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DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION Q & A - 2003 PAGE 2 |
Q: from Cathy Tilley
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
My suggestion is to see another Vet that specializes in breeding.
Q: from Jim Gooss
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Most top brand dog foods are fine
for most dogs, however some dogs may have an allergy to some of the
ingredients. If the diarrhea is ONLY caused when feeding this food,
common sense tells you to discontinue it.
I would however take a small sample of the bloody stool in to the Vet as well
as take your dog for a complete examination. Could be hookworm or
whipworms or coccidiosis or Giardia. Many things may cause bloody
diarrhea.
Do not waste time. See your
Veterinarian. It could be quite serious.
Q: from Angie M
*** *** ***
Comments: Rottweiler
My 6 month old Rottie recently has had hair loss. I asked my vet and he said that it is only a food allergy. Others say it is mange. How would you know if it is mange or a food allergy?
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
Hi, My three month old puppy has suffered
conjunctivitis for over a month. The vet gave her some antibiotics, but they did
not work. I took her back again, and he told me not to worry about it, that it
will go away. But it is still there. Is this normal? What should I do? Any help
will be greatly appreciated.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I would treat this until it is cured. I don't know what kind of medicine that your vet gave you but you may need try something different. in the meantime use more of what he gave you.
Usually conjunctivitis clears up pretty fast. Maybe it is something that is causing conjunctivitis such as an inverted eyelid or dry eye or something.
Keep the eyes flushed out and clean (do this at least twice a day) and maybe get a second opinion. I don't know what else to tell you.
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
No Liz, This is not normal. I'd take her to another Vet a.s.a.p.
For staph bumps I mix 1 part bleach to 4 parts water, a few drops of dish soap or dog shampoo (whatever you are comfortable with) and some baby oil or Keri lotion. Wash their faces with this mixture after they eat.
This prevents staph bumps and will get rid of them. This treatment was given to me years ago by a vet. Since that time I have improvised the formula to do even more. I am sure that this will help. Good luck.
Subject: Rottweiler
I have a problem breeding my three year old Rottweiler. I tried breeding her
five times already and nothing happened. It is her season now and although she
is kind of fat, could she still be pregnant?
A: from Marj
Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I think that you need to see a veterinarian and if she is not pregnant you need to see a reproductive specialist type of veterinarian. Be sure that she is in good physical condition at the time of breeding which also means that she should not be fat. Perhaps you need to have a thyroid panel and a number of other tests done on her as well. Its even possible that she is not being bred at the correct time in her cycle. There could be any number of varied reasons. She is only three years old so you still have plenty of time.
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
My Husband and I have a 9 month old blue male we are in the process of registering with the AKC. We have a true love for the breed. We would like to breed him. What age is appropriate and what educational resources are out there to prepare us for breeding? Also, what is the best way to advertise for breeding?
His markings are beautiful! He will weigh around 90 pounds. Please advise. Thanks.
I am sorry to be so long in answering your
question but it does require a detailed answer.
First of all, breeding dogs in general is both a responsibility and an art. By
art I mean that a person must spend a lot of time learning quite a lot about the
Doberman before a breeding ever takes place.
At 9 months your dog is too young to be bred. By that I don't mean that he cannot breed and sire puppies but that he is too young to do a lot of the temperament and health testing that should be done on all breeding stock before being bred. That health testing consists of Von Willebrands Disease (VWD) testing, a full thyroid panel, hips and elbows x-rayed, CERF test done on his eyes and last but not least, his heart should be monitored with a 24 hour holter monitor or at least an eco-cardiogram and a sonogram. All this testing should be done due to the inherent health problems in the breed that make it imperative for us to routinely test all breeding stock.
For temperament tests, the DPCA has a WAE (working aptitude evaluation) which is a series of exercises to test the dogs on all of the descriptive words in our standard pertaining to the Doberman temperament.
Secondly, you need to study and learn the Doberman Standard to perfection so you can determine and evaluate your Doberman's good qualities and his not so good qualities, both temperamentally and conformationally (i.e. - his bone structure, angulation, muscling, et cetera.
You need to know as much as possible about your dog so you can determine which females you can accept for your blue dog and which females you should not accept. For example, if your dog has a fault, and they all do, you will need to breed him to an animal that is correct in that deviation whether it is a temperament flaw or a conformation flaw. The same works for health. If your dog is VWD carrier for example, you would need to breed him to a female that is clear or if your dog is low thyroid, you would want to breed him to a female that is normal thyroid. If your dog is sound sensitive you would want a female that is not sound sensitive or if your dog is lacking heavy bone, you would want to breed to a female who is not lacking in bone.
Needless to say you would have to learn all that you can so that you can make this kind of an evaluation and these kinds of decisions about whether or not you can breed your Doberman to a given female if at all.
Try to find a mentor in your area (I can possibly recommend someone) to evaluate your dog. In this manner you can find out if he is show quality and if he is, you may want to consider showing him in order for prospective female owners to see him and ask about using him at stud. Normally the female owners look for the male and come to you, not the other way around.
I am sure that there is a lot more that I could tell you as I could actually write an book about this. At any rate, here are some of the articles I recommend that you read, starting with the Doberman Standard of perfection.
