Q & A ARCHIVES:

Q: from Tina Reece

Date: Thursday, September 16, 2004
Time: 6:33 AM

Comments: Doberman Temperament

We have 5 month old female Doberman who is very hyper in the way that she is constantly jumping on us no matter what we do or say. If we try to grab her around her mouth and tell her "NO" she will show her teeth and snap back at us. We have also tried lots of other ways to get her to stop.

I know she understands the word "NO" but she continues to jump and be bad no matter what.  My husband and I feel that we are constantly disciplining and telling her "NO" and that we are not giving her love that she needs.  We are starting to lose our patience because she can be so aggravating. 

I know a lot may have to do with the fact that we both work during the day so she is in her crate for at least 8 hours a day.  My question is do you have any advice as to how we can try to calm her down some.  Of course she will be getting spayed in a few weeks and I hope that helps some. 

I have had puppies before and I understand how they are with biting and chewing and getting into everything, but our dog seems a bit extreme. HELP!!

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Tina:

I think being left alone for 8 hours a day could have a little to do with her behavior. However, you should be able to work through that with giving her lots of attention when you get home.  I would highly recommend you enrol her in beginning obedience with a good trainer and you go through the classes with her.  They will help you with behavior problems.  This really is a normal "puppy" thing and she most likely will outgrow it, if you can learn how to control it in a structured way through training    

Q: from Denise Becker

Date: Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Time: 9:42 PM

 Comments: Behavior

I have an absolutely gorgeous 8 month old Doberman bitch.  She has a fabulous temperament with people and all other dogs.  We are showing her for the first time this weekend.  I have taken her to two sets of obedience lessons. 

I have had two Doberman bitches before, both loving temperaments too and they were very easy train.  However, this one is incredibly difficult.  She will not come, pulls when walking, eats everything in sight, steals things off the table (even when she has a rawhide to chew on) and is the naughtiest dog I have ever had - I almost have to have her on a lead all the time. 

I walk her an hour a day and used to take her to the dog park until I was told it was not a good idea because of other mean dogs and that I should hike with her instead (?). 

I cannot give up on her as I feel she will not last long with another owner.  Can you help with some words of encouragement or knowledge? 

Her sister has already been sold by her owner for behaviour problems. 

I realize she is just a puppy and trainers have told me in a couple of years she will be great. I am really desperate and have not encountered this before.  Could she be sick or is she just bored?

A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

She sounds like a wonderful dog with simply allot of energy.  It will take more than basic obedience classes to get her focused.  That means extra effort on your part.  I would seek out an experienced obedience trainer and get some private lessons on how to handle her. She may need a firmer hand, and you must learn how to get her respect without breaking her spirit.

I have an 11 year old bitch that was a BEAR to control as a puppy.  It took extra attention and diligence on my part to work with her. But she is one of the most well behaved dogs I have ever owned.  Obedience titled, now retired, but still energy like a puppy.

At 8 months old, she is still very much a baby and needs proper direction.  If you don't know how to do it, get with someone who will teach you how.  And don't give up on her!

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA  

Denise:

I'm thinking she's just busy and you need to establish who is the alpha and the boss.  Do not trust her for a moment.  Puppy proof your house so that she cannot get to things that she could destroy -- you might have to confine her to a section of the house that is safe. 

I would also highly recommend that you and she go to obedience classes and/or get in contact with a trainer in your area that can help you.  You should be able to find trainers through a local kennel club. 

I don't think you are dealing with illness or temperament problems, just an active puppy.  They really are just like children, there are real active ones and there are mellow ones; you just happen to have an active one.  Believe me, I'm going through the identical problems with my 7 month old.  She even pulls kitchen chairs out and climbs up on the kitchen table to look out the window.

Hello Frank,

This depends on where you live of course. Your Doberman will require some house time with you. Doberman's are "people" dogs and don't do well if left alone for long periods of time. If you are looking for a dog that will thrive on living outside 24/7, you should look into another breed. You can go to www.DPCA.org and click onto the Public Education Committee, you will find articles about what Dobermans do well at and not do so well at. We also have some articles on our pages about the requirements of the Doberman. Our address is: www.dpca-breedered.com/article_menu.htm.

Here are some articles:

http://www.dpca-breedered.com/therightbreed.htm

http://www.dpca-breedered.com/questbuyer.htm

I don't believe that an outside Doberman will make a good pet for you. He will get bored and can get destructive and/or a nuisance to the neighborhood.

These are just a few of the negatives.

I hope this helps.

If you already have a Doberman, maybe we can help you through more questions about managing him/her or you can check for other articles about managing your Doberman on our articles pages. The URL is www.dpca-breedered.com/article_menu.htm.

NOPE!.  Why would anyone want a dog if it was kept outside?  A Dobe is a family HOUSEPET first.  They do not have the coat or desire to be outside.  They love a comfy chair or bed to snuggle against their people.

I do not know of an ear cropper in the Dallas area, but you can go to www.DPCA.org and go to breeder referral or you can do that from our pages too, www.dpca-breedered.com and click onto that and then click onto the state of Texas and find breeders in that area who may be able to direct you. Maybe one of the others can give you a specific name. Also have you checked our pages and found the articles on ear wrapping? http://www.dpca-breedered.com/ears1.htm

Urinary Tract infections seem to be fairly common in this breed. I've seen it more in young bitches, not necessarily spayed. Bladder infections must be treated thoroughly so they do not develop into more serious kidney problems.
 

Phenylpropanolamine, or PPA for short is effective for many bitches though not all. I have had a number of bitches on it over the years with no adverse effects. They are usually on it for life, but it is not that expensive. You should always check with your vet to assess you individual dog though.

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Hello Jackie,

Wow, how to explain in writing how to fix this. She is 10 weeks old and she is treating you as though you are her littermate. You are correct we need to get this corrected before she gets big. I have a saying and that is anything that you don't want them to do at 90 pounds. don't let them do it now. So you can start training her for whatever now. For now, put the rolled up newspaper away because you are going to have to use a little more "hands on" way of handling this problem.

First of all you will need to discipline the pup during the time that she is biting, not after. Timing is everything. When she jumps on you and bites anywhere on your body, grab her by the scruff of the neck without lifting her off of the floor. At the same moment that you grab her say with your voice as if you are growling at her "No-erhhh". Use just enough force to make her stop biting at you, and when she does stop, praise her lavishly for stopping. You may have to do this more than once if you don't use enough force the first time. You may need to be a little rougher than you may think.

If and when she is inappropriate when she is running around snapping, throw something harmless (that will startle her), whatever you can get a hold of at her and say the "No-erhh" firmly. You can say "No bite-erhhh" just so it sounds like you are growling at her. Immediately go and praise her when she stops. Pet her, calm her down too.  Play with her with a toy too. Some examples of things that toss at her that are harmless are soft shoe, purse, paperback book, magazine, a home made beanbag just to name a few.

