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Q: from Tina Melvin
Date: 7-November-2007
Comments: weight chart
What is the ideal weight of a 4 week old doberman pup? How rapidly should they
gain?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
There is no set amount of weight for any age Doberman. It depends on their bone
& substance etc. At any age, the puppy should be well rounded. No ribs or bones
anywhere showing. No indentions at the loin (waist). It should look filled out.
Is it still nursing and seems quiet or is it crying or listless?? Is the mother
taking good care of it? How are the other pups in the litter doing??
Here is what it says about the white hairs:
"Allowed Colors: Black, red, blue, and fawn (Isabella). Markings : Rust, sharply
defined, appearing above each eye and on muzzle, throat and fore chest, on all
legs and feet, and below tail. White patch on chest, not exceeding 1/2 square
inch, permissible. Disqualifying Fault : Dogs not of an allowed color."
I hope that this helps you.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Susan:
It would be beneficial to you to read our standard. Cowlick's are not of concern
and are not penalized in the show ring in this Country. White, if it is over a
certain area of coverage (see the specific's in the standard) can be a problem.
This is an excerpt from our standard "White patch on chest, not exceeding 1/2
square inch, permissible" Often it does go away as the puppy matures. Please go
to
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/DPCABreedStandard.htm and you can read up on the
coat and what is considered a fault or not. It would be good for you to read it
and understand it.
Q: from Carol
Date: 4-September-2007
Comments: I have a nine year old male Doberman and want to get a puppy. I want
another male. Do you think I will have any problems?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
While your dog may be fine, he is older and may not like puppies of any age just
because he's an older dog. Normally, I would NEVER suggest having 2 males in the
same household unless you keep them separated. I would still suggest this if
you're bent on getting another male and your old boy may not even like a bitch
puppy because they jump all over the older ones and if
they are not used to puppies, they may snap or attack the puppy. I'd keep them
separated regardless.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Carol:
It is not recommended to have two male Doberman's together. They normally will
not get along.
Q: from Beth R.
Date: 30-August-2007
Comments: Litter size
How common is a singleton litter? Are there concerns about the pup from such a
situation?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Beth:
There are a lot of concerns from singleton litters, mainly being able to
socialize the puppy to outside environments. Please check our
Article Menu for articles on this exact subject.
Q: from Tina Hall
15-August-2007
Comments: Ear cropping
Can you please tell me a good vet to take our Dobe to in York or Dover, PA. We
don't have him yet...but just want to find someone who will do a good job.
Thanks so much!
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Tina:
If you go to the DPCA website and go to the
page that displays mentors all around the US, you can find someone in the PA
area and check with them. They might be able to help you. Mentors are located in
the Judges Educational Committee page and you can also go to the Breeder
Referral page and locate someone in your area as well.
Q: from Susan
Date: 14-August-2007
Comments: Age to be placed in a home
We have found a wonderful breeder whose pups were born on July 9th. Due to some
circumstances surrounding ear cropping of this litter (she flies someone from
out of state to do the cropping), we will not be able to bring our Dobe home
until around 11-12 weeks of age. Shall I be concerned about getting the Dobe
this late? Such as bonding with us versus her litter mates and socialization.
The breeder assures us that they will be very socialized, which I am confident
they will be. I am just concerned that this seems a bit late to separate the
pack of puppies from each other and should be with their human family at an
earlier age. Your thoughts? Thank you!
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Susan:
If this breeder is doing their job right they would be doing individual things
with these puppies so that they can get their early socialization. Often we will
have lots of folks come in, old, young, etc and play with the litter to give
them that early contact experience. There are a lot of other things they can do
like introducing them to various surfaces, locations, toys, etc. They should be
crate training them so that they can sleep individually in crates at night. The
puppy will bond with you no matter what age she comes to live with you. Once she
leaves the littermates she will forget who they are quickly and bond with her
new environment.
Q: from Jamie
Date: 13-August-2007
Comments: Cropping
When do you crop their ears
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Jamie:
Between the ages of 6 and 12 weeks, usually around 8 weeks.
Q: from Paula Russell
Date: 13-August-2007
Comments: Breeding
My husband has a male Dobe approx. 14 months old and wishes to breed him. He has
found a female for him but I can't seem to locate any information on breeding. I
am curious as to how often a female goes into heat, how long does it normally
take for her to become pregnant (numerous visits etc), requirements of the owner
of the stud, etc. Any information you can give me so that I can STOP my husband
and have him give up on the idea of breeding and if I can't - at least make sure
he knows what he is getting into and the ramifications of this would be
wonderful. Thank you.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Paula:
You are smart to discourage your husband from doing this breeding. Though the
cost is usually bore by the female's owners, there is a lot of background health
testing that should be done before doing any breeding. Both parents should be
tested for any genetic health issues first. Their hearts should be checked by a
certified cardiologist since Cardiomyopathy is common in Doberman Pinschers.
Their blood should be checked for vWD with DNA testing. They should see a
veterinarian for a complete health check. They should have their hips and elbows
certified and they should have their thyroid checked. All of this can add up to
over $1000.00. Then once the puppies are here, they should be wormed, tails and
dew claws removed and the entire litter cropped prior to placing them. There is
no money to be made by doing such a breeding. You may also check our website
DPCA Breeder Education for many articles on
breeding and raising puppies. There are also sample sale contracts there for you
to get an even better idea of the criteria reputable breeders operate under.
Q: from Hannibal
Date: 10-August-2007
Comments: puppy breeding
When do puppies stop sucking milk from the mother
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Hannibal:
Usually puppies will keep nursing as long as the mother will allow them. Most of
the time, once they start getting their teeth the mothers will start weaning
them off. This is usually 3-5 weeks depending on the mother. We usually start
introducing food to the puppies around 3 weeks and have them completely weaned
off the mother by 5-6 weeks.
Q: from Pallab Paul
Date: 4-August-2007
Comments: Conformation
My 19 months show Doberman still looks skinny. What should I do to increase her
volume?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Unless a dog is sick, has worms or just is a picky eater, the most common reason
for any dog to be skinny is they are not eating enough. Make sure the kibble is
a good quality and add some canned meat and moisten. I'd try 3-4 4 cups twice a
day if she will consume that much. If she won't, give her what she will eat at a
meal and feed 2 or 3 times a day or about 6 - 8 cups total daily until she
reaches her normal weight. Depending on her height and bone size, she should
weigh anywhere from 55 to 65 lbs. Less if she is small and more if she is a
bigger bitch. A dog in good weight is one that you will never see any bones
showing. All should be covered. Make sure she is in good health first with a
trip to the Vet.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Pallab:
I would have your veternarian weigh her and look at her to see if she's in the
right weight for her age. A female Doberman should weigh between 55 and 70 lbs
based on her size and substance. Average is around 63 lbs. If she is indeed too
thin then perhaps increasing the amount of food she is given. She should be fed
twice a day and between 1-2 cups each meal based on her weight. If she is not
gaining weight under these normal circumstances you may want to consider a
higher protein food.
Q: from Bonnie
Date: 1-August-2007
Comments: Heads
Hi.
Why is it some Dobermans have pointy heads? I have seen pictures of some pups &
some adults - not related with a point on the top of their head, not with a nice
round head.
Is this a sign of poor breeding?
Thanks!
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Bonnie,
I think what you are referring to is a more prominent occipital bone. Some dogs
(mostly males) have this in varying degrees. This usually means that the head is
still growing and many times it won't disappear until the dog is over 2 years of
age. It does run more in some lines than others depending on how the head
matures. A lot of times puppies actually bump this occipital bone and it becomes
filled with fluid making it look even more severe. I would not worry about it.
It usually disappears with age and the dog will end up with a nice looking head.
No, it's not called for in the standard, but the Doberman standard is written to
describe an adult Doberman, not a puppy.
A: from Mark Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Bonnie,
Dobermans are not supposed to have neither pointy or rounded heads. The head is
to be wedge shaped but better yet here is what the Doberman Pinscher standard
says about the head:
HEAD
a.. Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge in both frontal and profile views.
When seen from the front, the head widens gradually toward the base of the ears
in a practically unbroken line. Eyes almond shaped, moderately
deep set, with vigorous, energetic expression. Iris, of uniform color, ranging
from medium to darkest brown in black dogs; in reds, blues, and fawns the color
of the iris blends with that of the markings, the darkest shade being preferable
in every case. Ears normally cropped and carried erect. The upper attachment of
the ear, when held erect, is on a level with the top of the skull.
a.. Top of skull flat, turning with slight stop to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle
line extending parallel to top line of skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Nose
solid black on black dogs, dark brown on red ones, dark gray on blue ones, dark
tan on fawns. Lips lying close to jaws. Jaws full and powerful, well filled
under the eyes.
a.. Teeth strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching
inside of upper incisors true scissors bite. 42 correctly placed teeth, 22 in
the lower, 20 in the upper jaw. Distemper teeth shall not be penalized.
Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than
1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth.
a.. Go here to see how the Illustrated standard explains this and you can see
drawings of the Ideal head.
http://www.dpca.org/JEC/illustrated_standard/Head/head.htm
I don't know if I would call it poor breeding in all cases, maybe more like not
breeding to the standard of the breed. One must know the standard and breeding
to it is part of being a good breeder. At the back of the head is a part of the
skull that is called the occipital bone or occiput (caudal boundary of cranium).
