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DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS PAGE 17 |
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Comments: ear cropping problem
We have a 5 month old male
Doberman who had his ears cropped
from the breeder - we tried a new tape (called coban) which was advertised to
stick to itself, therefore not ripping the hair out of the puppies ears -
unfortunately, we did not think about the tape being stretchy, and after leaving
the pups ears taped for 3 days, we are left with ears that have been deprived of
blood flow for that time. His ears are currently raw, with open sores on them
(he is under the care of our veterinarian but he has never seen this before) -
we are doing twice daily hydrotherapy on his ears, applying Neosporin multiple
times a day, and using Hydrogel and
Trypzyme-v to promote the healing of the
effected tissue. The puppy is currently losing tissue and fur (almost like he
was skinned - from the tip, and sides). We were wondering if you have ever seen
this happen before, and if so, what should we expect? Will he re-grow hair over
his wounds, or will he forever have no hair on his ears??
A: from Judy Bohnert,
Equinox Dobermans, Canada
Hello Stacy,
We are not supposed to give ANY Veterinarian advice on this site because none of us are qualified to do so but I suppose I can tell you a couple of horror stories that I have. Many, Many years ago we had a Doberman puppy who was taped so tightly by the Vet that cropped her that she couldn't fully close her eyes. I swear to God, she literally couldn't fully close her eyes and we were new at this so we had no idea that there was much, if anything, wrong. The circulation was cut off from her ears in a similar fashion as it was to yours. We treated her on the Vet's advice with antibiotics with no lingering ill effects and luckily in the end all was well.
A few years back one of my Miniature Pinschers was taped so tightly (again by the vet, albeit a different vet at cropping) at the base of the ear where the ear meets the top of the head that there was literally a huge gouge down almost to the bone. We had him put on antibiotics and we put Vitamin E cream on the wound several times a day. Believe it or not, he is now almost 5 ands he has absolutely no scarring whatsoever.
Hello Melissa,
As you know I have already answered you on the DPCA Public Education forum, so I may be repeating myself.
Is the breeder close by to help you? Usually the breeder has the ears cropped and healed before the puppy leaves them. The vet who cropped them should be able to help you with the healing too. You should have instructions from the vet, so please call him/her right away. The vet should also take the stitches out for you.
Here are the taping articles. http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ears1.htm. There are 12 or 13 taping methods in this article. I like the last one and the one by Carol Petruzzo. They are illustrated and explain the taping process very well.
Here is the link again to the breeders website articles menu. There are a lot of articles that can help you with your new puppy. Please see the vet about instructions on the care and the healing.
Good luck and thank you.
Sorry, we do not give opinions on breeders. Go to www.dpca.org and scroll down to breeders and those in your area to find DPCA members.
Hello Sandy
I know of Doberman owners who have homeowners insurance with Farmers Insurance Group. One of my friends got Farmers to insure their home that they bought within the last couple of years with no problem and she has several Dobermans.
You should make and provide assurance on your part to the company that you are doing all that you can to be a responsible dog owner. Some of these things include a totally fence yard that is attached to your home. That the dog will never be allowed off of the property off leash. That you dog is obedient an trained. There may be a situation at times where you will need to put your dog away from visitors. You need to be the judge of these sorts of things and be aware and do what you need to do to prevent a dog bite.
They may want to come and inspect your property and meet your dog. You will want to do everything that you can to prevent a dog bite situation.
There are articles on our article pages to help you with this.
I hope that this is of help to you.
Thank you.
Hello Debbie.
Your breeder is correct when she tells you that the ears can fall during the teething process. During this time the ears should be taped as they were before they were standing. After the adult teeth are in and one continues to tape, they should once again stand erect and straight up at 12 o'clock. If they are taped during the time that they are not standing, the chances are very good that they will stand again. However, if they are not taped at the times that they are not standing, it will most likely be a week of taping for every day that they are not taped.
You should ask the breeder if she has been taping the ears during the teething process and all of the times that they were not standing correctly.
The breeder should explain to you everything that you need to know about the puppy during shipping day. You should be able to ask your breeder any question. Your breeder is your mentor or should be for the life of your puppy.
I hope that I have explained your question as you have asked it.
Thank you.
Debbie - It is very common for the ears to "flop" when the puppy is teething heavy. Sometimes it does not affect the ears and sometimes it does. You may have to re-post them for a bit but that is not a big deal - you will just have to wait and see. We have lots of advice on our website about ear posting and you can ask the breeder for tips also.
You need to be sure you have the AKC papers with a transfer signed, you want to know what food to feed the pup and what supplements you might want to add - I use Vitamin C during the heavy teething time and that helps with ears. You want the full shot record with worming dates also, his rabies certificate and a copy of the agreement/guarantee that the breeder should be sending with the puppy. Ask when the pup is due for his next shots according to your area and if he needs to be on heartworm medication for your area - you can also ask your own vet about this but be sure to have an up to date shot history and worming history so your vet knows what has been given. Good luck with your new family member.
My 7 year old Dobie has just bitten me on my face...he was relaxed, wide awake & under no stress. He was sitting beside me and I went to get up and he bit me. He has been a gentle dog his whole life and I don't understand what happened.
My daughter owned his brother and 3 years ago she had to put him down because he bit her twice and then he attacked her and almost ripped her throat out. This dog also was under no stress and was wide awake when it occurred.