This will get you started and the sooner the better. When I have my puppies go to new homes, I supply in my puppy packet the book, SuperPuppy, How to Raise the Best Dog You'll Ever Have  by Peter Vollmer. I suggest that you get this book and I can tell how to get it really fast. The book only cost $8.95 and you can e-mail superpuppy@supperpuppy.com or go to their web-site at www.superpuppy.com or you can call them at 1-800-342-7877 and order the book. Ask them and pay for the fastest service you can get to get the book into your hands.

I am glad that you are writing and looking for ways to stop this behavior while she is really young.

Also, you may want to look into finding a kindergarten like training class for very young puppies. Many towns and cities have these classes now a days. You can call a local trainer for information about these classes. The book and these classes will teach YOU how to train your dog and that is what you need to learn.

I hope that this helps you get started. Let us know how you make out, okay?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Jackie:

I just went through this with a puppy at my home. My arms were badly marked up from her chewing on them every opportunity she had. Basically what I offer as advice is to be firm with her, do not let her bite at your arms, face or feet. Give her a correction of some sort, usually a "tap" on the nose works but if she is persistent you may have to resort to using bitter apple in her mouth or "time outs". If you remove yourself from the situation, it leaves her alone and she won't want that. You might want to check in to trainers in your area that can work with you, most of the all breed clubs have a referral system to trainers.

I recently received information from the breeder about health insurance for my puppy, who is almost 6mths old. I was wondering if this is something I should consider?  Of course growing up I had never heard of such thing, but now I hear about it all the time.  I am not sure if it will actually be money saving, in the long run, with Doberman's since they tend to have some health problems.  I went to www.petinsurance.com and read their information, but I wanted to hear someone's opinion that may have a little more knowledge in this situation.  :lease let me know what you think about getting insurance for your puppy.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Tina:

I've never checked into pet insurance but I have heard it's pretty restrictive. I'm not sure it will cover some surgeries and whether or not the cost far exceeds the average cost for medical treatment. I would recommend you try to gather some cost relationship data.

Q:  from Bob K
Date: Friday, September 24, 2004
Time: 10:30 AM

Comments: Behavior

My 2.5 yr old red female has been acting peculiar lately at night. For some reason she goes into a dark room and sits on the floor in a submissive position like she did something wrong. I've noticed this in the past when she hears fireworks on the 4th of July or when she hears loud noises. She is generally confident and always wants to be with us, so when she does this it's very noticeably abnormal.

Anyone else experience this type of behavior? If so, any suggestions are appreciated.

A:  from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Bob,

I have no idea why your girl would all of a sudden take on this behavior if everything in her life is normal. Is she spayed? If not and if she has been into season with in the last two months I could suggest that she may be
going through a false pregnancy.

Otherwise, I don't know. Think about the routine around your home. Has it changed? She could be sound sensitive if the TV is extra loud or ????????

I am sorry that I am not of more help.

You can try to find a person who specializes in dog behavior in your area and talk to that person about her abnormal behavior.

Something has to be bothering her for her to take on this behavior.

I wish that I had an answer.

Q: from Jon
Date: Thursday, September 23, 2004
Time: 4:13 PM

Comments: Doberman Temperament

I have a Doberman that is about 4 months old. During the day I have been putting her outside in the backyard while I go to school (I thought this would be a better alternative than the kennel). Well, now I have complaints from the neighbors about her moaning and whining and how she sits pushed up against the back door. Should she not be alone outside yet at this age? I was trying to housetrain her by putting her outside whenever she went to the bathroom inside. What age would be suitable for leaving her outside alone without me seeming like an animal abuser?

Thank you.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Jon:

Every animal is different but I would imagine that she's feeling a little separation anxiety at this time. Is there a way to allow her to come in to a garage or other house section without getting access to the entire house? If you could set up a section of a garage with an access point for her, some bedding and toys you might alleviate the problem. How many hours are you gone to school? A puppy can tolerate 4-5 hours crated without a problem.

Q: from Marcy
Date: Thursday, September 23, 2004
Time: 9:48 AM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

I have a 11 wk old fawn female Dobe and a 3 year old male black and tan Dobe. I plan on breeding them when she is old enough. Am I correct that she needs to be 2 years old before doing so?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Marcy,

Yes you are correct in your thinking that your girl should either be 2 years old before you breed her or on her 3rd heat period. There are a number of other things that you must do to prepare yourself for your litter two years from now.

You should test your breeding stock for the inherent genetic diseases that plague the Doberman. You can start now with your male. You should have a DNA test (you can also do this now for your puppy) for von Willebrands Disease (vWD). Go to www.vetgen.com for more information about this test and the disease itself.

You should have a full panel done for thyroid by the Michigan State University and either do a Holter Monitor test or a sonogram and a echocardiogram for the heart each year starting now with your two year old male. He is also old enough to have his hips and his elbows x-rayed.

He can have his eyes C.E.R.F. tested too.

When the puppy is old enough for the rest of the tests (other than the DNA for vWD) they should be done as well for breeding decisions on Doberman health.

There are articles on our webpages about these problems and a lot of articles about breeding and the preparation for doing a breeding and having a litter. This endeavor is quite a responsibility to say the least.

You also need to know the temperament traits that the ideal Doberman must have and test their temperament traits with the DPCA WAE test so you can also make informed decisions about the temperament as well as the health of your dogs. There are articles about these tests and how to use them on our article page. Here are a couple of specific ones:

• http://www.dpca-breedered.com/breeders_tools.htm
• http://www.dpca-breedered.com/defining_temperament.htm

To find out more about the WAE test, go here:

http://www.dpca.org/wae.html or go to www.DPCA.org and click on WAE Tests.

You also need to learn about the conformation traits that make for the ideal Doberman according to the DPCA Breed Standard in order to make breeding decisions about. Here is our Standard to read and study:

There is a wealth of information to be found on our site, on the DPCA site and on the Public Education site. All of this information should help you immensely in your self education by the time you do this breeding in two years.

I hope that our answers help you.

Thank you for this good question.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Marcy:

I would say yes, you should wait until your bitch is at least two years old before breeding her. You should also conduct all testing that would be required of a responsible breeder. That would include OFA, Thyroid, Heart, vWD, etc. These tests should be completed on both the bitch and the sire of the litter. The results of these tests should be provided to your puppy buyers as well.

You should be sure that both the sire and the dam are of such quality that would improve the breed. You might want to talk to a breeder in your city or State for advice in that area.

I would recommend, before you venture into this breeding, that you read some very good articles on this website on the topic. There is much to learn before you actually do the breeding. I think you will find most of the articles informative and valuable. You might even print several out to read at your leisure and to give to your future puppy buyers.

I hope this helps.