You can see where this is within the illustrated standard.
If you would like to have a copy of the illustrated standard, here is how you
can get it. If you are interested in a copy of your own Illustrated Standard,
please contact Doug Jensen at djensen@mail.esu10.k12.ne.us, or you can mail $5
(North America) to: DPCA c/o Doug Jensen, 2704 N. Webb Rd., Grand Island, NE
68803-1342.
I hope that this answers your question and helps you too.
Q: from Debby Roush
Date 1-August-2007
How long will a healthy Doberman live?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Debby:
That is like asking how long will YOU live. A Doberman will live as long as
their own individual health will allow them to live. There is an average life
expectancy in Dobermans just as there is in humans but it really is just an
average and not a prediction.
Q: from Bobby Naghsh
Date: 31-July-2007
Comments:
How to get a mail 2 year old Doberman to behave better and listen better. He
understands everything but doesn't do things he know. He jumps on everyone,
sticks his knows in between everyones legs, cries when tied, pees on every wall
around the house, eventhough there are trees around, pees while playing, acts
like an ediot. Whould nodering make him a reall dog, stop playing around and be
a guard dog, a reall dog?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Bobby:
It sounds like you need to locate a good trainer in your area to help you with
how to train your dog. Perhaps a Doberman is not the right breed for you and you
might need to contact the breeder to get some help or perhaps taking him back an
re-homing him.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Bobby,
I am thinking Bobby, from what I am reading of your description and the actions
of your Doberman that you are going to need professional help. In doing this you
probably need some help from a qualified dog trainer that has had experience
with the Doberman Pinscher. You need this person to teach you how to train your
Doberman and how to be consistent and teach and help you how to manage him.
I can understand your frustration, but it is you that has to learn how to
control your dog. Part of your being a responsible pet owner is for you to train
your pet to be a good citizen in society. We have answered similar questions as
yours before in this forum. You do need help and you also need to learn that you
need to be the leader of the pack so to speak. Your Doberman is acting out
because he does not have a leader and he needs one pronto.
I advise you to look for a trainer and a behaviorist that is near you and go to
this person for the guidance that you very much need.
Maybe the breeder of your dog can recommend someone or you can go the
www.DPCA.org and click onto breeder referral
and then your state and look for a breeder near you for a recommendation too.
You may be able to call your local Obedience Club or Kennel Club for a
recommendation.
He is two years old but it is not too late make him a good dog.
If you can get the National Geographic channel, check your local schedule and
look for the program, The Dog Whisperer and tune in to that to get an idea of
the problem and what needs to be done.
You need to find a person like this person to help you.
Please get serious and do this as soon as possible. You will be doing your
Doberman and yourself a huge favor, trust me.
Thank you for writing.
Q: from Judy Ingram
Date: 25-July-2007
Comments: ears
My puppies ears have been trimmed for 2 months. The vet says they are too thin
and will not stand. What can be done?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Judy,
I don't like to refute your veterinarian, but I tend to disagree with him. Refer
to our articles about ear taping. You can either go to
our articles page to find them or just read a few
questions and answers (a couple of Questions ago-you won't have to go too far)
and find the links and click onto them.
You will just have to keep taping. Most ears do not stand until the puppy is
about 6 months old and many even longer.
Can your breeder be your mentor. Is the breeder living reasonably close to you?
If not, can your breeder refer you to another breeder near you to help you with
a taping method.
Just keep trying. Is your vet the person who cropped your puppies ears?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
If they are taped correctly and keep on taping, they should stand. We have
several good articles on this web site showing how to tape ears. I assume this
Vet did not crop the ears. Hopefully you had someone who is experienced crop the
ears. Go back to them or the breeder also for help.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Judy:
You need to keep wrapping them. Please check our website for the various ideas on how to wrap ears. DPCA Breeder Education
Q: from Nancy Broock
Date: 19-July-2007
Comments: ear corrections
Is there any way to correct a puppies cropped ears if they tend
to over stand - fall towards the pup's skull?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Nancy,
You will have to continue to tape the ears. The ears have formed pockets. These
pockets are formed at the skull on the top of the head and on the backside of
the ear. To help this problem you have to be careful not to have the taped ears
tipping over the top of the head when you place the lower piece of tape around
the ear. Pull the tip to about a 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock angle and insert the
post deep down into the ear then put the lower piece of tape onto the ear base
or bottom of the ear close to the head the head. In other words you are taping
the ears angled to the outside. Of course tape the posted ear as you normally
would to the tip. If you look closely you will see the pocket pop out when you
do this. Be sure that when you do this that the post doesn't ride up in the ear
hole. Keep it pushed down into the ear tight.I hope that this is understandable
and helps you.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Depending on the pups age and how long it's been since cropping, you should be
able to correct the ears. You have what we call "dimples" close to the base of
the ears. I would suggest you go back to posting them but make sure that the
"dimple" is pushed out by putting a cotton ball against it on the
inside and then add your post. The post MUST be put down snug in the ear and not
allowed to pop out causing the ear to again lay or lean over towards the other
ear. Leave this up for about 4 to 5 days. Take down and see how it's doing. If
it's still going over again, you will need to put something like one of the
popcorn bits that come in packaging boxes against the dimple to pop it out. Use
surgical adhesive to hold it in place. You might want to use this method instead
of the cotton ball in the first place. Make sure the ears don't get raw or sore.
If they do, take them down immediately and
wait until they are healed.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Nancy:
Please go to the website under the articles there are many suggested methods of
wrapping ears to correct different problems. DPCA Breeder Education . Be sure
you brace the ears at the skull so the can't pitch in while they are in wraps
and over time that should correct the problem.
Q: from M Hupp
Date: 17-July-2007
Comments: cropping ears
Can a Dobe have ears cropped at 1 to 2 yrs old?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
This is not recommended. This type of surgery at that age is cruel and unusual and the likelihood of the ears standing is very slight.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
It can be done but I would totally be against it. Chances are the ears would
never stand anyway. It is inhumane to subject an older dog to this. If you got
her uncropped, leave her that way. NO NO NO!
A: from from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello M. Hupp
I feel that the answer to your question would be "no".
It can depend a little, but I feel that to be successful in to having the
cropped ears stand, that they would have to be cut very short depending on where
the natural and well developed fold is in the ear itself. You would have ears
that only were about an inch to an inch and a half tall and that would be
unattractive. With the ears cropped any longer or past that fold, it would be
next to impossible to get them to stand straight and up to erect.
Also the surgery at this age may be much more evasive for your buddy to go
through. You should talk to your vet about this for a second and professional
opinion.
I hope that our answers help you in your decision.
Q: from Claudia
Date: 12-July-2007
Comments: Temperament
I've been reading everything I can about Dobermans for several years. I think
that a Dobe is a great match for me. However, I don't have much hands-on
experience on training. Would it be more beneficial if I were to get dog that's
a little less dominate as a first pet instead of a Doberman?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Claudia,
You will want to find a reputable and a knowledgeable breeder of the Doberman. When you do, you will want to interview the breeder as the breeder will you. You should be able to talk about this question with the breeder and the breeder should have the knowledge to help you manage your new puppy. You would have to do this with any kind of dog that you get.
There are articles on our pages that you can read now to help
you determine whether or not that you can handle a Doberman.
The Doberman is an obedient dog and you can start training him/she the moment
that you bring the puppy home. I always tell people this, "whatever you do not
want you puppy to do at 90 lbs, do not allow him to do it at 9 lbs." In other
words, if you are not going to want the puppy on your furniture as an adult,
don't allow it as a puppy.
The same goes with the puppy jumping on you or whatever.
The bottom line is that the breeder can help you with your establishing a
relationship between you and your dog. You will always have to be the "leader"
or the boss starting from day one.
If you do decide to go ahead and get a Doberman puppy, but the booklet,
SuperPuppy How to Raise the Best Dog You'll Ever have! by Peter Vollmer. You can
get this book either by calling 800-342-7877 or logging onto
www.superpuppy.com.
Again, find a breeder that you can talk to about your concerns
and questions. All of them. Try to see their dogs and the puppies. Remember too,
the breeder should be a person who will be your mentor to be called upon for
help with your Doberman for life.
Have you located a breeder yet? If not, check the breeder referral page at
www.DPCA.org to look for breeders in your
state and near you.
If you need to just call and talk to someone for now, you can call me. I help
with this all of the time. I am in California.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Claudia:
I don't think it's an issue a Doberman being your first pet. Find a reputable breeder in your area that can mentor you in this endeavor. There are also a lot of articles regarding the Doberman and their temperaments on our website DPCA Breeder Education.
These articles can prove to be very beneficial in selecting the right puppy for your lifestyle. Also, if you go to www.dpca.org you can find a list of mentors in each state and perhaps there is one near you that can also help you out.
Good Luck.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
First of all, I would visit several good Dobe breeders who have been in the
breed a min. of 10 years. Visit their dogs. See the difference in them.
Some may be more laid back and easy to live with, others may have more prey
drive and be somewhat hyper and wanting more attention. Age sure has a lot to do
with it as well. Most puppies are very active and need constant training and
attention.
Make sure you find a breeder close to you that has the temperament of what you
are looking for and they will help you in training.