The following are some articles about the
Standard that will help you to learn it in depth:
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/dobes_in_detail.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/doberman.html
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/judging_dobermans.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/doberman_on_the_move.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/how_the_standard_works.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/whys_of_standard_size.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/soundness.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/colorinheritance.htm
The following are some on Doberman temperament:
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/defining_temperament.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/suspicion.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/choices.htm
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/breeders_tools.htm
After you breed your dog, if you decide to do so, you will need to learn even more because you are equally as responsible for the puppies as the breeder (owner of the female) is.
Since you have a blue Doberman there is another article that you should read too. It can be found at http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html. There are many links within this article that will help you learn all about the blue and fawn Dobermans and the individual problems that they can have.
Remember that there are many more articles on this site that can be read and/or printed out including those about a variety of health problems that plague our Dobermans. Please don't hesitate to browse through the site to find more. I hope that this helps you and again, if you have more questions, feel free to ask.
Subject: Training Older Dobes
I read your online training tips on showing Dobes which were quite informative. We have rescued 2 females (1 1/2 yrs old) from our local animal shelter and could use some training tips for everyday life -- specifically, one of the girls gets quite excited when we encounter other dogs on our walks -- we're working it out slowly, but she still gets very excited to see other dogs (there are lots in our neighborhood), is not aggressive to them but wants to play, play and will bark and bark, jump, pull -- as I said she's getting better slowly but there must be something else I can do to help the process. Sometimes she will also drop low and bark at people -- it's not a real protective stance, but I'm not sure whether she wants them to play or stay away -- the bark is very different, it's longer & deeper. Can you recommend anything or a good information site ? Many, many thanks.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I think that training a dog to calm down in their exuberance over other dogs takes time and if your girl is making progress then just keep doing what you are doing. Another exercise that I like to do is to stop walking and go up to my excited dog and stroke her/him very lightly from the head down to the tail telling him to relax or calm down (some common word) until she does and then continue on, doing this every single time she pulls or whatever.
If her hair is standing up on her back, stroke it down and relax her. Do the same when she does the drop low thing. A dog will do what I call a play bow and bark more excitedly. This drop low thing sounds a little different, like she is not sure whether to be aggressive or submissive or shy (unsure of herself).
Just have her stand while you do the stroking thing to calm her down. After she calms down, walk her to the person and encourage her to make friends or "check it out" and ask the person to pet her and show her it is okay that he or she is there. Don't pull her away from the situation because by doing so you will basically encourage her to be afraid or leery.
I hope that this helps and if you need more help or have another question, please ask.
I have a bitch that is four months of age. Please tell me how can I start my training.
Q: from
Kathy Fontana
Date: 28
May 2003
Time:
13:50:36
Comments: Showing The Bite
I loved your tips on showing. Do you have any ideas for a bitch that has no problem showing her bite to anyone until we step up to the judge? I have had strangers and people I know at class, at home and in our yard go over her with no problem...until we get in the real ring. I wind up showing the bite to the judge but my bitch gives me a hard time.
I have had judges say they really like her and can I get her trained
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have three other dogs at home that are finished and they have all had their funny quirks but I have never experienced this particular quirk before. I somehow think she is outsmarting me and I don't want her to get excused from the ring for something I know she can do.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
From what I can gather from your post, you are
showing the bite to the judge. If your dog isn't letting you do so, then
just let the Judge do it. It might be faster and easier than you fighting
with her. As a judge myself I know I can usually do it much quicker than a lot
of exhibitors but I will allow them to present the bite to me.
Don't make a big deal of it with your dog. Make sure you really know how
to do it so the
judge can see properly and that it's done correctly.
Give your dog a piece of bait (at home) if she allows you to do it. If she's playing games with you and looking for bait, then dispense with any bait.
Only practice ONCE at home every few days. There is no need to keep doing it thereby making a big deal of the whole issue.
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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I just went through this on a bitch that didn't want to open her mouth for the judge to see the back teeth. I just kept working her and gave her the command "open" and then praised her, "good girl" when she did it. Do it all of the time and in every situation. Have a lot of people do it and do it with strangers and do it just before she goes into the ring. Try to "win" all of the time. Set her up into a ring like situation, like at class.
When you do have people do it have them do it just like a judge would. Do it yourself too, a lot. Make sure that you are not unconsciously digging your fingers into her gums.
For awhile I asked the judges to tell her open too. It took a while but she did get over it. It sounds as though your bitch is doing the same as mine was so just keep at it.
Do you think that it hurts her when her mouth is opened and she is anticipating pain or is she just being stubborn? Does she like the ball. If so hand her the ball and say "open"...... "good girl' when she takes it or food. Figure out something to do with her mouth that she likes and use the commands and hopefully she will associate both exercises as good.
Q: from
Peter
Date: 18
Apr 2003
Time:
04:13:36
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
What age male Dobie may work out best with an existing dominant 6 yr old
Shepherd?
