GENERAL APPEARANCE---The appearance is that of a dog of medium size,
with a body that is square. Compactly built, muscular and powerful, for great
endurance and speed. Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage,
reflecting great nobility and temperament. Energetic, watchful,
determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient.
DISCUSSION—Medium
size and compactly built. This is a fundamental breed characteristic.
The Doberman does not have a size disqualification, but to maintain a medium
size dog, with the correct bone, substance and muscle we have a top of 28” for
dogs and 26” for bitches. The Doberman must also be built for speed and should
not be heavy or cumbersome. Neither should they be refined and spindly.
Though powerful and muscular, they must also be elegant and noble in
appearance. This does not mean refined by any means, but it is the
overall flow of graceful lines or curves. No abrupt stop from neck to
shoulders, to the tail, which is a continuation of the spine. Balance is
the key word when describing the Doberman. The well-laid shoulders and
upper arm should balance the strong rear angles. The Doberman is a
one-piece dog and no one part of the anatomy is more or less important than
the other, except where mouth disqualifications are an issue.
The hair is hard, short, and shiny and the body is solid and muscular, not
fat and lumpy or thin and slack. The coat and skin seems as if the dog
has been poured into it.
Watchful—The dog should be aware of what is going on. Once the Judge has
approached from the front the first time, the dog will then pay little
attention unless approached from the rear, he may flick his ears, or turn his
head as if to say, “what are you doing back there?” He should in no case shy
or back off from the judge. By the same token, a Doberman should never
be aggressive or make any attempt to growl or snap at the judge. If this might
happen (which would be highly unusual) the dog should be dismissed immediately
from further competition. A Doberman is usually one of the most stable
dogs of any breed to judge and any bad behavior is not to be tolerated.
Determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient are the combined
characteristics that go into making up the Doberman and by reading the eyes of
the animal you can see all these qualities on first inspection.
The temperament of this breed is of paramount importance. Any dog of
this size must be controllable and totally stable. The Doberman sizes up
a situation and reacts accordingly. He is not a pussycat by any means, but is
not a loaded shotgun that will go off unexpectedly.
When judging our breed, the Judge should approach from the front and while
not staring into the eyes, make a quick eye contact and walk up to him.
Be firm when going over the dog as a light, cautious, hand will cause
suspicion. Learn how to examine a mouth fast and expertly. Practice on
your own dog at home. Most all of our Dobes are trained from puppy hood
to have the mouth examined so they should present little problem. When
examining the Dobe, be quick and do not massage them. You can see what
you are looking for. You should not hover over him and reach over from
the front to feel shoulders etc. Neither should you EVER kneel in front
or behind the dog when examining.
SIZE, PROPORTION,
SUBSTANCE—Height at withers: Dogs 26 to 28 inches, ideal about 27 ½
inches: Bitches 24 to 26 inches, ideal about 25 ½ inches. The height,
measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the
withers, equalling the length measured horizontally from the fore chest
to the rear projection the upper thigh. Length of head, necks, and legs
in proportion to length and depth of body.
DISCUSSION: To apply this, you should picture the ideal substance in relation to the height of the dog. The taller the dog, the more substance is required. You should have an estimated vision of the ideal size of the Doberman. Straight shoulders, lack of brisket, finer bone, long neck can make a dog appear taller than it really is. The same holds true of a dog of ideal size that has adequate bone and substance but sandwiched between two larger dogs will appear too small. A very tall person can make a dog look smaller and a short person can make a dog appear taller. Many judges use a spot on their pants or skirt to make a determination of size. Again, practice so you can quickly evaluate if an animal is too tall or two small. Since we have a 2-inch spread in either sex, it gives enough room to a correct size. While a ¼ inch either way on a dog that has many good qualities, a dog that is an inch over or under the standard does not fit “type” in our breed. No dog one-inch over the top end of our standard should be awarded a blue ribbon. Rarely will you come across a 29 plus dog or a 27 plus bitch without it looking so different in the ring. A dog or bitch on the smaller end of the scale is not as much of a problem. They are usually not seen in the ring in the adult classes. Do not let size be your total determination of an otherwise quality animal.