If you are a "Golden Retriever" type person, maybe a Doberman is not what you
should have. Dobermans are alert, obedient, energetic, watchful and loyal. If
you want this type of temperament then that is what you should get by all means.
How you train them as puppies is what you
get in an adult.
First, find the best breeder of show dogs you can find and go from there.
Q: from Todd
Date: 7-July-2007
Comments: Registation # WZ
In your news letter I received with my Dobermans papers one of the articles said
I should not breed if my dogs registration # started with a WZ. Could you please
tell me the reasoning on this? I couldn't find anything on this site about this.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
The WZ on your Registration papers means that in your dogs background you have
Albinos in some generations. Albinism is a Disqualification in the Doberman and
is a genetic trait that is not healthy in the Albino as I'm sure you are aware.
It doesn't affect the health of your normal colored Doberman but we have this WZ
in place so breeders do not use dogs with WZ for breeding. You can go to our web
site here and read about the Albinos.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Todd,
Judy Doniere has explained this to you the best. The WZ in the dog's number
tells us that the dog has the albino factor in his ancestry. Since albino is not
a recognized color, it is recommended not to breed them even if it is a
descendent of an albino Doberman.
You can find an article on our pages: The History of the Albino Doberman. You can
also find information on the DPCA pages. On this
page you can look at the "Z" list.
With these articles you will learn why it is not recommended to
breed the Albino Doberman or Dobermans of any allowed colors that carry the
albino gene.
Your breeder should know all about this too.
Hopefully this information will give you the answer that you are looking for.
Q: from Cindy
Date: 6-June-2007
Comments: Temperament
I have a 15 week old male pup who is very bitey and has been from the beginning.
We have been trying different techniques including a spray bottle and a soft
drink can with pennies in it to distract him but he is still biting us when he
gets excited any comments or suggestions for decreasing this behavior would be
welcomed. A trainer is our next step.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Distraction is the best idea. Try shoving a soft toy in his mouth when he comes up to grab you and let him know that's what he should bite. He is still teething badly and his need to chew is just being a puppy his age, but always give him something that will let him trade your hand for a toy.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Cindy,
Your next step is now. A good trainer could be some good hands on advice for you. We do however, have some articles on our pages that can help you too. Please read them for the education. I hand both of these articles out in my puppy book with each puppy. http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/outmeansno.htm Reading the first paragraph in this article could be helpful. http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/nipnipping.htm http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/PDF/Dominance.pdf
When your puppy is biting you he needs to be stopped, not
necessarily distracted. You need to hold him still and tell him in a firm tone
"No-No bite". Hold onto him until he stops. By holding on hold onto the skin on
each side of his neck and look him in the eye and give him a quick shake and
give your command in a firm voice but not yelling, "No-No bite". Hold onto him
until he quits squirming and he is listening to you then let him go and say
"good dog" (use his/her name). This would be how his canine Mother would teach
him. Praising him too is also what his canine Mother would do. She would do it
by gently licking him, you can do it by stroking him. Then you give him a toy or
something and engage in playtime or just walk away and come back later to pet
him or whatever. If he starts in again, go through the process again. You must
win every time. If he doesn't "get it", his canine Mother may have to nail him
good with a firm growl.
You have to be the boss and be in control of whatever he is going to be doing
with you. You need to be serious with him.
His canine Mother may find it necessary to take him to the
ground and hold him in place by growling at him until he calms down and/or
submits. The
sooner that you get this under control, the better. He is growing and getting
bigger and stronger by the day.
I also suggest a booklet, SuperPuppy How to Raise the Best Dog
You'll Ever have! by Peter Vollmer. You can get this book either by calling
800-342-7877
or logging onto www.superpuppy.com.
I hope that this helps you get this problem handled soon.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Cindy:
I would recommend you see a trainer so they can see what is happening and what
is causing the problem. They would be best suited to help you in person. I do
know that the more attention you pay to it the worse it will get, so telling
them "No Bite" and holding their mouths and any other reaction will play into
what the puppy wants, which is attention.
Q: from John Cruikshank
Date: 29-June-2007
Comments:
Hi I bought a Doberman Pinscher from Europe. It's a European Doberman and is 3
months and is black with brown paws and is now growing white hairs. What could
that be?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello John,
Where are the white hairs. It is not uncommon for a Doberman to have a few white
hairs on the chest or on a toe. Sometimes they will get little white hairs
around a play bite wound that they get from playing with littermates or an
injury. One time in the 60's I saw a Doberman female get white hairs
dispersed throughout her black coat. While it was disturbing we were told that
it would go away and it eventually did. This was an unusual pheromone and I have
only seen it this one time.
Our standard addresses white on a Doberman Pinscher as " White patch on chest,
not exceeding 1/2 square inch, permissible."
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
John:
Without seeing the dog in person it's difficult to tell you why it's growing white hairs. Go to www.dpca.org and find a local breeder or mentor that can look at the dog and offer you some advice.
Q: from LuAnn Damon
Date: 26-June-2007
Comments: canine active hepatitis
Our AKC registered 6 yr old female died June 4, 2007 of canine active hepatitis.
Is this a disease that can be tested for at birth? We contacted the breeder but
she has not responded.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello LuAnn,
I don't believe that we can test for Canine Active Hepatitis (Copper Toxicosis)
at birth. Here is an article that is on our pages about Chronic Hepatitis.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/chronic%20hepatitis.html and here is
another
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/liver_diseases.htm. Here is an article about
Canine Active Hepatitis
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/CAH.htm.
Here is one that I found by Googling Canine Active Hepatitis.
http://www.auntjeni.com/copper.htm
and one more
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4086350&dopt=Abstract
I think that the best that you can do is interview the breeder as the breeder
should interview you and buy a Doberman whose parents, grand-parents and even
more generations are test for all of the inherent diseases that plague the
Doberman and further ask if there have been incidences of CAH in the lines that
they are breeding from and make your decision based on that.
A breeder that does all of this testing will tell you that they are concerned
with health of their line when making breeding decisions. There are no
guarantees but at least you know that they are trying to breed a healthy
Doberman.
I hope that these articles can give you even more information about the disease.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
I'm sorry for your loss. This is a disease that can be genetic and seen in many
lines. It is not different than Cardiomyopathy and CVI which are also genetic
diseases. Dobermans in general are predisposed to all three diseases and are not
related to any particular lineage. It's unfortunate but this is one of the
diseases that take our Dobermans at a young age. This is not a disease that can
be tested for at birth, you can however, run yearly blood panels as part of a
normal physical and hope that you can catch it in it's early stages but
unfortunately that is not usually the case. By the time the dog shows signs of
the disease, it's usually in it's final stages but blood work can show subtle
changes prior to this.
Q: from Susan Adams
20-June-2007
Comments: wae
a test called the wae you folks give could you state age requiered.thanks
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Please go to www.dpca.org and you will find the requirements for entering a
WAE
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Susan, the instructions for entering a WAE are posted to the DPCA website.
Please go to www.dpca.org and do the research
there. You can also contact Ellen Hanley at
ellenpoppy@aol.com for further information regarding WAE testing as she is
the DPCA Coordinator.
Q: from Randy
Comments: Glue?
What type of glue is used for the ears? I got a response to my other question
about gluing the ears together on top of the head so the sutuers can heal. What
kind of glue is used.
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Dobermans, Canada
It's called skin bond and can be found at any prosthetic supply
Q: from Randy
Date: 18-June-2007
Comments: ear cropping procedure
I'm getting 2 Doberman puppies and want to crop their ears. I have been calling
a lot of places and was wondering if it really makes a difference if after the
surgery the puppy goes home with his ears untaped. Then returns 10 days later to
get them taped, or should they be taped right away. Most vets I have talked to
say the dog goes home with the ears down so the sutures can heal then they tape
them up. I just want to make sure I do the right thing since you can only do
this once!
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
My procedure is to glue the ears over the head, one on top of the other with
sutures exposed. Once they are healed we post them. You can find some good post
articles on this web site. If they are left hanging, the will shake their ears
and may bleed or get hematomas. Plus they are harder to get to
stand.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Randy:
There are many vets that tape the ears over the head flat until they heal and
the stitches are removed. I however, believe they should be put up immediately.
There are several different thoughts on this. I use Styrofoam cups and glue the
ears to them until they are healed, then I begin the rolling process. Having
said that, there are breeders out there that don't put the ears up until they
are completely healed and instead tape them over the head. I don't recommend
letting them hang as they can shake their heads and get hemotomas on the edges
or cause bleeding.
Q: from Tamee
Date: 17-June-2007
Comments: Behavior in mating season
I am a first time owner of the breed and so quite out of water. My
brother-in-law has an American Bull Dog female and obviously we don't want them
breeding so have kept them apart. My Doberman though is now showing signs of not
eating and seems to be very focused and intent on getting to the female. Should
I house him on a different property until her heat is over?
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Dobermans, Canada
Yes, I would Tamee...it is quite hard on most males when the bitch is ready and
it sounds like she is.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Tamee:
You should keep them as separated as possible and if that means boarding him
somewhere else, then that is probably what you should do. Also, when she is out
of season and you bring him back home you will have to carefully introduce them
back together. He will be very interested in her until he realizes that she is
no longer in season.