I'm so upset, I can't put my dog down. I just don't understand what happened. He has always been such a great dog. I put him outside for a little while and then made him sit and stay and then I only let him back after I went in. I make him sit or lay before I give him any treats and I started reviewing all the obedience training again. He has always been an easy dog. I just am lost as to what happened. There was no growl just a leap and a bite. I always prided myself on reading a dogs behavior but I didn't see this coming. Please if you can help me that would be great.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Denise,
I am so sorry about this happening to you. I just read the answers that Judy and Holly gave to you and I don't really have anything to add to their answers. As Judy said, a visit to a Neurologist Veterinarian to rule out or determine if is over a health issue.
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Since you have a history of a sibling doing the same or worse I am sure this is great cause for concern. I would never tolerate a dog putting his teeth on me for any reason, much less the "attack" you described. I am afraid that this will happen again. I would not tell you what to do but only what I would do - first have your vet examine the dog and do a complete chemistry panel. With this history I am afraid I would have to consider putting the dog down before he hurt me or someone else - very big risk. Sorry I cannot give you a better scenario but it WILL happen again and you will now be somewhat afraid of the dog which will make it worse.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
This is highly unusual. Have you discussed this
with the breeder to find out if any others in the litter or background have
done this? You mentioned a littermate biting. The only thing I can think of is
both dogs have Rage Syndrome. This is a form of epilepsy they think or it
could be a brain tumor. If either, you may put yourself in danger as it
usually escalates and sometimes the biting is much worse as your daughter
found out.
In any case, you need a complete workup by a Neurologist Veterinarian
immediately. Sometimes these dogs will be in a sound sleep and wake up and
growl or attack. Just be very careful.
How much sleep does a seven week old Doberman pup need a
day?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Tina,
Seven week old puppies sleep a majority of the day. It is important that they do get this sleep. Play with your puppy while he/she is awake and allow your puppy to sleep when he/she wants to sleep.
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennyane Dobermans, USA
As much as he wants - lots and lots. A puppy will play until tired and then sleep until he is not. Pups sleep more hours than they are awake and should not be stressed
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Unless interrupted, a 7 wk. old puppy will sleep about 15-20 out of 24 hrs. a day. They are like a 3 mo. old baby. They eat, sleep and potty. At this age they are weaned and will eat and play with each other for about a half hour and then go back to sleep unless the breeder is playing with them. Even so, when they are tired they will just fall asleep.
If you had read a little farther down on the page you would have seen the answer to your question. Go to
www.dpca.org/ and look up breeder referral and click onto your state to find a breeder near you. You can click onto the neighboring states too if some of those breeders are close enough to where you live.Hello Serbrina,
Your breeder should be able to help you these questions and also the taping of the ears. You will be taping your new puppies ears for about 6 months and maybe longer or possibly not even that long.
My policy is to show a person how to tape the ears when they come to pick up their puppy. I also have a 'How To Tape The Puppy's Ears' article in my puppy packet that goes with the buyer and the puppy. I will send home some tape and supplies too to get a new owner started. I am always available to help as well. If a person lives too far from me, I set it up with an experienced person to help (that lives near the new owner).
Because it does take several weeks to a few months of taping to train the ears to stand straight up and at 12 o'clock, we usually send the puppy home and the new owner will take over the responsibility of getting the ears to stand. The puppy needs to be with it's new owner for bonding and training in her new environment. This is very important for the puppy's development. In fact the sooner the better now that the puppy is 14 weeks old.
Bottom line, the breeder should be able to answer these questions and help you raise and train your new buddy.
We have ear taping articles on our article pages and we also have a lot of puppy packet material to help you raise your puppy up.
One article that I have in my puppy packet that I feel is a must is 'Super Dogs Are Made Not Born'. Our website is loaded with articles to help you. You can print them and have them for a quick reference as you are raising and training your puppy.
It is not hard to tape the ears once you get the hang of it.
I hope that we have helped you.
It varies with every puppy. Most often the ears are done being taped by the time the dog is 6 months, sometimes it can take a year or more. It is not difficult to tape if you have someone such as your breeder show you a time or two. Check out these pages by clicking on the link please.
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
Are all-black Dobies common? I have a breeder friend that has champion dogs and she had all black puppies in a litter. They have no markings at all. Both parents come from Champion European bloodlines.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
The Doberman Pinscher Standard is quite clear on color and markings - they must have rust colored markings in the stated areas - an all black Doberman would not be able to compete in the US. In my 34 years in the breed I have never seen an "all black" dog. There are some dogs with very dark markings, almost black but the markings are still discernable.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
If they are solid black and no markings even if you hold them up to the light, I'd say for sure they are not purebred. Most times Dobes bred to Goldens, Weimaraners, Labs etc. will be solid black with no markings.
If you faintly see markings, they are what you would call melanistic Dobes. The opposite of Albinism. You cannot show them as they would be a Disqualification (at least under me) as the standard says "dogs not of an allowed color."
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Kennels, Canada
Just so you know, a litter can have more than one sire. I recall a family a long
time back that had seen both parents, bought the black & tan puppy, cropped &
docked it and when they were having some troubles with temperament, they
contacted me on the advice of our mutual vet. They brought the dog for me to see
at my suggestion...he was a German Shepherd cross ... NO DOUBT in my mind and
guess what...the neighbors of the breeder had a German Shepherd. And the breeder
was truly a 'breeder' too...
However, a lot of the European dogs have what we call muddy markings too.
If you don't mind my asking, how old are the puppies?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Shay,
I have seen this once or twice with all-black Dobermans and I have seen it once with an all-red Doberman.
It is not common here but it is called melanism I believe. It would be a disqualification according to our DPCA standard.
I hope that this helps you with your question.
