DPCA Judge's Education Page

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ILLUSTRATED STANDARD

AKC Standard

TEMPERAMENT

Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient. The judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Doberman.

Shyness: A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree.

Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack either the judge or its handler, is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness.

Commentary

 There should be no compromise about temperament; it must be excellent.  Temperament is a combination of a positive attitude, courage, intelligence, loyalty and alertness.  When given a task, a Doberman should have the confidence and drive to ignore all distractions. If his attention is required briefly elsewhere, he responds and then returns to the task at hand.  Dobermans are watchful.  As the judge approaches, he may flick an ear or turn his head, but he is simply being aware of his surroundings.  Loyalty and obedience should be reflected in the dog’s response to his handler.

Since temperament is fundamental to the Doberman’s reason for being, we must always be alert to undesirable temperament traits, and poor behavior must never be rewarded.

Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient — these traits must be present for the Doberman to succeed at whatever task is asked of him and to do the work for which the Doberman was bred, unencumbered by reluctance or uncertainty.  

The Doberman should be:

Energetic (Taut with a controlled power) The Doberman is always ready for action.  

Watchful (Keenly vigilant) Wariness and cautiousness are deviations from the standard.  

Determined (Single-minded) He should exhibit an uncommon focus in his execution of a task, undeterred by distractions or complex obstacles.  

Alert (Aware of sounds, sights, smells, and every other detail of his surroundings) He should be quick and on guard, with an expression and posture that exemplify intensity.  

Fearless (Resolute and responsive) The Doberman stands squarely at the ready, notably sure of himself and his purpose.  He does not back away or appear nervous.  

Loyal (Steadfast and devoted) Loyalty is the Doberman’s hallmark trait and therefore should be apparent in his attitude, expression and behavior.  

Obedient  The Doberman should be trainable and should respond immediately to any command.   A Doberman must be clear-headed enough to disengage from an activity when commanded to stop. Unruliness and unresponsiveness are not acceptable behaviors. 

Shyness must not be rewarded regardless of the dog’s age. Always remember that the Doberman is meant to be a fearless, self-assured breed.  

Viciousness, like shyness, is a significant deviation from the standard.  The standard distinguishes between aggression toward people and aggression or belligerence toward other dogs, which is not included in the definition of viciousness.  Both shyness and viciousness should be dismissed from the ring, in accordance with the standard.  

Assessing temperament begins by reading the dog's eyes and body language.  The desired look is one of interest, confidence and curiosity — even a twinkle of fun.  Correct temperament says: "I can and will handle anything that is asked of me."  It is undesirable behavior for the Doberman to roll his eyes, cringe, clamp his tail or show any fear or unsteadiness.  The Doberman should instead be steady, confident, fearless and wholly aware of you.   Stability and strength of character are important to the breed.

AKC Standard

FAULTS

The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher.  Any deviation from the above-described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

Commentary

The best way to serve the Doberman is to strive for the ideal as specified in the standard in breeding programs, show rings, and performance events.  To do otherwise would be a disservice to the Doberman, his past and his posterity.

“Breed type emerges from the whole standard.”

                                                                                                                                                                             Peggy Adamson

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