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DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS PAGE 16 |
Hello Justin,
Happy New Year!
Just to save myself from saying you are an irresponsible dog owner, let me refer you to your veterinarian for the answers to your questions. This is a forum where we help Doberman owners, but all dogs are pretty much the same. To answer your question, no 9 months is not too young and no it isn't going to hurt King or Dude or ????.
Since you didn't "get it" with King and put her somewhere where this couldn't happen again, it is very possible that she will have puppies by both dogs, or all of them that you allowed to have breed her. The responsible thing to do at this point is to recognize that she IS pregnant and take her to the veterinarian now and talk about having her spayed. Please do this next week and do not wait. If you do not do this, 63 days from the breeding day she WILL have puppies. If you do spay her, she will not have the puppies and this sort of an incident won't happen again with her anyway. That would be the responsible thing to do. I hope that you have learned about "the birds and the bees" with the dogs. It is not too much different, is it? Please take her to the vet and please do the right thing. Please do the responsible dog ownership thing for your very young female dog. It is not recommended that dogs have puppies this young. If you do not do this, please realize that she will be in season (bleed) again in about 6 months and find a way to separate her during this time (when she starts bleeding). If she is spayed, you will not have her come into season or heat again.
Thank you for your question
and please take your young
mother dog to the vet and talk
about having her spayed and do
it. Please remember that girl
dogs do not think like humans
and they don't say "no".
I hope that you will write us
back and let us know that you
have spayed your female.
Jose - this may be nothing but could also be a sign of a problem. You need to have your vet look at her to be sure. Anything that is not "normal" always warrants looking into. Please make an appointment with your vet. Probably nothing, but better safe than sorry.
I would find another Vet. It sounds like this Staph infection has not been cured. You may need different antibiotics and some more skin scrapings to make sure it's not something else.
Comments: ear
cropping in Great Danes
I need to know any
information in regards to this
as well as a recommendation on
what vet can do a good job (or
specializes in this). I have a
12 week old male blue merle and
I live on Long Island New York
(Nassau County).
Thank you.
Comments: Ear cropping
I would like a referral to a vet that is experienced with cropping Doberman's ears. I live in Dublin, Ohio.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Lisa,
We just answered this question but go to www.DPCA.org and scroll to breeder referral and click onto your state and find a breeder or two and contact them for a referral. This is the best that we can offer you at this time.
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
We cannot
recommend or endorse specific
vets for anything.
However, if you check the DPCA
website for breeders in your
area and contact one of them, I
am sure they could refer you to
someone who is
experienced.
Comments: ear cropping
Do you know
of a great vet who does ear
cropping on Long Island, NY
A: from Holly Schorr,
Pennylane Dobermans, USA
We cannot
recommend or endorse specific
vets for anything.
However, if you check the DPCA
website for breeders in your
area and contact one of them, I
am sure they could refer you to
someone who is
experienced.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Amber,
We cannot recommend a particular veterinarian for services. There are two veterinarians in the New York/New Jersey area who are members of the DPCA. Go to the www.DPCA.org website and go to breeder referral and click onto these states and look for a breeder that you can contact or ask. You can also go to the membership list and look for these members and contact them too.
and ask for a
veterinarian that crops ears.
They would know.
Thank you and good luck.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I'm sorry we cannot recommend any Vet but if you go to www.dpca.org you will find a list of owners/breeders who might be in your area. I'd suggest you call them to find a good Vet in your area who does cropping.
Q:
from Joanna Crosby
Date: 3 Nov 2008
Comments: bitches in season
Hi,
I have a Doberman bitch who has
just turned 8 months old. she
has been in season for approx
6-7 weeks and has been
'spotting' for the entire
duration of this time. We have
taken her to her vet as she had
a greenish discharge (which she
gave her treatment for 'vaginitis')
when she was 5 months old and
was told that being so young it
wasn't a good sign and that she
may develop pyometra in time.
obviously we read up on this and
saw that the only option to
safeguard her health would be to
have her spayed. The vet saw her
last week and advised that she
wanted to spay her in 4 weeks
time, by then she should have
settled with her hormonal cycle
and wouldn't cause her too many
problems. However I'm a little
unsure of whether this is a
little drastic and want to get a
second opinion as i want to know
whether this would be considered
normal practice and also whether
they should do some sort of test
to see whether she has this
condition? I'd be very grateful
for any information you can
provide.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Joanna,
This is a question you should be
asking of a Veterinary
Specialist. We cannot
answer any questions that are as
serious as this one What I
would suggest is if you have no
intention of breeding or showing
this bitch, I probably would
have her spayed soon but since
she's still bleeding, I'd still
take her to a specialist to make
sure it would be a good time to
spay her or not and find out
what is wrong.
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie
Dobermans, USA
Hello Joanna,
I think that you should get the
second opinion from another
veterinarian. If you can find a
veterinarian that specializes in
reproductive health medicine,
that would be a great source.
Actually vaginitis, or that
green discharge, is fairly
common in puppies. For some
information
Here is an article that will
tell you a little about pyometra.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/repro_health_bitch.htm
I really think that you need to
seek an opinion of a second
veterinarian, preferably a
specialist.
Thank you for your question and
good luck.
