher was never intended to be ONLY a dog that would be a fierce guard dog, it was intended to be the "ideal" guard dog, a dog that is obedient, faithful and protective when necessary. A "Schutzhund" dog should not only be a fierce protector but should also be a responsible member of society, controllable and mannerly in social situations. With some breeds earning a successful Schutzhund title is the pre-requisite to using the dog in a breeding program in Germany. The Doberman's development in Germany has been tempered with responsibility on the part of the owner being a main ingredient in his training and upbringing.

The Doberman requires a strong and sensible owner who has knowledge of dogs and canine behavior. The Doberman must first of all be responsibly bred and then socialized early and faithfully trained in obedience and it can be a great family companion and still maintain a naturally protective instinct. In the United States the Doberman Club has from the beginning provided a responsible approach to educating the public about the breeding, socialization and training of their protégé. To a large degree this has protected the Doberman Dog from becoming a status symbol for violent members of society, as has been the sad fate of the Pitbull.

In today's society the Doberman is often a champion in the obedience trials. As an example in 1992, The A.K.C. recorded in their records 2, 175 CDX titles earned by Dobermans. The Doberman Club has for years put strong emphasis on providing education for the public about the potential working abilities of their breed and many are trained in tracking, search and rescue and police dogs.

The Doberman Pinscher for many years suffered from Von Willebrands Disease but now that there is a DNA test for this problem it can be avoided through responsible breeding. Wobbler's syndrome, bone cancer and heart problems are also prevalent in the Doberman breed and responsible breeders usually test for these conditions.

The Doberman Pinscher is described in the A.K.C. standard as "Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament," and the temperament is further described as "Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient." Owners of Dobermans should have a sense of responsibility and determination also and if they follow through on good socialization and training for their dog they will have a dog that exemplifies every aspect of a great companion and watch dog for their family.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dogs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Dog saves owner stranded in Wilderness

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16316250/

What Are The Characteristics Of A Doberman Pinscher?

By George Adams

In the movies, the Doberman is portrayed as an aggressive dog that lunges at people with vicious eyes. In truth, Dobermans are loyal, intelligent family pets.



The American Kennel Club places the breed in the working group class along with dogs such as the Great Dane and the Boxer. They were originally bred for police work and even used in the German military (which is not surprising since the sight of these powerful dogs could make a person anxious.)



Physically, the Doberman is square with a strong chest and a bullet shaped head. It can weight around 55 to 90 pounds with a height of 24 to 28 inches. The coat is black, red or fawn with tan markings. Some Dobermans have a small section of white fur on their chest. The eyes are almond shaped and dark and most owners dock the tail to prevent painful accidents in the future.



The Doberman is a very energetic dog. They do need a lot of exercise so an apartment setting is not suitable. Even if you do have a yard, Dobermans enjoy time with their owners and need to be walked daily.



This breed is a family dog. They are eager to please and can be trained successfully. If you have a puppy in the same house as a small child, you might want to be a little more vigilant because the puppy doesn’t know its own strength yet and can knock the child down.



Begin training as soon as you bring the dog home. Dobermans are smart. They can get into trouble if left alone. If you have a puppy, enroll it in puppy obedience class while still young and easy to control.



Nutritionally speaking, the Doberman Pinscher needs plenty of food and the food must be specially formulated for large dogs to ensure it gets the desirable nutrients.



As a breed the Doberman are prone to becoming overweight when they get older. Check with the doctor to ensure your dog is on the right track. Other possible afflictions are heart disease, hypothyroidism and a hereditary disease called Von Willenbrand’s disease.



It is relatively easy to groom your dog. All that is required is to brush the it once a week to remove dirt and cut their nails when they get too long.



In truth a Doberman Pinscher is a pleasure to have in the family. If you want a dog that can guard the home and still be loyal and loving then you should definitely consider the Doberman.



About the Author: George Adams is a staff writer at Pets Digest and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Recreation Digest.



Source: www.isnare.com

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The Pet Store Puppy

I don't remember much from the place I was born. It was cramped and dark, and we were never played with by the humans. I remember Mom and her soft fur, but she was often sick, and very thin. She had hardly any milk for me and my brothers and sisters. I remember many of them dying, and I missed them so.

I do remember the day I was taken from Mom. I was so sad and scared, my milk teeth had only just come in, and I really should have been with Mom still, but she was so sick, and the Humans kept saying that they wanted money and were sick of the "mess" that me and my sister made. So we were crated up and taken to a strange place. Just the two of us. We huddled together and were scared, still no human hands came to pet or love us.