Hello Nicole,
I have been away and I am a little late in answering this. I just read Judy Doniere's answer to you and she is giving the right advice. You need to advise your customer to find a good trainer and or behaviorist to help her with this Doberman. Her advice about handling the cats and dogs at home is good too.
I have cats too and my dogs get along with my cat in the house. They will chase a strange cat. I don't allow them off leash outside of my home or their fenced yard.
She can hopefully teach her Doberman to "leave it" with the cats too. Remember that she is the boss and her rules must be followed. The trainer can help her with this.
Thank you and good luck.
Hello Shani,
JuD just gave you some good advice and the articles by Michelle are really good.
I do have a trick to help you with this, actually a couple of tricks. At home when you do bait him put his leash and collar on him and do it like his handler does at the show. Often the dog won't do it because he doesn't have to do it with the show leash and collar on him for you, so you need to do it like the handler does at home.
The other is called the one-two-three game. It works every time and the dogs learn it quick.
So put his leash and collar on and bait him. When you show him the bait and he puts his ears up, say "one" and hopefully he will keep them up and if he does , say "two" and if his ears are still up say "three" and at the same moment that you say three, feed him the bait and praise him. Repeat this game a few times. Now if he takes his mind off of the game and puts his ears down say at two, start the game over. As he learns the game, space the counting.
Try to end the game on a successful note.
Gosh, I thought of another game too. This one may be a bit hard for me to describe but I will try. With his lead and collar on move the liver about, like behind your back, between your legs and hopefully he will watch it and want it. Give him bites here and there. You can hide it behind objects and then quickly show it to him and hide it again. This would be quick movements. I am having a hard time explaining this one. If you and Mike Penny are at the same dog show, ask Mike to show you this game for your dog. I may be able to explain it over the phone.. If you don't see Mike, one of us can show you at the National..
Try the other two things for now and do feel free to call me and I can try to explain over the phone.
I hope that this is a start to helping you with your boy.
Hello Diane,
I believe that we just answered a question very similar to this question. Please go to the www.DPCA.org website and look up breeder referral and click onto your state to find a breeder near you. You can click onto the neighboring states too if some of those breeders are close enough to where you live too. Some breeders do have older Dobermans that they would like to place in a good forever home. You will just have to ask around.
You can also try a rescue person in your state. Click onto the Rescue committee and do the same thing.
Where do you live?
Thank you.
Hello Tanya,
I was most likely one of those who had a male on leash amongst all of the other males. I know that I hold my dog close to me and not allow him to wander to the end of the lead. I am ever watchful of my dog and the other dogs watching for the tell tale body language and that look in the eye from another male that may be uncomfortable with all of the males around him. Most all of the other handlers are like me and are forever watchful.
We have an article on our pages, Speaking Doggish, that can help a bit in learning to recognise doggy body English and help you read it from the dog's cultural prospective. Here is the article: http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/SPEAKINGDOGGISH.htm
Also, here is a reading list of books on the subject: http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/BEHAVIOR_READING_LIST.htm.
It is our responsibility if we are going to have or handle intact male dogs to keeping mishaps from happening. It does take knowledge of doggy language and learning it and recognising it and being forever alert.
I hope that this answers your question and helps you.
Thank you.
A: from Nancy Christensen, Renejade Dobermans
Tanya;
It sounds like you have done a great job with socializing your boy and he has a solid temperament from the description of obedience, day care and walks. Agility is another environment, new to him (and you), I would certainly not drop the class because of one incident. Discuss what happened with the instructors and how you can be a little more in control of not only your dog, but the whole environment as you begin to train. There is a lot more excitement and action than the other things you have done. Without seeing what happened, I can't tell where the Golden was, or the demeanor or sound of the bark. But it sounds like your boy didn't go over and put holes in the Golden, just rushed him. There could be several reasons for this. One is that your boy was getting excited with the new activity, stimulated mentally and physically- what we call being in or getting into drive. The Golden was moving, barked, and it stimulated his prey drive. Perfectly normal. Control when a dog is not in drive is very different from control when a dog is not in drive. You and your boy just need to learn to keep the control and use the drive. The other possibility is that Dobermans tend to be possessive of objects and territory (as well as their people) He may have been on the course and felt the Golden was intruding- in other words, he "took possession" of the course. Not exactly protecting you, but more a "get off MY agility course".
All in all, I would go back. Agility is a lot of fun for both handlers and dogs. You will learn an even better relationship with your boy by working him in drive and learning to control his drives and use them for fun stuff like agility.
I would ask your Vet to do a scraping anyway. It is not common for them to have this.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Gina - A 14 month old male Doberman is just like a 14 year old boy
- hormonal and high spirited. All dogs require obedience training, in my
opinion, however, Dobermans MUST have training and boundaries, and must have
exercise, activities and attention to thrive. That being said, I would run, not
walk to get your boy into formal obedience classes. In addition, I would neuter
him as soon as possible if you are not going to show him. There is no better
house dog and companion than a trained neutered male Doberman. There is
absolutely no reason to leave him intact if you are not going to obtain
a Championship on the dog. Now, if you are going to show him in
conformation he should still be in training classes at least weekly.
Once you have started classes then daily "practice sessions" along with walks, runs, ball playing and other activities will use up that energy. Your boy needs more stimulation than you are giving him at present. Good luck - the time spent will be more than worth the effort.
A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Kennels, Canada
A good start would be to neuter him although that is no guarantee that he will get much, if any, better. Be aware that often it can take up to 6 months or more for the dog to show any signs of loss of testosterone as well. Once again, I strongly recommend neutering him. His aggression is equivalent to being a loaded weapon. This breed does not need any bad publicity,. You owe it to the breed ad to your dog to have him neutered asap.