A: from Holly Schorr,
Pennylane Dobermans, USA
We are not able to make any
medical speculation or
suggestions for treatment,
however, if this were my bitch,
I would seek another opinion and
do further testing. This does
sound like more than vaginitis
and possibly could be treated if
a definitive diagnosis was made,
before being spayed. That may
well be the only safe option but
I would want to be sure. Try and
find out if there is a
reproductive vet in your area -
possibly at a University near
you. You might want to google
"canine reproductive
veterinarians" and see who is
near you - you didn't say where
you live but we cannot recommend
doctors either. Hope this helps.
Q:
from Sandy Smallwood
Date 30 Oct 2008
I am looking for a Doberman
puppy and I live in Southern
Illinois. I am having a hard
time locating a breeder. Can you
please point me in the right
direction. If you would like to
call me direct you can call
618-660-9223. Thank you for your
time.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Sandy,
I can point you to the www.DPCA.org website and scroll to breeder referral, click onto your state and neighboring states and look for breeders near you. There is a DPCA Doberman Chapter Club in the St. Louis, Missouri area where you may be able to get a name of a reputable breeder. There is a club too in Illinois. You can find the contact people for these clubs too on the www.DPCA.org site. Click chapter clubs for the list. There are several Doberman Pinscher breeders in your area.
Good luck in finding a new buddy.
Thank you.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
We do not suggest certain breeders however, you should go to www.dpca.org and you will find a list of Breeders in your State and some might be close to you. Contact them and I'm sure if they don't have any puppies right now, they might suggest someone else close by
A:
from Holly Schorr, Pennylane
Dobermans, USA
Go to the DPCA website under
"Breeder Referral" to get names
of breeders in your area.
Q:
from Mike
Date: 30 Oct 2008
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
For my first Doberman purchase
I've been researching breeders
and talking to them for the last
3 months. I have educated myself
well when it comes to choosing a
breeder, but one thing remains
in the gray area. So my
question...
The breeder I narrowed down to
is not listed on the
www.dpca.org website, but
has managed to answer all the
critical health questions
correctly and offers a 2 year
warranty on the puppy's health,
does that mean it is a reputable
and responsible breeder?
I am associating car warranty
with a breeder warranty. Most
problems on vehicles occur after
the warranty period is out. Does
this 2 year health guarantee
hold any validity or is it more
of a marketing gimmick to sucker
in buyers?
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Mike,
We would have no way of knowing
who this person is if they are
not DPCA members. DPCA
members have to adhere to a Code
of Ethics which include testing
the parents for health plus
other things. You might
ask them WHY they are not DPCA
members? Why haven't you
gone to the DPCA site and found
a breeder who is a member?
A:
from Holly Schorr, Pennylane
Dobermans, USA
Mike - not every reputable
breeder is a DPCA member breeder
but it is an indication and
guideline. Member or not, a
breeder is only as good as
his/her word. Health testing
should have been done on both
parents with normal Thyroid, OFA
of good or better, vWD carrier
or clear, heart normal, and
testing results should be
available for both parents.
Then, at least one parent should
be an AKC Champion of record, or
carry more than basic working
titles, with multiple Champions
to be found in the first three
generations of each parent. Ears
should be cropped and posted,
and shots given for the
appropriate age before the puppy
leaves the breeder. The breeder
should ask you all kinds of
questions about yourself, your
home, what you plan to do with
the dog, where the pup/adult
will live and sleep. These dogs
are our "kids" and we care where
they go. There should be a
contract and a guarantee - every
one is different and you can
discuss this with the breeder.
Hope this helps.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Mike,
I, as the puppy referral person
for my area, Northern
California, always will say to a
person such as yourself, when
you see a red flag, listen to
yourself. You see one here and
you pretty much hit the nail on
the head. More advice, don't buy
off of the internet and don't
buy a puppy from a website
breeder that offers you to pay
with PayPal or a credit card.
You should go and see the
puppies if you can. We do have
articles on our pages that help
you to find a reputable breeder.
Well you say that you have
educated yourself and I believe
you, so I won't go into anymore.
You see a red flag and like I
say, listen to it and believe in
what you are thinking. It is
probably true.
Thank you and good luck and I
hope that you find a buddy soon.
Q:
from Tanya Pratte
Date: 28 Oct 2008
Comments: Flank/Blanket Sucking
My 1 1/2 yr old male recently
stopped sleeping in his crate;
we are working slowly on the day
time crating so that we can
leave the door open but haven't
quite achieved that yet. My
question is this. The past few
night I have caught my boy
sucking on a blanket. He never
did that when he slept in his
crate. He basically bunches up
the blanket and sucks on it like
a pacifier.
I've read a little bit about the
behavior online, I don't need to
try to interfere right?
How would I know if he is
sucking on his flank...would it
be the inside top of the rear
legs or the outside?
A: from Holly Schorr,
Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Hi Karen - I have had several dogs over the years that have loved to suck on a blanket or toy. As Judy responded to you, you do need to watch that they don't chew and swallow the object they are sucking on, otherwise not something to worry about. Flank sucking may or may not be the same thing but again, as Judy said, if not causing a problem I would not worry over much.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Many dogs suck on blankets but you have to make sure they don’t chew them. It is a pacifier for them but I have my 12 yr. old bitch that has a soft toy (teddy bear) that she loves to suck on when going to sleep. I’ve never taken them away from her but have to watch her daughter because she will grab it and pull out the stuffings and occasionally eat it so I never let her get to it. Let him suck on it.