Q: from Katie T.
Date: Monday, September 20, 2004
Time: 8:32 PM

Comments: activities

Hello I am wondering what are some positive things (activities) to do with our 6 month old female Dobie. We are putting her in a training course, but I was also thinking about rescue or fly ball, but I don't know where to start with any of that. Please help of you can.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Katie,

I have been away from home for two weeks and I don't know if your question has been answered or not.

I would try asking the instructor, of the course that you now have her in, for some local information about flyball classes and also ask about agility classes.

You could write to the AKC for some information about search and rescue I am assuming. I don't know for sure who to ask about that. Maybe your trainer would have an answer for this type of training too.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

Check with your local dog training clubs for information on these great sports. Also check with your local police dept. They may be able to direct you to search and rescue trainers in your area.

However, the most important thing you can do for your puppy is to socialize it as much as possible and let it be a puppy! Basic training is great, but take care not to overload her with too many demands in training, as she is still a baby. Her body needs to finish growing before she can do any hard core impact sports.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Katie:

Having to deal with a 6 month old myself right now, I would say do LOTS of things with her. Keep her mind busy with things to do. Obedience, agility are both excellent areas to start with.

Q:  from Tina Reece
Date: Thursday, September 16, 2004
Time: 6:33 AM

Comments: Doberman Temperament

We have 5 month old female Doberman who is very hyper in the way that she is constantly jumping on us no matter what we do or say. If we try to grab her around her mouth and tell her "NO" she will show her teeth and snap back at us. We have also tried lots of other ways to get her to stop.

I know she understands the word "NO" but she continues to jump and be bad no matter what. My husband and I feel that we are constantly disciplining and telling her "NO" and that we are not giving her love that she needs. We are starting to lose our patience because she can be so aggravating.

I know a lot may have to do with the fact that we both work during the day so she is in her crate for at least 8 hours a day.

My question is, do you have any advice as to how we can try to calm her down some. Of course she will be getting spayed in a few weeks and I hope that helps some. I have had puppies before and I understand how they are with biting and chewing and getting into everything, but our dog seems a bit extreme. HELP!!

A:  from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

The spaying will not change her temperament much at all.  It sounds like you need to seek some professional advise.  She should be evaluated to see if she is being truly aggressive or if you are misreading her. A 5 month old is still a baby and needs to be given the correct direction. It's important not to give her mixed messages. A professional will be able to guide you after evaluating your entire situation.

It sounds like she is trying to get your attention and is doing what she can to get it.

Also, Is there a doggie daycare that offers training? She could use the socialization as well.  Find someone who is experienced with behavior and not just a day care or babysitter. Try to get individual lessons so the trainer can train YOU as well.  It will be worth the money. 

And what ever you do, start hitting her (as so many people do to correct bad behavior).  This can only make her hand shy and could make her truly aggressive as an adult.   

Good luck 

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A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Tina:

It does sound a little like separation anxiety and the fact that she's confined so many hours a day. Is there any way to keep her confined in an outdoor shelter pen where she can get on her feet during the day while you are gone?

For the jumping, and snapping, I would suggest you go to obedience training and learn from a professional how to deal with it. She needs to know that the behavior is unacceptable.

Q: from Tina Reece
Date: Monday, September 13, 2004
Time: 7:21 AM

Comments: Fencing

I have a 21 week old female Doberman and we are interested in putting an underground electric fence in our yard. We have almost 2 acres and do not want to fence in any part of yard.

I was wondering if using an electrical fence was cruel? Is she too young to start using it. She is starting to become very curious and wanders into the neighbor's yard.

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

In my opinion it is not safe. Many animals that aren't wearing the collar can and will get through into your property and quite possibly hurt or kill the puppy. Also, once she herself becomes accustomed to it, she can and likely will zip through in the heat of the moment and once again be lost, stolen or hurt.

My suggestion to you IF you don't want your acreage fenced is to put up a kennel area for her to be in when you can't be with her in order to watch her constantly. The best action however would be to fence all of part of the acreage for everyone's safety.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Tina:

A lot of folks that have acreages put up a "wire" exercise area for their dogs to use instead of running the entire property unattended. I would recommend that as a temporary measure until she is older. There are also "invisible fencing" solutions that keep the dog in but does not keep the "critters" out. You could check in to that. I know you can get heavy wire fencing that you can put up temporarily in a smaller area for the puppy to use.

Q:  from Janet
Date: Friday, September 10, 2004
Time: 11:28 AM 

Comments:  Doberman Temperament

Hello.  I have a spayed female Dobe age of 14 months.  She gets lots of attention and love.  She is truly wonderful and to date has not been destructive when left alone.  My question concerns one or two Dobermans.  My friends all have two dogs and say their dogs are happier to have a companion (for those times when left alone) Are they as a breed happier if they have a dog companion and if so would a male and female mix be better than two females?  Currently I feel her feelings may be crushed if she had to share attention!!!  Thank you for any input.

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

IMO a male and female mix would be better and FWIW they are in the long run happier with a companion even though initially they might have a few adjustment/jealousy problems.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Janet,

I think that this is true depending on the situation. It sounds as though you spend a lot of quality time with your Doberman and she is happy. I say, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". The fact that your girl is not destructive says that she is not unhappy or bored.

I hope that this helps you.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Janet:

Truly Doberman's are "people" dogs. It is my opinion that they prefer being with their "humans" than other dogs. Having said that, if she's left alone for long periods of time, a companion might be a good idea.

Q: from Amanda
Date: Tuesday, September 7, 2004
Time: 5:11 PM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

I have a male 2 year old fawn/rust Doberman. It has a 1/8"x1" long white strip of hair on his chest. Is this allowed with show dogs and can he still be bred?

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

To my knowledge, nothing bigger than the size of a quarter is acceptable.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

It's not a disqualification but it's definitely a fault and I would not breed to or from a dog with this. I'd have him neutered and just love the heck out of him. You MAY show him in Agility and Obedience however, just not in the breed ring.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Amanda,

Having white on the chest is a deviation of the standard and it can be passed on to the next generation and on.

On our article pages you can find our Standard of perfection to read http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm. It addresses the white on the chest as;  "White patch on chest, not exceeding 1/2 square inch, permissible" and many other important qualities that we strive for when we choose to breed our Dobermans.

I hope this and our other answers are of a help to you.

Q: from Julie Whitt
Date: Monday, September 6, 2004
Time: 10:34 PM

Comments: Behavior w/other dogs

I have a female Doberman that is 1 1/2 years old. I got her from a breeder at 8 wks. We also have a male Weimeraner that is approximately 3-4 years old (we got him from a rescue organization. We got him first. My question is this. The Doberman has a habit of licking the Weimeraner's mouth almost obsessively. She does this to him when she first sees him in the mornings, and every time they are waiting to come in from outside. She keeps doing it as he opens his mouth. She is more aggressive than the Weimeraner, and he allows her to be dominant in everything except going outdoors first. They get along pretty well most of the time. I just want to know why the mouth licking...he tolerates it but sometimes snaps at her.

