Q & A Archives 2003 Page 2 - DPCA Breeders Education

DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION Q & A - 2003 - Page 2

Q: from Julie Leith

Date: Monday, November 24, 2003

Time: 22:06:06

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

Query 1. Thanks for the advice for my nursing Doberman. I now have 10 healthy one month old Dobie's. I am starting to help with supplemental feedings and am blending a mix of Eukanuba puppy hard & soft and a powered milk base... mom is still getting 1/3 cottage cheese and 1/3 yogurt as these are her favourites.
Query 2. We have moved the puppies from the back bed room to the kitchen with the whelping box instead of a kitchen table. (What we do for our Dobies) This is her first litter and she is handling the transition well. I also have two males 5yr Granddad & 2yr sire (I know not recommended) they get along fine. My older male is very submissive and my female is the dominator. We also have the joke my husband Guy is the dominate MALE.
Query 3. My question is the puppies have teeth but still don't seem to chew. They also don't really want anything to do with water. I feed once in the evening and mom supplements during the day. They are very intent on eating their dinner and sometimes even though it's gruel on the watery side they still almost choke. How/when do I make it crunchier?
Query 4. I also am very interested in getting into the world of showing and agility with my female. She is a wonderful example of the breed. She has already completed beginner obedience. When should her training begin after the puppies are weaned?
Query 5. On another note, how long before she stops bleeding?
Thanks for any advice! You are a wonderful resource of knowledge!

A: from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA

Reply 1. As you continue to increase the amount of food going to the puppies, you can start to decrease the amount going to mom. This will help dry her milk supply up. By the time the pups are 7 weeks old, you should not allow the pups to nurse other than occasionally while she spends time with them. By 7 weeks, I remove mom from the pups, and allow her to interact with them, but not sleep with them. I also decrease her food. Moms usually indicate when they wish to wean their pups completely. As the pup's sharp teeth immerge, mom will not want them nursing. Also important to keep the puppies nails trimmed every few days. Sharp nails can cause mastitis (infection of the mammary glands).
Reply 2. Keep all other dogs away from the pups, as moms will protect their pups from other dogs. Very few people have success with 2 males together (even neutered males). While things may go along fine for quite some time, males can start fighting without any warning. Having done rescue for many years, we've had a lot of dogs injured after living together peacefully for years. Do not ever "relax" and think that they'll be fine. It could turn ugly at any time. Are these males AKC Champions, or currently being shown? If not, you should consider having them neutered, as they will be much happier, more stable companions.
Reply 3. At only one month of age, these pups are just now ready to start the weaning process. They should be "lapping" at this stage in their development, and will start chewing soon. You should be feeding puppies of this age a MINIMUM of 4-5 times per day! They are probably choking on their food because there are TEN puppies, and they are all trying to get as much food as possible. With the weaning mixture, don't feed all of them out of the same dish as this makes the pups very, very food competitive. They will gulp the food in order to eat more than their siblings. As the pups get older, you can gradually decrease the amount of water/formula in their kibble. I generally don't use a lot of canned food, as this tends to create picky eaters as the grow older (they always expect the canned food to be in their dish and therefore may turn their nose up at the kibble). At about 6 weeks of age, you can start leaving some dry food out for the pups, they will start to nibble on the food. If they swallow without chewing, try separating the pups even further (1 or 2 per dish). A litter of 10 may create too much competition. I feed pups that are 8-12 weeks of age 3 times a day, and after 12 weeks, I start feeding twice daily. My adults are also fed twice daily. Once a day feeding is never recommended for Dobermans due to their deep-chested build, and propensity for Bloat.
Reply 4. There is a big difference between conformation competition and obedience/agility competition. Obedience competition is fun and can be done with any purebred dog... providing, of course that they like it! Spayed and neutered animals can compete in obedience and agility without penalty. Conformation is a bit more complicated, and requires an outstanding, sound, correct individual. How do you know that you have a worthy conformation competitor? You should contact experienced Doberman show people and/or AKC licensed judges in your area to evaluate your dog. They can give you an honest assessment of your dog and tell you about her strengths and weaknesses. It sounds like you have 3 intact Dobermans in your household. Do you plan on achieving AKC Championships for all of them? You should have them all evaluated before showing/breeding them. You should also do all of the necessary health testing, as it would be devastating to invest in attaining a Championship, only to find out that the dog has a health disorder. Also important to know test results prior to breeding (OFA, thyroid, vWD, EKG, etc.) so as to ensure genetically sound puppies.
Reply 5. After whelping, a bitch may continue to bleed for several weeks. The color of the blood should change and should be brownish as opposed to red. Keep an eye for irregular discharge, as this could indicate a retained placenta. I continue to take temperatures on my bitches for several weeks after whelping. A temperature over 102 can indicate a problem.

Q: from Beth Short

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2003

Time: 16:32:03

Comments: Understanding the Color Chart

Thanks to AKC who directed me to this web site, I found the color chart for Dobermans (BbDD as an example), My question is how can I know what number from 1-9 my dog is?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Beth:

I have heard that there is a DNA marker for determining some of the color types (not sure if it's available yet). There really is no sure way to tell except to research the background and come up with a possibility for your dog. The color chart will tell you the % of each litter that came from certain color types but you won't know which one of those your dog is until the dog is bred and bred to a known color type that will help you test the possibility of you dogs color type. Sorry for the confusing answer but that is the only way I know of to explain this difficult process.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Dear Beth,

There really is no physical way to know exactly what color type your dog is. Look at his pedigree close up. What colors were his sire/dam and grandsire/dam? This gives you some idea. What colors were his littermates? Were any of them fawns or blues? Were there any reds in litter or were they all black?

Other than breeding, there really is no way yet and even then it's hard to tell for sure unless you know the background.

Q: from Pia

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Time: 22:21:13

Comments: Doberman Conformation/Handling

I am new to Dobermans and to the dog show world in general. I really want to show my two young Dobermans and I would like to do it myself instead of sending them to a handler. I'm not sure how to get started though or where to go to learn what I need to know to show. Any hints on jumping into the show world?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Pia:

Welcome to a wonderful world of showing Dobermans. First and foremost you will need to have a good specimen to show, one that is a good representative of the breed. Then you can begin by going to handling classes, most areas have them. If you have handlers that reside in the area, try to get them to mentor you. Try to travel with them a little to learn grooming and other important tricks to the trade. There are a lot of books out there as well that you can purchase that help you get your dog ready for the show ring. I would recommend attending some local shows and observe the handlers closely. There are usually vendors at the show that sell books and you can get ones that are great, like Pat Hastings' Tricks of the Trade. Or Pat Craig's "Born to Win" both are excellent books on how to grade a potential show dog, how to breed to the best you can, etc.