We would eventually want them to be able to co exist together once they get used
to each other.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
It seems that we just answered this question. You can eventually have them co-exist together. Introduce them carefully and until the new puppy gets older, the two dogs must have your supervision while they are together. Separate them when you are not present. Train them to respect one another and give them equal time and encouragement. Encourage the older dog to play gentle and the puppy shouldn't be allowed to be too puppy rough and obnoxious so to speak. Allow the Shepherd to gently teach the puppy.
We have answered this question before and if you can find and read some of the answers I think it will help you.
Q: from
Gerry
Date: 15
Apr 2003
Time:
13:44:53
Comments: Second Dog
I am thinking about getting a rescue Dobie later this year. I currently
have a 1 year old, neutered male. He loves other dogs so that won't be a
problem. Obviously I'd be getting a female.
I have a couple of questions, though.
First, how old should the new dog be? I've read, that you have to pick one
to be dominant, and usually, the one that' already there is the best choice.
Would getting a female that is older than him make that more difficult?
Kane is an inside dog except when we aren't home. He has a 10 x 10 Kennel
in the backyard with a dog house and wading pool to cool off in.
I am guessing it wouldn't be a good idea to put another dog in there? I presume I'd have to put together another Kennel if/when we get a second dog or is it okay to put them together?
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
In my opinion you are much better off starting with as young a dog as possible, preferably a puppy.
I certainly wouldn't suggest putting another dog in Kane's kennel ... I would strongly recommend you put up another kennel right alongside the first one.
Actually, to be quite honest, I would never leave my dogs unattended while I sent to work, whether kennelled or not.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I think that your plan of getting a female that is a little older then him is a good plan. I also think that you would be wise to separate them while you are gone away from home since the areas you have for them are small. If you had a bigger fenced area for them to run and play while you are at home, that would be nice (instead of in the house). I say this because Dobermans, as you know, have lots of energy and they love to run and play and will need a bigger area to do this in.
I believe you are going to have to play some of these questions out by ear and work things out according to the dogs themselves and their needs and how they get along. The decisions that you will be making will be depending on the situations that will arise after you have the new dog. Having two pens are a good idea at this point though.
If left alone for great periods of time they could get noisy so you may have to figure a way to remedy that situation and any other situations that may crop up in the future.
Also, I have no idea know why you would have to pick one that is dominant. You already know what Kane's personality and temperament is like, so pick one that would work with Kane.
Q: from
Peter
Date: 15
Apr 2003
Time:
03:26:11
Comments: Doberman Temperament
Could you please advise exactly how to introduce a new Doberman, to be purchased
from a breeder, into a household of 2 adults, no children, and one dominate
intact female Shepherd.
The Shepherd is from a European Schutzhund bloodline, about 6 yrs old and will be soon spayed. She has obedience training only.
The soon-to-be-purchased Dobie could be a puppy or a 1 or 2 yr old male.
We are trying to avoid potential injury to us or the dogs.
The Shepherd had been living successfully with a
female, very passive Dobie, who died. They had maybe three non-injury fights
since we got the
Shepherd at 3 months of age.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I would be hesitant to introduce a young puppy or an older dog into a household with a dominant 6 year old female and still feel life will be peaceful. It's very possible that the older bitch will accept the puppy but I'd be very afraid to try it.
If I were you I'd wait until the older bitch passes away or only do so if you are prepared to separate them in case she doesn't accept another dog … whether as a puppy or older.
Q: from
Crystal
Date: 15
Apr 2003
Time:
02:39:59
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
If you breed two dogs together that both are VWD carriers wouldn't there
offspring be affected and have the disease? I've seen that many well know
breeders do this. Do they not care about if they have a puppy or two has
VWD as long as they have some really beautiful puppies that aren't. Thanks.
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Yes there is a 25% chance of
that...however, you cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater. So long as
that breeder tests the offspring and doesn't breed affected to affected one can
only go up. That is the objective of testing. The percentage of *clinically*
affected dogs is slim to none, 7% of the entire Doberman population in the world
as a matter of fact.
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
This has been a hot topic for years.
All I can say is, you don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
Affected dogs can "sometimes" manifest bleeding. Most times they live a
normal life and never have any problem. Breeders have no doubt been
breeding Affected to Affected for generations without incident before the vWD
disease was ever hear of or before we had a DNA to predict it.
You have a good chance of getting some Affected puppies out of breeding two
carriers, but on the other hand, it may not happen. You would get 50%
Carriers, 25% Affected and 25% Clear BUT this is based on hundreds of litters
from the same two parents. It is equally as possible that you may get a whole
litter of Affecteds, a whole litter of Clears or a whole litter of Carriers.
It all depends on how the genes fall.
As to breeders caring about the puppies, let me just say that most breeders do
all that they can and more to insure that they have healthy puppies. We try to
take into consideration many factors such as temperament, conformation, health
and type. To insure that you get the best you can breed, a breeder should
be willing to breed to only the best (that features ALL of these qualities).
Q: from
Andrea Roper
Date: 15
Apr 2003
Time:
00:50:26
Comments: Male or female???
I have been interested with the Doberman and the Beauceron breeds for over a
year. I have also raised Labs for a long time.
Making the transition from a more easy-going dog to a dog that is more protective, arouses my curiosity about which would be the more docile and less protective sex in the Doberman breed.