So many sights and sounds, and smells! We are in a store where there are many different animals! Some that squawk! some that meow! Some that Peep! My sister and I are jammed into a small cage, I hear other puppies here. I see humans look at me, I like the 'little humans', the kids. they look so sweet, and fun, like they would play with me!

All day we stay in the small cage, sometimes mean people will hit the glass and frighten us, every once in a while we are taken out to be held or shown to humans. Some are gentle, some hurt us, we always hear "Aw they are So cute! I want one!" but we never get to go with any.

My sister died last night, when the store was dark. I lay my head on her soft fur and felt the life leave her small thin body. I had heard them say she was sick, and that I should be sold at a "discount price" so that I would quickly leave the store. I think my soft whine was the only one that mourned for her as her body was taken out of the cage in the morning and dumped.

Today, a family came and bought me! Oh happy day! They are a nice family, they really, really wanted me! They had bought a dish and food and the little girl held me so tenderly in her arms. I love her so much! The mom and dad say what a sweet and good puppy I am! I am named Angel. I love to lick my new humans!

The family takes such good care of me, they are loving and tender and sweet. They gently teach me right and wrong, give me good food, and lots of love! I want only to please these wonderful people! I love the little girl and I enjoy running and playing with her.

Today I went to the veterinarian. it was a strange place and I was frightened. I got some shots, but my best friend the little girl held me softly and said it would be OK. So I relaxed. The Vet must have said sad words to my beloved family, because they looked awfully sad. I heard Severe hip dysplacia, and something about my heart... I heard the vet say something about, back yard breeders and my parents not being tested. I know not what any of that means, just that it hurts me to see my family so sad. But they still love me, and I still love them very much!

I am 6 months old now. Where most other puppies are robust and rowdy, it hurts me terribly just to move. The pain never lets up. It hurts to run and play with my beloved little girl, and I find it hard to breath. I keep trying my best to be the strong pup I know I am supposed to be, but it is so hard. It breaks my heart to see the little girl so sad, and to hear the Mom and Dad talk about "it might now be the time". Several times I have went to that veterinarians place, and the news is never good. Always talk about Congenital Problems. I just want to feel the warm sunshine and run, and play and nuzzle with my family.

Last night was the worst, Pain has been my constant companion now, it hurts even to get up and get a drink. I try to get up but can only whine in pain. I am taken in the car one last time. Everyone is so sad, and I don't know why. Have I been bad? I try to be good and loving, what have I done wrong? Oh if only this pain would be gone! If only I could soothe the tears of the little girl. I reach out my muzzle to lick her hand, but can only whine in pain.

The veterinarians table is so cold. I am so frightened. The humans all hug and love me, they cry into my soft fur. I can feel their love and sadness. I manage to lick softly their hands. Even the vet doesn't seem so scary today. he is gentle and I sense some kind of relief for my pain. The little girl holds me softly and I thank her, for giving me all her love. I feel a soft pinch in my foreleg. The pain is beginning to lift, I am beginning to feel a peace descend upon me. I can now softly lick her hand. My vision is becoming dreamlike now, and I see my Mother and my brothers and sisters, in a far off green place. They tell me there is no pain there, only peace and happiness. I tell the family, good-bye in the only way I know how, a soft wag of my tail and a nuzzle of my nose. I had hoped to spend many, many moons with them, but it was not meant to be. "You see," said the veterinarian, "Pet shop puppies do not come from ethical breeders."

The pain ends now, and I know it will be many years until I see my beloved family again. If only things could have been different.

(This story may be published or reprinted in the hopes that it will stop unethical breeders and those who breed only for money and not for the betterment of the breed. Copywrite 1999 J. Ellis)

Dobermann = SMART!

Dobermans are SO smart. I have been training Nemo to go off to the side of the road and sit (for his safety) when I'm walking him on a leash and a car approaches. The other day he sat whenever he heard a car approaching (they have great hearing, too!) and I didn't even have to give him the 'sit' command. I may have to do some correction there because he should be doing what I tell him to and not what he wants to do. I must put in a call to the trainer today and get some advice.

Happy 5th Birthday, Buffy!

Today is Buffy's 5th Birthday! We've only had her since late June of '05, so we haven't had the opportunity to celebrate all her birthdays with her, but we'll do the best we can from here on out.