Good luck, and welcome. We always need new people.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Dear Pia,

You've come to the right place. If you read some of Michelle Santana's hints on training, this will help you.

Going to good conformation training classes weekly, preferably given by someone familiar with showing Dobes and going to shows and watching the good handler/exhibitors. Talk to them AFTER the breed is finished and they'll be more than happy to help you.

Q: from Pia

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Time: 22:23:02

Comments: Doberman Health

I have a 22 month old red male Doberman who is EXTREMELY active and not very interested in food, not even treats. I have a hard time getting him to eat enough because he's too busy running around to stop and spend some time at the food dish. Vet checks show he's completely healthy, but he's too skinny. Any hints on getting some weight on him?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Hi Pia:

There are some tricks I use with active dogs.

First you could try feeding him in a crate and though I don't prefer this method sometimes it works. Secondly put him in a room that he can't run around in to feed him. Don't leave the food down more than 15 minutes. If he chooses not to eat it, pick it up and don't offer food again until the next meal. Never leave his food down so he can pick at it whenever he chooses to do so.

You can also purchase "liver" treats that you can "sprinkle" over the food to entice him.

Lastly, perhaps he does not care for the food you are feeding. Have to tried a different brand? Some foods are more palatable than others. I wouldn't recommend doing this often but maybe try it just as an attempt to see if it's the food.

If he continues in the same manner, it's not the food, it's him. Some males are this way until they settle down and mature but in most cases I have been involved with helping to resolve this type of problem, the food is being left down and the owners are doing all kinds of things, like holding the food, begging them eat, etc. All of these methods are not good. I believe he will not starve to death and if you allow him to have bad eating habits it will continue throughout his life.

Good luck.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Pia, you should have started your pup eating in a crate. But now if he is too busy, put his food dish down in a.m. and leave it for 10 minutes. If he doesn't eat it, take it away and don't try feeding him until evening. Do this constantly. He'll lose more weight at first but when he sees the food gone and he really is hungry, he'll eat.

Another thought is to give him just one cup to put down at first. Once he starts cleaning it up then gradually add more.

I'd still try the crate but hang the bowl so he doesn't tip it over or try and bury it. Just walk out of the room and leave him for 10 min. and do the above as suggested.

Q: from Erin Shine
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Time: 115:51:33 Comments: Breeding the Doberman

I have recently learned that my 2 year old blue Dobe is a 41% carrier of vWD, and I want to breed. Is this discouraged since he is on the low end of carrier status? I heard that there are studies out there about not breeding 'clear' to 'clear'. It's a little confusing. We want to breed for pet temperament only but don't want to pass on the gene and create 'active' vWD Dobes. Can anyone help?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Erin
My recommendation is to breed to improve the betterment of the breed itself and obviously temperament is part of that. You should not breed just to breed; you should study the standard and try to breed to that standard. Health, conformation and temperament are all part of the scenario. VWD is one of this health issues that you need to consider. Breeding a carrier is okay but you must try to breed to at least another carrier or clear. If you breed two carriers together you must be aware that you will get all three DNA types; carrier, clear and affected so this would be the least desirable breeding pair. It would be best to breed to a clear mate that would produce only carriers and clears.

I hope this answers your question.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

The test your Vet conducted is not as accurate as the VetGen test which is a DNA test done for vWD. Many times the other testing can give wrong readings depending on seasons or other health factors. Please get a DNA test. You must send to VetGen for the test kit and do it yourself. Your Vet can give you the address.

You should not breed Affected to Affected but since clinical bleeding is so very rare, many breeders don't' worry too much about it other than testing for it and trying not to breed Affected to Affected.

As to breeding pets. We don't advise that since the shelters are so full of "pet" that were an inconvenience to their owners and they dump them. This can also happen with show breeding but since there is so much invested
in them, it's rare to see them wind up in shelters.

We always try and breed to IMPROVE the breed both in temperament as well as conformation. Please read the Doberman Standard and see what we should all be trying to achieve.

There are other tests as well that are very important to the health of the Dobes before you breed. (i.e.-Cardio - both ultra-sound and EKG, Thyroid, hips and elbow X-rays for the OFA, eyes) Additionally a thorough search of the pedigrees of both sire and dam for any other health problems that can't be tested for such as CVI should be done.

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A: from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA

First off ... the vWD testing method that you've mentioned in your post is very outdated and not an accurate way of judging whether a dog is vWD affected, carrier or clear. This "number/percentage" (also called the ELISA test) can change, depending on several of factors. The ONLY way to test for vWD is to do the DNA test. This is a foolproof way of determining your Doberman's permanent vWD status. The company who does this test is VetGen and tests can be ordered online. Since it's a DNA test, it tests the cells of the dog with a swab taken of the inside of the mouth. It's easy for a novice person to do.

Your post, however, brings up other questions regarding breeding. I admire your diligence in seeking information regarding vWD, but, there are other things that should be considered before breeding any purebred dog. Since we started with "health", I'll go over the minimum testing that should be done on any dog before breeding.

Thyroid: A thyroid test should be done to ensure proper thyroid function. The test that is most often used is the TSH test done with results read at a major Veterinary College (Michigan State is the preferred). Simply having the T4 thyroid test is not good enough.
vWD: we've already gone over this one, but the results of this test will show you if your dog is affected (meaning that they carry BOTH genes), a carrier (meaning that they carry one of the two genes) or clear (meaning that they don't carry either gene).
Cardio: There is a lot of controversy over the testing right now (which is the "right" test, etc.), but at a minimum, you should have an EKG done on your dog to ensure proper cardiac function. An ultrasound of the heart to measure size and see function is also highly recommended. Dobermans are prone to Cardiomyopathy, so you would not want to breed a dog with heart irregularities. A "Holter Monitor" is also another testing method.

Other factors: You mentioned that you have a blue. A high percentage of blue Dobermans have skin problems. The hair becomes sparse. Even a "good" coated blue can produce puppies with skin/hair problems.

You didn't mention if you have a male of a female but a complete pre-breeding test should be done. On a male, the sperm should be checked; on a female, a reproductive test should be done, including a Brucellosis test and on a female, a vaginal cytology and a culture should be done as well.

Lastly, honestly consider the quality of your dog prior to breeding. The dog should be conformationally correct with an exceptional temperament. The dog should ideally be an AKC Champion of Record. The dog's 5 generation pedigree should have Champion parents, grandparents, etc.

You should always breed the best dog possible. Not every purebred deserves to be bred. Even in litters with 2 Champion parents, there are almost always pet quality puppies. These puppies should not be bred as they are not the best in every way possible.