A:  from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

Often some dogs will do this due to basic instincts...this is pack behavior from when puppies licked at the other pack members' mouths as they came back from the hunt. It caused the older animals to regurgitate food they had eaten for the pups.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Julie:

I'm not sure why your Doberman is licking the mouth of the Weim but I know that in the wild this is done to get the adults to regurgitate their food for the young. Perhaps there is something to that here in the way of establishing the "pecking" order between the two dogs.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Julie,

I don't know how old your Doberman is now, but her behavior with the older dog, the Weimeraner, is a normal subordinate behavior towards an older dominate dog. His snapping at her is normal too and he is just telling her to stop licking his mouth. She may outgrow this at a much later age.

I don't know if there can be anything done about it now but they need some intervention from you. Maybe in the morning you can let her out first and bring her back in and then let him out. When they do this, you can pull her away and give her confidence by patting her and directing her attention somewhere else, like a toy or just your petting her. Pet him too and stop that behavior, for the moment, on both of their parts and let them out and don't look at them. It is dog communication.

I believe that they will outgrow this behavior and move onto the next form of communication. He is actually in her mind the dominate one. Can you tell us how old she is. If she is still a baby, you can give her time alone with you to build her confidence. you can take both dogs for leash walks and encourage her confidence by showing her other things to do instead of the mouth licking. Also take her for walks by herself. Do some activities without the older dog around too each day.

Again, in her mind, he is the "head wolf" sort of speak, leader of the pack. A good article to read about this on our pages to learn more is Super Dogs are Made Not Born and Critical Behaviour Periods. I hope that this helps some.

Q:  from Tina Reece
Date: Monday, September 6, 2004
Time: 8:52 AM

Comments: Buying from a breeder  

We bought a female Doberman from a breeder about 3 months ago and the breeder is making us have her spayed.  We were planning on doing it anyway because we didn't want to breed her in the first place. 

My question though is why would she be so concerned that we have it done anyway?  Is this normal for breeders to be like this?

A:  from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

Hello Tina:

Yes this is normal. A reputable, concerned and conscientious breeder puts buckets of blood, sweat and tears into producing the best dogs he/she can produce in order to improve the breed as a whole. When a puppy is graded as pet quality it is effectively removed from the gene pool by virtue of spaying/neutering.

It is absolutely mind boggling the amount of pets that do end up being bred, either accidentally or knowingly, that either end up in rescue or the SPCA or equally as bad, in the hands of white breeders.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Tina:

Most breeders would prefer that their puppies be spayed or neutered if they are not of show quality and there are no plans to breed them. It is customary for breeders to do this and also to sell these puppies on limited registration.

The purpose of breeding is to "better" the breed so it is not desirable to breed anything but show quality offspring.

A:  from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Yes, this is not only normal but ethical for a breeder to insist on spay/neutering on any dog or bitch not of show quality.  We also put them on AKC Limited Registrations and a contract. 

The purpose is that breeding is to improve the breed.  Not all dogs in the litter are show/breeding quality.  We do not want to have the get not of quality to pass on the faults they have.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

In basic terms, It is a concern to reputable breeders that people do not take their dogs and breed them indiscriminately. Breeders put so much into producing the best possible puppies. Health, temperament, soundness, correctness,etc. It takes many years of hard work to produce a good line. If someone decides to take one of their dogs and "Breed it to the Big Black Dog down the street" (which has had no health testing, etc.), it could result in giving the breeder a bad reputation, among other things.

Q: Date: Saturday, September 4, 2004
Time: 12:10 PM

Comments: Cropping Ears

I recently bought a male Doberman 8-wks. old, and would like to know if anyone can recommend a vet to crop the ears? I live in the Reading - Allentown area of Pa.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

I would recommend that you go to www.dpca.org and go to Judges Education and mentors. Find a mentor in your area and contact them for help.

Q: from Jen Martin
Date: Friday, September 3, 2004
Time: 4:19 PM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

She is in heat and the male dog hasn't figured out what goes where, how can we help nature?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Jen:

You can find a reproductive specialist in your area to deal with or you can let them discover the process on their own. If it's the first time, it might take a while.

Q: from Vanessa Seward
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2004
Time: 11:35 AM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

Hi again

My friend's dam just had her first litter. She is 2 years old and I own the Sire who is 3 1/2 years.The dam killed and ate the first pup and has since killed another one of the pups.

He was told by his Vet that this is normal for Dobermans. I have never heard of this before nor has my Vet.

Any answers to this problem? Thanks.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Vanessa:

In my opinion, these pups should be removed from the bitch and hand raised. It is NOT normal for a bitch to do this Doberman or not. If they don't want to remove them then they will have to stay with her while they are nursing "muzzled" and then remove her from the box when they are not nursing. She should be able

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

No, this is not normal.  Any bitch may kill their puppies if they think there is a threat to them (real or imagined). 
This is why none of us who are top breeders EVER leave the bitch alone after she has pups.  We don't allow strangers into the house the first few weeks, we keep other dogs away from the room, etc. 

Actually, most of us sleep either in the whelping box or right next to it.  If we see a puppy get away from the dam and it's crying, we move it close to her.  This is one of the things that will stress a first time mother and cause her to kill the puppy.  In Nature, a crying puppy will cause the prey to find them and the dam will kill the one who's crying to protect the rest.  We just don't allow things to happen.

This advice is not just for Dobermans but other breeds as well.  Sure some bitches take to having puppies like ducks to water but some mothers just are too stressed to take it in stride and we must be there to supervise.

Q: from Vanessa Seward
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2004
Time: 11:30 AM

Comments: Doberman Health

Hi found your website and I am loving it. A friend of mine just got a fawn female 5 week Dobie. Seems that she is blind and only see shadows- also her male fawn litter mate is also blind. The dam is fawn without any sight problems and the sire is black and tan without any sight problems. Is this normal to produce 2 blind puppies? Is is a fawn trait?
Thank you for any feed back.

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Vanessa:
 
This could be a genetically linked problem or it could have been environmentally caused by the dam being given medication during the pregnancy or any other reason.  I don't think it's a fawn trait necessarily.

Q:  from Frank Burns
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2004
Time: 10:13 AM

Comments: Ear Cropping

I read through the archives and came across a question concerning ear cropping and vets who perform it. Someone answered that if she could post where she lives that maybe you could recommend someone.

In the same post, she also mentioned that her Dobe's ear crop was messed up and one of you responded that it could possibly be fixed surgically.

