Q: from Christi Dillmore
Date: 19 Nov 09

My female will soon be 8 years old. I have a feeling my just 1 year old male has impregnated her. Both are AKC registered. If there are pups will the age of the parents affect them being registered? There is no relation between the two.

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

No, if both parents are registered then any offspring would be eligible to be registered also. If your female has not been bred before then she may not carry a litter to term but you never know.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Christi,

I don't think that the ages of either parent dog will effect them being registered. I am assuming that you mean with the American Kennel Club? However to be on the safe side, I would contact the AKC and ask them.

Has your almost 8 year old girl had puppies before?

Please check our articles page for articles to help you with the dam to be and the puppies. Mark you calendar for 63 days from the mating.

Do you want to have this litter of puppies?

You may want to contact your veterinarian too so everybody is prepared for possible problems that may come up. You can talk to your veterinarian about your thoughts about having the litter.

Good and luck.

Thank you.

---

 

 

Q: from Michael in NJ

Date: 19 Nov 09

Thank you very much for your fast response in having 2 male Dobermans. I am now satisfied and convinced not to get another male. I will now consider a female Doberman puppy. My male is now ??? weeks old and he will be attending puppy obedience training class in Dec, so I will have the knowledge of training the female.

I wound like to know your opinion on purchasing the female now or waiting until the male becomes a bit older. Would they be less trainable because we all know how playful Doberman puppies can be at a young age...also, I never had a female not spayed ever before. I will consider having her spayed but if I do not spay her please give me advice and knowledge of what to look for when the bitch goes into heat cycle so that I may act at the right time.

Also I was told that bitches go into heat twice a year for about 3 weeks a year. How much blood is involved when they have their cycle?

Thank-you very much for all your help and advice.

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

Hi Michael - glad you have made the right decision - you will not regret it. Raising two youngsters at the same time is a BIG job, very big. they are like children in that they will mimic each other and if one is bad then they both will be - funny to watch but not to live with. You mention that you are taking your boy to obedience class which is wonderful. Spend a while, perhaps until he is trained a bit and listens and respects you, then look for your girl. That way she can mimic the correct behavior and the boy can teach her good things instead of bad. You will need to start obedience with her also so unless you have an awful lot of free time it is better to wait until your boy is trained.

Girls generally come into season every 6 to 7 months and bleed for 21 days. The first signs are swelling of the vulva which can happen a week to a day before bleeding begins. Once they begin to bleed they can stay with the male for about 5 to 6 days and need to be separated. Every female is different and some bleed heavy, some don't. You can buy panties to put on her in the house which will keep any mess down. As Marj said, generally we allow the bitch to go through one season, however, the veterinary community is now advocating spaying at a younger age. I do not like to see a female spayed before about 10 months and a male at about one year.

If you are not showing your male then I would have him neutered before you get your female, or at least when the female is very young - then you will not run the risk of an accidental breeding.

Hope this helps you.

Good luck.

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Dobermans, USA

You're welcome Michael. It has been my experience over the years that it would be best to wait until your male is older and neutered (around 12-14 months of age). He will then hopefully be better able to help manners train her in the house.

Personally I would spay her after her first heat cycle, usually around 10 months or so. The rule of thumb with heat cycles is one week in, one week ready and one week out. That is 3 weeks of bleeding and we're talking pretty often heavy bleeding although this can vary. I use a doggy diaper and liners or pads with my girls and it becomes a serious task keeping them changed plus a lot of bitches will end up eating the diaper and liners if you don't train them right. (read watching them like a hawk the first while they have them on).

And last but not least coming in 2 times a year is the average...some bitches come in 3 times a year and some less...nothing involving Mother Nature is written in stone. :>(((

---

 

 

Q: from Michael in NJ

Date: 18 Nov 09

I recently bought a 12 wk old beautiful male Doberman. He is now 15 weeks old and such a joy. I’m very interested in getting another male Doberman and having them grow up together. I really do want another male. I have read some stories about having 2 male Dobermans and when they get to be adults, even if they grow up together, they will fight for dominance and I will be looking for nothing but trouble and they say I will have to eventually give 1 up later on. Is there any truth to this as I really want another male? One of the requirements from the breeder is that you should not spray or neuter because it will void the lifetime guarantee and I really don’t want a female as I think it will be hard to keep them apart when she goes into heat.

Please know that I am 43 and have had dogs all my life including a  male Bullmastiff that I had since he was 8 wks old and had to recently put down at 11 yrs due to illnesses.

Please provide me with as much information on having 2 male Dobermans as soon as possible.

Thank you.

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

Michael - There is every truth in NOT having two Doberman males, or any male with another Doberman male - it does not work and you will have more problems than anyone would want - not to mention that the dogs may get seriously hurt, if not you as well. Has it been done? Yes, but not often and usually with multi problems. It is not worth the risks involved.

Any responsible breeder would insist that you neuter a companion dog that is not being shown or bred - male or spay a female. Dogs not being shown or bred should be spayed or neutered around a year old so you would not have a problem with a neutered male and spayed female, which is the best mix. Perhaps you need to explore the possibility of another breeder? Regardless of your experience, it is not a good idea to put two Doberman males in the same home.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Mike,

It is not recommended that you have 2 male Doberman Pinschers in the same household for the reasons that you mention in your email. Those reasons are true.