Q: from Sherrie Rikard

Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2003

Time: 17:33:10

Comments: Recommended books

Are there any particular books about Dobermans that are highly recommended for owners and breeders?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Sherrie:

There are several books that I would recommend, unfortunately, I believe most are out of print. The Complete Doberman Pinscher is a good one if you can find it. It gives a lot of information about the foundation of the breed as well as how to raise your puppy etc. Also, if you go to the breeders website and check out the articles, there are a lot of good ones to read. DPCA Breeder Education - a subsidiary of the Doberman Pinscher Club Of America

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Dear Sherrie,

There are some very good books we all have in our library. One of the most beautiful is is Doberman Pinschers by Anna K. Nichols. Another is The new Doberman Pinscher by Joanna Walker. Others are by Rod Humphries, Mario Migliorini, Jimmy Richardson, Mark Ladd, Joanne Brearly, Fred Curnow, and for the history you should get The Dobermans Pinscher in America by Wm.S.Schmidt and another by Philip Grunig.

There are others but this will keep you busy for a while.

I'd also like to recommend a very good bi-monthly magazine, The Doberman Digest. Subscriptions: L. Michelle Lewis, 602-569-5220

Q:

Time: 12:39:38

Comments: Doberman Temperament

Hi...My question was on the Point system in dog shows and type of classifications. This morning I inadvertently erased your reply with out looking at it I am sorry. Could you respond again. I have a Doberman from Parents of champions and we are planning to show her but are confused on points etc.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Roland,

You can get the information from www.AKC.org. It may be easier for you to understand than for you to try to understand my explanation. If you can't find it, which I am sure that you will, come back and ask us again.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

The American Kennel Club puts out a very nice booklet called the Beginners Guide to Dog Shows that explains how the system works. I believe you can order it from them. Their web site is www.AKC.org.

Q: from Christina Frances-Pratt
Date: Monday, November 17, 2003
Time: 05:18:49

Thank you for replying to my plea for help for my boy. At present he is having either a beef or lamb brisket bone early morning, evening meal is either raw beef chunks or ground up chicken carcases with a combination puree of potato, garlic, carrot, kelp, etc, he will occasionally have approximately 1/2cup of Pal Meatie Bites in his treat ball, but is never really interested in food. He will eat if he sees me watching him but will leave his food if he thinks he can get away with it. Competition from the other dogs doesn't encourage him to eat. I usually feed them in separate areas.

I have tried Rolled oats and or rice in his food but he will ignore the meal. I tried removing the food after he left it so that he might learn not to but after 3days with him not eating anything and a trip to the vet just to check him out, {nothing wrong} I decided that sitting outside with him while he ate was the only way.

He is holding his weight at 36 KG with me doing this so isn't starved but I have added cooked minced liver to his food today and he ate it. I will try anything to get his diet right.

I have never had a dog that isn't interested in food. This one will totally ignore food laid on the floor or held in a hand. He will chase but not touch rabbits, birds, mice or cats.

So how do I get him to eat properly, I realise that I wandered a bit, but it may all be relevant.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello again Christina,

Boy, this is a hard one, but I will try. Your boy is lacking in food drives, right? You need to make him a balanced diet and feed it to him and quit enabling him by handing him the food and begging him to eat.

You need to have him think that you don't care and it will hurt "you" more than it will hurt him.

I don't know how you feel but when someone is nagging you to do something that you don't want to do, you kind of think of it that way.

Continue to feed him in his place and give him 5 minutes to eat. Pick it up in 5 minutes no matter what. When you hand it to him in his place, walk away and do not come until the five minutes are up. Keep fresh water available for him at all times and just stick it out. On our site's pages there is an article for a recipe for satin ball for putting on weight. Click here http://www.dpca-breedered.com/satin_balls.html to get to it. You can do this and add the vitamins and the veggies to it so the diet is balanced and has the food in it that you are going to want him to eat on a regular basis. Or, you can feed this Satin ball deal, add Vitamin C and Vitamin E and your other vitamins. If he eats this and likes it, you can get the weight on him and start incorporating his regular diet into it once he gets into the habit of eating. I am assuming that he is a young dog, like a teenager and is at the age where a Doberman is prone to have this behavior. It is or can be a behavioral problem.

I recently was looking for something else by typing in on Google (Canine behavioral disorders) and I ran across this in the list. I didn't read it because it wasn't what I was looking for at the time but you may want to take the time find it and read up on this as if it were a behavioral problem.

There is another way of going at this too that is pretty radical and I can tell you about it if you like. Basically it means that you don't feed your dog for 3 or 4 days and then for 3 or 4 days you give then just a teaspoon of food and then up it every 3 or days and if there is a day he doesn't eat, you start all over again.

The fact that he is not interested in touching the rabbits, mice or cats, tells me that he doesn't have much in the way of food drives but the fact that he chases them is a good sign. I hope that this is helpful.

You now have my address so feel free to write back to me.

I have a question. What is his pedigree? I would appreciate knowing this. Let me hear back from you.

Q: from Christina:

Hello Marj , I have attached My boys pedigree. I started writing it out but it takes forever so I cheated and scanned it. He tries to live up to his given name. I like Dude better.

I know that I am letting the brat get away with his not eating unfortunately at present. I would force feed him if it helped.

His Breeder has advertised him at Stud and is insisting that he attends Conformation Shows. He got his 4th Challenge last weekend and we have shows every weekend coming so keeping him eating and fit is a priority and he knows it but I am going to try the Satin Ball recipe. Could you possibly tell me the amounts in ounces or grams and what is Total?

I was thinking of including Zinc into Dudes' diet but am unsure of amounts.

I live in a farming area so my vet treats more cows than dogs. I have been doing a lot of research into Doberman health problems and passing relevant info on to them so that at least they will know what I am talking about if the need arises. I wish that I had done it all before I got Dobermanns for the dogs sakes ... they are unlike any other breed I have had and it breaks my heart to see people trying to break then in to their ways. I treat mine with
respect and in return get loving, friendly, usually obedient guardians who share my life. They don't destroy things (in fact they still have their original balls and toys and they put them away at night). I also look after other Dobermans when their owners go away and they leave here less destructive and politer than when they arrived. I don't shout or hurt them but time out in a safe place[ cage] is usually only needed once per dog which is why I feel like I have failed somewhere with Dude and his diet. Could trauma cause him to not want to ea, as he has had this problem for so long now that I feel there has to be a reason for it and my late husband was holding Dude as a pup when he [my husband] passed away and within a few days my old dog [Dudes best mate] passed away followed by my old cat.

I thought that by getting another mate for Dude it might have helped him but I don't really know. Then when Dude was 6 months he peed on an electric farm fence and went into convulsions but seemed all right by the evening. As you can see I am grasping at straws trying to figure him out. What part of food doesn't he understand?????