As to sucking on the flank, there is no mistaken that as the flank will be soaking wet and sometimes a lather will appear when they stop. While it’s usually the same thing, most of the time it’s because of boredom or can sometimes be a hormonal problem with flank sucking. If they are kept busy or not bored they usually stop but it can be frustrating. Unless you are showing the dog, and there is a sore from it, I wouldn’t worry about it. Nothing seems to help it. No matter what you apply, they still suck.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Tanya,
So far in my life I haven't had a Doberman of mine do this flank or blanket sucking so I may not give the right answer to you. I have had Doberman's with me that belong to other people that have sucked blankets, sucked their flanks both on the outside and the inside areas of their flanks. You would know because his/her flank area would be wet or have dried saliva at the place that they would be sucking.
The people that I have known to have dogs with this behavior, just let them do it. I have no idea why they would have this behavior to be truthful. I don't know if they ever outgrow it.
I am sorry that I cannot give you more information. Maybe Judy or Holly can.
Thank you for the question and I look forward to seeing the others answers myself.
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Hi Tanya,
Over the years I have had many blanket suckers. Only one has ever turned to flank sucking. Basically what I did was I never allowed him more than an occasional lick anywhere on his body. In addition to what Marj said, they can and will suck on their legs and other parts they can reach as well and they NEVER outgrow it as it becomes a nasty habit called lick granuloma.
In my experience, blanket sucking has little to no connection to flank sucking. Just allow him to soothe himself with his blankets.
Q:
from Sandy Wilson
Date: 27 Oct 2008
Comments: Is there anything I
can give my 3 year old female
for her awful itchy skin. We
have her on Benadryl everyday
and have changed her food to
Canidae lamb and rice. I can't
see that makes any difference.
My vet says she has allergies.
She has taken a skin sample. We
know it is not mange or anything
like that. We wonder if it will
get better as the weather gets
colder. She has been scratching
so much all summer. We have not
had an allergy test done because
the vet says she could be
allergic to anything in the
environment
Can anyone help us or give us
some ideas of anything more we
can do?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie
Dobermans, USA
Hello Sandy,
We are not really supposed to give veterinary advice or feeding advice, but I would like to suggest that maybe you give her a tablespoon of a vegetable or a nut oil, such as Sunflower, Walnut or peanut oil in each meal. You can also give her some raw fats in her diet such as raw hamburger (the cheapest grind-more than 20% fat) in her diet. If there is not another veterinary problem, this should help. You may want to ask your veterinarian about this feeding advice.
Topically you can condition the haircoat by making a mixture of Skin-So-Soft, water and Listerine (small amount) to spray on her coat and pet or brush it into her hair. This will help on the outside and keep the coat clean too. For fun you can add oils essences such as lavender and or peppermint to this for a nice smell.
I hope that this helps and I am sorry to be so long in answering the question.
Q:
from Karen
Date: 26 Oct 2008
Comments: VWD web site
I would like to know the link
that lists all the Dobes and
their vWD ratings.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Karen,
As far as I know there is not such a list. There used to be and maybe there still is a list of "clear" dogs somewhere. Maybe either Holly or Judy can tell us.
You can go to www.DPCA.org and click onto DobeQuest and enter and look up individual dogs and click onto their names and see if their profiles have been filled in about their health testing. I have successfully used this method and if there is no information, I can email the owner and find out that way. I have found people that I have asked to be cooperative so far.
I hope this helps or someone else can actually point you and me to a list.
Thank you.
Q:
from Harshana geeganage
Date: 26 Oct 2008
Comments: Other
How can we choose the pure breed
Doberman? How many spots can we
find from their body?
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
There are no
spots other than a very small
spot of white on a Doberman.
They all have tan markings
regardless of reds, blacks,
blues or fawns. Please go to the
Doberman standard and read the
part on color. You should
also read everything in the
standard and memorize it.
Go to
www.dpca.org
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie
Dobermans, USA
Hello Harshana,
Here is a quote from the
Doberman Pinscher standard
regarding the coat, color and
markings. I hope that this
helps. Smooth-haired, short,
hard, thick and close lying.
Invisible gray undercoat on neck
permissible.
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.
We see the above described rust markings (spots) at birth.
I hope that this helps.
Thank you.
Q:
from Gabriel
Date: 23-Oct-2008
Comments: Question
After a few years, I started to
looking for a new Family Dobe, a
new friend to run, to guard my
home, to have fun in a Show
competition once an while, to
have a litter and keep one
puppy, but I tried to buy a
puppy on the internet and the
breeder sent me an offensive
QUESTIONNAIRE asking me for my
Job, my kids, my earning money,
the size of the fences in my
backyard, she talked about her
puppies like their were babies,
(and there a huge difference
between a human baby and a
puppy), and the price is close
to 5000 dollars, she told me
about a "limited registration",
about to be one of my
"sponsors".
I need help to understand,
everything changed too much, I
had 3 Dobes and everything was
smooth and great!! Somebody can
send me fresh information about
new rules?
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Gabriel,
Most ethical breeders have a
questionnaire on their blogs or
web sites. Some may be a little
more in-depth than others but
you don’t’ have to answer or buy
from that person. I would never
buy a puppy from anyone who does
not care enough to ask lots of
questions. We spend thousands of
dollars on our dogs and on those
dogs that we breed to. We do a
great many health tests on the
dam and demand the same of the
sire. These tests cost lots of
money to insure YOU, the
purchaser, buys a healthy, well
bred and well cared for puppy.