I do not know this person or the name - doesn't mean that she is not a competent breeder but I do not know her, sorry.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Doraine,
It seems to me that you are the person who should be in charge. Why would you even allow anybody, much less a child, play with your dog like this. Give me a break! Keeping things like this from happening is your responsibility! I think that if it were me, I would have had the guest go home if the guest was not going to listen to you but first, I would have gotten my dog out of harm's way. The dog as always will be blamed for this, but in all reality you should have stopped it way before the guest handled his private parts. It is this kind of irresponsible ownership that hurts all dogs. Please learn responsible ownership if you are going to have dogs. If you are not in trouble from these circumstances, you are very lucky.
There are many articles on our pages to help you to learn your responsibility. You can also go to a behavior specialist for more help. For the sake of your dogs and yourself and your family, get out there and learn responsible dog ownership.
Thank you.
Hello Lou,
Your pup has to be 18 months old at the time of the test. In my opinion, you
should not familiarize the pup with the test. You will want to know how your
puppy naturally performs in the test. The reason for this is that this test
is not about pass or fail, it is about learning about your Doberman's
temperament according to our Doberman Pinscher standard. You can learn from your
performance or scores what you need to find in a mate to breed for the
correct temperament according to our standard.
The evaluator will walk you through the test.
If you would like to go through the test again (which you can), you can work on the areas that you did not pass and maybe pass the test. Like I say, it is not about pass or fail, it is learning about your dog. I am speaking from experience because I do take the WAE. I use the test to evaluative my dogs so I can have the tools to breed for the correct Doberman temperament.
We do have some articles on our website about the test too. http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/breeders_tools.htm
You can also go to the www.DPCA.org website
and find Working Aptitude Evaluation (WAE) committee and read all of the rules.
You may want to contact some person from that committee too. To go through the
test you will
need to fill out the form.
I hope that this helps you some.
Please go to the following page on this site in order to learn how to train your girl to keep her ears up http://www.mu.pair.com/dpca_BreedEd/ teach_tail_up.htm Good luck with your training.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Justin,
The important thing is that a Doberman should not be neutered until he is
about a year to 14 months old. I believe that there is an article on our pages
here about the
time and protocol. Neutering too young is not good in my opinion.
Neutering your dog at this time should not effect his temperament and
personality. This has been my experience with my neutered pets. When you read
the article you will learn of a lot of benefits and really, if you are
not going to breed your dog, this is a good thing to do.
Thank you.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Yes you should definitely have the dog spayed or neutered. As to the temperament, based on the breeding and your upbringing it should have absolutely no effect on it's temperament. Make sue it gets along with people right from the beginning and then the dog has to become a tough guy with a robber or someone breaking in, it will know how to react.
I'm not aware of any ear cropping vets in the WA but I do know most breeders in WA take their puppies to Dr Rick Douglas at Newton Vet Clinic in Surrey, BC, Canada.
Hello Benjamin,
Please go to www.DPCA.org and click onto breeder referral and click onto any state that you wish where you will find a listing of DPCA members that are breeders.
Pat - While we cannot recommend a specific diet or food, it sounds like you are giving your dogs a balanced diet and adding the fruit and vegetables - that is great. The dog food companies spend countless thousands to produce quality, complete diets - I think you are doing fine. An annual exam with blood work, as well as the appearance of your dog and his/her vitality, are the measures of a healthy animal.
You have to find a Cardiologist (probably through your vet) and start the dog on medication. Unfortunately this disease is very strong within our Breed.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello April,
Hopefully you can find a veterinarian that is a cardiologist (specialist)
in your area. Your buddy can hopefully be put on medication. The cardiologist
will want to do more testing though, to learn what medications would be best
for your boy.
I am so sorry for you.
Hello Nick,
This is a bit of a hard one to answer. It would depend on a lot of things such as the size of your dog, the weather where you live, your work hours where nobody is at home and just a lot of things. Actually I am thinking and I know it is none of my business, why do you need a dog house for your Doberman?
If it for shade while he/she is outside, there are doghouses that you can buy for this that I believe that would actually be cheaper than buying one.
I do live in California, LOL. There is a product that I have for my dogs while they are outside during the day called an Igloo. They do use it or they will find a shady spot under a tree. At time it can get very hot and I will bring them in the house with all of the fans and they can be cool there.
With all of that said, I also have what we call a crate and a 400 size 36" long, 20w and 24" tall or close to that or 500 size which is the next size up and is best for a male. This too can be a great thing to have for a lot of reasons. Here is an article about crates: http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/dogcrates.htm
If you really want a doghouse, I can research for the plans for an awesome
dog house. However, it will probably cost a bit in wood to make it. If you can
do it yourself, it may be worth the money that you save by doing it
yourself. A friend of mine made doghouses from these plans for his Dobermans in
the 70's and they were the best. They are elevated off of the ground and about
8" long and about 4' wide and it was divided with a door
where the dog could go to the back of it where there was a bed for warmth. There
was a covered porch on it too as well as another close in area between the bed
area and the porch area.
Let me know if you would like these plans. I am thinking that if you are gone for the day and you have to leave your dog out for the day in a yard, this doghouse just may be the ticket.
I would imagine that when you are home at night, that your buddy is in the house with you and your family.
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
You shouldn't build a dog house for your Doberman - Dobermans do NOT live or
thrive in dog houses. They need to live in the home, with the family, and be
part of the family. A Doberman is NOT tolerant of outdoor living, not of cold or
hot. They need human contact at all times. If you cannot make your Doberman part
of the family and have him/her live in the home then you should look for a home
for the dog and find a breed that would better suit you.