I would be grateful for any advice you can offer me. I also give him a vitamin E capsule at present. I didn't know about Vitamin C ... how much should I give him and is there anything else I should try?

I know I have rambled again ... sorry about that. I hope that you will write back.

Q: from Christina:

Marj, we have different packaging I think. Our oatmeal comes in bags/sacks of all sizes, not boxes, I still have the old lb and oz scales around so understand those weights as well as metric. I have been searching sites to find out more about Vitamins and Minerals for dogs. I asked my vet but they offered to give injections of what I thought he might need. I do know that we need Selenium here due to overworked land. I don't like the hit and miss idea of the vet just injecting. If I can control with tablets I will so any help would be appreciated

I was surfing for my bitch's line [v Norden Stamm] and saw some beautiful dogs. They look very impressive with the clipped ears. I will try and find out about the history of Dude, I know his mum well, and she eats like a horse; in fact she will help herself given half a chance if I leave the store room door open or food on the table, but is so thin she looks starved, I have had her here to encourage Dude to eat so I know she isn't starving. It is just a habit as she has always been fed in a group situation; first in - best fed.

I have not fed Dude this morning and he is hanging around waiting but I think that is just habit. Hopefully he will be hungry tonight. I have decided that if he doesn't eat he wont show [ he enjoys it ]. I have been letting him get away with it too long. I know that he can smell things as I have been working with them finding things by scent so that is not the problem.

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Try this recipe for Dude Christina:

SATIN BALLS

INGREDIENTS:

10 pounds of cheap hamburger meat

1 large box of Total cereal
1 large box of oatmeal (uncooked)
1 jar of wheat germ
10 eggs

Q: from Christina:

If he likes this, how much do I feed per day?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Christina I am just playing with it for you. I got a pound of the flakes and I didn't get Total, I got organic multi grain flakes. It is like corn flakes, however corn is harder to digest. It may be okay all ground up in the flake form. I don't know. I got a 1 lb, 2 oz box but it does come bigger. I have some here in case it looks like I need more. I have wheat germ here so I thought that I would put in 1/2 pound or 8 ounces. I take it that you already have the molasses and the oil. To tell you the truth about how much to give him...I guess whatever he will eat.

Tomorrow I am leaving for dog shows and I won't be back until Tuesday am. In the meantime, good luck with all of this. Marj

Q: from Christina:

Hello again Marj. Just a quick note to let you know that I did make a batch of satin balls and they are in the freezer. I didn't use unflavoured molasses because I couldn't find it. I put the 10 eggs, shell and all, along with the molasses and the oil in the blender and liquefied them and added it to the spread out meat with all of the dry stuff evenly spread over the meat. I pour the liquid evenly over that and it mixed very easily and evenly. I used my mix of raw wheat germ and flax seed meal that I feed the dogs daily anyway because I had that. I didn't put in the pinch of salt either. I don't know what a pinch was going to do for over 11 pounds of mixture. I just took the approach that it doesn't have to be exactly like the recipe says word for word and I feel that the ingredients don't have to be just like what it says but close.

Marj wrote: Don't worry if the measurements are exactly like it says, just make it close.

Christina wrote: I feel that the mix that I did came out great. My cat woke up and came around while I was mixing it and was very interested in it. I gave him some and he scarfed it up and asked for more.

Marj wrote: If you need to feed selenium, feed it. There are some states here that don't have enough too. I think it is some of the intermountain states like Montana. It seems that I remember hearing that about Montana.

Would you be interested in joining a Doberman list. Go check www.cyberdobes.com and see if you want to join and check it out. The way to do it (join) is on the web-site. It is one of the better lists of that type and people are asking questions all of the time and we all learn and we give too. Check it out. Marj

Q: from Christina Frances-Pratt
Date: Sunday, November 16, 2003

Time: 17:03:57

Comments: Color change

I have a 2 year old Black and Tan male Doberman. His back hair is starting to show brown through the black...is there anything that I can put in his diet? He is on raw meat and veggies...is there something missing from his diet?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Christina,

I believe that there may be something that is missing from the diet. You must feed something other than raw meat and raw vegetables. I feed a raw diet and I feed more then those two things to make it balanced. Please tell me all that you are feeding and if you are feeding kibble, what brand and kind? I have seen this before and changing the diet did fix it. Thank you.

Q: from Angela, Boynton Beach, FL

Date: Thursday, November 13, 2003

Time: 18:30:39

Comments: The right Dobe

I've been looking for the perfect Doberman since 1998. Although I am 16 (will make 17 in Jan) I have a lot of knowledge on the Doberman. The Dobe I'm looking for should have working drives and good conformation. The problem is that a lot of breeders focus too much on looks and take function too lightly .

I don't want a 'pet quality' Doberman either. I can't stand dogs with noticeable flaws.

I really don't want to spend more than $900 on a show quality Doberman (I intend to show). I've already spoken to Ray Carlisle and pretty much fit his criteria as a good Dobe owner. Are there any other breeders in or around Florida that have show dogs that work?

Thank you.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Angela:

I think you are talking to the right person in Ray Carlisle as he would know of any working people in Florida. You might try the United Doberman Pinscher website as there may be some links to breeders, etc. there. Good luck.

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

There are many reputable breeders in Florida that fit this criteria. As to who has puppies right now, that is something you'll need to research. The best way is to go to the DPCA breeder referral and call some of them.

Prices range from breeder to breeder, and state to state. Show dogs are usually higher priced than pet quality, so you'll have to do your homework and research in order to find someone you feel comfortable with. I would also visit the dog shows in your area and talk to people there if you haven't been already.

Q: from S. A. Volkmar
Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Time: 15:40:10

Comments: Doberman Health

My 4-year old female Doberman has been diagnosed with a bone tumor on her left front leg. Immediate amputation of the leg and then chemotheraphy is being pushed by my vet. Does anyone out there have any knowledge on this subject and how well Dobermans do after this procedure.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

The decision is really up to you to make. Many dogs have had amputations and done well. My concern would not be whether the dog would do well with an amputation but whether or not the odds are that the cancer may return. I don't know if there are statistics on this but it would be worth while investigating somehow. I only know of one dog that had an amputation and the cancer did come back a year later but he was much older than your dog.

I recently had a 12 year old diagnosed with osteosarcoma on her front leg as well, I opted to not do the amputation and she was put to sleep.

Everyone has to make their own choice about how to deal with problems in their dogs especially when it comes to cancer. I would do some Internet searching for articles, etc. from veterinary medicine on bone cancer and the odds of curing it. The age of your dog is definitely in your favor. Good luck...

Q: from Theresa Garcia

Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2003

Time: 12:31:15

Comments: Doberman Health

My dog Penny died Nov. 4th at the age of 6 months old. She had been spayed two weeks before. She was so happy and full of energy and the sweetest dog I have ever owned. It was devastating when I found her laying on her side dead. She looked like she died in her sleep.

