Description

If you are looking for an intelligent, loyal and an alert dog to give you company, Doberman Pinscher is perfect for you. This dog is also called as Dobermann or Doberman in many countries. Not many years ago, they were the preferred ones with the cops, which is why they were also called as ‘guard dogs’ or ‘police dogs’. They had the perfect ingredients needed for the job – intelligence and fearlessness. Muscular and well built, Dobermans are also known for their speed. They dogs are energetic and lively that can be the idle choice for your family. A lot depends on the proper and adequate training though. Once you can ensure a proper training regime for your pet, these dogs can serve as a wonderful family buddy. 

They generally have long tails, which aren’t bushy at all. But if size matters to you and short is what fancies your eyes, you can get this tail shortened with the surgical procedure called ‘docking’. The ears are mostly cropped to make them fit for better sound localization so that the dog can play its role of a guard to perfection. The Dobermanns are medium sized dogs. Normally the size is between 26 to 28 inches. However, the female Doberman Pinschers are normally between 24 to 26 inches, and are generally thinner than their male counterparts. 

Coat Description

These dogs have a very short coat. Unlike other breeds of dog, they are not known for their coats. The colors of the coat again can be controlled by fiddling with the color genes. Usually, the coat has colors like black, red, blue, and fawn (Isabella), black or black and rust, red, red rust or brown. Their coat doesn’t rise to a great length. You can even find Doberman Pinschers that are of white (albino) color.

History

Doberman Pinschers first came into the scene 120 years ago in Germany. Tax collector Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann is credited for breeding it for the first time in the city of Apolda in Germany after the Franco-Prussian War. His idea was to have the short-sized dog which can be both a guard and a companion for him. If history is to be believed, these dogs came into existence as a result of cross breeding between the German Shepherd, the Black and Tan Terrier, the Rottweiler, and the German Pinscher. This breeding methodology became a widely sought-after method in U.S.A. It was because of the popularity of these dogs that the breed was recognized for the first time by the American Kennel Club in 1908.

It won’t be out of context to mention here that in Guam, at the war dog cemetery of the U.S. naval base in Orote Point, you will find a life-sized bronze statue of a Doberman Pinscher called "Always Faithful".

Temperament

In the recent past, it has been observed that Doberman Pinschers have become much preferred as a house dog. Many incidents relate to their ferocity and aggression. These incidents prove how well the breed must have served as ‘war dog’ or ‘police dog’ in the past.

Although many view these dogs as ferocious ones, you won’t probably find a better match as far as loyalty is concerned. These dogs can mingle with other dogs and human beings easily, but tend to get a bit aggressive with strangers. However, they are never going to be aggressive towards their owners. Some recent research has traced a new trend where the European Pinschers are found to be not as calmer as their North American counterparts. The reason for this is attributed to different breeding strategies followed by breeders.
Health issues and concerns.

It has been observed these Doberman Pinschers have a life span of anywhere between 10–14 years. This makes sense to bring home a Doberman for those owners who do not wish to part ways with their dogs very soon.

These dogs are prone to certain skin diseases. Demodectic mange or red mange directly has an adverse bearing on them. The problem surfaces when the Doberman Pinschers have mites in them. So, the dog suffering from this ailment may end up having scaly skin, skin infections, bald spots and patchy fur. The dog may also have dilated cardiomyopathy, which can affect its heart. This is the result of an enlargement of the heart muscle and the existence of a thin wall. Reversion can affect its eyes can arise when the third eyelid folds over itself. You can correct this defect by opting for a surgical dissection of the defective cartilage. 

Gastric torsion or bloat can be a life threatening ailment for your dog. This phenomenon arises when the stomach is full of air and twists. The Doberman may suffer from Hip dysplasia too that affects the joints. It may even have hypothyroidism, which arises due to lack of thyroid hormone. When a Doberman puppy is born, it should be checked for Renal Cortical Hypoplasia, which is characterized by an incorrect shape of the kidneys.

Grooming

This dog has a short coating. Therefore, it doesn’t call for much attention for grooming its coat. Since the hairs are short, it is easy to wash and dry them. You should ensure that the coat shines, is laid flat and straight. Remember – you should not compromise on this minimal grooming of your dog. Otherwise, he may suffer from hair loss, acne, staff, and dandruff. Offering your pet regular bathing and a high quality diet on a consistent basis are also important to have a healthy dog.

Exercise

Dobermans are very energetic. So, you should give them adequate exercise. Avoid taking them in cold as they can’t bear such weather. If you are staying in an apartment setting, you can let you pet have a certain area to itself where it can do a little bit of exercise and running.

Training

While training them, you should keep these points in mind:

1. Don’t resort to unnecessary scolding. Your dog will take some time before it comes to terms with human signs, gestures, languages and words. The bottom line is that you should not be ignorant of these facts. Allow it some time to get accustomed to the training schedule. You can indulge your pet with few small ‘treats’, which can be a food item that it relishes or simply a pat on its head. If your pet succumbs to your wooing tricks, it will be easier to train it. However, if it shows too much of resistance, try using a field collar during the initial training period.

2. Small puppy dogs may often show a tendency of relieving themselves inside the house. However, blaming them won’t solve the problem. Remember - when they are small, their bladders aren’t matured enough to ‘hold it back’. So, try to take them outside every two hours. Alternately, you can train it to relieve itself in the bathroom or any other place in the house that you have earmarked for the purpose. If your dog continues to relive itself inside the house and shows no sign of using the specific areas marked for the purpose, scold it. When it relieves itself outside the house, don’t forget to praise it. This training will help it understand the importance of using the right place to relieve itself. Learn to take note of the signs when your dog feels the need to answer the nature’s call. This will help you pet and also keep your house clean.

3. Be vocal when you ask your pet to ‘sit’, ‘get out’, ‘be silent’ and the like. Keep these training sessions short and frequent. Doing an introspection of your teaching habits won’t be a bad thing either. You should also take a note of your vocal tone. It should be the correct one and have some consistent quotient. Ensure that your dog is not hungry or having an empty stomach during these sessions.

4. You should teach your dog to chew food properly. A noble idea would be to keep the food in different locations of your house and encourage it to find and eat the same. If that doesn’t work, put it under a crate training program. This may give your pet a time-out zone to unwind and respond positively to the training.

5. If all these options fail and you desperately want the dog to learn these nitty gritties, you can go for “choke chain” collar. The modus-operandi of these collars is simple. When the dogs misbehave, the collar tightens. When they do good deeds, this collar loosens. This is how your pet can get used to differentiate between good acceptable behaviors and not-so-good behaviors. Though there aren’t many takers of this idea and many people believe that putting the dogs with “choke chain” collar is akin to subjecting the animal to cruelty, it may help if everything else fails. However, it’s always advisable to stay away from this if you can help it. Since dogs cannot talk, we - the human beings, often fail to understand what they want say. So, be compassionate while training your Dobermans and you will soon have a well behaved pet.