Q: from Gloria Pascoe
Date: 5-June-2007
Comments: Weight Loss
11 years and 4 month old Dobermann losing weight gradually, now weighs in at 30
kgs, ribs, spine and pin bones very prominent. Happy, eating well and blood
tests are normal, vet not really concerned!! just says the dog is a happy old
person! Thoroughly wormed, eats well - what on earth can it be?. Already
investigating a higher carbohydrate food. Sleeps well like old dogs do and plays
with his great grand daughter (under HIS terms) Heart is sound and there are no
ominous lumps or bumps.
I am very worried about him, good muscles on hind quarters, for an old dog, but
his back end is is starting to fail, front has much muscle wastage. I would
really appreciate suggestions on how to manage this,. Thank you.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Gloria,
You need to take him to a good veterinarian and have blood tests and other tests run until you determine why that this is happening. Good luck.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Gloria:
If your veterinarian thinks he's in good health other than old age you could
either go with what he says or get a second opinion.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello mak reyes,
Let me refer you to some of the articles on our list about pregnancy. I don't
know exactly what a bitch weights when she is pregnant but it considerably a lot
more than her normal weight as the pregnancy advances towards the whelping date
her weight will increase. A common (average) weight for the puppies when they
are born from my experience and depending on the size of the litter is around 16
oz give or take a little.
There is an article on our pages that talks about this a little. Within this
article is a chart that tells you when to start feeding your pregnant girl more
food.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/PDF/Euk_Repro.pdf Scroll to Management of the
Bitch: Pre-Breeding To Whelping and read that and it has a chart to examine for
a guideline.
This is another good article to read for reference.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/changes_bitch_foetus.htm
Go to our articles page and in the Breeding &/or Genetics section, you will find
a number of articles that should help you during the pregnancy stages and for
the actual whelping and the raising of your letter. Look at the other sections
to for a wealth of education about the Doberman.
I hope that we have helped you and good luck.
If you have more questions. please ask.
Q: from Amber Bloom
Date: 1-June-2007
Comments: growth
I have a 5-1/2 month old male Dobe pup, and he weighs 53 pounds. I would like to
know if he is of good size ? He does have big feet and big knuckles, is not
small boned His father is 115 pounds and his mom is 85 pounds. Please let me
know the growth chart of Doberman puppies.. The breeder said his line is slow to
mature and grow....Is there such thing as that? Help!!!!
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Amber,
I would venture to say without looking at your puppy and by your description of the size of his feet and knuckles that he is within the range for a normal sized Doberman at this age.
The sire at 115 lbs and the dam at 85 lbs are either are carrying too much weight or they are oversized. The average male, that is standard sized in height (26-28 inches tall) and has heavy bone and substance that is described in the standard, usually weighs in the 80's or low 90's on the average. Some can be more but 115 lbs is a high for a Doberman who is a medium sized dog in height. The female (24 to 26 inches) is a bit lighter in weigh and not as tall as the male, can weigh from 55lbs to about 65 lbs or so on the average. I have a female that is around 70 lbs but she is right up there at 26 inches too, maybe 261/4 at that. She does carry heavy bone and she does have substance too.
I am not sure that we have a growth chart on the articles pages or if there even is one available. If your breeder says that he is okay in size at this time, I wouldn't worry. Also the breeder says that the line grows slow. He will have his height at about 10 months. He will gain muscle mass as he grows older and may gain a tad more height as he gains muscle. He will gain weight with his maturity too. I wouldn't worry yet. At this time he is within the normal range for his age.
Marj
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Amber:
Each Doberman grows at a different rate, there is no specific "growth chart" as
there is in humans. I would say that 115 and 85 lbs are overweight or oversized.
You male should be within 75-90 lbs at full growth and a bitch would be between
50-60 lbs average at full growth. Without seeing your puppy and his bone, etc.
it's hard to say whether or not he's within normal ranges. Your veterinarian
should be able to tell you if he's in good weight for his proportional bone
size.
Q: from Bonnie
Date: 30-May-2006
Comments: Returning Puppy
Hi. How do you typically handle a returned puppy that you sold?
I whelped a gorgeous litter of pups in December, and the puppies all went to
their new homes in March. I have an owner that is returning a puppy to me be/c
he now has health issues that is restricting what he can do with the puppy - he
feels he needs to do what is best for the now 5 month old puppy. (I did put in
my contract for all owners to contact me first if they need to find a home for
ANY reason for their puppy). This pup is coming back to me tonight. I requested
the AKC papers back and all vet papers proving the shots he had taken him for. I
am going to have him sign a release of ownership before he leaves. He also does
not expect, or will not be getting a refund since the puppy is being returned
under no fault of the puppy.
This owner did not want cropped ears, so the ears are natural - which I think
may make this puppy harder to place. Do you know of any alternative ways to have
ears cropped at 20 weeks? My guess is it is way to late and the cartilage has
already strengthened.
This puppy is also not neutered. Would you neuter him before re-homing? He is of
good quality, but will probably not be a show dog be/c of the natural ears.
Do you typically try to sell returned older pups? I do not want to give him away
'free' as I am afraid of where/who/what would happen.
I also am planning on keeping him for a little bit to learn what this puppy has
and has not learned in the past couple of months.
Have I forgotten anything??? Thanks again for your support & help!
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Bonnie,
I believe that 20 months old is getting to be a bit too old to crop the ears. I cannot say this for sure without seeing the puppy. I would take the puppy to your veterinarian that does your cropping and see what he/she suggests. An veterinarian who is an experienced ear cropper can tell you by examining his ears. You don't want to do this if the vet feels that his ears will not stand a chance to stand erect. We are often still taping ears at this age though and that is what tells me that it this not impossible.
I would recommend that he be neutered at the right age for him which would be more like close to a year old. I would require this of his new owner in the contract.
I probably do not have to tell you that you should have the puppies ears
cropped before you place them in the future. This often happens and yes they
are harder to place. This is one of the reasons why that I recommend cropping at
a younger age and having the cut ears healed before they leave
the breeders home.
There are people out there that want uncropped Dobermans though.
Check with your veterinarian and good luck.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Bonnie:
You will see on this website a few examples of contracts. I see that you had one
on this sale. Normally we do not refund money on a returned puppy, instead we
usually offer a replacement because normally it's being returned due to a
problem with the puppy. But, when there is a situation such as this you just
have to make a decision. If the health of the buyer is a real issue that might
be a reason to offer a refund. It's really up to you and what was in the
contract.
On another note, most breeders are hesitant to sell an uncropped puppy for
exactly this reason. It will be difficult to place him with natural ears but I
would definitely have him neutered before he is placed.
Q: from Debbi Zacher
Date: 23-May-2007
Comments: dog trainers
What is the average cost of hiring a private dog trainer to come to your home to
solve behavioral difficulties?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Debbi:
This really varies with the type of training, the area the training is being
performed at, whether you have them come to your house or you go to theirs. I
would recommend you do a search on line for trainers in your area and get an
average cost from that.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Debbi,
I do not know the answer to this question. Hopefully one of the others do. I can
maybe find out though if nobody can give you an answer. Let me know.
Comments: demand for Dobies?
My husband and I love the Doberman breed. They are our favorite of all dog breeds. We own a large farm and we have been tossing around the idea of breeding and selling Dobie puppies. However, we are wondering what the demand is for Doberman pups. Where we live there are very few to be found. In fact I think we are the only ones that own Dobies in our county. Can you tell me what the market is for Dobie pups? Thanks so much!
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Jessi,
This is a tough one to answer. The market for selling Doberman Pinschers is
better than others depending on where you live. From your short description of
where you live, this does not sound like a good market area. There is so much to
consider when you think of breeding Dobermans or any kind of dog. it is not a
profitable business venture, trust me. It is a labor of love. There is so much
to know and do.
We have answered this sort of a question before and I am hoping that I could
direct you to looking through our Q&A archives and see how this question was
answered. Also on our pages there are many articles about becoming a breeder and
what it takes.
Can you do this and then ask us questions if you need to later?
I found a similar question and answer on page 7 or here:
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/QAArchives7.htm. Look around for more. We have
answered this question a few times.
Good luck and please come back if we can help you more.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Jessie:
I don't think there is a great "market" for Doberman puppies; most breeders do
not make any money. In order to breed there are many costs that you will incur.
Both parents should be of good conformation quality and preferably Champions of
record. Showing your dogs is not inexpensive and completing a championship can
be very costly. Then you should fully test each of the breeding pair. The costs
of testing can run up to $500.00 or more. You should test for thyroid, heart,
hips, elbows, vWD and brucellosis. Then you have the cost of raising the litter.
You have tails and dew claws and ears to do before placing them in their new
homes. These are all the things an ethical breeder must first do. I suggest you
become involved with the Doberman Pinscher Club of America and learn what you
can about the breed and the ethics of breeding good dogs. You can go to
www.dpca.org to begin that process. Look for a
breed mentor in your area and go to shows to see and learn. Good Luck.
Comments: Doberman colors
My question is this: I have a female Doberman that is dark red and rust, I want to breed her, but I don't know if I should go with a black and rust male or a red and rust male. I am not sure what color pups they will throw. Can you help me with this?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Jody,
If you breed your red Doberman with another red, you will get all red Dobermans.