Please keep in mind that I live with a 9 year old brother. I appreciate any information you can supply...
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
In my experience of thirty plus years with this breed I would have to say that a good part of the time it is the male that is more docile and loving by far.
Please watch this page on our site for other replies to your query...
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I personally don't think that there is too much difference in male and female Dobermans in being protective. You can monitor their protectiveness to a degree.
Dobermans are protective and they are a barking breed (they talk). Dobermans are supposed to be obedient so you can teach them to work into your life within reason. You can diminish their protectiveness by teaching them not to bark and calling them away from being protective. I really don't recommend this, but it can be done.
Most Dobermans are sensible about protecting and usually don't bark at every little noise.
You can also read their tones of voices and can tell by the sound of their bark the degree of the threat that they are guarding against.
We have a couple of articles on our site that you might wish to read that could help you out as well. They are Is This The Right Breed For You? and What It's Like Living With A Doberman.
Q: from
Sharon Loshin Tsantiotis
Date: 14
Apr 2003
Time:
18:05:33
Comments: Eartaping
Is there an internet site that gives a detailed description on how to tape your
dog's ears?
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
http://www.equinoxca.com/taping.html
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/ears1.htm
Q: from Bob
Krenitsky
Date: 11
Apr 2003
Time:
13:41:04
Comments: Eye Goobers
What is an acceptable/normal level of "eye goobers"? Our red female has rather large discharges (lime green in color) but primarily in the morning. Is this normal for the breed?
Our Vet has ruled out pink-eye and other known diseases. He says it may be allergies. They don't seem to bother her at all but they are unsightly.
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
IMO large lime green eye goobers is NOT normal in any breed and should be checked out immediately. IMO it is very probable that she has an allergy. Please watch this page on our site for other replies to your query...
REPLY: from Bob Krentisky
Thanks- I'll bring her in for additional testing.
Q: from
Perry Jackson
Date: 11
Apr 2003
Time:
17:49:57
Comments: Doberman Temperament
I enjoyed reading comments concerning not keeping two males together. I have a
one year old female Doberman (spayed) and am interested in getting another. How
do females get along together? Thanks in advance
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Most times Females get along but there are many that don't. It's just not something you can predict with certainty. You have to know the temperament of each dog. Does your year old bitch get along well with other dogs? Does she tolerate puppies?
Be sure to introduce them a little at a time. Your year old bitch is still a puppy herself but she is "boss" in her house. Don't allow the new puppy to charge her and jump all over her in the beginning. Hold the puppy in your lap and let the older one sniff and see what she's all about. Never let a young pup and an older one together playing freely as the younger one can get hurt easily accidentally. Supervise and use common sense.
Q: from
Cheryl De Saw
Date: 09
Apr 2003
Time:
17:30:21
Comments: Health
My boy had a hystiocytoma under his arm that had gotten a little infected from
rubbing. He had it about 4 weeks before I took him to the vet because it
was not getting better. I originally thought it was from him running through the
bushes.
Our vet said they usually go away, but prescribed an ointment usually used in the ear, called Otomax (gentmaicin sulfate, usp: beta methasone valerate, usp: clotrimazole, usp ointment). She said we could use it for a week or more if needed but that the growth could take up to 8 weeks to go away. The ointment worked really well and once I saw a great improvement in the growth, I stopped using it. It took about a week or a week and a half. It certainly was not long.
Can you tell me what the cause of these are? He does not have any others.
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Hystiocytomas are usually benign tumors. Some dogs are lucky enough that they disappear on their own and others have to have them surgically removed.
Comments:
Does the Dalmatian breed have a history of heart murmur? Either age onset or at
birth.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I have a book called Medical & Genetic Aspects of Purebred Dogs and I looked under Dalmations. It seems that they have a lot of health problems due to their pigmentation or lack thereof. They also have a problem with blindness. They have Urinary calculi problems of the irate type, bacteria, and a characteristic dermatitis which include discoloration of the skin and white hair are common ailments that are considered a possible syndrome. The book goes on to describe these problems and what can be done to help them.
In another book, Your Purebred Puppy, A Buyers Guide, for health problems it says that they are susceptible to hip dysplasia, inherited deafness, skin conditions and urinary stones. Buy only from OFA-registered parents. A low-protein diet is often recommended to avoid bladder and kidney stones in this breed.
I hope that this helps you some.
Neither of the books mention the heart or heart murmurs but I would imagine that any breed of dog could occasionally have a puppy come up with a heart murmur. I would guess that it is not as common in a Dalmatian as it is in a Doberman since it is not mentioned.
Q: from
Jackie
Date: 08
Apr 2003
Time:
14:20:40
Comments: problems with two males
I have two littermates brothers age 1 and 1/2 years. I have a problem with
aggression. The larger one 99% of the time is fine. He will growl at the other
when he's in his crate. He will attack and not let up when the other submits. He
has been dripping pee when the other comes near or if the other gets a bone or
toy or attention from someone. He has been diagnosed with hypothyroid 3 days
ago.
Do you think the behavior will improve? I read the aggression can come from the low thyroid.