My Dobe is a 2 y/o adoptee and his ears were cropped nicely, but don't stand erect. I don't know yet if I want to put him through surgery to fix it. But, I figured since he went through the crop already I may as well look into everything I can do to make them stand.

Any suggestions on who to go to in the Dallas area, and what can or cannot be done for him?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Frank:

There are veterinarians that will repair an ear to help make it stand. The AKC does not allow this and forbids the showing of a dog that has had their ears "altered" or "corrected". It's a very controversial subject. If you go to the www.dpac.org website you can go to the Judges Education link and find a mentor in the Dallas area. Perhaps they would be willing to guide you.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Q: from Frank Burns
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Time: 4:56 PM

Comments: Doberman Temperament

My Dobe is a 2 y/o adoptee. He won't play with anything. He won't chase balls, he won't play tug, and he won't swim. It seems that all he wants to do is follow me around and get constant affection.

Will he ever become more playful?

A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Frank,

It's possible but you don't know most likely what his past was like. He wants to be near you all the time and I'd just love the fact that he has chosen you to be his velcro partner. Why don't you put him in Agility to give him things to do and by doing so, he will start having fun.

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A:  from Holly Broughton
Date: Sunday, September 5, 2004
Time: 10:54 PM

Comments: Doberman Temperament

Hello,

This isn't a question but a response to a question I read concerning the Dobe that doesn't care to play with his owner. I have a Dobergirl that is exactly the same way.  I got her as a young puppy and her personality was just very, very serious. I started obedience training with her and started teaching her many tricks-touch, shake, rollover dead, etc.  Once I got her to advanced obedience where she started jumping and retrieving (had to force train her to retrieve, which is commonly done for obedience dogs) she actually starting getting more playful and her personality changed dramatically.  I also now have her in agility which has also helped a lot.  So I would suggest getting your dog into obedience, agility, teach him tricks and have fun with him.  It does take a lot work and time but it is well worth the end result. He should start seeing that he pleases you and will start opening up
and getting more playful.  Hope this helps.  Thanks!

Q: from Haisley
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Time: 1:34 PM

Comments: Raising puppies with other dogs

I have a red female, about 2 years and 4 months of age, that I would like to breed within a year or so. I'm curious if anyone here has raised Dobe puppies around a dog of another breed? We got an older Lab/Rottweiller cross to keep our Dobe company, and while she adores him, and I'm 99% sure he'd be all right with her puppies, I don't know anything about how they would act with him. Are Dobe pups too rambunctious to be around an older dog? (he'd be around six by the time we bred the female).

Thanks.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Haisley:

You should be careful introducing puppies to any adult of any breed. They can be pretty "in their face" and some adults do not like that. It all depends on the dog. I personally do not allow young puppies to run with any of my adults (except mom of course) because I just have not had good luck with adults accepting them much under the age of 6 months. I do know that there are lots of good articles on introducing dogs on this website.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

In all cases I would NEVER leave an older dog around puppies. They really are too much for a male much less an older one. Just recently a beautiful show puppy was killed when the owner somehow let them together. Don't take a chance. Some have done it but why put the puppies in jeopardy?

Q: from Patsy
Date: Saturday, August 28, 2004
Time: 2:09 PM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

How many days does the female attract the male?

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

They are usually in heat for approx 21 days (Rule of thumb: - one week in, one week ready and one week out)

Q: from Julie
Date: Friday, August 27, 2004
Time: 8:22 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

I have a 2 yr old female who is vomiting after eating or drinking. We had a Barium dye test done and it's not her esophagus. We had an EKG done and it was good. We switched her food to a Science Diet allergen free Prescription (from Eukanuba) & sent off for blood work and her levels showed liver and phosphate levels out of sync. She is still vomiting. My vet suggested a ACTH test for Addison's Disease. I will get her results from the blood work on Monday.

Do you have any other recommendations? I read your site and have found very very useful information regarding health. I trust my vet BUT would love another opinion.

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Julie:

I would continue the tests and possibly put her on KD or ID Prescription Diet until you find out what is causing the elevated liver values. It sounds as though your vet is doing everything he can to isolate the problem though.

Q: from Julzadreamer
Date: Friday, August 27, 2004
Time: 8:17 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

I have a 4 month old male Dobe that has Nystagmus (eyes quiver). Since he opened his eyes this has been the case; he also tilted his head and "thought" about what he was going to. He was a little slower in developing than his littermates. He is very stocky for his size rather than all legs like his brothers and sisters. I have gotten three opinions and this last vet suggested it may be Doberman Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome. I have read through health and info on this site and wondered if anyone had ever encountered this, have any info, or what else it could possibly be. I have been advised to seek a neurologist's opinion, an MRI & a spinal tap. Any info or direction short of a procedure that costs near $1200 would be appreciated.

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

Try checking out the following sites.

• http://www.vara.org/VestibularSyndrome.htm
• http://www.ctds.info/nystagmus.html
• http://www.nystagmus.org/aboutn.html

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Have your Vet try Clavamox with Prednisone for a couple weeks and if you see improvement by the end of the first week, keep him on it for another week or two.  It's worked for many with head tilt ... he's a little older to start, but it wouldn't hurt to try.  Let us know if he gets better after being on it for a week.

Q: from Jim
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2004
Time: 1:32 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

How common is urinary incontinence in spayed females? How expensive is Phenylpropanolamine, the drug used to treat incontinence? Is the treatment short term or lifetime?
Thanks.

A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Unless you're in Canada, and I'm not sure if they still carry Phenylpropanolaine. The FDA has banned it in the U.S.  The name of it's replacement is PROIN which is really the Phenylpropanolaine under a different name.

It is VERY inexpensive and most Vets should carry it.

I would say it would be long term on a spayed bitch.  On a puppy with a sluggish sphincter muscle, it is usually given for a short time or at least until their first season when the condition usually corrects itself.

Q: from Cassandra Torres
Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Time: 4:04 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

Hello,

I have an eight month old male that I take on long walks. He has a ton of energy and I would like to burn that by jogging with him. I know he is still too young for a serious run. My question is, what is the appropriate age for a Doberman when it comes to performing intense physical activity?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Cassandra, How are you?

In my opinion as long as your guy can free run, he can handle pretty much whatever he allows himself to do. You can jog some with him. I don't mean that he should go for miles and miles. His jogging at your side on a loose lead on soft ground should be okay for a mile or so. Jogging at your side is not intense exercise, really. Watch him and if he looks as though he is not strong and is having a hard time handling the exercise, then stop.

Build him up to it too. I know that it is hard to find good places to free run dogs these days but if you can, that is the best for him at this age and will always be great exercise. You can also play ball with him if he like to chase the ball and bring it back. There is an item that you can buy called a chucker, that will enable you to throw the ball farther for
him. Tug-O-War is also good exercise. Swimming is great if you can do that with him too.