If both the sire and the dam happen to carry the gene for dilution, you will
have a chance for fawn puppy. If they don't they will be all red. Red is
recessive.
If you breed her to a black Doberman you have chances for all four colors
depending on the color heritage of the parents to be.
You can get all blacks if the black male is dominate black. If he carries the
recessive for red you can get black and red puppies and if he carries black with
a dilute for black you can get black and possibly a blue puppy and if he is
black recessive and carries the dilute gene and if your red female carries the
dilute gene, you could get all 4 colors.
There is a color chart on our articles page to study just in case I am confusing
with my words.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/colorinheritance.htm
After studying the chart and you have more questions please don't hesitate to
ask.
Thank you.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Jody:
If you go to www.dpca.org you will find a
color chart on the breed. The surface color is one thing but there is also an
array of hidden color dominance traits within each of the inpidual dogs. It all
depend on their heritage. A red dog or bitch can carry dilution producing red's
and fawns. A black dog can carry dilution and produce blacks, blues, reds and
fawns. You must double on the diluted factor in order to get blues and fawns.
There are also many articles on breeding located on our
Article Page - a subsidiary of the Doberman
Pinscher Club Of America and specifically a chart on color inheritance here
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/colorinheritance.htm
Q: from Cindy Onofrey
Date: 8-May-2005
Comments: Choosing A Puppy
We are planning on getting 2 puppies -a male and a female from the same litter,
we are previous dobe owners who have done this before. What are the pros and
cons of this? I've heard that this is not recommended.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Cindy:
This is not recommended and I as a breeder would not sell littermates to the
same home. Often the pups become so attached to each other they lack good human
socialization skills. It takes very experienced training to raise two together.
I have kept littermates but always share them with my co-breeder who lives in
another home. This allows the puppies to become more individualized and not
dependent on each other.
Hope this helps. I can think of no pros to doing this.
Q: from ???
Date: 7-May-2007
Comments:
When are all the shows on the East coast?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello ?
You can find out where all of the shows are on the east coast in a number of
places. Here are two;
www.AKC.org
www.infodog.com
Enjoy the shows.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Dear Annonymous:
Please go to www.akc.org and events and shows and find your answer.
Hello Jaclyn,
There are a couple of things that you can do. If you live near the breeder of
your puppy, you can contact this person and ask for help or ask if they
know of another breeder near you that you can contact for on hands help. You can
also go the www.DPCA.org and go to Breeder
referral and click onto your
state and hopefully find a breeder near you to contact and ask for help. Most
all of us are very willing to help.
We also have a couple of articles on our pages. This one has several methods all in one article and I personally like #11, puppy ear taping by Carol Petruzzo which is illustrated: http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ears11.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ears1.htm for all of the methods.
Here is another great illustrated article on how to tape the ears by Eve Auch here: http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/PDF/Auch_Ear_Taping.pdf
I hope that something here helps you.
Comments: castration?
I have rescued a 6 1/2 yr old male Dobe, Major. He is not fixed. I have heard they are going to start banding on dogs like they do on live stock. Is this true and is it better on the animal than the nip and cut? His father had a year or so of cancer and lost his battle, Major was then just feed and had no contact with people. He is great shape, a bit to fat. So is this an option? Vet checked and in good health.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Angie,
I am not familiar with the banding method. In fact I would venture to say that this what you have heard about this method being done is untrue. I could be wrong, but it actually seems like an inhumane way to do this.
I would talk to your veterinarian about neutering Major and have your veterinarian do the surgery. Neutering a dog is a regular surgery where Major would anesthetised for the surgery to be done in a painless manner for him.
I hope that this answers your question.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Angie:
I would not recommend such a process for castration. Neutering is a
safe surgery when performed by a veterinarian. His age should not be a
factor but I would definitely recommend neutering him as is could help prolong
his life.
Jessica:
We have articles on our website on this very subject. Here's one link to one particular example of such an article http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html. Please go back to this website you posed your question on and check the "articles" menu for more interesting articles on health and genetics.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Sam:
Locate and order a book called Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats by Kymythy R. Shultze and she also has a no-cook book call the The Natural Nutrition No Cook Book. I just recently ordered these books myself and I plan to read them as they were recommended by more than one breeder to me. I ordered mine from www.dogwise.com but I'm sure you'd be able to locate them on Amazon or other book distributors.
Sam:
It's always good to hear that our advice was worth while. Good luck with your Dobe.
Bonnie:
Different Bitches vary from a whelping but the normal cycle time would be 6 months from the previous season or 4 months from whelping.
Samantha:
You are in luck, I just went through this same thing about four months ago and I was recommended this recipe, it does work. Keep in mind though that even after you reduce the smell, when the dog gets wet for the next few months, the odor will return while their coat is wet and go away when they are dry.
Good Luck,
Samantha,
I will forward this to the others to see what they recommend BUT because of the urgency I am writing privately to you. Rush out and get LOTS of canned tomato juice and use that everywhere. You can also buy feminine douche and use that...both DO help a lot and are safe.
A: from
You can go to the DPCA website and find a mentor in your area, they may be able to help you find a veterinarian that does ears. Go to www.dpca.com . There is a link under educational committees that have a list of mentors.
Comments: I have been asked to breed my 2 yr old male Dobie.
I would like to have a simple contract available. Are there any sample contracts out there or where might I look for some.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA Please click here in order to view a Sample Stud Contract. We are currently working on publishing a variety of sample contracts to this site.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Valerie,
There are contracts that are used and a contract should be used. I don't know where you can get a sample contract. I did look on our pages and we do have an article about the legalities of contracts.
Basically you put your agreement in writing. If you want for example, all of
the puppies that you place to spayed or neutered, you specify this in the
contract.
I have written a note to the group to see about getting a few examples up onto
the site. Everybody's contracts are a little different and I am understanding
that you just need to see something to get an idea for your contract. Good on
you though for doing this responsible deed if you are going to breed your dog.
Remember you are just as responsible for the puppies for their lives as the breeder (owner of the female and the resulting litter) is.
We put a sample Stud Contract Up on the site and are looking at posting other contracts as well in the near future so please keep checking back..
Bill:
If you go to www.dpca.org you will find the Doberman illustrated standard posted there. You can read up on the size specifications. Dogs do continue to grow past the age of 12 months but not a lot. This seems like a little small for our standard.
Q: from Cris Mattsen
Date: Friday, September 19, 2003
Comments: Doberman Health
My 3 year old Doberman vomits, in my opinion, often. (once a week or so) It is always a small amount, of greenish colored mucus. Our vet seems unconcerned, and I have been told this is common to the breed. He is not under weight, seems completely healthy, (besides his breath) and this is nothing new, it has been happening for well over a year. Any Comments???
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Well the obvious is does the dog eat grass? Are you feeding anything that could cause the color to be green? Do you give ice cubes? Is there any addition to his diet or vitamins that are given just before he vomits? Does he vomit just mucus or is it undigested food?
Chris:
Ice cubes can cause a reaction in the stomach to the cold and force regurgitation, I have a Doberman that will immediately do that after eating an ice cube or something that is too warm as well. Also, I recently attended a presentation by a Doggie Dentist and he recommended NOT to give dogs ice cubes as they often will break teeth on them.
Comments: Swollen Joint
My 5 yr old Dobe has been limping for a week now. It appears to have occurred after running and excercising. He will still put weight on it and is still active, but the front paw- toe joint appears swollen and is very tender to the touch. Any suggestions? I do have a vet appt tomorrow afternoon but was inquiring if this is something that may perhaps wait a few more days.
mmaldo:
Please take your dog to the Veterinarian for x-rays. He could have a broken toe, they may or may not be able to mend it but at any rate they can give him pain medication.
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
I had a Doberman...it had kidney failure in 2003. I miss the dog who was age 10.
Allen:
There are a few natural eared champions in America but I am not aware of a natural tailed dog being shown or finished. The issue of uncropped ears is a sensitive one with judges as our standard calls for a cropped and docked dog. Some judges will penalize an uncropped dog and other will not. It's a matter of interpretation of our standard. If you have an outstanding quality dog, being uncropped should not keep it from finishing it's American Championship, I really can't say for undocked. Both of these natural qualities could be penalized based on our standard but they are not disqualifications and can therefore be shown.
If I had an imported dog, I would want some American breeders/handlers/mentors to look at him to give you input on his competitiveness here in America. You should locate shows in your area and got here to meet breeders and handlers in hopes of gaining some mentors.
Katy:
I really depends on the size of the white spot. If it's a few hairs and pretty faint I would not be too concerned about it.
Lindsay:
Basically you are comparing the puppy against the standard when you are
grading them. Most breeders will look at their puppies periodically over
an 8 week period and pretty much know how they are going to grade out but
officially most breeders do an overall grading in the 8th week. You
basically are looking for these attributes on that day and some lines can change
but after years of doing it, most breeders can pretty much tell. The only
thing you can not tell much about is the mouths at that age but the structure is
there and so is the temperament.
Lisa:
If you go to the home page of www.dpca.org you can go to http://www.dpca.org/JEC/mentors.htm to locate a mentor that lives in you area. They are specifically for Judges Education but could also help you. You can also go to http://www.dpca.org/DPCAChapterClubs.html and locate a chapter club that is closest to you and try to attend some of their meetings and meet people. Lastly, you can attend some shows in your area and meet breeders/exhibitors ringside. Again, either of these contacts could help you locate people in your area that you can meet, etc.