I fed her at 9 PM Monday night. We had an autopsy done and the vet said she died because large breed animals eat so fast that they get too much air their stomach and that her lungs where enlarged. He said it was a freak thing but can occasionally happen with Dobermans.

I'm just in shock over this and no one I have talked to has ever heard of such a thing. Please help, I'm just so sad over this. I guess the answers I got from the vet aren't putting closure on her sudden death.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Theresa:

I have never heard of this type of problem with a young puppy. If indeed she "bloated" at this young an age, or any age for that matter, you would have known as she would have been in distress and in a lot of pain.

I'm so sorry on your loss but I think it was not the norm for our breed. I would be puzzled too, especially if she showed no signs of being ill before and she ate her dinner, etc.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Theresa,

It is so heartbreaking to lose a dog of any age but one so young is especially so.

It could have been bloat which is when the stomach fills with too much gas and it can't escape. The stomach sometimes turns over from it and death is quick unless they are taken in immediately and surgery preformed.

It could also be from a heart problem such as Cardiomyopathy wherein the dog may die instantly.

In any case, I'm so sorry to hear of your tragic loss.

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A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox Kennels, USA

It was so sorry to read of your tragic and untimely loss Theresa. You said that an autopsy had been done on your puppy...were the findings of the autopsy bloat or something else?

It could have been bloat but unless you weren't at home when it happened I think you would have known there was a serious problem because bloat is very painful for the dog.

Q: from Janet
Date: Monday, November 10, 2003

Time: 16:10:10

Comments: Doberman Health

Hello. I have a 4-1/2 month old female Doberman. She has had a urinary tract infection (treated successfully) and has had two staph infections (treated with cephalexin). She is fed Eukanuba Lamb and Rice Puppy food and a flaxseed oil capsule daily. Also yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots or hamburger are added for variety. Her coat is shiny and full yet she still has lots of dandruff but no new bumps. What am I doing wrong? Is there anything I can do to keep the staph infections from returning?

Also, I have read for a puppy to fully develop one should let her have one heat. Is this true? Thank you very much for any input you may have.

A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

I think you may be overdoing the protein levels. That's a lot, especially if you're feeding a high quality dog food.

As to having a heat cycle before spaying, not so. She may develop normally and be spayed before her first heat.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Janet,

Your diet sounds pretty good to me. Try adding a tablespoon of olive, canola or a vegetable oil per meal to her diet and you will see that in time the dandruff goes away. Topically you can put a little baby oil on your wet hands spread it through her hair coat all over her body. If her coat is dry it will soak that in over night and will improve. Give it a chance to work.

The staph infection could have dried the coat and the skin out or the weather turning cold all of a sudden can do it too. If the bumps show up again, you may have to try the treatment again but ask your vet before you put her on cephalexon again. Sometimes it does take a couple of rounds of cephalexon to combat those staph infections in the Doberman.

Also when you are finished with this bag of puppy food, I believe that you can switch to
an adult food as well. You can also give a fish oil capsule daily and Vit. C and Vit. E two times a day.

As far as diet is concerned, if she still appears to have dry flaky skin you could try a different kibble. I think that your additives are all okay.

I can give to you my opinion and it is ONLY my opinion about the spay question. If she is your only dog and you are absolutely sure that you can keep her away from intact male dogs, I like to see them go through the first heat cycle if it is before, say, 10 months of age. However, you can spay them before their first heat and I would consult your veterinarian for his opinion based on your particular situation or to be safe, spay before her first heat period and ask your vet as to when.

Q: from Sean Shorrock
Date: Monday, November 10, 2003

Time: 09:48:12

Comments: Average Litter sizes

I am doing a project on Dobes and am trying to find out what the average litter size is and what the largest and smallest are. I am also the owner of a 4 month old Doberman male. I did all my research about the breed before I bought him but was still unable to find an answer to my question. You time and consideration is appreciated.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Sean:

If you can, try to get hold of the book "The New Complete Doberman Pinscher". It's out of print but you can sometimes find it available in some book stores or on E-Bay. There is a great section in this book on whelping and raising puppies.

There are also great articles about Doberman temperament, behavior, raising puppies, whelping, training, etc. on this web site that you might read. The URL to look for these articles is http://www.dpca-breedered.com/article_menu.htm.You can probably find everything you need there.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Sean,

At one time I read that the average size litter for a Doberman was eight puppies. I am not so sure that is the case now and if I were to guess, I would say maybe six. There are a lot of litters that are 10 or more puppies but there seems to be a lot more incidences of litters of one, two, three and four then there used to be.

I can recite a case that happened this year with two littermates. One of them had 11 puppies (natural breeding) and the other had one puppy (artificial breeding). Their dam had one litter of 10 and another of 8. I realize that this is really not an answer.

I can't think of where I read years ago that the average size for a Doberman was 8.

Q: from Roger Smith

Date: Monday, November 10, 2003

Time: 00:10:35

Comments: Doberman Health

My Dobe was born on May 19, 2003. I have not gotten his ears cropped. Is it too late for this?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Roger, it is too late to crop your Doberman. Ears should be cropped between the ages of 8-12 weeks.

*** *** ***

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Roger,
I am thinking that since your puppy is about to be 6 months old that it may be too late. You could talk to a veterinarian that is an experienced ear cropper and have him/her look at your puppy and determine whether your puppy is a candidate for a successful ear crop AND that the ears will stand. If it is questionable whether or not that the ears will stand, do not crop your puppy. Your Doberman will look better with natural ears then with cropped ears that will not stand.

My guess is that it is too late to get a nice ear crop at the proper length for your puppy AND have them stand.

If you and your veterinarian choose to crop, plan on a lot of aftercare of taping. I have
found that after the pups are older, they often are less tolerant with the taping process and get to be very successful at the game of getting the tape off in 2 seconds flat.

Q: from Beau H. Gunter
Date: Sunday, November 9, 2003

Time: 20:06:39

Comments:

How do you choose the pick of the litter

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Beau:

It takes years of experience and knowledge to select a show puppy or pick of the litter. You should study the standard and get advice from someone who's been in the breed to a long time. You basically want to select the puppy that best exudes the standard in type and conformation. Even then it may not turn out to be the best one in the litter.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Beau,
First go and read http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm and
then go to http://www.dpca-breedered.com/gradingpuppies.htm and finally to
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/selecting_conformation_puppies.htm.

Good luck.

Q: from Shelene
Date: Sunday, November 9, 2003

Time: 01:22:26

Comments: Docking tails

Why is the Dobe's tail cropped? I have a half lab/half Dobe, and her tail is half length of a normal dog's tail, is this the reason?