Go to the D.P.C.A. website and go into the "Breeder's Directory". They list breeders by name and location.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Julie,
I just happen to be the breeder referral person for Northern California. I send out a letter that is very informative about all of this that I think will help you a lot. After you read this letter and click onto all of the links you can look for a breeder. I recommend that you go to www.DPCA.org and go to Breeder Referral and click onto your state and find a responsible breeder that follows the guidelines that will learn about in this letter.
Thank you for your question and I hope that this helps you.
Good luck and here is the letter:
Thank you for contacting me. I am the puppy referral person for the Northern
California area. People are making plans now to breed now and in the spring to
have puppies this spring and the early summer. If you don't find a puppy now,
please keep writing to me to learn of the reputable breeders who have bred their
female and/or have a litter available. In the meantime please go to the DPCA
website www.DPCA.org and also the DPCA
breeders website
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ and also the DPCA public education website
http://www.dpca.org/PublicEd/PEC/
for a wealth of knowledge about the Doberman Pinscher. The parents and ancestors
should be health tested for all of the inherent health problems that plague the
Doberman so that breeding decisions can be made on health. These tests should
include a DNA test for vWD, a full thyroid panel, x-rays for the hips and
elbows, A Holter monitor test and a echocardiogram for the heart and the C.E.R.F
eye test. You should or must ask the breeder about these tests. Ask if the
parents (sire and the dam) of the puppies are tested. You can read about these
diseases on the breeders education website
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/article_menu.htm in the articles section under
health. You can also read about these diseases on our Public Education pages
here:
http://www.dpca.org/PublicEd/PEC/PECGenetic.html
There is also a temperament test that breeding animals should take so that
breeding decisions can be made for the ideal Doberman Pinscher temperament of
the breeding pair. For more information on this, here is an article:
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/breeders_tools.htm. It is not about a pass or
fail, it is about learning about your dog and breeding for the correct and the
ideal Doberman temperament. As well as the article above about the testing there
are many articles about temperament on the breeders website
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/article_menu.htm. You can learn more about the
WAE temperament test itself here: All breeders should test their breeding pairs
to learn about their dog and breed for the ideal. All of the breeders listed
here will have the ears cropped and healed before they let the puppies go to
their homes. If you have any questions about Dobermans and/or breeders do not
hesitate to ask me. You can also reach me at 707-539-2050.
For even more information about the Doberman Pinscher and more articles go to
www.DPCA.org and click onto the various links
throughout the website.
Here is a good article about finding a breeder.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/tips_on_buying.htm. We have a new article up on
the site that you will find very informative too.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/DobermanLitterCosts.htm. Also just scan the
whole website for a wealth of information. Here are the breeders in the area
that have or will have Doberman Pinscher puppies. It is best to call them and
interview them as they should interview you. Also, I caution a person to be
careful about buying over the internet and from websites. Give the breeder a
call first and interview them and then if they have a website, take a look to
see pictures of their dogs or what have you. Please consider not to purchase
your puppy over the internet. Also beware of the websites that offer you to pay
for your puppy using Paypal or a credit card. Try to visit the breeders home and
see the parent and the puppies and where they are raised. Again and I can't
stress this enough, please interview the breeder as the breeder should interview
you. Breeders who presently have puppies.
Here is where I put the list of breeder, which I took out of it for this. Don't
forget to ask about the health testing.
Again, if you do not find your puppy here, please contact me again. Also if you have any questions feel free to call me at 707-539-2050 or email me.
Please let me know when you find your "new buddy".
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
There is a DNA test for vWD and testing of parents should be routine with all 'quality' breeders. A dog can be genetically affected and never have a bleeding problem. Most do not have a problem unless put under stress such as surgery or a major illness. A clear or carrier is fine.
Do your homework and check the D.P.C.A. website for the "Breeder's Directory" and then find breeders in your area and call and speak with them - ask about health testing on both parents. That will narrow down your search.
Yes, you should be concerned. I would not purchase an affected dog.
Hello Brenda,
Go to www.DPCA.org and click onto Breeder referral and click onto a state and find a DPCA member that is a breeder.
Thank you.
Hello Sue,
I have had Dobermans for a lot of years now and so far I have not had a Doberman that was afflicted with this disease. Maybe your veterinarian can recommend a internal specialist. Here is some information on this condition to read. http://www.vetinfo.com/dhepatitis.html
Also, I can recommend a book for you which is Home Prepared Dog and Cat
Diets, The Healthful Alternative by Donald R Stombeck DVM, PhD. I think too that
we may have an article on our article pages with a diet for
this condition written by a breeder friend of mine, Darlene Young. I believe and
her dog live until she was 12 or 13 and Darlene home-cooked a special diet foe
her. Please take a look on our pages for this. If you cannot find
it, let us know and I will get it.
Thank you.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello David,
We cannot recommend brands of dog food to you. We can suggest that you can add fresh meat (hamburger) to her diet. For more information on all of the dog foods you can also go www.wholedogjournal.com. Check around on their website for articles about rating dog foods. They put out a monthly booklet that can give you a lot of information. The February 2009 issue has an article called Choosing Good Foods which outlines how to select superior dry foods. Just check the website and you will find information and hopefully garner some ideas from what they tell us.
I hope that this helps you with your question.
Welcome to the world of the Doberman, they are the best!