As I said, you do not have to
buy from us but you get what you
pay for in most cases.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
A responsible breeder care deeply about their pups and where they go. We do consider these kids our 'babies' in many respects. Asking about your home and lifestyle and what you want to do with the dog is more than responsible, it is the minimum a responsible breeder would do. There are limits to what info they need, and I have never known anyone to ask about income, however, when buying a pet/companion quality puppy a limited registration is the norm. If you want to buy a show quality dog, guarantee the breeder you will show and complete a championship on the dog, then you can discuss breeding that puppy in future. Breeders spend thousands of dollars and lifetimes developing a line of dogs - one could not expect that a "responsible" breeder would just hand over a dog to someone to do whatever they wished with the dog - now that would not be responsible.
Q:
from Mariah Leal
Date: 20-Oct-2008
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
I have seen many posts about
Dobermans and people looking for
reputable breeders. So many seem
to have negative comments about
Kimbertal Kennels. I myself had
in the 90's 2 bad experiences
with them as well. I would like
to know if they have improved
their ways or if what I am
reading is true. Breeding is not
an money making job. The welfare
of bitch, stud and most of all
puppies must come first. I've
had Dobes for 25 years and they
are lovely animals. Someone I
know is looking for a puppy and
are considering Kimbertal. Where
can we find out accurate
information. Thank you for your
time.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
We cannot recommend a breeder,
however if you go to
www.dpca.org and then click
on Breeder Referral, it will
come up with all the area clubs
in the U.S. click on your state
& then town. What you mentioned
about Kimbertal is still the
same, Leopards can't change
their spots.
Q:
from Tina
Date: 15-Oct-2008
Comments: exercise
How much daily exercise should a
15 month old Doberman get? Even
though we give him daily
exercise he wakes up in the
middle of the night and chews
our blanket. Sometimes he pulls
the stuffing out of a dog bed or
chews on the pillowcase. He
loves to chew soft stuff. Why
does he chew in the middle of
the night? This is my 4th dog
and I never had problems like
this with the other dogs.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Well, it sounds like he is bored
but Doberman youngsters love to
chew and it's dangerous since
they not only pull stuffing out
of things but they swallow it.
You have to make sure he does
not, otherwise he will may have
a blockage where you have to do
surgery. Unfortunately some dogs
die as a result of blockages. If
he continues to wake you up in
the middle of the night, try
putting him in a crate. If he is
not used to a crate, start with
one in the daytime so he gets
used to it and won't bark and
cry, keeping you up at night.
There are some crate pads that
they say are non-chewable but I
would have to see them to
believe it, however if he
continues to chew, then you'll
have to use thick newspapers to
put in his crate. Try that
instead and make sure he gets
long walks each day to tire him
out.
Q:
from Chery Conway
Date: 14-10-08
Comments: Finding a breeder
Hi: My best friend has always
had Dobies and just put her
14-year old "baby" down
Saturday. She is desperately
looking for a purebred female
puppy. Previous dogs were
purchased from Stonebridge
Kennels in Aurora, Colorado (who
appear to be out of business).
Are there any breeders in the
Denver metro area or Colorado
with female pups for sale?
A: from Judy Bohnert,
Equinox, Canada
I can refer you to the
www.DPCA.org website. Click
onto Breeder Referral and then
onto your state,
http://dpca.org/BreedRef/index_html.htm
to find a breeder who is a DPCA
member.
Q:
from Jane Saunders
Date: 5-10-08
Comments: selecting a reputable
vet that does ear cropping
I recently lost a puppy from
Parvo. The entire litter was put
into a vet clinic that had a vet
who has done ears for "30
years." When I bought the
doberman puppy and picked him up
at 8 weeks I found that the
puppy had no vaccinations prior
to going to get his ears done. I
blame the breeder and the clinic
for not asking for proof of
vaccination at the time of the
cropping. I placed the puppy at
this vet to treat the parvo,
which was another mistake I
made. My question is, Where do
you find competent Vets to do
the cropping and is there a
certification or something that
is in place to ensure safe
cropping practices?
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Jane,
I'm so sorry for your loss. A
Vet's office is for sick as well
as well dogs. Your breeder
should have had a couple of
shots on the puppy before they
had ear crops. It's not the
Vet's fault. You could take your
puppy to any Vet and the same
thing could happen. It did
happen to me many years ago and
let me tell you, my puppies had
shots from the time they were 5
wks old and I still lost more
than half the litter. I didn't
blame the Vet. It wasn't his
fault and it wasn't mine either,
it just happens.
We cannot recommend any Vet. I
hope you understand.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Jane,
First of all, don't blame the
vet. Here is an updated protocol
for vaccinations
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/vaccination_protocol_NEW.htm.
Because of this protocol, many
breeders, but not all breeders,
vaccinate their puppies at 8, 16
and 16 weeks as advised in this
article. The breeder maybe could
have thought to ask the
veterinarian if he has recently
had a case of parvo in his
office. The breeder could have
let the vet know that the
puppies had not been vaccinated
yet, so he could advise the
breeder as to what to do.
I am sorry for your loss. It is
not the veterinarian's fault
however.