Any tips on training? I would hate to have to give one away to a family member.
Also my last Doberman had low thyroid and died 6 months later at age 5 from cardiomyopathy. I am scared this could happen to my dog who is his half brother with the same dad.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
At first glance on reading your post I thought
you said the dogs' ages were eleven and a half but I see
that they are one and a half years old. That makes a huge difference.
First of all, you should NEVER try to keep two males together. They WILL
fight and may eventually kill each other or be so badly hurt that they may not
recover. I'm scaring you purposely because I don't want to see this happen nor
do I want to see you get torn apart trying to break up a fight.
UNLESS you are going to keep them totally separate the rest of their lives,
never having them in contact with each other, you should place one of the dogs.
This issue is not going to get better, only much worse.
As to the dripping urine. Take the dog to the Vet immediately. While
it's rather early for a prostate problem, it's possible. It is also
possible for the dog to have a kidney or urinary tract infection and he should
be seen IMMEDIATELY. Simply collect a urine sample from the dog and take him in
to the Vet as quickly as you can.
You didn't spell the Thyroid problem correctly. It's either Hypothyroid or
Hyperthyroid. There is a big difference. If the dog is put on medication
prescribed by the Vet, he may be fine. Yes, it can cause symptoms of
aggression but that isn't the main reason. The main and simplest reason is
because they are males.
I would hope you have both males neutered if you are not showing in
Conformation. This would help if the urinating is caused by the Prostate.
Additionally, at this point in time it has not been proven that Thyroid problems
cause Cardiomyopathy.
*** *** ***
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
It is recommended that a person should
not keep two male Dobermans together unless they have the facilities to keep
them separated and can figure out a way to keep them so that both males can keep
their dignity (for the lack of a better word). Each dog MUST get equal
individual time with the human family as well.
One day the submissive one will stand up for himself and you will have a huge dog fight. Your situation is a simply bad accident waiting to happen.
In my opinion giving thyroid will not change the completely normal behavior of an alpha male towards another male or any other male dogs for that matter. I would recommend that you do place one of them into the home of your family member. This will ensure both males a happier life, however long that it may be.
*** *** ***
A: from Bug Russell, USA
Before I even start out I'll tell you that I
think you did as many things wrong as could be possible and are doomed to
failure from the get-go.
First of all I NEVER EVER keep two dogs of the same age -- litter mates, not
litter mates -- makes no difference. I think this is just asking for
trouble, particularly with same sex dogs -- it is, among other things, a
guaranteed way to make sure neither dog gets what they need in terms of
attention, training etc. Dogs need different things at different ages and
there are far fewer problems if they are NOT the same age and from what I've
seen, littermates have MORE, not fewer problems in the same household than dogs
that aren't litter mates.
You don't say how long you've been having problems with aggression but 18 months
is the point at which most males seem to hit a maturity level that causes
aggression that hasn't been there before. I also get the impression that both of
these dogs are intact. They should have been neutered young if you intended to
keep them both.
It also isn't clear which dog is the aggressor but that doesn't make much
difference I guess. If one dog is being crated, then it should be done in an
area that does not allow the other dog to get near the crate in order to
threaten the crated dog. Allowing that is simply asking for more
problems. Fear aggression and refusal to accept submission is a disaster waiting
to happen. Even without the next item in the list of problems I personally
would not even be considering continuing to keep both of these dogs in
the same household.
Hyperthyroidism will certainly affect temperament and behavior and it won't
really be possible to tell just how much of the issue is from the thyroid
problem and how much is from the level of dominance between these two dogs until
the hyperthyroid dog has been on meds for some while.
Even though some same sex aggression is owner
induced there are definitely dogs who simply are same sex aggressive no matter
what you do. I am very careful about what puppies I choose to keep in my all
male dog collection. I do not EVER keep a male puppy beyond a very young age (6
months max) that I think may be even remotely dog aggressive.
If I were going to try to keep two males, from the same litter, not neuter them,
crate one while the other was loose and in a position to harass the crated dog I
would have started said training a long, long time ago. Using a lot more
common sense and neutering the dogs immediately would have been my start.
With caution being the better part of valour, I'd be trying to give one of these
dogs away to a family member NOW! I think trying to keep these two dogs
together now that there is an existing history of trouble between them is very
much a lost cause. Someone is likely to get hurt in the process -- if it
is only one of the dogs I think YOU will be very lucky. However, it's just as
likely to be the human who tries to break up an inevitable fight.
I have not read any studies that document a link between cardiomyopathy and
hyperthyroidism. They can both run in lines and the fact that the dog is
a half brother (same sire) to a dog who was both hyperthyroid and had some sort
of cardiomyopathy (probably DCM if he died at 5) would be the concern to me. We
all know that cardio can skip around in all sorts of ways and may or may not
show up in the puppies sired by or out of a particular dog. Frankly I think
there is a more identifiable link with
hyperthyroidism.
Having said all of this, my bottom line is that I WOULD NOT attempt to keep
these two males under the circumstances that you have described. As I stated
earlier, if you had intended to keep the brothers I'd have started out very
differently, certainly by neutering both of them very young.