You can get more intense with roadwork and the long jogs on harder ground when his growth plates close. One way that you tell that is to look at his knuckles on his front legs. Right now they will appear rough you can sort of see the bones in the joint. When the plates close, this area will appear much filled in and smoother.

I hope that this helps some.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Cassandra:

You should wait until the growth platelets are closed on your puppy before you do serious road work. Other than that you should be able to do long walks and free running with him until that those platelets are closed.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

Intense training is not recommended until the growth plates have closed and his bones are fully developed which doesn't happen until at least 18 months of age. Light exercise and letting him run freely is okay to help burn up
his energy and maintain good muscle tone. Ball catching etc. is also fine, but easy on the Frisbee catching as the continuous impact of jumping and landing could be detrimental to his immature body.

Q:  from Sharon Morales
Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Time: 12:38 AM 

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

I have a 3 year old Doberman and right now she is pregnant (about 3 weeks). At this time there is a black, sticky blood that comes out in her vagina. What does this mean and what can I do to treat her? thanks...

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

I highly recommend that you get her to a vet and have it checked out. If she has a pyometra, you could lose the litter and her. Only a vet can tell you if the discharge is normal or not.

A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

It may be nothing, but I'd get her to your Vet immediately to check her out.

*** *** **

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Sharon,
I think that you need to take your girl and see a veterinarian as soon as possible just to be safe. He/she can best to direct you.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

How do you know she's pregnant? Usually that cannot be determined until close to a month after breeding. Chances are this blood is a residual from her heat cycle. However, I would get her to a vet to be evaluated and make sure she is not having problems.

Q: from Somer
Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Time: 4:29 PM

Comments: Doberman Temperament

Has anyone successfully raised two unaltered male Dobies (7 1/2 mos. apart in age) together? If so, How???????
Thank you very much,
Somer

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Somer:

I have only had two males in the same household "separated". I know some people that have been able to raise unaltered males together but I would not recommend it. Even though you might not have an intact bitch around, someone in your neighborhood might and all they both need to do is get a good smell of a bitch in season to start fighting.

Q: from Denise
Date: Saturday, August 14, 2004
Time: 7:29 AM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

When should I stop breeding my Doberman? How old is to old for her to be breed?

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Denise:

According to our DPCA code of ethics, the oldest a bitch should be bred is 8 years.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

It is recommended the Doberman not be bred after the age of 8, though personally I would not breed after the age of 6 unless she is checked and deemed in exceptional health by a veterinarian. She should not be bred more than once per year as per the DPCA code of ethics.

Q: from Linda
Date: Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Time: 2:48 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

To whom it may concern:

My 9 year old Dobie has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her lower right jaw. Do you know of any other treatments besides surgery?


A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

I have heard of surgery as well as chemo/radiation. It's all in what you decide to do. My personal experience with this disease has not been a positive one, especially in a geriatric animal.

Q: from Bob
Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Time: 3:17 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

My 2 yr old red has recently (few days ago) developed a small lump on her neck. Looks similar to a mosquito bite. I've been monitoring it for the past two days and it does not seem to be getting bigger but also does not seem to be shrinking significantly. Should I give it a couple more days before I bring her to the Vet? I've had bad bug bites that have lasted for a few days and thought it might be the same for dogs.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Bob:

I would give it a week or so and then have a vet look at it, unless it begins to grow and then I'd have it looked at right away. At her age it's probably nothing but if you are concerned you should have it looked at by a veterinarian.

Q: from TJ
Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Time: 8:54 AM

Comments: Grading the Doberman Puppy

Hi, our pups are now 3 weeks old. There are 7 of them and we plan on selling all but one. I plan on training him or her to be a show dog. Can you help me on how to choose among them who's got great potential? Thank you very much.


A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

TJ:

I would highly recommend that you find a "mentor" in you area that is willing to come over and grade your litter. Basically you want to grade each puppy according to the standard. It takes years of experience to be able to do this. Go to www.dpca.org and look for a mentor in your area through the education links.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

I'm sure they are nice puppies, however not every litter or every puppy is a show prospect for Conformation. My advice is to find a long time show breeder or possibly a Doberman judge or Professional handler to grade your litter at 8 weeks of age. They can give you an idea if you have any show prospects.

Q: from Tabitha
Date: Monday, August 9, 2004
Time: 6:22 AM

Comments: Doberman Conformation/Handling

I have a 7-month old female Dobe. I had considered sending her to obedience school and then decided I would just do it myself. She has all the basic commands down but if she is loose out in the yard and you call her to come in and she doesn't want to, then she doesn't. She will just stand there and look at you and if you go near her she just keeps running around the yard.
How can I teach her to come when she's called even when she doesn't want to?

And once I've got her in the house, should she be disciplined for not coming or would that make it worse by her thinking she would be disciplined for coming inside?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Tabitha:

First put a flexi or a long line on her. Next let her go out to the end and then call her, if she does not come give her a little correction and call again until she does come, then give her a treat/reward for coming. Do this over and over until she gets the idea. I always take my puppies out to the park on a flexi and use this process and they learn very quickly. Do not chase her ever and never call her to you for doing nails, etc. Always, go get them for that type of activity.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

First of all, she's a BABY. However, the first thing to teach is the "come" on command. Start with a leash and put her in a sit stay. Next say her name and the word come. Have her come directly in you and then reward her with a tidbit. Practice this daily and each time, make it on a longer leash or rope.

I would definitely take her to training classes so YOU can learn how to teach her. You should NEVER reprimand her for not coming in to you as this will teach her to stay away. Always reward good things not punish the bad things.

Q: from Danielle
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2004
Time: 12:59 AM

Comments: in heat/period

What is the Dobermans cycle for them having their period? For humans it is one month, so what is it for Dobes? and when she starts bleeding, is there anything we can do, medication, diapers, etc?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Danielle:

A season for a bitch is every 6 months on average. They can, however, go as little as 4 months or as long as 8 months. This is just an average. You can buy panties and cut a hole where the tail goes and put pads inside. This should help with messes. Also, the season will last on average for 21 days. Some go less some go more.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

On average, most breeds except some hounds and a few other breeds cycle every 6 mo.  Some may be 4 mo. and some may be 8 mo.  The start of seeing blood is counted as the first day of season.  It will last approximately 21 days on average. 

Usually a bitch will come in season anywhere from 6-12 months for the first time.  Occasionally they may start and bleed for a week or so and then stop only to come back in a couple months later for a normal season.

You can buy "panties" for them at any Pet store or online with some of the pet magazines.  Use a day pad inside and change it often.  I'd suggest buying a couple so one can be in the wash while the other is worn.  Another suggestion is to get little boys pants (cheap ones) and cut hole for tail and stick a mini pad inside.