Hope this helps.
Vad:
You can go to www.dpca.org and check on the
breeder referral link to find breeders in your area. Or you can
check on the "mentor" link and find a mentor for your area that can help you
find a good breeder. Hope this helps.
Donna:
The oldest Doberman I saw was 16 years old and I've seen more than one that age, but not a lot. You are very luck to have one that is 14, give her hugs and kisses from all of us.
Comments: Chew toys for puppies
What kind is for a puppy? I understabd rawhides aren't the best. Nylabones, etc?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Mary,
Whether or not rawhide bones are okay depend on the dog. Some dogs chew on
them and they last a really long time. Other will feverishly chew on them
and eat them in a matter of too short of a time. These dogs can have them but
the need to be watched.
I don't often give my dogs rawhide bones but when I have, I like to give the rawhide bones that are made in America, only because I have heard that the ones made in other countries other are not as safe and I forget why. I like to give them the bigger one too. I also like the rawhide bones that are rolled up and not have the knots at each end.
What I really like to give my dogs is big raw meaty bone that I get from the butcher. I get a whole femur bone.
Nylabones are pretty safe and for a puppy a rawhide should be fine too. Just
watch the puppy periodically just to make sure the chewing is going okay.
When the puppy is outside raw meaty bones are the best in my opinion. They get
meat and calcium and other nutrients from real beef bones.
A: from Darwin Dobermans, USA
Mary:
You want to buy toys that are non-destructible, hard rubber is best for puppies, however, if your puppy is not a chewer soft toys work well too, you must make sure he won't chew them up though. Depending on the age of the puppy, most won't chew soft toys up until they are older adolescents. Nylabones are ok for most dogs there are a few "hard" chewers that could break teeth by biting too hard, again depends on the dog. There are conflicting opinions on rawhides, but the most commonly agreed upon issue is that you make sure they are made in the US and not another country to be sure they are cured properly. Just remember a dog can get into trouble with just about anything, they can get a blockage from any item that they either swallow whole or eat fabric or bite off large edges of nylabones. You have to know your dog (puppy).
Comments: Hair loss in Dilutes
I know that hair loss and skin problems (alopecia) are common in dilute
Doberman colors (blues and fawns). Are the coat problems associated with genes
outside of the color genes? For example, good coat dilute x good coat dilute
higher chance for good coat dilute? Or is it more: good coat dilute x good coat
dilute same chance for bad coat? Or have people avoided breeding dilute colors
enough so that no one really knows?
This is for my own curiosity rather than anything else. I was just wondering if
it would be possible to breed specifically for dilutes that have good coats (in
addition to everything else).
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Loren,
According to the studies alopecia in the Doberman Pinscher is related to the
blues and fawns. That is and has been what the experts say. They actually
call it Color Dilution Alopecia.
http://www.upei.ca/cidd/intro.htm If you can't get it from this, try this,
http://www.upei.ca/cidd/ then click onto
breeds, then Dobermans and scroll to Color Dilution Alopecia and click that.
Blues and fawns most often come from parents that have normal (good) coats
that are not dilutes. There was a top sire in our breed in the early 1960's,
Ch. Felix vom Arhrtal that was a blue Doberman who was afflicted with color
dilution alopecia. I had a top producing son of Felix, Ch. Alnwick's Black
Fury Bismarck, that produced blues and fawns. Many of the blues and fawns that
he sired had this affliction and oddly enough it was the blues that
were afflicted more often than the fawns. It does have something to do with the
melatonin and the blues do have darker pigment than the fawns and I
don't know if that anything to do with anything. I have seen plenty of fawns
that have had alopecia however. Bismarck never sired a black or a red Doberman
that had alopecia.
You know, I have seen blue Dobermans and fawn Dobermans who do not have
alopecia and the color is beautiful and the coats normal and shiny.
I guess that I have to say that I do not know for sure but from what I have read
and seen the alopecia is linked somehow with the blue and fawn colors.
I am sure that I am not using the correct terminology. I would guess even if
dilutes with good coats were bred to dilutions with good coats one would
still get dilutes with alopecia as well as maybe some without alopecia and I
just say that because it seems logical to me. I have not heard of a study or
of a breeder who has tested this theory though.
I know that I probably haven't really answered your question. I guess that it would be possible with selective breeding to breed dilutes that didn't have this problem but I do not know for sure. My logic says no and I don't know of a breeder that has tried. Maybe JuD has some more information.
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
How do I know what puppy will most likely will be a good pick? Do I buy one after the ears are cropped? How do I find a recommended breeder that doesn't only breed for show but also for home protection? What costs for this dog, a male, should I on average pay? I am searching for these answers to make a proper decision when I buy my buddy for life.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Mark,
You should interview the breeder about your concerns and for what you want
and have specific questions to ask the breeder to insure that you get what
you want. We all are suppose to breed for the total Doberman that can do
whatever venue of training that your choose. There are some breeders that
specialize in the working sport for their dogs.
You can go to www.DPCA.com and click onto
breeder referral and then click onto your state and find reputable breeders.
There are a lot of articles on
our WebPages that talk about all aspects of the ideal Doberman including the
proper temperament. Some of them are new articles and can be identified
right now with a flashing star. After you read these Articles you should be able
to formulate a line of questioning for you to ask the breeder that fits you and
your wants.
Most reputable breeders sell their puppies with the ears already cropped and healed.
The average price is give or take a little around $1200.00 to $1500.00.
The parents should be health tested for all of the inherent diseases that
plague the Doberman so that breeding decisions for good health can be made.
The same goes for temperament and conformation.
Please look our pages over for the many articles that can help you gain some knowledge so that you can make a good decision for your "buddy for life".
Thank you.
PS: Scan some of the Q&A's below for some shortcuts to some of these articles that I am talking about. Just go to our articles page and scan through the many articles and click onto what you want to read. You can print these articles too to study and formulate your questions for the breeder.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Dear Mark,
I like your last sentence...."your buddy for life".
I would go to a top breeder of Dobes. One how has been in the breed many
years and has proven by their reputation they breed very good Dobes time
after time. There are always some fine puppies from new breeders but you
don't have their background as a predictor of their future efforts as you
would from an established breeder. By saying this, I mean you don't have
the opportunity to learn as much from them and keeping them as your mentor
for the years to come.
A long time breeder would be able to pick out your puppy for you based on your
lifestyle and plans for it. I would let them pick yours for you.
They know their line and what their puppies would most likely turn out to be
both in Conformation & temperament.
Prices are most likely between $1000.00 & $2500.00 depending on breeding,
quality of each pup & sex and also if you want a Conformation or Performance
dog.
I hope this helps you somewhat.
Christine:
I'll try to answer both of your inquiries in this one post. First of all it is NOT normal for a Doberman to attack suddenly and without warning. If such a thing occurs it is not typical Doberman temperament and should be dealt with accordingly.
Many breeders do temperament testing on their puppies in order to determine the right homes for each. Some homes want to do obedience some don't, some homes have children, some don't. We try to match the right puppy to the right home.
If there is a breeder that is not recommended by other breeders you should inquire as to why. Is it because they breed white Doberman's or they have unethical business dealings, etc. You should also always try to check the breeder out first hand to see how the puppies are being raised. You should inquire as to what testing the parents have had prior to being bred. They should have been tested for any inheritable type diseases and those test results should be disclosed to you. Hopefully any breeders listed on the DPCA site are ethical and reputable breeders and you should not have a problem with them. They are required to follow a Code Of Ethics in order to be listed and a member of the DPCA.
Hope this helps.
Comments: weaning
My puppies are 3 wks old and I am trying to start weaning them. A
couple of them are eager to try and some refuse. The mother also seems to
be spending less time in the whelping pen. She must be weaning too??
I am using puppy formula with warm water. How soon do I start adding puppy
food to the mix?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Katy:
You can actually start adding puppy food at any time and make a gruel. I usually start my puppies off with baby meats, rice cereal and formula to get them interested in eating. Once they show interest and eat eagerly I start with ground puppy food mixed in to the gruel as well and gradually decrease the baby rice cereal. There are a lot of different ideas on weaning and ways to do the task. They must be hungry, however, so be sure they have not nursed on their mother prior to feeding them their food. I usually allow them to nurse after they have had a meal and I usually allow my puppies to do so as long as the mother will tolerate it. Some don't want to nurse their puppies past 3 or 4 weeks and others will nurse up to and beyond 6 weeks. Please check out our website for many articles on puppy rearing and weaning at http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ and go to articles.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Katy,
The puppies that are refusing just may not be ready yet. The mother dog does
need to stay with them through the 7th week too. You will be assisting her
by helping out in the feeding department. I can tell you how I do it. Also we
just put an article which is really an answer to a similar question that we
answered a few days ago. The answer is also on the Q&A archives and on the
current page.
http://www.breedered.com/feeding_young_puppies.htm
Here is another about raising the puppies and a little on feeding. http://www.breedered.com/puppyadvice.htm
Don't forget to do the rules of sevens. http://www.breedered.com/ruleof7.htm
Here is another one just about the raising of the puppies. http://www.breedered.com/raising_a_puppy.htm
Just remember that the mother dog needs to be with the puppies and they will
need to get nutrition from her too. She will be teaching them things
too.
http://www.breedered.com/care_of_newborn.htm This gives you an idea of what to do with the pups and the mother up to the 8th week.