Thank you.
Q:
from Joshua Ransom
Date: 2-Oct-08
Hi,
I was recently at the vet for a
routine visit and was made aware
of the new "Advantage Multi"
product manufactured by Bayer
(active ingredients 400mg
Imidacloprid & 100mg Moxidectin)
for the control of heartworms
and fleas. The product certainly
seems convenient but I'm curious
to know if anyone has used this
product or knows of any adverse
effects in Dobermans associated
with this product (I've heard
that Moxidectin isn't as safe as
an Ivermectin based heartworm
preventative). I do know that on
the back it warns of adverse
reactions most commonly in
collie or collie mixes. Any
information on this product
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
A: from Holly Schorr,
Pennylane Dobermans, USA
I am sorry but we do not use heartworm medications very much in the desert - I am in Nevada. I do use them with dogs going out to show and when we are traveling, but I am not familiar with all brands and the pros and cons. That is something I would leave to your vet.
Q:
from Pamela Riddle
Date: 1-Oct-08
Comments: Addison's disease
Thank you so much. My fawn 3
year old male Doberman was just
diagnosed with Addison's
disease. We almost lost him. It
is so hard to diagnose, so after
6 weeks and $3000.00 later he is
okay but has to have a shot
monthly for 4 life. Does anyone
else have a Dobie with
Addison's. It seems to be very
rare in Dobermans.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
A member of our Dobe club has a
red bitch diagnosed with
Addison's disease. She also has
to take shots monthly shots
which are painful. No it's not
common in Dobe however.
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie
Dobermans, USA
Hello Pamela,
Addison's Disease as far as I
know is not a common occurrence
in the Doberman Pinscher. I
personally (knock on wood) have
not had any experience with
Addison's with any of my own
dogs.
I am sorry that your buddy has
this disease and it is a
lifelong deal for him and you.
My thoughts are with you.
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes,
USA
We do not answer Veterinary
questions. I would ask your Vet
what he/she would recommend due
to her kidney disease.
Q:
from Donna
Date: 1-Oct-08
Comments:
I have a ten month old male
Doberman who weighs 68 pounds.
Is this a low weight? Lately his
appetite seems less than normal
and for the past several months
his weight has stayed around the
same. He does get a fair amount
of exercise.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Donna,
Does your boy look thin to you?
His weight would somewhat depend
on the size of his bone and his
muscling. A Doberman is a heavy
boned dog and a mature 271/2
inch (at the shoulders) male
Doberman normally weighs well
into the 80's and close to 90
pounds give or take. If he does
look thin to you, you can add
fresh meat to his diet. Maybe
this
will give his appetite a little
boost.
I hope that this helps. However,
it is hard to advise a person
without seeing the dog.
Is the breeder, or another
Doberman breeder, of your dog
close by so you can ask for
their advise on your dog? To
find a Doberman person to help
you go to
www.DPCA.org and click onto
Breeder referral and then a
state and then look at the list.
Good luck.
Her
advertisement lists DP Club of
America, AKC/CKC.....Thank you.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello
Patricia,
Thank you for asking this
important question. I have not
personally heard of Honesty
Gervais. I did look to see if
she is a DPCA member. She is not
listed as a DPCA member. I
couldn't get to her website per
say, but I got to here,
http://www.localmarketplace.com/BD/Property/116697?query=Bunnell%2C+FL.
I couldn't get here:
http://www.penny-acre-farms-gotpetloversonline.com/
for some reason.
I always advise people that if
you can see on a website that
you can pay for your puppy with
a credit card or PayPal, you
should run the other way. I did
see this on what I found about
this breeder. This person is not
listed as a DPCA member so she
could be being deceptive if she
is using the logo or says that
she is affiliated. She should be
reported to the DPCA so she can
be asked to remove this from her
site. I wish that I could have
gotten to her website.
On our pages there are several
articles about finding a
reputable and a responsible
breeder. This one is one that I
like
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/tips_on_buying.htm
You should interview the breeder
as the breeder should interview
you too. You should try to go
meet the breeder and see their
dogs and etc.
To find a DPCA member breeder
near you go to
www.DPCA.org and scroll to
Breeder Referral and click onto
your state and look at the list.
If you should live in Florida,
there are a lot of DPCA members
that breed quality Doberman
Pinscher. We took have a code of
ethics that we abide by as a
member of the DPCA.
I feel a need to tell you that
responsible breeder also have
websites. They normally ask you
to contact them by email or
provide an address and phone
number. They normally do not
offer that you purchase your new
buddy over the internet.
I hope that this helps you and
by asking this question, you may
have helped others.
Thank you.
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes,
USA
I've never heard of them and
they are not current members of
the DPCA. Contact Jinny Rojas
who live in Bunnell, Fl. They
may know of this person.
Q:
from Patricia Rizzo
Date 2-Oct-08
Comments: kidney disease
What is the best wet and/or dry
food to feed my rescued
emaciated, kidney failure Dobie
girl? She is 1 1/2 years old and
her BUN & CREATNINE are very
high.
Thank you
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Patricia,
I would advise feeding it wet. I
also would consider feeding her
several times a day. She may
need to be on a special diet for
her kidney problem. Here is a
place to go for more information
and diet suggestions
http://www.petshealth.com/dr_library/caninekidney.html
This is a veterinary question so
maybe your veterinarian can
advise you on a good diet for
this health issue. There are dog
food companies now that make
specialized diets for the
kidneys and other health issues.