Q: from Dana Marshall
Date: Monday, August 2, 2004
Time: 1:22 AM

Comments: Introducing A Puppy

I've already seen the thread on introducing a puppy, and I'm wondering what I can do differently, since the new puppy will be a service dog in training, and my 6 year old male Doberman is retired and only works at home. He does get along with most other dogs... does NOT get along with my boss's 14 month old male Doberman, and never has, but gets along with his 6 year old Doberman service dog. I don't understand it, unless Berry Garcia (boss's dog), was just too puppy for him, and we were on HIS turf, not Gillis's. That's why I'm leery about bringing a puppy home, but I really need a service dog, and I am going want to have Gillis train this puppy in pain alerting (alerts me when I'm ignoring my body to take pain meds or I spasm), he seizure alerts (for other people, as I don't have seizures), and he picked me up off the floor at 8 months (no, I didn't ask him to, he just got under me and stood up, I'm lucky he wasn't hurt by that stunt). He's a smart service dog, who will adapt to other people (psychiatric service dog boundary work with NO training), seizure alert work with no training, and pain alert work with no training (other than reinforcement (his alert was a command that I'd already taught him so I could put his vest on). I want him to train the puppy to do most of that (as it has been proven that dogs that can sense this stuff can pass it on to other dogs. I've been a service dog user for 12 years, and am one of the top service dog experts in the US, but Gillis was my first Doberman. My husband doesn't want me to get another Doberman (and I'll admit, I probably picked the wrong breeder), but I like the breed, a lot. I just have to use a pinch collar on any dog I get (Gillis was in a small pinch at 3 months after he tried to dislocate my shoulder), and still wears a small, or did until his Wobblers diagnosis. HELP? Gillis was never properly socialized to puppies due to my dog trainer erroneously thinking that service dog puppies!
should not play with other dogs, which I think is part of the problem with Gillis not liking one dog, but maybe not. My new dog, whatever breed it is (my husband wants a Lab), will be socialized and allowed to play with any dog in puppy class as I've had it with dog aggressive dogs. *sigh* At least Gillis didn't show this problem with any other dogs, but he could have picked a dog OTHER than my boss's dog. I'm the VP of a service dog training/certification program (voluntary), and it looks bad when the VP's dog attacks another dog. *groan* Which is why he got retired immediately, and taken to the vet right after that.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Dana:

Any time I introduce a puppy to an adult dog I take it very slowly. You can first take the two of them on walks together so she get used to having each other around. You can separate them in the house in a way that they can still see and smell each other and maybe even be able to interact a bit. The best way to do this is with a baby gate between them.

There are also a lot of great articles on this web site that help you introduce puppies into you household, etc.

Good Luck.

Q: from Dana Marshall
Date: Monday, August 2, 2004
Time: 1:11 AM

Comments: Doberman Health

My 6 year old male Doberman was just preliminarily diagnosed with Wobblers. His grandmother has it, and I should have NOT bought this puppy due to that fact, but was offered this puppy as a service dog (donated really), and his temperament was great, and he showed great intelligence. However, after he bit me after I corrected him (he is on a pinch collar when working), I took him to the vet, and she diagnosed Wobblers, I'm heading to a neurologist in the next few weeks to confirm this. I do not want to give up my Gillis, but I know I can't correct him in the normal fashion, and he's already retired as a service dog, but would still work at home. Would a remote training collar be okay to use on him? He's stubborn (always has been), and my husband doesn't help when he doesn't enforce commands.

A:  

Q:  from Kristen
Date: Thursday, July 29, 2004
Time: 11:17 PM

Comments: Grading the Doberman Puppy

What exactly do you look for in a Doberman puppy as far as conformation goes? how would one decide if they have a potential conformation show puppy or just a pet quality puppy? also, my puppy has a slight underbite ( very slight) the vet thought he may grow out of it, would this be a major disqualification in the show ring?

Thanks.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Kristen:

First as far as grading the puppies we look at them against the standard just as if they were adults. We look for a compact body with balanced angles front to rear. That's just a brief summary of what we do. We look at shoulder angle and rear angle. We look at topline and tail set. We like to watch the puppy moving on the ground to make sure they are single tracking and not throwing any elbows out or hocking in the rear, etc. We then usually grade them comparing one to another and place them in order of quality. Most breeders are familiar enough with their line to be able to do this grading technique with ease.

Second question, underbite. I would say if I had a puppy in my line with an underbite at a young age, it would probably only get worse. The lower jaw is the last part of the mouth to grow and if the puppy is undershot before the jaw grows to completion, it's going to become more of a problem later. Just my opinion, I'm not a veterinarian.

Hope this helps.

Q: from Kristi Martin
Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Time: 7:08 PM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

I need to know how long a female carries her puppies. My female has been carrying her since March 16. Is this normal?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Kristi:

63 days is the average gestation period.

Q: from Carolyn
Date: Monday, July 26, 2004
Time: 2:48 PM

Comments: markings

I asked a question earlier this month and have not received an answer. I am trying to find out about areas of black hair in markings. I would like to know if it is acceptable and how conformation people feel about it.

I looked at a litter out of champions and some puppies had these areas it looked like black markings in the middle of the rust marking on the front forearms. The breeder said that the puppies would eventually lose the black hairs.

I have seen these markings on adult Dobermans in the past but can not recall seeing them on any show dogs. Please someone respond. I have not found an answer to this in the standard.

Thanks.

A:  from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Don't worry about it. It's very common. Some dogs that have very, very dark smudges of black will keep some but most fade away by the time they are adults. These marking appear in most all black and tan patterned dogs of many breeds. Even in reds they may have dark smudges.

No, Judges do not penalize these smudges. I am a Judge and never pay any attention to it.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Carolyn:

What you are referring to is called melanism and is a fault in the breed. Though it may not specifically address the term in the standard it does say "well defined" rust markings. This means that they should be obvious and clearly rust, no black in them.

Having said that, I know that often puppies will have "penciling" on their feet or forelegs that will go away as they grow so the breeder may be correct.

Keep in mind that any deviation from the standard is penalized to the degree of the deviation. Unless the dog had heavy melanism I don't think penciled feet will be severely penalized.

Q: from  Nicole
Date: Monday, July 26, 2004
Time: 11:59 AM  

Comments: Doberman Health

What are the pros and cons of waiting till my Doberman is 4yrs old before neutering him.  Will he change and be aggressive??

A:  from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Physically it may not do anything but then you lessen the chances of him having prostate problems the earlier you neuter him. Why the age of 4?

It definitely won't make him more aggressive. In fact it may calm (sometimes) him down.

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A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Nicole:

Neutering at 4 yrs of age will not make your dog aggressive. Actually neutering at a younger age helps prevent aggression.

Q: from Marilyn D'Errico
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2004
Time: 8:00 AM

Comments: selling the puppy

Is there a protocol for selling puppies i.e., is it "first come, first served" after pick has been selected?