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Hi David - I keep my pups on puppy food until about 5 months but
with Dobermans it is really not necessary. Sometimes too much protein will make
the develop too quickly and you can run into some
development problems. Large boned dogs do not require the puppy food as some
breeds do. I personally feed Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach to ALL of my
dogs and they are in wonderful condition. Pro Plan is a very high quality food
and there is really no reason for you to feel you have to try the most expensive
brands - that's not always the best. I have found that most Dobermans do very
well on the Pro
Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach, especially in areas with very hot or very cold
weather - it's very good for their coats without too much fat and protein.
Good luck with your little one.
Benjie,
I hope you're kidding. This is a PUPPY!!!! He will be considered a
puppy until he is at least 3 yrs. old. Good heavens, would you expect a
child of 6 mo. to act like an adult???? Treat him like a puppy and puppy
proof your home and give him love and let him grow up. Take him to
Obedience classes starting now to give him some training that you cannot do
yourself. Geez!
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Well, I have two eight year olds that are still working on it.....There is nothing more wonderful than a Doberman puppy and it is super when they grow up and still act like puppies. Yours is a baby and is not even close to maturity. If you are referring to a calming down it will probably happen around three. Puppies are children and love to romp and play and do get into things - you must expect this and arrange your home accordingly so that the puppy does not injure itself. Now, this is not to say one cannot train their puppy to behave. ALL Dobermans should be in obedience class by the age of yours or before. This is an ongoing endeavour and you will get back what you put in. These are big, powerful animals and the owner must take charge. I intensely dislike misbehaved dogs or children so I have always refused to have any - but it takes time and patience, not magic. Teach your puppy the word NO and be consistent with training. Keep him confined when you cannot watch him, be sure he has LOTS of exercise and play time with you, enter him in obedience NOW and you will learn to enjoy every minute you have with your little person. Good luck.
Need some help.
My brother in law died, and left 4 Doberman dogs. They are pure breed with lots of awards in International competitions. We are trying to sell them but we do not know the way to go about it. Anyone with help will be welcome.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
You don't say what State you are in. First of all, do you know the name of the breeders/ If these dogs competed their Championship they must have come from a top breeder who will most likely take back their own breeding. Look on the papers and find out. Next, if you can't do that, go to www.dpca.org and scroll down to Breeders. You will be taken to a map. Click on the area you are in and it will list the breeders and Rescue groups in that area.
PLEASE don't dump these dogs in a shelter to be killed or go to a puppy mill the rest of their lives.
Are they spayed and neutered?
That's all I can help you with. I'm sorry for your situation.
Dear Robert,
We cannot recommend a specific breeder but if you go to www.dpca.org site and scroll down to Breeder Referral, click that on and then click on Breeder Directory, it will show a map of the U.S. You say you live in N.Y. so click on N.Y. and then scroll down to the closest breeder to you. If one isn't able to do it, keep looking on the site.
In the meantime, if you look on this site you will find several articles with pictures on how to tape ears. This should make it easy for you. BTW, where is your breeder? Certainly they should help you. Have you asked them?
Comments: Temperament of brothers
I have now Dobie brothers, have owned single Dobies before but
this is a new experience, They are just 1 yr old and have started fighting
between each other. Both are fixed and have been checked by vet. So far its
small bites when outside while together, inside they are fine, but can get
into red zone out side. Is this normal for litter mates?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Read what Holly wrote you. This is a very dangerous situation and you should immediately separate the boys. They may not fight to the death today or tomorrow but you can bet it will happen soon. We've all tried it at one time or another only to end up with disastrous results. Don't wait for it to happen as you will not be able to separate them without getting hurt yourself or having one nearly dead if not already and the other very badly chewed up. LISTEN TO US.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane, USA
Sue - Doberman males DO fight with each other - even if they
exist for a time without aggression, someday, sometime, they will fight and it
can get very ugly and even end in death. I don't know if someone
sold you two males but they should not have ever done this -
very irresponsible. You will either have to separate the two for life
or place one in another home. You need to do this VERY SOON before you
have a disaster.
Comments: Lazy ear
My 12 month old Doberman has one lazy ear. i stop posting at about 9 months. Should I continue to post the lazy ear even at this stage or is it too late?
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
You can continue
to post the ear but it probably
came from an error in posting in
the first place. You might
seek someone with a lot
of experience (NOT a vet) like a
known Breeder, who might be able
to
help you fix the problem.
If the ear goes up and down it
will usually correct itself,
however, if you are going to
show the dog it might be more
important. You also might
try adding vitamin C to
the dog's diet - the canine
formulas are best and can be
purchased from a dog supplier.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I would not bother to post the ear. Posting is done in the first few weeks to teach the ear to stand and get out any kinks. He's beyond this. I would just take a strip of one inch tape and for this, I like Johnson & Johnson's waterproof tape as it's stiffer than other tapes. Start at the inside middle of the ear as close to the base as possible and start to wrap in the direction of the little flap on the hair edge. The flap will fold back and that's ok. Continue to wrap about half way up and don't wrap too tightly or you'll stop circulation. Just a few wraps that's all. Then just squeeze the ear so it's cone shaped. That's it. Make sure the ear stands almost straight up. Leave it up for about 5 days. Smell the ears daily to make sure they don't have an infection. Make sure the tape isn't so tight it starts to make a sore at the base.
When taking down, use adhesive remover if you are not sure how to cut the tape on the inside of the ear. You can do this as often as you need to. If you don't tape too tight, the dog will start to use this ear and it should get stronger. It may work or it may not. Some are just too late but if it was my dog, I wouldn't give up. MAKE SURE THE EARS DO NOT GET SORES. Clean them after each taping and let them go for a day or two before you re-tape.
I would not use any posts in the ear.