Buffy's New Coat

Buffy gets cold often and her little teeth will chatter, so the other night we bought her a nice pink coat. Here's a picture of hear wearing it. It has a nice reflective strip sewn in so we can keep track of where she is in the dark, and it seems to be keeping her nice and warm.

Walking the Woods with the Dogs

Walked in the woods with the hubby and the dogs today. I usually don't go along because I hate ticks, getting hung up on bushes with thorns, sloshing through the mud, steep hillclimbs and tripping on downed branches. I went along today because I was told we'd only be gone a little while. Plus, it was a bright sunshiney morning. It went OK. The dogs absolutely loved it, of course. Here's a picture of Buffy and Nemo on a section of the trail between two steep hilly areas.

Puppies were born Wednesday!

I just found out that six puppies where born on Wednesday at the breeder's where we bought our two Dobies from. The litter consists of 3 girls and 3 boys, all of them black! Congrats! I hope they put pictures up on the website soon. When we went to go pick up Nemo, we walked into a roomfull of 8-week old Dobermans - about 16 of them! Let me tell you, there's nothing quite like a roomfull of Dobie pups. It was so cool!

New Litter Expected Nov. 13th

I'm so excited! The breeder we got our current two Dobermans from is expecting a litter next week! Check the news page on their site. The beautiful Doberman that is pictured there was the mother of our Nemo (Finden dei Dohse). I'm glad I was able to give her a hug and kiss and let her know that we would take good care of her little one. I had no idea at that time that I would never see her again.

Tiffany 1994-2005

Tiffany was another gem of a dog that I had the priviledge of knowing. She was a sweet girl and I miss her dearly. She came into my life along with her "brother" Sebastian in the Spring of 1997 and I was lucky enough to have eight years with her. I'm told she had Parvo early on and almost didn't make it, spending 3 weeks in the hospital. She was a fighter, though!
Tiffany had a real zest for life and she lived with gusto. Once, while hiking along the banks of the James River near the shipping channel, she spotted a deer at the water's edge. She began chasing it, even swimming behind it! We thought we would have to go in the river after her.
Another time she chased a duck on the south side of Belle Isle at the James River. It took off flying but she kept running and barking at it. She ran and ran across those rocks, determined to get to that duck.
My favorite memories of Tiffany are things like when we got 2 kittens, she was always so concerned about their whereabouts and their well-being. It was really cute to watch her looking after them.
She also made me laugh one day when she must have been stung by a bee, I saw her stomping on and barking at something on the ground. I looked down and there was a bee.
She loved to ride in the bed of our pickup truck and she would focus intently on the road ahead. Her floppy ears would stick straight out like airplane wings because of the wind flow. We would tell her, "Get the cars, Tiff! Get 'em!" If we were on a two-way road and she spotted a car in the other direction headed our way, she would turn her head and "bite" at the car as it passed us.
About six months after we brought our new puppy Nemo home, she began having coordination issues and starting to walk in circles only so we took her to a specialist who gave her a month to live. We ended up having to put her down just a week later on June 3rd, 2005.

Sebastian 1992-2004

Sebastian was one heck of a dog. I miss that little boy. He was one of the dogs I "inherited" when I met my boyfriend (now my hubby) in March of 1997. Apparently he was just a couple days away from being put down. He'd been passed around between a few different family members. My hubby intervened and agreed to take him and work with him.
Many lazy summer days were spent swimming at Pony Pasture and the Belle Isle areas of the James River in Richmond. We had even purchased life vests for the dogs to help them navigate the waters. George Allen and Susan were at the River one day and George did a double-take as we strolled by with our pink and green-backed Dobermans:

Going hiking with the dogs was fun, because they'd help you climb hills with their "four-wheel drive" action.
One of my favorite memories is when we lived in Richmond and I was lying on the floor watching TV. I saw him crawl across the floor towards me and when he got to me he licked my face. What a sweetheart!
He thought ice cubes were treats. We threw a party once and a cooler filled with beer bottles and ice was on the floor in the kitchen. People would casually walk by it and grab a beer, then Sebastian would casually walk by it and grab an ice cube. Too funny!
I'll never forget January 10, 2004 when I was lying down on the Living Room floor and he walked over, sat down and began staring at me. The very next day he lost the use of his hind legs. It was all downhill from there and despite the acupuncture therapy we ended up having to let him go on 04/04/04. We were able to find a vet who would come out to the woods where Sebastian loved to romp and that's where we said our goodbyes.

Firemann and Dobermann

click here for the story behind this wonderful picture