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Marilyn:

There usually is a protocol established by each breeder and they should cover you on what that is at the time you inquire about a puppy. Some take deposits and you are basically in "line" based on the date of the deposit. Others do not take deposits and simply put you on a list until the puppies are graded. Many breeders prefer to "match" the right home with the right puppy. We must not forget that most breeders breed for their own benefit first and foremost in order to improve their line and then will place the remaining puppies according to buyer preferences, etc. Hope this helps.

Q:  from Chuck
Date: Saturday, July 24, 2004
Time: 9:39 PM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

Our 4 yrs old as stopped feeding one of her pups. we got some Hartz milk replacement. however the does not want the nipple on the bottle. what is the best kind of nipple to get? the pup is about 1lb. and 16 days old. we need a nipple we can get asap. Thanks (we have named the pup Hope)

A:  from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Kennels, Canada

Hello Chuck,

Get a Gerber premature baby nipple and a regular baby bottle along with some baby pedialytes just in case her electrolytes are out of balance. Feed her every couple of hours and be sure to wipe her bum and her tush with a soft cloth moistened with mineral oil to stimulate her to go potty after every feeding.
 

Q:  from Misty Flynn
Date: Sunday, July 25, 2004
Time: 11:42 PM

Comments: canine brucellosis

I would like to stud out my Doberman. He is 2yrs of age and I am looking into what type of tests that have to be done to make sure he is sound and fit. He has a very good disposition, with show champions in his ancestry. I came across the disease canine brucellosis, is this female related or does the sire carry it? I want to take the necessary steps to have a good breeding and line of Dobies. Thank-you.

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Misty:

I recommend you research the website that you posed this question on (article menu). There are a lot of articles on breeding and health. You should have your dog tested for vWD, Hips (OFA), Thyroid and Heart. Brucellosis should also be tested for prior to breeding as a dog can carry the virus. I highly recommend you thoroughly research the costs and responsibilities of breeding dogs before you go forward and these articles can help you there. I would also recommend you locate a "mentor" in your area that you can discuss your dogs attributes and potential with before you breed him. You can go to www.dpca.org and located a member in your area that can help you.

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A:  from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Chances are that unless your Dobe is a top Champion, (meaning he won 10 pts Canadian or 15 pts U.S.) he won't be sought after as a stud dog, other than to just pet quality females.

But, to answer your questions: OFA (hips and elbows), vWD by DNA, Cardiac Echo and Holter Monitor, Thyroid (from MSU), CERF (for eyes). These are the important ones. Your Vet will tell you of others just before the breeding.

Q:  from Lysa Fris
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Time: 9:14 PM

Comments: Grieving?

First I would like to thank you so much for the advice you gave on breeding my Dobe. I was able to help them and they seemed to do fine after that. Since the breeding I have brought her home and she is extremely sad. I cannot seem to help her feel better. I spoke with the males owner and he told me that the male is extremely sad also. My question is silly but I need to know if this is something that they will get over or are we "playing with their emotions" so to speak. My heart hurts for her as if she were my child and I cant find any info on this subject. Thank You.

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Lysa:

Actually dogs have very short grieving periods. It may be more that she is readjusting to the separation from you for the breeding or it may be a hormonal reaction and she is actually pregnant. Some bitches temperaments and attitudes change once they are pregnant due to the hormones in their systems.

Q: from Beth
Date: Sunday, July 18, 2004
Time: 12:46 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

My almost-eight-year-old male Dobie had a rear leg amputated due to a tumour. The biopsy isn't back yet but the vet thinks it may be osteosarcoma. If it is, the next place the cancer could show up would be the lungs, at which point there is no help. Do you have any statistics on the length of time before it reaches the lungs? Our vet says we may have 3-4 months left, maybe more. I'd like to hear from Doberman owners who went through this.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Beth:

I don't have any statistics but from experience, I know that osteosarcoma is deadly and usually can take the animals life within 6 months. I know of three cases personally and only one had the leg amputated. He lived 6 months after the amputation when another tumour appeared on the opposite shoulder and the he was euthanized. I'm so sorry for you to have to go through this but I think your veterinarian is pretty accurate in his diagnosis.

Q: from Jeff Medrick
Date: Friday, July 16, 2004
Time: 10:55 PM

Comments: Other

My wife and I want to buy a Doberman, but are leery on how they are with kids. We want another baby and are wondering how long after the baby is born should we wait to buy a Doberman?

Also I have also been told that Dobermans are very sensitive and don't like to be hugged on like other dogs nor do they like their back end touched. Is this true about the Doberman breed. Are there any good books/articles to read about handling/training Dobermans and what they do and don't like.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Jeff:

Please go to our article menu and check out what is listed there. There a many on purchasing and owning a Doberman.

I personally think that you should get the puppy when you can devote enough time to training and socialization. So, once the baby is here and things in your life stabilized, go for it.

Lysa:

Breeding two reds together will either give you an all red litter or a combination of reds and fawns (if both carry dilution). You cannot get black puppies from such a breeding.

If she is not letting him near her it could be that she is not ready yet. You might want to ask your veterinarian to run a progesterone test to see where she is in her cycle or at the very least a smear (slide).

Some bitches are never agreeable to being bred and may have to be restrained.

Has either this male been bred before? He may not be experienced enough to know when she is truly ready.

Q:  from Shirley Hays
Date: Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Time: 2:25 PM

Comments: Doberman Health

I have a 9 year old Doberman bitch, healthy, with the activity level of a 4 year old. She is currently receiving supplements of 400 IU's of Vitamin E and 500mg of Vitamin C.

I would also like to start her on Fish Oil as a heart muscle supplement. How much is recommended and should I start her at a lower dose?

Thanks for all the great advice you provide!

A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Shirley:

I give my dogs fish oil in the morning and again in their evening meal. These are 1000 mg capsules. You can start with one a day and see that she handles that and then increase to two.

Q:  from TJ

TJ,

You need to tube feed this puppy immediately.  There are very good formula's on the market.  Call your Vet immediately for some feeding tubes and have them show you how to insert.  Otherwise, you will lose the puppy.

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A:  from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

TJ:

Contact your vet and obtain a tube feeding kit. Get specific instructions on how to use it. You would want to give this puppy very small amounts, very frequently of a good formula. If you do not do this ASAP you will loose the puppy as they dehydrate very quickly.

A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

You can try taping them and see what happens.  If they've been hanging for extended periods, they may never stand but it's worth a try.  go to our cropping page and see how to do it.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Dear Don & Pam:

You should start rolling them and see if that helps get them up.  He's not that old and there is a possibility that you can have success.  You might check into getting him re-cropped with a shorter crop as well. 

Q: from Kim Clark
Date: Sunday, July 4, 2004
Time: 11:59 AM

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

Is it all right to breed a healthy blu