Here is another source of
information
http://www.upei.ca/cidd/intro.htm
I would recommend that you see a
veterinarian for a special diet.
We really are not supposed to
give out this kind of
information.
Good luck in getting her back to
health.
Q:
from Susan Boster
Date: 26-September-2008
Comments: Choosing A Puppy
Looking for a Dobie puppy or a
rescue dog. Susan Boster
419-367-0976 in Ohio or
surrounding areas. Please call,
I do not have a computer.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Susan,
Thank you for your interest in a
Doberman puppy or a rescue
Doberman. We cannot call you so
I hope that we can reach you
through the computer that you
sent your question.
You can go to here
www.DPCA.org and click onto
Puppy Referral and then your
state,
http://dpca.org/BreedRef/index_html.htm
and possible the states close to
you and find a list of DPCA
member breeders. You can also
click onto the DPCA Rescue
committee,
http://www.dpcarescue.com/
and look for a rescue
organization in your state.
I hope that you can find a way
to access these links and find a
puppy or a nice rescue buddy.
I am sorry that we cannot
telephone you.
Q:
from Julie Marks
Date: 26-September-2008
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
Hi, My family and I are trying
to located a reputable Dobie
breeder in New England to
purchase a pup. We certainly
would appreciate some guidance
from the experts. Thank you very
much.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans
Hello Julie,
Thank your interest in finding a
Doberman Pinscher puppy. I can
refer you to the
www.DPCA.org website. Click
onto Breeder Referral and then
onto your state,
http://dpca.org/BreedRef/index_html.htm
and the other New England states
to find a breeder who is a DPCA
member.
Here is an article that is on
our pages with tip on finding a
good breeder and suggestions of
what to ask and look for.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/tips_on_buying.htm
Here is another good article for
your information as well,
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/DobermanLitterCosts.htm.
I hope that all of this helps
and good luck in finding your
new buddy.
Q:
from Becky Martines
Date: 22-Sept-08
Comments: need to find a home
for Tavarish
I work for the Humane Society of
Kodiak, in Kodiak Alaska, We
acquired an absolutely wonderful
black and tan Male Doberman
Tavarish. He has a blood
disorder that makes his blood
not clot. We need to find him a
home that won't breed him, Can
someone help us?
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie
Dobermans, USA
Hello Becky,
First Becky, thank you for
rescuing Tavarish. I hope that I
can come up with an idea to help
you. I have a couple that may.
It sounds like that he may be
clinically effected with von
Willebrand's disease
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/von
Willebrand's disease.html.
It can be found in the health
section of our articles page
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/article_menu.htm
. Has a vet confirmed this and
is this why that he was turned
in. I take it that
neutering him is not an option.
I have a couple of suggestions
and you may have already tried
them but I will throw them out
there anyway.
You can contact the local
Alaska breeders in the hopes
that they may know of a rescue
group up there or they just
may be able to help you
further. To find these people
go to
www.DPCA.org and go to
Breeder Referral and click
onto the state of Alaska and
find a list of breeders. There
are DPCA members in Anchorage,
Fairbanks and Kasilof, Alaska.
Do you have any idea of where he came from? If so, and if you haven't already, try to contact this person. We as breeders are responsible for our dogs that we breed. Try getting hold of a breeder up there to help you place Tavarish.
I am kind of at a
loss as to how to help you.
Maybe the others have another
and better idea. In the
meantime, I will keep thinking.
Again, thank you for caring
about this boy.
Comments: Condition & Jumping
I have a 14
month old male Dobie I plan to
show in conformation, agility &
obedience. I have limited
his conditioning, thus far, to
two daily walks and games of
fetch since he is still young.
I have noticed at conformation
shows other males his age seem
to have more muscling than he
does. Am I not doing
enough to build muscle mass?
Also he has progressed in his
agility training to the point
where he is going over jumps.
He has not jumped over 12 inches
yet. What jump height do you
recommend for his age? Should I
limit his jump work?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Kim,
I think that you should keep
doing what you are doing. It
looks as though you are
correctly being careful of the
possible damage that can be done
by overworking (jumping) your
young boy. From what I
understand, his growth plates
are closing now and the last to
close is normally at about 18
months. You can, however take
him for more walks a week.
Another thing that you can do if
you can find a good safe place
is to take him for free runs and
allow him to run, jump and play
at his free will. If you should
have acreage, use it for this.
Free running and allowing your
dog to run, play, jump, twist,
turn and use all speeds are
going to condition their whole
bodies. It would be similar to
the principal as athletes
cross-training.
You can do a caveletti routine
with him too. Here is how to do
this:
Basically, measure your dog from the highest point of the withers to the ground. Say it is 271/2. Place the 7 to 10 PVC pipe on the grass 271/2 inches apart. Trot your dog a circle around the placed caveletti course or until she is gaiting comfortably. After a few time, 3 or 4, gait him across the caveletti course. When he is capable of gaiting across the caveletti in both directions, end the session.
The next time place the pipes 1 inch further apart and do the same routine.
Each time you move the pipes 1 inch further apart until you reach a distance where the dog cannot trot over them without hitting them, the stop and the next time put them back an inch and go from there. Do caveletti training 2 or 3 times a week gaiting the dog across the course 5 or 6 times each session.