These articles will answer the question as to when to start adding the puppy food plus give to you more information.
I hope that this helps you.
Nick:
It is not a good idea to have two un-neutered males together. Even though the puppy is young and they may get along now, that may not be the case later. If you are going to have them in the same household, you may have to take measures to keep them separated. I would also recommend you employ the services of a good trainer to give you advice on how to introduce the two of them. You don't want the lab mix bullying your young Dobe which could lead to other problems later with other dogs.
Comments: Two Puppies?
We are experienced Doberman owners and were expecting to bring home a new
male puppy in about 3 weeks. (We have no other dogs currently in the home) The
breeder just contacted us and has asked us to take the puppy home early (@ 45
days old) because his vet has advised him to remove the bitch from the puppies
immediately. It was a large litter (10) and in spite of the fact the puppies
were already being successfully weaned their access to "mom" has really done
some damage to her nipples, etc. "Mom" has also gotten VERY thin. The breeder's
vet has given the pups their health certification and shots. Our vet's office
told us that while this is an unfortunate circumstance it is not unheard of. We
originally considered getting two puppies (male & female) but after researching
the idea backed off in favor of just one. We have been planning on adding a
female in about a year instead.
After this long winded introduction my question is:
Would there be any benefit(s) for going ahead and bringing home two puppies from
the same litter now due to the early age at which they are going to be separated
from the rest of the litter?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Cindy,
If you need to have a puppy from this litter please only take one. I would
recommend that you don't take any, but I am thinking that you are thinking
that they need to be saved. Taking two will not do any of them any more good,
trust me. The advice that you received earlier was sound.
Six weeks is very young but it can be done. You must commit yourself to take
over where the dog mom leaves off as well as the breeders are leaving off now.
They will be needing probably 6 small meals throughout the day, in an 18 hour
period. You will have to spend a lot of time with your puppy and start
teaching him what his dam (mother) and breeder would do at the age where they
are now.
You will need to take over from day 45 and you will need to do what the
breeder should do. I can offer you a series of articles from our pages to get
you started in the education of what to do. You can print these articles for
reading and study. I hope that you can be home a good part of every day
too.
http://www.breedered.com/educate_pups.htm
http://www.breedered.com/giving_pups_head_start.htm this one is for the
education and ideas of how dogs are raised by their dam (mother).
http://www.breedered.com/ruleof7.htm
http://www.breedered.com/happy_healthy_confident_puppy.htm
http://www.breedered.com/superpuppy.htm This is an excellent reference to
all of the periods of the puppies life and what to do and what not to do for
each one starting with birth to young adults.
These are suggestions and guidelines. Use your common sense and also look our
article pages over for even more articles as the puppy gets older and
when problems and questions arise. For example we have an article
http://www.breedered.com/nipnipping.htm and
http://www.breedered.com/PDF/Dominance.pdf.
This is one about feeding http://www.breedered.com/feeding_young_puppies.htm and some of the others will give you more information about feeding and what to feed too.
Hopefully that your breeder can guide and mentor you too.
Does your breeder have arrangements made for the ear cropping? Vaccinations.
If not, you will need to start researching a qualified ear cropper
veterinarian. We have an article on our page about vaccinating
http://www.breedered.com/vaccinations.htm
There is so much and this is just a start. If you can't get answers from your
breeder, please continue to ask questions of us and we can do our best to
help you.
Another thing that you can do is go to
www.DPCA.org and scroll to breeder referral
http://dpca.org/breeder.html and
click onto your state and find a
breeder near you. Maybe that person could guide you as well. I live in Northern
California and if you live near me, I will be glad to help and mentor you.
You might want advise the breeder to put a soothing medication on the
mother's nipples and to cut the puppies toenails. Also tell them to feed her
more
often and a lot of quality wholesome food. They can add fresh hamburger to her
quality kibble to build her back up again. Ten puppies can take a lot out of
them. She needs to be fed a lot more as the puppies grow and are feeding off of
her. Send your breeder to our articles page for information that they may need
at this time too. You could send them this link to feeding puppies
http://www.breedered.com/feeding_young_puppies.htm and some of the other
article that we have already recommended to you.
Good luck Cindy.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Cindy:
I would not recommend bringing littermates home unless you are very experienced on separating them for individual attention and training. Often littermates being raised together with be more in tune to each other than to their human companions. Whenever I keep littermates, one lives with me and the other lives with my co-breeder and we will often switch them back and forth. Hope this helps. I also recommend all the reading of articles referred to you by Marj in her answer to your question.
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
I am purchasing a Doberman, CKC registered from a kennel. Which sex is better to have around children? Why?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello April,
This is a question that you need to discuss in length with the breeder of the
new puppy that you are about to bring into your home. We would need more
information to fully answer your question too. How old are your children?
There are a lot of guidelines that go along with children and any breed of dog as well as the whole family to follow for a harmonious existence in the home. For me either sex would get along with children. It is up to the parents to see that the dogs get along with the children and visa versa.
First of all there must be rules for all to adhere to. Everybody in the household must be on the same page when dealing with the dogs. Dogs, like children, need to be trained and know the parameters and what is expected of them. Both the children and the dog need a leader which are the parents.
Here is an article that is on our articles page that you must read and you
can print it so everybody can read it and to have for a reference.
http://www.breedered.com/PDF/Dominance.pdf
We have another article Nip Nipping in the Bud that is a good article too. In
the first section of our pages, under Behavior you can find a number of
articles that may be of help. In the training section there are things that can
help you with your new puppy as well. There are articles on the site that can
give to you information about how to handle dogs and what to do and what not to
do to raise up a well behaved dog. Just surf the website and see what you can
use as there is wealth of information on the site. Here is one that is very
educational
http://www.breedered.com/superpuppy.htm.
I can say though, your breeder (the person who you are getting the Doberman
from) should be able to answer this question and just about any question
that you need to ask. You know, if they cannot answer this question and many
others, I would consider this a "red flag" about the breeder. The breeder
should be and needs to be your mentor. If the breeder cannot do these things, I
would reconsider buying a dog from the breeder.
One thing that I can tell you too is that you need to start the training with the puppy and the children mentioned above the moment that you bring the puppy home. The puppy and the children need to learn to respect one another and respect and obey you (the pack leader).
I hope that I have helped some with your complex question and again I stress that you talk to the breeder. Before that you do re-read these articles so you have some knowledge going in.
Thank you.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
April:
I have found that if this is your first Doberman and you have young children a female is usually a better choice. They are smaller and they are easier to train. It's really a matter of preference and others may feel differently but I think females make a better first time Doberman.
Q: from Bonnie
Date: 8/02/2007
Comments: Feeding Puppies
Hello Again! Once again, thank you for this site & Q&A! You gals are great!
I currently have a litter of puppies - coming 6 weeks old. They are weaned off
of Mom and eating solid food. My question is how much is too much? Can puppies
bloat like older dogs?
I am feeding a 1/2 can + about 3 cups of watered down dry kibble to them. (this
is for 5 puppies) They clean up the dish every time. After some meals when they
just do not seem satisfied, I will put down some dry for them to nibble on about
an hour after the original meal. Be/c it is dry, they take their time eating it
- sometimes not even finishing all of it. They seem to be pooping a normal
amount. I am trying to get them on a 3x/day feeding schedule, but most times
during the night they wake up and are hungry. After about 10 minutes of constant
fussing from them, I will give them another meal. I try to give them the
opportunity to settle back down to sleep, but it is very obvious that they are
hungry.
I am assuming as they grow, they will be able to get away from the middle of the
night feeding
Can I have your input on what I am doing?
Thanks once again!
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Bonnie,
You need to continue feeding more than 3 times a day for a bit longer. My rule of thumb is you feed enough to fill their stomachs and not have them have that extended stomach look when they are finished eating. You can guesstimate the size of their stomachs just by looking.
Let them still be around mom through the 7th week. They can help mom dry up by suckling on her for a minute when her breasts fill up with milk and relieve her and save yourself from having to do it. Also mom teaches the puppies dog things or things that dogs need to know. In the 7th week mom teaches discipline. You should observe this yourself and use what mom is teaching them for her and other dogs for you to teach for you and other humans.
Back to feeding: Put them on a daytime schedule. You shouldn't have to be
getting up in the middle of the night to feed them. You are imprinting a bad
habit. They probably need to be fed 5 or even 6 little meals on the same
schedule each day backing off to 4 or 5 meals at six weeks and 4 meals at
the 7th week for a while. Maybe at 9 weeks or so you can drop to 3 times a day
and at about 4 months to 2 times a day. You will be able to tell by
their behaviors when you can feed less meals.
All during this time you are giving them more and more each meal and day as they grow. As you will see, they will be growing very fast now and actually have been all along.
It is good for digestion that they chew their food too, so you don't have to smash it all up but soak it some for the added moisture. Another thing that I can advise is to feed them all in separate dishes. This way they all will get what they need. The bullies and the bigger pups will eventually cause a slower and the lesser or lower puppy in the pecking order which they are establishing to not get enough and they eventually could give up and become fussy eaters when they leave the nest and your home.