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Shelene:

There are a lot of theories as to why the Doberman's tail is docked. I think mostly it was because the dog was bred for guard work and Herr Dobermann didn't want anything that could be grabbed by someone and used to control the animal. Also, the dog needs to be able to approach sometimes without being detected and a long tail could be a give away.

Just my opinion.

Q: from Holly Broughton

Date: Sunday, November 9, 2003

Time: 00:29:11

Comments: Doberman Conformation/Handling

I have a bitch who somehow knocked out a tooth. I have no idea how she would have done it. You can tell that the tooth was there at one time because there is still part of it in the gum. Will this be considered a missing tooth in the breed ring? Thank you for your time!

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Holly,

First, how old is your Doberman? Sometimes a retained puppy tooth will fall out after the puppy is 6 months old and that would be counted as a missing tooth. If it is a puppy tooth that fell out, the gum where the tooth is supposed to be would be narrow and concave looking and if an adult tooth came out there would be a scar and the gum would be wider -- it would look like it held a tooth and a root before.

Since part of the tooth is still in there I think that you should take her to the vet and have that looked at.

The second part of your question does depend on her age and which tooth that it is. Is it the canine tooth or ???

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Holly:

The judge does not "have" to see any notes, etc. about why a tooth is missing. It will be considered a missing tooth and if it's the only one and there are no other glaring faults, I wouldn't worry about it.

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A: from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA

I had two Dobe show bitches that broke teeth. Never happens to the "pets"! Anyhow, both bitches still had a piece of tooth in the mouth, so the judges could see that the tooth used to be there. Both bitches finished their Championships without a problem.

If you are going to allow that "piece of tooth" remain in the mouth, you need to keep an eye on it. A broken tooth does have more of a chance to absess and can become painful. If the area seems painful for the dog or appears swollen or red, then it probably needs to be removed.

Now, if you do remove the tooth, judges may/will think that it's a missing tooth. Unfortunately, there's no way to show judges that the tooth used to be there.... (ie: you can't give judges a vet's certificate showing that they pulled the tooth out!)... so it could count as a missing tooth if you pulled it. I know... it does not seem fair, but that's the way it is.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Dogs usually get all their permanent teeth by 5 1/2 mo. Certainly by 6 months all should be in.

Judges and breeders count teeth in sets. Top, 6 incisors (front teeth) 2 canines, 4 premolars (3 small ones and the large tooth is actually a premolar) 2 small molars in back.

Bottom: 6 incisors, 4 premolars, 3 molars (the big one on bottom is a molar, the 2 tiny back teeth are also)

In the show ring missing teeth are a fault. 4 or more missing teeth are a disqualification.

One missing tooth is a very minor fault, 2 missing, more faulty, 3 missing, very serious fault.

Q: from Gary Jacobs

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Time: 14:59:24

Comments: Doberman Health

What is the proper age to fix a male if we do not intend to breed him?

A: from Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada

The proper age in my opinion is on or about six months of age although if he is no problem to you, you could even wait until he is about 15 months of age. Some breeders even recommend earlier neutering. Please keep checking back as there may be other breeders replying to your question.

Q: from R. Whittiemore

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Time: 13:04:16

Comments: Breeding the Doberman

How may teeth are Dobermans suppose to have? How old should a Doberman be before you can spay without sacrificing the complete growth and development? Why don't dogs with missing teeth lose points in conformation?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

According to the Doberman Pinscher standard, the Doberman is supposed to have 42 correctly placed teeth. The standard says, Teeth strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors true scissors bite. 42 correctly placed teeth, 22 in the lower, 20 in the upper jaw. Distemper teeth shall not be penalized. Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth.

Four or more missing teeth is a disqualification; 1,2 or 3 missing teeth is considered a deviation to be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

The standard says:

DISQUALIFICATIONS

a.. Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch, undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth. Dogs not of an allowed color.

Missing teeth are hereditary. You can read a discussion about the teeth and properly placed in the DPCA Illustrated Standard (www.dpca.org) and also in an article on our pages, Dobermans In Detail. Click here to read more discussion about teeth http://66.101.7.11/headlk.htm.

For the spay question, I personally like the female to go through an heat cycle and then wait 2 to 3 months but try to spay her before her next heat cycle. You can do an early spay before this time period, but I believe (and I say *I* believe) that an early spay does effect the growth and development of the dog. A veterinarian once explained to me that they can grow taller and spindly and develop differently if altered too young. I have seen many Dobermans that have been spayed early and I really do believe this to be true after seeing these dogs. This is just my opinion but read the other answers and
form your own opinion and talk to your vet too.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Actually almost any age is fine for neutering a male. Most people wait until they are at least 6 months. Ask your Vet.

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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Gary:

I usually tell puppy buyers that they can neuter their male anytime after 4 months of age but there are different suggestions from different people. Your vet would be the best expert in that area.

Q: from Michael Balinski

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Time: 05:20:28

Comments: Doberman Temperament

I hope someone agrees with me so my wife will stop arguing the point. We have a "problem" with our newest addition. She had her ears done at 11 weeks and has gone through several tapings to correct the right ear from "bending" half way up. This isn't the first Doberman we've had to tape several times, but after 4-5 days of taping (and an E-collar due to other dogs) she will urinate while laying down. She has done this on a couch, a rug, a bare floor, etc.

It looks to me like she is showing her disapproval of wearing the "gear", but my wife insists something is wrong with her. Because we do not breed, she was spayed and we have older Dobermans and another pup.

The incidents are just one time events when they occur and usually after a week of taping. She has been getting a three day break for massaging, cleaning, etc. before re-taping. Has anyone else experienced this type of defiant attitude due to similar circumstances? She is well house trained other than these 2 incidents.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Michael:

I personally do not think it's a defiant reaction to ear taping If it was she wouldn't do it only when laying down, asleep, etc. She would just go anywhere, anytime and often. I've had a defiant puppy go so far as to jump up on our bed and actually urinate on our pillows (now that is defiant).

This could very likely be a result of the spay or a bladder infection. I'm not a veterinarian but I would certainly get it checked out. It's not expensive for a vet to run a urine test to determine infections, etc.

Also, I would recommend keeping her separated from the other dogs while her ears are in wraps rather than forcing her to wear an e-collar for several days at a time.

I have never had a problem with older dogs bothering the ears while they are wrapped but if you are then I would separate them. You can get baby gaits that work very well for this purpose and will keep her in the kitchen or another area where she can still be around the family but safely separated.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

Michael,

I think the two things are unrelated. I would guess she might have a slight bladder infection. Take her to the Vet with a urine sample. She could also have puppy cystitis which is very common in young bitches. In any event, take her to the Vet. Dogs don't do things to annoy us, even when we think they do.