Hi Trish. Some time ago I got to know a fellow that loves his blues. His is chock full of help for someone such as yourself and is located here http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html
Comments: Choosing A Puppy
How much should I expect to pay on a regular Doberman that will be a family pet?
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Ashley - I would strongly
suggest you get this boy into
obedience classes as soon as
possible. It is never
acceptable for a dog to put his
teeth on his owner regardless of
circumstances. It is a
sign of
dominance and not to be
tolerated. He is getting
to an age, though neutered,
where some hormones come into
play, along with the
natural "teen age"
assertiveness. As I said,
this is not to be tolerated.
As for the whining and carrying
on, I would suggest that you
take him for walks alone for a
while so that you can
concentrate on making him behave
one on one. Teaching him
to heal and sit with proper
corrections, and keeping him
busy on his walk will distract
him and perhaps help with the
problem. It is hard to
give specific directions without
seeing the behavior and the
stimuli causing his behavior.
A metal choke chain should be
enough to control him.
If you are walking him alone
then put the chain up high on
his neck behind the ears and
give him a "pop" with the leash
and collar if he is doing
something you don't want him to
do, while telling him NO.
Young dogs, like children,
need to be given boundaries and
need to learn what is acceptable
and what is not. I would
strongly suggest you find a good
obedience instructor in your
area and get your boy
started with some formal
training. Best of luck.
Marj's answer to you was
wonderful and told you all that
we might advise. I
wouldn't give up until you have
had some sound advice
from people who are experienced.
As Marj said - contact the
Breeder first
- that is the place to start.
Good Luck.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Sid,
First, I will try to answer the trainer question. Look for a Obedience Training Kennel Club nearest to where that you live. If you cannot find one, try looking for a Kennel Club that puts on yearly dog shows and obedience trials. Most of these clubs either offer training classes or can refer you to a good trainer. The breeder of your puppy to be can help you too once you know who this person (your breeder) is. Whoever you find as your breeder should be able to help you as your mentor. You can also go to www.AKC.org and find a club to contact. Often you can find a club in the yellow pages of your phone book. The Countywide Dog Training Club in my area is listed in ours because they have training classes.
It would be good if you can start now to find a good training facility and trainer now and be ready for when you get your puppy. A lot of these clubs offer kindergarten classes for young puppies that have all of their shots. These classes are very good for socialization. Just be sure that you find a class where they will teach you how to train your dog. This is important.
As for the prices of puppies and the differences. It is a responsible breeder that sells a puppy with the ears cropped and heeled as well as a puppy with the tail docked. It is this same breeder who will mentor and help you with the taping of the ears until they stand too. Like we have advised before, the breeding stock should be tested for all of the inherent diseases that plague the Doberman so that breeding decision can be made based on the results of the testing. The raising of a litter to 8 weeks is an amazingly a huge expense. You can see this here: http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/DobermanLitterCosts.htm and get an idea.
Another wise word of caution. Don't buy your puppy off of the internet or from a breeder that offers you to pay with a credit card. You must interview the breeder as they should interview you. There are articles on our pages about how to find a responsible breeder. If possible, try to visit the breeder too and see the dogs. They should all be fit and in condition. The environment should be clean. These are just a few things for you to consider. Just a few questions back there are more hints about finding a responsible breeder in a puppy letter that was posted in this Q & A forum.
Please try to learn as much as you can before the purchase of your puppy in the early summer. Please look to our articles pages for a wealth of information and knowledge about the Doberman Pinscher.
I hope that we have helped you. If you have more questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you.
KM,
Some dogs, even those who have
been well socialized go through
the teenage stage of not knowing
if they should be macho or a
little unsure of themselves.
Most all work it out and become
good show dogs ... however some
never get out of this stage.
You say you've done Obedience on
him and he will stand for
examine but doesn't look like he
likes it. I would say only
experienced people should train
a dog for both Obedience and
Conformation as you must keep
the dog working very happily in
Conformation while Obedience the
dog is learning to take all
signals from you in constant
repetition. Many can't
make the transition unless you
have a qualified trainer who can
guide you enough to do both.
Right now I would make his
training period fun. Don't
concentrate on standing for exam
but use bait and make the dog
excited, happy and playful.
Training should be fun first and
then you work on standing.
Many people constantly have
everyone going over a dog who is
unsure and usually this doesn't
work. He has to be having
fun first and learning that
strangers are his friends to a
point. Naturally a
Doberman temperament is Alert,
watchful etc. but this does not
mean he shouldn't allow a
stranger to go over him.
One thing that might work is to
have someone take the lead from
you and gait the dog and bait
him and let the dog think this
is fun. Have many
strangers do this at training
classes. Don't have them try and
stack him at first but just
stand in front of him and bait
with some good stuff like string
cheese or liver etc. Have
them get the dog happy so his
ears and tail start to come up
when he is gaiting with them or
standing.
Once he feels confident, then
have the stranger try and stack
him but make sure this person is
a Dobe person who knows how to
do it easily and then have them
bait the dog. Then YOU go over
your own dog. Don't talk
to him but just start with the
mouth exam, and QUICKLY go over
the dog and then walk away.
If he stands great, you've made
progress. Do this for a couple
weeks with as many new people
you can find. Then the
next step is for you to do the
same with him. Have one of these
people go over him quickly and
confidently. You may have
to do this for several weeks.
As long as he doesn't shy away,
fine. If he moves a foot,
no problem. Just keep
baiting him once the mouth exam
is over and keep saying good
boy. This may take several
weeks but he should start
feeling confident. Then
try for the show ring.