In addition
to helping building the muscles
to increase the dog's reach and
drive, this training enhances
smoothness of motion and rhythm.
Caveletti training is also a
good way to rehabilitate dogs
who have healed from a leg
injury. This is why I am doing
it with one of my girls who tore
an abductor muscle. In order for
a dog to gait the caveletti
effectively, a dog has to bear
equal weight on each leg. You
can play ball with him a lot
too.
Can your agility instructor
guide you as to when you can
start jumping him a bit higher.
I would imagine that his running
the course without jumping more
often would be good too.
At this time, his conditioning
should be free and not forced.
I hope that these ideas will
help.
Any questions?
Q:
from Abhi
Date: 12-9-08
Comments: problem
Hi. My Dobe is suffering
ehrlichiosis (TICK FEVER) for
last 6 months.. he was on
Doxicycline as advised by my vet
al 3 times after his blood work
was done. but it just keeps
coming back. Imizol is not
available in India. this disease
is not very common here. I know
you don't give veterinary
advises but my friend's life is
at stake. I cant see him sinking
like this. Any sort of help will
be highly appreciated. Maybe you
can help me contact a vet who
has successfully treated this
dreaded disease ... please..
thanks
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
As has been stated, we do not give medical advice on this list. I would have your Vet contact one of the Veterinary schools such as Ohio State or Michigan State University school of Veterinary Medicine. I'm sure someone would help with this problem.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie, USA
Hello,
I am so sorry
for you buddy who is suffering
from this disease. I personally
do not have any experience with
this either, so I have no idea
what it may be treated with in
this country. Do you think that
your
veterinarian would contact an
Veterinary school here in the
United States for a [possible
treatment and more information?
That is what I would advise at
this point.
Good luck.
Q:
from Anthony
Date: 11-9-08
Comments: Food schedule
Hello,
Hi I'm 21 and currently living
with my parents ( including 2
brothers 1 sister .... all
teenagers ). I am receiving a
puppy Doberman in the months to
come, around December/January.
One important questions that I
have is ... feeding schedule for
a puppy. What do you recommend
for a guy like myself that works
very large hours during the week
and cant be there during the
afternoon to throw in that 2nd
meal before supper time ? .... I
see most recommend feed a puppy
3 times a day .... in my case
what would you advise me to do ?
.... thank you and if you have
any other advice please let me
know. I'm very excited to get
the Doberman on a great start
and don't want to screw up on
its growth spurt.
A:
from Holly Schorr, Pennylane,
USA
Anthony - a meal in the middle
of the day is only one of many,
many things a puppy needs. If
you do not have the time for the
meal then it stands to reason
you don't have the time for the
puppy. If you can afford to hire
someone to come in during the
day and feed, potty and play
with the puppy then that might
work. Otherwise, it would be
wise to hold off getting the
puppy until your life allows the
time it takes to dedicate to a
new life. JMHO.
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie
Dobermans, USA
Hello Anthony,
It is recommended that we feed
baby puppies 3 times a day up to
about 31/2 to 4 months of age
depending on an individual
puppy's needs. The puppy should
be fed in the morning and again
in the early afternoon and again
in the evening approximately 6
hours apart. I would think that
since there are several family
members at home that maybe you
can work something out. You can
also have this schedule work by
feeding in the morning and again
in the early evening and again
about 6 hours after that.
You also need to know that is
not advisable to leave the puppy
to his own devices, by itself,
for long periods of time. The
puppy will need a lot of
interaction, training, playing
and going for walks with you
daily as well. Taking a very
young puppy is a big undertaking
but it can be done. There are
articles on our pages that talk
about raising a puppy. Please
check them out and read them.
Here are a very few.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/superpuppy.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/happy_healthy_confident_puppy.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/puppysafe.htm
Please check through the
articles for many more. You can
print these articles out for
your own puppy packet.
Also, you should know that your
puppy's breeder should be able
to advise you about raising and
feeding your puppy. Your breeder
should be able to guide
you on the ear taping process
too. Hopefully your breeder
lives near you. The breeder is
responsible to mentor you with
their puppy for the lifetime
of the puppy. This is our job.
There is an article on how to
find a breeder too on our pages,
here.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/tips_on_buying.htm
Also check on our article pages
the whole section,
BREEDING-Puppy Package. You can
print these articles out and use
them to raise your puppy. It
could be that this may not be
the best time for you to bring a
new buddy into your life. Do you
work close enough to home where
you can go home during a lunch
break or something? You need to
consider all of these options to
do this correctly and for what
is best for your puppy too.
I hope that this helps and thank
you for asking this question. It
shows that you want what is best
for your puppy.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Dear Anthony,
I'm hoping your getting your
puppy from an ethical breeder.
If so, they will give you the
kind of dog food your puppy
should have and how many times a
day to feed. I worry that you
cannot be home in order to feed
the puppy the third meal. If
this is so, how are you going to
housebreak the puppy when at an
early age they must go potty
about every 2-3 hrs. The puppy
is like a tiny baby. He can only
eat a small amount of food at a
time but need to eat frequently.
His stomach can't hold the
amount of food to last him for
many hours. Is there someone who
can come in and feed and let the
puppy out to go potty as well as
socialize him?