Q:
from Jesse Fredericks
Date: 27 Mar 2003
Time: 22:33:36
Comments: Doberman Temperament
Why is it that the DPCA puts so much emphasis on conformation and hardly any at
all on working ability? After all the breed was bred to work. All working
kennels blame the AKC for completely flushing the working structure out of the
Doberman. I have seen AKC Champion dogs that were so skittish you could hardly
get close to them.
Working breeders say that there is absolutely no working temperament left in the
American Dobe and that it would never protect its owner. Why would the AKC
sacrifice the working ability of the breed for looks? Is there any chance of
getting the working character back in the Doberman?
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Many breeders that are members of the DPCA have dedicated themselves to the
breeding of the total Doberman. That means that they are breeding for the proper
temperament that is described in the Doberman standard as well as the health and
longevity of the Doberman and for the proper structure and conformation that is
described in our Doberman Pinscher Standard.
We do have several articles available about temperament and temperament traits
to enable us to learn about temperament to make breeding decisions based on our
knowledge. Check out the articles that are already on our articles page about
temperament and breeding for temperament and the working ability and watch for
more articles to come.
I really don't believe that any breeder truly wants a Doberman that does not
have the ability to do the work that he is bred to do. There are plenty of
American bred total Dobermans out there.
Yes, I believe that there is a chance to get the working ability back into the
Doberman.
Q:
from Jesse Fredericks
Date: 27 Mar 2003
Time: 22:40:41
Comments: Size
My Doberman just turned 9 months old is is 28 inches and 75 lbs. His father is
30 inches and 95 lbs and his mother is 28 inches and 75 lbs.
He was one of the biggest MALES in his litter.
Could you take a wild guess at his adult (Around 2yrs.) weight?
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
He could weigh as much as either one of his parents I would imagine, depending
on his bone and substance which will figure in on his mature weight.
*** *** ***
A: from Judy
Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Jesse you speak of your concern with getting the working ability back into the
American Doberman and yet you state above, with pride, that you have the biggest
pup out of a litter by some pretty big parents.
The larger this breed is the less likely it is that we will be able to use them
for what they were bred for since Louis Dobermann bred a *medium* sized dog for
the purpose of agility and speed when doing its job which was protection. In my
opinion and that of many others, Americans as well as International breeders,
there is nothing agile about a 30 inch male or a 28 inch female. In fact,
Dobermans in Europe are nowhere near in height what most American Dobermans are.
I suggest you read the German standard and the American standard in order to
understand that medium sized means normal her and overseas, not giant.
Q:
from Gerry
Date: 24 Mar 2003
Time: 18:19:30
Comments: Doberman Health
Kane is a year old and has been on Innova food since he was about 9 or 10
months. Over the past couple of weeks, his stool has been very dark and hard. I
haven't worried about it, because I had read that when you feed a good quality
food, that is one of the results. Although, sometimes, after a few "rocks" come
out, he goes again and drops a little bit of creamy stool, but this seems to be
when he's excited (like at the dog park.)
Also, he's developed a habit over the last week or so of not eating unless we
coax him with treats. I realize though, that I've probably trained him to do
this now, but I wonder if it's related. Should I run to the Vet? Or is this
normal?
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
That creamy discharge is likely not stool but instead anal gland material which is what helps him to defecate without pain as well as it is an odor the other dogs can check to ascertain who/what he is. However, if his stool is quite hard go to any drugstore and buy some stool softener and dispense that to him according to the package when you notice him being too hard again.
It is very normal for a dog not to eat unless coaxed with treats even though it shouldn't be the case. It sounds as though he has your number unfortunately. No dog ever will starve himself to death so cut out the treats completely, offer his dry food to him morning and night, leaving it down for 10 minutes ONLY and taking it away until the next feeding if he refuses to eat it. Believe me, he will eat eventually and in record time if you are consistent and persistent.
Q:
from tijhay
Date: 23 Mar 2003
Time: 01:50:25
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
Hello and good day. Our female Dobe was bred on Feb. 21. I was just wondering
when will she give birth ... how many days would it take? hope you can help so
that we can prepare for it. Thanks a lot.
A:
from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Her due date would be approximately April 25 -- gestation is 63 days.
Q:
from Andrew Pisciotta
Date: 22 Mar 2003
Time: 16:08:53
Comments: Doberman Health
I have a 3 year black/rust neutered male Doberman who constantly gets rapid
growing cysts under the skin starting out as pea size and grow very quickly. I
had 6 removed by my vet and they diagnosed no cancer and put him on Clavamox ...
he is still getting them ... any ideas? He is in great health and he seems to be
not affected in anyway. They are noticeable and I am afraid they will continue
to grow and affect his movements in time. I can not keep cutting on him since
they are appearing in a few weeks and grow quickly. He is on Iams adult and that
is it no people food at all. He is on Heartguard and other than that nothing
else.
Was giving him the Missing Link plus supplement which was a all natural powder
in his food supplement for large breed dogs but quit that over month ago
thinking that might cause but he is still getting the tumors. He was a rescue so
I can not contact breeder since his history is unknown. The only thing I knew
about him was he has always been on Iams so I just left him on it ... so I
really don't think it is the food. The vet says he thought it may be bacterial
but now that the Clavamox did not work he is ruling that out. He mentioned
thyroid...