Unless he will not stand at all,
he should do fine. You
also might try a different
handler in the ring. Many
dogs do much better than mommy
or daddy handling them.
Good luck.
Hello KM,
While shyness is a deviation from the ideal Doberman Pinscher temperament according to the standard, I would consider having someone evaluate him and also maybe mentor you about your next step in working with him and helping him gain the confidence that is needed for him to be a show dog. We have a mentors list on our pages. Please click here, http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/DPCA_mentors.htm.
Choose a mentor who is near you and contact them for a hands on evaluation and maybe some mentoring in helping you get your boy on the right track. Maybe you can choose a mentor that has experience in the handling of a Doberman Pinscher at dog shows and also one who has experience in the training too.
You should be able to call on the breeder of your dog for advice too and to help you choose a mentor from the list.
Some areas have classes where you can take your dog to learn to stand for examination. You can contact your local kennel club for information about these conformation training classes. Try to find a weekly class where they can teach you how to handle and train your dog too. Most of these classes constantly have people going over your dog like the judge does at the shows. I would try the mentor idea first though. I would try all of this before that I would continue to enter and go to the dog shows with him.
I hope that I have helped some and if not please feel free to ask more questions.
Thank you.
Sid - Ears are cropped sometime between 7 and 9 weeks by most breeders. Before the pup goes to his/her new home the stitches should be out and the ears posted for the first time. If you live near your breeder most will post the ears for you weekly. Most breeders are far more adept at ear posting than vets. Proper method and tape can make a world of difference in the look of the ear and how fast they stand. My pups go home around 10 or 11 weeks.
A "good" breeder will socialize the pups far better than most new owners. That is part of our job and VERY important to us. Your puppy will still bond with you after 12 weeks and is better off with the breeder a little longer for initial crate training and exposure to different stimuli.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
The symptoms you have described could be caused from a number of things and we cannot give any medical advice on this list. I will say that a topical medication is probably not the answer and perhaps you might try another vet? Sorry we cannot be of more help but it could be an allergy or a staph infection (easily treated with antibiotics) or a reaction to eating fowl or rodent droppings.
Please consider getting another medical opinion.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
As with all our topics, we are here to help when we can however some things require a Vet's opinion and this can range from a Pyoderma to a more serious Staph infection. In any case, please take your puppy to the Vet right away to get the proper medication to clear this up.
Additionally, you must wash and dry completely the puppy's chin after each meal. This will help prevent infections and keep him nice and clean.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello R,
I think that you need to go to the veterinarian again and ask for him to be put on antibiotics for what we call folliculitis. This and I am sure that it may not be spelled correctly is either a bacterial or Staphylococcus infection of the follicle. If this is what it is, it needs to be treated from the inside too. If it is an allergy, your vet may want to work with you or another vet to find out what his allergies may be too. My guess is (and it is a guess and this is why that you should see your veterinarian) that this could be a deep infection and may require your buddy to be on antibiotics for some time as well as the topical medication. My guess also is that he has had this for some time and now it is getting serious.
For the chin acne which is also an infection of the same type, you can break clean the pustules with peroxide. You can make a solution of 1 part bleach to at least 4 parts of water and dab the chin pustules with this until it has dried up. You should consider washing his chin after every meal. For this Is use the water and dish soap with a little bleach added that I use to wash the dog's dishes after feeding. The food often gets caked on the chin and can cause the chin acne.
I believe that we have an
article on our pages about
folliculitis (Pyoderma). It is
common to Dobermans.
Here is some more information.
http://devinefarm.net/rp/rpskin.htm
http://www.medi-vet.com/Canine-Pyoderma.html
I hope that this is a help. You can print these articles and take them to your veterinarian too. The bottom line is that it is a veterinary issue and it does require you and your buddy finding a veterinarian for the correct treatment for him. Maybe your veterinarian can refer you to a veterinarian that specializes in skin disorders.
I think that the treatment can take a long while but I do think that you can cure this.
Thank you and good luck.
Hi Will,
Yes there is BUT you would have known by now. Usually it is 2 dominant bitches and your older girl sounds like she is a submissive old girl. However, please do NOT allow the puppy to molest her...it isn't fair. Teach the puppy that you can't/won't accept that behavior.
Please keep checking the archives as there may be other responses from other breeders posted.
Thank you for answering my email to you.
Comments: Temperament
Hi,
When we bought our house the previous owner asked us if we wanted his Doberman bitch too, after a week trial we found that she has such a wonderful temperament and then immediately got her sorted, (we live in a part of the world where there are many stray dogs and don't want her to have another litter as she has had at least three litters under the previous owners attention. For security (to look tough not to be tough) we decided to get another Doberman as we think this one is getting on in age (we think about 7 and a half years old) and as she has been trained so well we hope that she will help us train the puppy. We got a 4 month old female puppy about 5 months ago and they get on v well, (the puppy sees the older female as a mother figure I think) but she can be quite tiring by constantly biting the older dogs back legs etc to try to get her to play. Fortunately the older dog seems to be v patient and doesn't get aggressive however Im concerned after reading on your Q and A page th
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Will,
Somehow in
your very last sentence, you
didn't finish the sentence, so I
am not sure what you are asking.
It sounds as though the two of
them are getting a long good and
you may not have to worry about
aggression with
these two girls. Maybe when it
looks to you as though the older
girls is being pushed too much
by the younger one, you may want
to intercede and teach the
younger one to back off a bit.
You will need to teach her to
play
nice. Before that I go on any
more can you finish your
question.
There are articles on our pages to help a person with two dogs. All dogs need to be trained and learn the rules of the household and you are the one to teach them.
Thank you.