Q: from Annie

Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Time: 19:28:35

Comments: Doberman Conformation/Handling

We have an 18 month old male Doberman. We want to get another one (preferably a male). Are we going to have problems with raising them together? Our male is not neutered.

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Annie, whether one male is neutered or not, I would not recommend having two males together in the same household. While occasionally you come across situations where two males will get along fine, most of the time it does not work. Your current boy being 18 months is not the issue either. He probably would get along fine with the new male while they were young but as they get older you most likely will find that they won't get along after all. You should consider getting a female and spaying her.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Annie,

It is not recommended that two male Dobermans be raised and live together
in the same household. There is a high risk that they would not get along
somewhere down the road and you could be faced with placing one of them. It
really isn't fair to them in the end. It can also be a nightmare for you too as you will
always have to worry about them getting together and fighting. Besides, you're
endangering yourself when separating them. Trust me, it would end up being a real drag. It is not a good thing in so many different ways.

*** *** ***

A: from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA

Adding another Doberman to your household can be a wonderful experience if handled properly. There are many things to take into consideration, however, before adding another family member to your home.

First of all, consider the disposition of the existing dog. Is he shy, outgoing, dominant, laid back, etc.? This will figure into the type of dog you bring home. Secondly, make sure that you have ample time to devote to two Dobermans. Dobermans are very family-oriented dogs, and require a lot of attention and training from their humans. Given a choice, most Dobermans would rather be with people than other dogs. That's not to say that they don't like other dogs ... they do. It's just that they are truly a "people dog".

When introducing a new dog to a home that already has another dog, it must be done correctly and patiently. Introduce the dogs on neutral turf (a public park?), on-leash. Allow the new dog to follow the existing dog into your home. That way, the existing dog still maintains that "they were there first". Praise the "old" dog for behaving appropriately towards the new dog. If the old dog ignores the new dog, this is normal behavior. They will eventually investigate each other. Make sure that you are there whenever they interact. Do not leave them unsupervised until you are absolutely certain they will not harm each other. This can sometimes take several weeks. You should have an "alone" space for each of them. I use crates as a dog's personal space (I use this for rescue dogs coming into my home for foster care). They can go into their crate when I cannot supervise them or they just need a break.

Lastly, if you have an un-neutered male, I absolutely do NOT recommend that you get another male! While it might be okay in the beginning, more often than not, two male Dobermans in the same home will lead to disaster. Doberman males tend to be territorial and this can lead to jealousy and serious fighting. Unless you are prepared to keep these dogs separated for the rest of their lives, do not bring another male into the home.

Having done Rescue work for 15 years, I can tell you from experience that having two males together rarely works out. We have gotten calls in the middle of the night, after there has been a serious fight, to come pick up one or both of the dogs. Many dogs end up in Emergency Vet from dog fights. We often hear "they used to get along so well..."

The ideal "two-dog" situation for pet owners would be a neutered male and a spayed female. This is generally the best combination for happy, well-adjusted companions.

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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA

I would suggest you not get another male. They WILL fight and it may not be
pretty. Males just do not get along and it isn't the way you raise them, it is simply a jealousy problem. Its something like trying to put two stallions together. They may get along for a while but sooner or later you will have a disaster on your hands. I'd suggest you neuter your male and find a nice female to be spayed and his companion and yours for life.

Q: from Bonnie
Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Time: 08:27:48

Comments: Ear Cropping - Additional questions, after our replies

The vet that we took our puppy to is a regular cropper to my knowledge. The breeder & my regular vet recommended the practice. The breeder is originally from VA , but currently living with her sister here in Mass. I live in Central Mass. This is my first puppy, and am learning I should have done more research before buying her. The breeder no longer crops ears on any of her dogs or puppies. She used to show, and no longer does that either. The cut I was looking for was the medium cut, not the long show cut, which I know the longer the ear the longer it takes to stand. I thought I would be able to get that. But what concerns me is that the vet said my puppy has weak cartilage in her ears - which I have never heard of. The vet said she has seen this before & the ears will not stand no matter how much after care you give, and no matter how much taping you do afterwards. I have read the aftercare pages. I do not want to put my puppy through this if there is not a very good chance of her ears standing, but has anyone ever heard of 'weak cartilage' in the ears?

from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Hello Bonnie,

Since I am 3000 miles away and your ear cropper/vet apparently does ears regularly , while I am dubious about it, I would listen to your vet.

There are some Doberman breeders in the Boston Mass. area that could
guide you for a second opinion if you like. I, for one, would hate to see you and your puppy go through the surgery and all of the taping only to not have the ears stand.

There are breeders in Wayland and in West Boylston. There is the Pilgrim Doberman Pinscher Club in Manchester too. There are breeders Wareham, West, Peabody, Westford, Whitman, and in Wilmington.

I don't think we should give any personal information about these breeders for all the world to see but if you would like us to respond to you privately we certainly could try to help you out with some names to contact.

I don't know what to say about the possibility of a weak ear cartilage. I have seen
all kinds of ears, some thick, some thin, some soft and some hard and I have always had great success with taping every type.

Q: from Casey Roberson
Date: Monday, November 3, 2003

Time: 21:09:48

Comments: Fencing

I am about to adopt a 2 yr old White Dobe. My back yard is HUGE, but the fence is sort of down in 2 of the corners. What would be the best thing to do?

Build a new fence
Fix the existing fence
Extend the existing fence

After all the fees to the Dobe's current owners, I am not sure that I will be able to pay for a fence. Can you suggest some cheap fence alternative?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

You need to fix the fence. I am sure that you can do it fairly reasonably. There is no point in spending all that money if your yard is not fenced for the safety of your new Doberman. My advice is to have the yard securely fenced before you obtain any dog.

Are you paying big bucks for the Doberman because he is a white Doberman?

*** *** ***

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Casey, have you done any investigation into owning a White Doberman? Be sure that you are getting a dog that is healthy and has good temperament first and foremost, regardless of color. There are lots of Dobermans in Rescue that will make wonderful companions and won't cost as much.

At any rate you should not bring any dog into a yard that isn't secure. Either fix/replace the fence of don't let the dog in the yard would be my recommendation.

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A: from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA

If your fencing is coming down in 2 places, chances are that it might be weak in other areas as well. You might consider replacing the fence. BEFORE bringing any dog home, please make sure that your fencing is secure. Having done rescue for many years, dogs in a new home can be confused and search the fence lines.

As I'm sure you know... Dobes are not good "backyard" dogs. They want to with people, and that means indoors with you. They don't do well being isolated and can tend to develop some bad habits if left to their own resources (digging, barking, etc.). You should make sure you have adequate time and indoor facilities for your new dog.