He wants to remove one more small one and send away and do a bacterial
sterilized test of some sort.
The first surgery was done because he feared cancer and did not like the cells
he saw when he did the initial cell smear.
Now that cancer was ruled out he wants to send away and test for other things
... should we do the surgery again or can he get enough of a specimen by
extracting cell with a needle again.
Any ideas or help is appreciated.
A:
from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
It could easily be a food allergy since Iams changes ingredients constantly ever
since they were taken over by Proctor & Gamble.
Thyroid is a very real possibility too. If they decide to test his thyroid
please don't waste any time with the simple *cheap* blood test, go with the Free
Ts/T4 test that costs around $60.00 -- it is far more definitive.
A needle biopsy might help. Has he said whether these things could be
histiocytomas (non-malignant tumors)? These are quite common in Dobes of any age
... many go away on their own and many others need to be surgically removed.
*** *** ***
REPLY:
from Andrew Pisciotta
Thanks for the quick response … I have been doing some checking on the web and
many articles say Dobermans have a allergic reaction to corn and wheat so I am
going to get him off of Iams since corn is the second ingredient. I have heard a
lot about a food called Canidae and it is human grade meats, no corn or wheat
and has no by products, etc.
I also see a product on several Doberman pages called Nuvet Plus ... it is for
skin and other conditions including tumors. Again it is all natural supplement
so I may order it and give a try.
The tumors are histiocytomas.
REPLY from
Judy Bohnert
Canidae is an excellent food as is Wysong and Eagle Holistic Select. There was nothing wrong with the Missing Link additive you were giving before.
Don't go overboard making too many changes too soon or you'll never know for sure what the problem really was or what fixed it. The following advice was given to me by a homeopathic vet. He recommended at least 1500 mgs of fish oil a day to help prevent and to reduce fatty tumors. I did try this when I had a geriatric dog and it worked, at least by definitively reducing the size.
BTW, I'm not at all surprised that they were histiocytomas.
*** *** ***
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I would try another biopsy. It does sound like
skin cancer but hope it's
not. Have you tried a Vet who is a specialist in Dermatology? I'd try that next.
Doesn't sound like it's food related or an allergy.
Q: from
Polly Kirchner
Date: 21 Mar 2003
Time: 17:19:26
Comments: Doberman Health
I am a Doberman owner and my baby is nine now and he has had a good life. I love
him to pieces but he has sore feet and I am having a hard time understanding
why.
At this time he has been to the vet for his feet and now I am trying to find out
on my own about this condition.
He is having a lot of trouble with his front feet in that it hurts him to walk. He has little bumps on his feet. What if anything do you know are these bumps? The vet here will never give me a straight answer. Can you help me?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I really can't say what is causing these bumps. My only advice would be to consult with another Vet. It could be some type allergy to the ground or as bad as skin cancer. I'm sorry but this needs to be a Vet diagnosis.
Q:
from Frank
Date: 20 Mar 2003
Time: 04:33:25
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
I was told that people are breeding the father to the daughter. Can you register
the litter if that happens?
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Yes you can but it isn't recommended unless you know exactly what you are dealing with in the pedigree.
Q:
from Kylah Lemke
Date: 19 Mar 2003
Time: 16:37:57
Comments: Other
My husband and I are researching whether or not a Doberman would be an
appropriate addition to our home. We have a 2 year old son and are planning on
having another baby in the next few years. We have a 16 year old Cocker Spaniel
that is not doing well and we will be putting him down. Our son has been
wonderful with the cocker. We have be adamant that the dog be treated well, and
our son does not pull hair, ears, tails etc. We are also very active and our dog
is very much a part of that activity such as Motocross Racing, and spending time
at the lake with family and their dogs. My expectations of a Doberman would be
to have good manners with children other dogs and provide companionship. I am
very concerned about having a dog that is over protective of our children, home
and does not socialize well with other dogs. I have had experience with
Dobermans before and they have all been very positive. I found that they are a
loving breed with bright personalities and lots of brains! However, am I running
a gamble in introducing a Doberman at this time in our lives? I want a dog that
will be around for a long time!!!
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
My recommendation would be to not have a Doberman
until both of your children are older. I personally, as a breeder of 22+ years,
will usually not sell to anyone with children under 5, although there can be and
sometimes are, exceptions to my rule.
They truly are a loving breed with bright personalities and lots of brains and
they make exceptional family dogs but they also look on little people as members
of their pack and I have found that they can be a bit too rough on the wee ones
which is a recipe for disaster IMO.
*** *** ***
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I think a Doberman would be ideal for your
lifestyle, however I'd get a female and of course spay it. Males can be
aggressive around strange dogs. Females can be also, but if you start her young
enough to get along with
other dogs, she should be fine.
Q:
from Jan Dittman
Date: 19 Mar 2003
Time: 13:06:25
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
This is a follow up on my Dobes. The female's mother and our male are half
brother & sister (different fathers) I'm not really interested in showing, I
just wanted to know if it was okay to breed them together.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I wouldn't do it personally. Since they are so closely related, you would get double faults and a lot more problems than you can possibly deal with.