Without these things, I'm afraid
you will wind up with many
problems not to mention
temperament. If he is alone for
hours on end, he will not be
socialized and will be very
rambunctious when you do come
home and as he grows this will
increase. I feel very sorry for
this puppy and I have to say I
would not sell a baby
under these conditions.
Q: from
Gill Cashman
Date: 11-Sept-08
Comments:
I have a Dobermann bitch who
will be 12 months on the 14th
Sept. At age 8 months she came
into season, this season lasted
38 days and she was ovulating on
days 33/36. 5 weeks later she
came into season again, this
time a normal season. 2 weeks
later she started showing slight
colour, now after 3 days she is
loosing thick dark red blood. I
have never experienced anything
like this before, any advice
would be appreciated.
A: from
Holly Schorr, Pennylane, USA
This is a problem for a vet's
attention. I think you should
have her checked as soon as
possible.
A: from Marj Brooks,
Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Gill,
This is a medical issue for your
girl. No what you describe is
not normal and you will need to
take your girl to (hopefully) an
veterinarian that specializes in
reproductive health. If there is
not such a person near you, your
veterinarian may be able to
contact such a person for advice
if necessary. The bottom line is
that you need to take your girl
to seek professional help.
Spaying your girl is an option
to consider but talk to your
veterinarian about the best
solution.
Good luck.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
This is a question only a Vet
can answer. There may be some
problem or she might just
straighten out. I've had bitches
come in season a couple times
the first time around and then
they went on to have normal
seasons. You should take her
right away to a Vet and have a
workup done on her to make sure
she doesn't have an underlying
problem.
Q: from
Veronica Devlin
Date: 6-09-08
Comments: ear taping
I would like the name of someone
who does the ear taping in
Suffolk County, Long Island, New
York. Have tried it on our own a
few times and we need help with
it.
A: from Holly Schorr,
Pennylane Dobermans, USA
We cannot recommend specific
vets or individuals to do ears,
however, if you check the DPCA
website for the Doberman
Pinscher Club in your area and
contact the person on the list I
am sure they will be able to
direct you to the best in your
area.
Q: from
Antonio Pope
Date: 4-09-08
Comments: if anyone cares to
reply to this comment please
email
Antonio Pope by clicking on
his name...
I have a z-factored red and rust
female who is healthy great eye
site and fits the breed
standard. There's nothing wrong
with breeding her, as long as I
don't breed her to another
z-factored there will never be
white pups. Stop giving the
z-factored a bad name, if some
one has and albino in there
human family down the lines that
don't stop them from marring and
having a healthy family. If
anyone in your family has heat
problems, lung, wear glasses,
any health issues y'all wouldn't
be here right leave the
z-factored Dobermans alone y'all
ant nothing but z-s y'all self
stop playing god and leave that
to Jesus.
Username:
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Dear Pope, this is God.
I was the Chair of the Albino
Committee that did the research
on the Albinos. As Holly Schorr
told you, the Albinos have lots
of health problems as we
discovered. You can do whatever
you want as there are plenty of
backyard breeders who only care
about making the almighty dollar
and the heck with the health or
welfare of our beloved breed.
A: from
Holly Schorr, Pennylane
Dobermans, USA
Mr. Pope - I will tell you that
studies have been done,
controlled studies by the DPCA
and it's top breeders. The
findings were that the white
Doberman indeed does have many
health problems, coat and skin
problems and, most importantly,
unstable temperament problems. I
took calls for over two years
from an ad put in dog
publications by our local
Doberman Club. The terrible and
heartbreaking stories I listened
to convinced me, beyond a doubt,
that the white Doberman is
not an animal that should be
continued. Those dogs with the
white factor can and do produce
white pups. They are mutants and
should not be produced. This is
not just someone's opinion, it
has been proven. You sound very
adamant on the subject so I am
sure you are going to do
whatever you want to do....you
do have that right but you also
have to live with the problems
you might create.
Q: from
Gina Delose
Date: 2-09-08
Comments: Exercise
Hello. We have a 1 1/2 year old
boy and were considering taking
him running with us daily. Is 4
miles too far?
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
Just as you started out with
shorter distances, your dog
needs to start slowly. 4 miles
isn't a problem if, as I said
you start slowly. I'd start with
one mile at first. See how he
does. If he isn't breathing
heavily and seems to take it in
stride, I'd do that for about a
week and gradually build up over
the weeks to 4 miles. A jog is
much better than a full run of
course. Stop and rest him if you
see he is tiring.
Q: from
Natalie
Date: 2-09-08
Comments: Blue and Tan Skin
Conditions
I just got a blue and tan Dobie.
He's 6 wks and he's in bad shape
I don't think he has mange but
he has raised white spots on his
head and legs, there's a bad
scab on his back. I got him hypo
allergenic shampoo and helped
quite a bit with just one use.
I'm not looking forward to
putting him through a skin
scrapping is there anything else
it could be or any way I could
tell? Thanks So Much.
A: from Judy Doniere,
Toledobes, USA
As stated at the top of this
page, this list does not answer
medical problems.
I'm sorry you have a puppy with
this condition at such a young
age where most good breeders
would never sell a pup this
young. This pup needs a Vet
immediately. It could be any
number of things ranging from
Staph infection to Demodectic
mange. He needs to be on
medication for whatever he has
and only a Vet can tell you.
PLEASE see your Vet immediately.