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

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

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

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

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.

Q: from Mak Reyes

Date: 4-June-2007

Comments: what is the ideal weight for a pregnant Doberman

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

You should consult with your veterinarian. If obviously is determined by the amount of puppies she is carrying, her weight prior to pregnancy and her size/proportions. Without seeing your Doberman it is impossible for us to answer this question accurately.

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.

Q: from visar dobruna
Date: 22-May-2007

Comments: aggressive

I have a Doberman about 4 year but nou is very seek, he is a male the indications of him are; he is shaking ,he cant stay in his legs,he dont se very well, the reflexses are very week,the temprature of bady is normal but he eat very bad. what can i do

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

 

Hello Visar,
 

You need to take your Doberman to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

 

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Visar please seek medical advice from a veterinarian.
 

---

 

Q: from Sharon
Date: 21-May-2007

Comments: skinny pup

Our 6 month male eats and eats and is so skinny, vet says he is healthy and no worms. Any suggestions to put on weight? He has such an appetite but nothing seems
to stay with him. He is not overactive, has a beautiful coat and we feed very good quality food.
any suggestions?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Sharon:

Either pasta or baked potato will put on weight, but I would want some additional blood work done on your puppy to be sure there isn't something else going on besides worms.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Sharon,

I can suggest that you add digestive enzymes to his food to help him assimilate his food. I have found for myself that fresh hamburger (at least 80% fat) works for me. Feeding your dog twice a day helps too.

I hope that this is a help to you.

A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

I'd have the Vet do a direct smear for coccidia and giardia in his office. Any pup that eats his normal amount of food (about 7 cups a day give or take at 6 mo) should be in good weight. If not, something is eating it up inside him.
 

---

Q: from Jessi

Date: 13-May-2007

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.

Q: from Jody Wright

Date: 13-May-2007

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

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

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

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

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..

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?

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.

Comments: Choosing A Breeder

I had a Doberman...it had kidney failure in 2003. I miss the dog who was age 10.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

1. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/megaesophagus.html
2. http://www.gdhfa.org/Megaesophagus.htm
3. http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00133.htm
4. http://www.vetinfo.com/dogmega.html
5. http://www.barkbytes.com/medical/med0053.htm
6. http://www.videxgsd.com/gastrointestinal.htm
    

---

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.

1. At what age does a puppy actually see?  I know the eyes open at 10-14 days, but was curious as to when they could 'see' things.
2. I know you have probably answered this before, but I could not find it.  I know you do not recommend 2 males Dobe's to live together, but can a male Dobe live with a male of a different breed?  My instincts say no, but I have been asked.

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 56^th 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

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.

1. http://www.breedered.com/pregnancy_timeline.htm scroll down to this time of your bitches pregnancy.
2. http://www.breedered.com/birthing_process.htm

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?

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

Q: from Natalie

Date: 01/01/2007

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.

---

HOME  :  ARCHIVES  Page 1 :  ARCHIVES Page 2  :  ARCHIVES Page 3 : ARCHIVES Page 4 : ARCHIVES Page 5 : ARCHIVES Page 6 : ARCHIVES Page 7 : ARCHIVES Page 8 : ARCHIVES Page 9 :  ARCHIVES Page 10 :  ARCHIVES Page 11  :   ARCHIVES Page 12   :  ARCHIVES Page 13   :   ARCHIVES Page 14 :  ARCHIVES Page 15 :  CURRENT