Q: from
Jackie Barnes, UK
Date: 19 Mar 2003
Time: 07:49:15
Comments: Thyroid problems & inheritance
A Dobermann (aged 2 years) has been diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. I have been
reading up on this subject but there are a number of questions the sites do not
answer. I have been informed that American Dobe breeders are very clued up on
this subject and I would appreciate any information you have available.
I hope you will be able to answer my questions or point me in the right direction.
Thank you.
A: from Dr Kathy Davieds, DVM
The most current veterinary knowledge of which I am aware is that there presently remains no test to specifically determine if a Doberman *carries the potential to pass on thyroid problems* to its offspring. While familial predisposition for the condition (which is the most common endocrine condition in canines) has been documented (it is a *genetic* condition), the exact mode of inheritance has not been defined. Recent collaborative research on thyroiditis in Dobermans between the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (Dr. George M. Happ) and Iowa State University, Ames (Dr. Leslie Fox), supported by a DPFA grant, reports that it is a *complex condition....not linked to a single defective protein coded by a single defective gene, but rather involves intracellular and intercellular signaling ... the genes that cause thyroiditis and appear in a high frequency in a particular pedigree are very likely to be genes that influence cross-talk between and within cells... * More research will likely be needed to identify the specific genetic mode of transmission.
Autoimmune thyroiditis, the body attacking its
own thyroid tissue, is the inciting cause of hypothyroidism in the overwhelming
majority of cases. Aside from a full thyroid panel at the University of Michigan
to identify if an individual dog is itself hypothyroid, I am not aware of a
screening test to determine if a Doberman may *pass on thyroid problems*.
Some statistics regarding TgAA, or thyroglobulin autoantibodies: 85-100% of dogs
with lymphocytic thyroiditis (their body in the autoimmune process of destroying
its own thyroid tissue) have been shown to have TgAA. TgAA is present in
approximately 50% of clinically hypothyroid dogs. *Some* clinically normal dogs
have also been shown to test positive for TgAA. The presence of TgAA does not
specifically indicate if a dog will pass on hypothyroidism to its offspring.
Hypothyroid dogs may also be positive for circulating antibodies against T3, T4
and other thyroid-related substances.
TgAA positive, subclinical (early) hypothyroidism usually manifests with increased TSH (attempting to stimulate the remaining undestroyed thyroid tissue), and normal T3 and T4. TgAA positive, overt hypothyroidism, when nearly all functional thyroid tissue is gone, usually manifests with increased TSH and decreased T4, at a minimum.
Hypothyroidism is a very complex and generally slowly progressive disease. For this reason, the need to screen canines, especially breeding stock, on a regular basis is universally accepted. Some sources recommend annual testing throughout a dog's life, others annually for the first four years, then every other year after that. In this manner, more animals may be diagnosed in the early stages of this autoimmune process, before they begin to show typical signs of the disease, and should then ideally be removed from a breeding program.
If further elaboration is needed, let me know!
*** *** ***
A: from Jackie Barnes, UK
Judy,
Many thanks for the time you have taken to find answers to my questions. The information is very helpful. There has been ongoing discussion here in the UK on this subject and this has helped to clear up a couple of 'urban myths' in my mind. I have shared this info with other Dobe folk - hope that is OK.
Thank you once again.
Jackie
Q:
from John Samms
Date: 19 Mar 2003
Time: 06:26:15
Hello, I've been searching the net and a few other places because I have a problem and I'm really having a hard time finding information. I have a champion racing sled dog from the Yukon in Canada. I stopped off at this persons house. My dog was chained to my truck. The person I was visiting knew that my dog comes from very select blood lines and he is in his second year of novice racing. He let his bitch who was in heat outside loose knowing that my dog was there tied up. Of course a breeding happened. This person started right away that the bitch is his so the pups are his. Thanks for the blood lines. They are their pups and if I don't like it ... too bad, go to hell. I spent a couple of months and a few thousand dollars to get my hands on this line for the purpose of racing. They get my racing lines just because they let their bitch run free while in heat. Doesn't sound right to me.
QUESTION: What would be the law on an accidental breeding that was done on purpose, for the purpose of stealing a blood line. (or just any info you may have on accidental breedings. who is the owner of the pups.)
Would you have any info on this question???
Thanks for any help you can offer.
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I take it this is not a Doberman breed, otherwise
you wouldn't tie up a Dobe to a truck. It would freeze to death. If you did NOT
witness the breeding, you don't have to sign the AKC papers, thus the litter
will not be registered with AKC.
As for stealing your bloodlines, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure others have
similar lines. Make him pay you a stud fee and get on with your life.
Next time, don't tie up your dog. Put him in a crate or house. Worse things can
happen like him being stolen or whatever.
Q: from Jan
Dittman
Date: 18 Mar 2003
Time: 11:53:20
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
We have just purchased a red female Dobe pup. We own a black Dobe 2 yr old male.
His mother and the mother of the female's mother are the same but their fathers
were different. Since there is one generation difference and the males are
different