As a last thought.... have you really researched the "white" Doberman? There is excellent information on the Doberman Pinscher Club of America's website (www.DPCA.org). We have rescued 3 white Dobermans in our rescue group, and unfortunately, all were deemed unadoptable due to health or temperament problems. White Dobermans are more sensitive to sunlight due to their pigment and light eye color. I encourage you to do your research before rewarding White Doberman breeders (they truly are a genetic anomaly).

*** *** ***

REPLY: from Casey Robertson

Thank you for showing me the DPCA's article on Albino Dobermans. This has convinced me NOT to go ahead with the purchase of a white Doberman. If there is any way you can help me find the right dog for me, I would be greatly appreciative. I can't wait to actually love and care for a black & tan Dobe.

Q: from Bonnie

Date: Monday, November 3, 2003

Time: 16:03:35

Comments: Ear Cropping

We recently took our new puppy to the vet for a consult on ear cropping. The breeder told us that at 11 weeks the puppy was NOT too old. The vet told us, while the puppy was a little older than desired, the cartilage in the ears were too weak and would not hold the ears erect once cropped. She said that we were better off leaving the ears natural rather than enduring the cost, lengthy taping process and failure. Have you ever encountered 'weak' ear cartilage?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

To tell you the truth, I don't know what to tell you based on the information that you have given us. From my experience taping hundreds of Doberman ears over the years, I have always gotten them to stand, lucky me. I just
tape and tape until they do stand.

I have some questions to ask of you. Is the veterinarian that you have talked to a regular ear cropper or does she just an occasional ear crop here and there? The reason that I ask that question is because a vet that is a known ear cropper does the ear cropping for breeders very regularly. People travel long distances to use these vets that specialize (so to speak) in ear cropping.

Most breeders have the ears cropped, the stitches out and the edges healed before the buyer takes their puppy home. If your breeder has told you that your puppy is okay to crop and she is confident that they will stand they most probably will. Can your breeder help you tape the ears? Can you ask your breeder who he/she recommends to crop the ears. Does your breeder not live close by? If not and if you can tell us what area you live in, perhaps we can find an ear cropping specialist near you as well as someone to teach you taping methods.

With most all ear crops, you will have to commit yourself to taping the ears until they stand. They can stand perfectly straight up at 12 o'clock with no flopping as early as 6 months of age to as late as a year. The aftercare really is the key to success. Additionally, there is an article on our site that shows several methods of taping aftercare.

Hopefully Anna Browning will come answer this question for you too as her husband is a veterinarian who regularly crops ears.

A: from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA

Every vet has different criteria for cropping ears. I would first of all make sure that the vet you've chosen is well versed in cropping DOBERMAN'S ears. A beautiful ear crop can enhance the look of the dog while a bad crop will permanently take away from their beauty. At our practice we've cropped puppies as late as 14 weeks... depending on the individual puppy and the aftercare that the owner will commit to.

Ear taping can be a lengthy ordeal. While some puppy's ears will stand quickly, others may take several months of weekly wrapping to stand properly. Unfortunately, there's no way to know ahead of time how long the weekly wrappings will take until the ears stand up permanently.

We have one puppy that was wrapped until she was over a year of age. Another pup just finished with her ear wrapping at 6 months of age. The longer the ear, the longer the wrap time (as a general rule)... however, nothing ruins the head of a Doberman more than a short, utilitarian crop. Longer, elegant ears are nice, but do require more of a commitment.

Hope this helps...

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A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA

Older pups can have their ears cropped, But diligence with ear posting and taping would be imperative on your part and may take longer for the ears to stand.

Q: from Jon Vos

Date: Sunday, November 2, 2003

Time: 17:18:50

Comments: Insurance

Do you have a list of insurance companies that will not sell home owners insurance to Doberman owners?

A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

No, I'm sorry but we don't have a list. I don't know what to tell you except if you are shopping for homeowner insurance, just start calling them and asking them any of the questions you might have. I would hate to name one and be wrong.

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A: Jon, they don't that I am aware of. I do know that some insurance companies are turning down certain people that have Dobermans and the same insurance company has accepted others. You might try doing some research on the internet by checking out certain insurance companies that you might be interested in and see what their policies are for dog ownership.

Q: from Julie A Leith

Date: Sunday, November 2, 2003

Time: 12:50:31

Comments: hand rearing puppies

My female had her first litter on 10-28-03, 10 puppies, 6 girls and 4 boys. She is producing milk but with 10 pups I would like to help her with the production of milk. She is currently on Eukanuba large breed hard food with a vegetable steak soup as her broth. We attempt to feed her three times a day although normally she doesn't finish. Would you recommend vitamin supplement? I am considering a plan with 250 mg Vitamin C twice daily? Does this sound like to much. She is on Pet tabs as well. The puppies are fussy should I supplement bitch with Vitamin B complex? Should I also supplement sea kelp I understand it will improve the chance of survival in the puppies?

A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA

Julie, I would be feeding your bitch puppy food to give her the extra protein and I would be adding meat to the diet as well. Definitely supplements like Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Fish Oil. You can also add cottage cheese or yogurt to her food to help boost calcium and milk production. Actually, if you check with your veterinarian, they usually have good advice on what to feed and what not to feed a lactating bitch.

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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA

Yes, you can give your Mother dog Vit. C and you can give her more than 250mg 2x a day. Go ahead and start her at that and build it up to at least 500mg 2 x a day. I give my dogs 1000mg's 2 x a day. They can get loose stools
from too much Vit C, so if she does, back off and slowly bring it back up.

You can also give her 400 units of Vit E 2x a day.

All of the supplements that you talk about are good. You should also give her plenty of fluids. You can give her goats milk, buttermilk, and you can mix raw eggs into it too. Yogurt is another good product. I am a strong believer in giving fresh raw meat too. Make sure that she bitch is getting enough food. She should be eating at least 4 times a day ... lots of protein rich foods and drinking ample water. Raw goat's milk, cottage cheese, raw hamburger, etc. are all excellent for her. Everybody has a different diet that they like to feed and almost all are good. If we all answer, you will get great ideas from each of us.

Here are a couple of homeopathic ideas to try too. There are a few things that can help lactation and amount of milk aside from diet. The first is Fennel, given at a dose of one drop per 2 lb. of body weight up to 50 lb. Add 1 drop per 4 lb. thereafter and give it 3 times daily. Another is Urteca Urens 30C, 1 tablet to be dropped directly into the mouth when required. Discontinue on improvement and commence treatment again only if symptoms return. Do not give within 15 minutes of her eating or drinking. A lower dose of Urteca Urens 3C is used to help decrease milk flow when weaning.

Q: from Sharlene Baker
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Time:17:53:29

Comments: Cropping

I go