I have a photograph to share and I will put it on the website to illustrate
this feeding separately thing. You don't have to separate the puppies all over
the place at this time, just line all of the dishes up and keep each puppy at
their own dish until they have all cleaned up their respective dish of food.
Then they can go around to all of the dishes and clean 'em up if you desire. At
the time you hand them the food, you can say "let's eat" and "go to you dish"
and you will have to guide and push them to their individual dish. During the
time they are eating and want to leave their dish to go another, stop them by
guiding them back to their dish and say 'eat you own food' or 'go to your dish'
... whatever words or command that you think of. This way they are learning
direction and obedience from you. Their dam (mom) is already teaching them these
things at this time and has been all
along.
Puppies normally play a little after eating, eliminate and then go to sleep to grow. Actually this is a great time to teach them to housebreak them. After they eat they have to eliminate and you can usher them outside 'let's go outside', 'take a pee' after they get outside and so on. Let them play outside, weather permitting and/or say 'let's go in the house' and usher them in to play, and you play with them a little and let mom play with them a little and they will go to sleep and you start all over.
When they wake up say, 'let's go outside' and take them out to
eliminate as they always have to eliminate when they wake up and so on through
out the
day.
If you set up a schedule that works for you, they will learn it and you should be able to get a full nights sleep.
It is hard for me to remember just how much food that I am feeding to each
puppy at 5 weeks, so you will learn how much that they need to satisfy them
without allowing their stomachs to be noticeably extended. You should be able to
tell at a glance that they are full or something is in the stomach
though.
I hope that this is a big help to you and if you have more questions, please ask.
I will work on getting the photo up on the site.
Articles to guide you:
http://www.breedered.com/puppyadvice.htm
http://www.breedered.com/ruleof7.htm
http://www.breedered.com/superpuppy.htm
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Bonnie:
My experience with puppies this age is they usually eat a little more than 1/2 cup apiece of kibble so for five puppies you could be feeding up to 5 cups each meal. I would increase it by 1/4 cup per puppy and see what happens and if they handle that and don't get upset tummies you can increase it again a few days later. Do it slowly. Usually when my puppies go to their new homes they are eating approximately 1 cup of kibble each meal three times a day spread out like 6:00 am - 12:00 pm - 6 or 7:00 pm. Sometimes they need a little extra at bedtime, perhaps a couple of cookies or a very light meal. But normally I'm able to feed three meals by 6 weeks and they handle it fine.
Q: from Shalyn
Date: 7/02/2007
Comments: Pregnancy
MY DOG GOT PREGNANT ON HER OWN BEFORE I COULD SPAY HER BUT IM NOT EXACTLY SURE
IF SHE'S PREGNANT AND SHE WONT OBEY US NOW AND SHE WILL EAT EVERY THING IN
SIGHT. ITS NOT LIKE HER BUT SHE IS GETTING BIGGER AND HER STOMACH IS HARD LIKE
EVERY OTHER DAY.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Doberman, USA
Shaylyn:
I'm not sure exactly what your question is but if you are not sure whether or not she is pregnant perhaps a visit to the veterinarian is in order to determine it.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Shaylyn,
I am going to have to ask a question before that I can answer your question.
Can you tell me when that you think that she may have been bred. If you
don't know, can you tell about the time when she was in her season (in heat)?
You can take her to the vet at about 28 days and have a sonogram done to determine if she is pregnant.
Anyway, if you can tell us more we can maybe help you better.
Thank you.
Q: from Katy Burke
Comments: Genetic testing
Do you have any further information regarding testing for megaesophagus? We have
a litter of 8 puppies and my only female is has gained only 3/4 of an ounce and
started spitting up today. Another breeder told me it could be megaesophagus and
my bitch and dog should also be tested. This is one I hadn't heard of before. I
also have an appointment for the vet in the morning....they wouldn't see her
this afternoon.
thanks in advance...Katy in WI
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Katy:
Only a veternarian can tell you if it's megaesophagus
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Katie,
I am glad that you have the appointment with the vet. I don't have much (any
really) with megaesophagus. I also don't know of a test for megaesophagus
either. I know of other testing that should be done on the parents but not that
one. Maybe this person can elaborate for you as to exactly what she
meant.
I hope that maybe the others can give you more information but I am sure that
your veterinarian can give to you a lot of information. You also may be
able to google canine magaesophagus and find even more information.
How old are the puppies?
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Dobermans, Canada
I have looked up a few sites for you to read up on this affliction. Good luck in
your search for information. As layman, other than this type of help, we cannot
offer medical advice.
Comments:
Our Doberman has given birth to a happy black and tan litter of 6. Mom and Dad are both black and tan. one of the little girls has a couple of white toes. What's up with that?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Occasional white toes appear in a pup or two in some litters. It goes back to a dog named Helios, who was one of the early Dobermans. Whether this is a myth or fact, it nevertheless appears on one of the hind feet, rarely on the front toes. Unless it is very extensive and comes up high on the toes, it sometimes disappears with age.
Q: from Bonnie
Date:18/01/2007
Comments: a couple of questions.
Thank you once again!
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Bonnie:
Puppies are fully oriented to sight and sound at about 25 days. I personally do not recommend a male Doberman to be in the same household with any other male of any other breed. Having said that, there is always the possibility that you would have a male of another breed that will submit to the dominance of the Doberman in which case you might not have a problem, but generally not recommended for the novice.
Q: from Amanda Lawson
Date: 17/01/2007
Comments: Temperament - Male or Female Dobie?
I am preparing to buy a Doberman puppy from a reliable breeder in the area but I'm not sure if I should get a male or female. My parents have two other male dogs, a 3 year old Pomeranian and a 10 year old Golden Retriever. I want a Dobie for companionship and protection when I move out on my own. Which one would be e better choice?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Amanda:
For your first time Doberman I would recommend a female. They are smaller and a little easier to train for a beginner. Also, if you are going to be in a home with other male dogs a female is a must as Doberman males will not tolerate other male dogs in their territory.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobe, USA
While most of us long time breeders LOVE our males I would probably suggest a female for your first Doberman. You will most likely be visiting your parents who have male dogs and I would not suggest bringing a male into that situation unless you can keep them separated.
Comments: Whelping date
Which date should be used to determine the approximate whelping date; the first tie or the last tie? I have been told both by other breeders and vets. I posted a while back regarding my female, Jenna, having a false pregnancy. We had the ultrasound done, she is definitely pregnant! In the past week she seems depressed, she has horrible gas, and makes her discomfort known.
I always count 63 days from the first breeding but the breeding may have taken on one of the others as well. Make sure you take the temperatures every few hours from the 56th day from first breeding on so you get an idea when the puppies should be due. Once a temp drops to approx. 98.6 the bitch should have pups within 24 hrs or at least be in labor. If not, take to Vet for evaluation.
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
I agree with Judy's answer to your question, usually 63 days from the breeding and taking the temperature is important. Once you have reached 63 days from the first breeding, begin taking her temperature and when it drops she should be whelping within 24 hours.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Katy,
I would count it from the first breeding. There are signs that you can watch for and the first is to start taking her temperature. It will drop way down below normal about 12 hours before that she whelps (starts to have puppies). It will start back up again towards normal when/before that she whelps. She may not eat just before that she is to go into labor, but she may eat too. She can eat and then throw it up too. She will start nesting (tearing up the paper) in the whelping box or place that you should have ready for her by now.
There are articles on our pages that can help you further.
The answer to the question is to start watching her before the 63rd day from the first breeding.
When the puppies are 3 days old you can do these exercises that are described in the article below, Developing High Achievers. Please read this article. I have found that this is a good thing to do for the puppies for the reasons given in the article. http://www.breedered.com/battagliahiachievers.htm
Also look for on the site for the article The Rules of Sevens and do these exercises. Also please look for other articles of things that you can do to raise these puppies up to the time that they can go into their forever homes. There are also articles for training past that time for the new owner. There are many articles in our articles section that you can print for puppy packets for their new owners. One important one to read now and to handout is Super Dogs Are Made Not Born. Just look on the site and read and decide what will help you and the new owners and include the information in your puppy packet. Have a puppy packet to give for each puppy.
If you need more help and advice please ask. The tails and dewclaws are done at 3 to 5 days. Your veterinarian should be able to guide you the exact time to do this.
I hope that this is a start to help you.
Comments: breeding
During which days are the best time to breed your female during a heat?
Kelly:
Every female is different but the average is between days 12 and 18. The best way to know is to have your veterinarian either run progesterone tests or at the very least do slides throughout the cycle.
Comments: Supplementation
I am feeding my red male Doberman puppy high quality premium dog food. Should I provide a balanced supplement as well? I've heard that some of the vitamins and minerals in commercial dog food may be broken down some. What do you do?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Jess:
I would recommend that you take a copy of the food label to your veterinarian and ask for input on any possible supplements that may be necessary. You can over supplement is you are not careful. There are certain supplements we breeders give our Dobermans that we hope will help with DCM though not proven so, you may ask your veterinarian about that as well.
Good Luck.
Comments: Doberman Litters
On average how many puppies does a Doberman have per litter?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
From 0 TO 17
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Natalie:
I think the average sized litter is between 6-8.
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