You can re-consider getting a female and have her spayed after her first heat period and before the second heat period. You will have to make sure that they are separated during that one heat cycle of course but you could board her out for that time.

I would also consider having your dog neutered when he is about 14 to 18 months old if I were you.

 If you do get a female, consider buying from a breeder that will allow you to spay her. Not being able to neuter your male at the correct time in his life is an odd reason to void a lifetime guarantee.

Good luck with your new buddy.

Q: from Pam
Date: 15 Nov 09

I'm looking to ask a couple questions to other Dobe owners who's Dobe's have gone through Herniated Disc surgury and the recovering process. Do you have any idea on how or where I can post a question?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Pam,

I have not experienced any of my dogs going through the Herniated Disc
surgery. I also have wirehaired dachshunds and I have been very lucky and haven't had any of them go through this either. I have heard that the recovering process is long. The only place that I can figure for you to post your question is with a veterinarian that has performed this surgery.

You can try googling Canine Herniated Disc surgery or just plain Canine Herniated Disc disease and find out a lot about it this way too.

Here is an article that I found http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/vth&c/Orthopedics/Disc%20Disease%20Web.pdf

I hope that this helps you get started.

Thank you.

Q: from Elaine Mendoza
Date: 15 Nov 09

Question: How to fix ears that were cropped poorly.

Puppy is 3 months old now. Can we purchase a cone or frame for her to help her ears stand up?

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

Elaine - Normally one would contact the Breeder or the vet who cropped the ears for assistance. If this is not an option, then I would go to the DPCA Breeders Referral List at www.dpca.org and look for a Breeder in your area and call them for help. They might help you themselves (I always help people who have problems), or they may refer you to a vet and clinic in the area who are adept at ear cropping and wrapping.

The first place I would go is to the breeder of the puppy. The pup is only 3 months old and you have plenty of time to correct a problem.

Q: from Cliff Smith
Date: 12 Nov 09

I have a Dobie that I got from a rescue. I asked AKC if he was pure breed by send them the litter number. I can not get a family tree as I do not have all the information on the parents, only their names and AKC cannot give me the breeders name so I could get this info. can you help?

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

If you have an AKC litter number then you pretty much know that your dog is from a pure bred litter. It is often hard to track dogs from a rescue situation but if there was a litter registered under the number you have the dog is pure bred. Being pure bred does not mean that the dog is from a quality breeder but could be. One can apply for an "Indefinite listing privilege" number on the dog by filling out the form (you can get this from the AKC website), following the directions, and submitting the form with pictures of the dog and a fee. This would allow you to compete in performance events with your dog - obedience, agility, etc.. AKC must determine, by the form and pictures, that the dog is pure bred. Hope this help you.

Q: from Dave Vanz
Date: 12 Nov 09

I've been intrigued by Doberman's my entire life but have not had much interaction with any. (just one family growing up, and that was minimal) I'm interested in exploring the Doberman as possible family dog in the next two years and would like to use this time to get to the breed beyond information found on the internet. I live in Michigan and I was wondering if there are any shows coming up that I might have the chance to go to with my family?

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

If you go to the American Kennel Club website - www.akc.org - you will find a link to Conformation Events and then to Licensed Superintendents. Go to the list of Supers and they will all have lists of upcoming shows - you can then find the ones that are close to you and plan to attend. A wonderful way to find out about our Breed and others. Visit shows and go and talk to breeders, handlers and owners and you will get a wealth of information. Good Luck!

Q: from Cheryl

Date: 12 Nov 09

Please, does anyone know if a black dominate female who has had several litters, all black puppies(26 total pups) and the sire is red and has been dna tested for CDA (color dilute alopecia) with a (negative result). can one of these puppies still have CDA

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

It is my belief that the pups could carry the gene - I am not positive and hope that Marj Brooks will step in here......Marj??

Q: from Owen Landis Sr.
Date: 11 Nov 09

Question: Choosing A Breeder

My 7 year old Doberman "Abe" was put to rest last week because of a condition called Dilated Cardiac Myopia. Is there any way to screen for this? We want to get another one of these magnificent creatures, but we are afraid of the same heartbreak!

A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA

Every breed has medical conditions that plague the dogs - Dobermans are no different. Unfortunately, Cardiac disease (Cardiomyopathy in particular) is a disease that is in the Doberman breed and in ALL lines to some degree. As a Breed, those of us involved have worked for many years to raise money for research of the disease and some progress has been made, but not enough. We do test our dogs for cardiac disease but , like humans, dogs can develop the conditions at any time. That being said, responsible breeders try very hard to breed away from Cardio and breed the dogs that are the most healthy with parents who are healty and long lived. There are no guarantees regardless.

Do your homework with breeders and ask questions about health testing, parents testing and how long the ancestors have lived and what they have died of. No one can tell you they have "clean" lines because this does not exist. I know that it is heartbreaking to lose a dog one loves so much, however, it would be more heartbreaking for me to not have Dobermans in my life.