|
DPCA
BREEDERS EDUCATION Q & A - 2003 - Page 3 |
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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
*** *** ***
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:
from Roland R. Ryall
Date: Monday, November 17, 2003
- 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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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?
*** *** ***
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 ???
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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?
A:
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.
*** *** ***
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...
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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.
*** *** ***
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 got my Doberman from the pound about 3 months
ago and they told me he was something else, so I just recently found out that he
is a Dobe. I was wondering if there was an age limit on when you can have their
ears cropped?
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Sharlene, usually
the latest age of cropping ears would be 12-14 weeks. After that age they
are starting to teeth and you have much more difficulty getting the ears to
stand as the body is dealing with teething and all the calcium is being absorbed
for that purpose.
*** *** ***
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Sharlene, you didn't state the age of
your Dobe. Unless it is under 3 months I'd suggest you not consider
cropping. For one thing, older dogs' ears are too thick and the cropping
has to be shorter thereby making them look less attractive. Getting them
to stand at an older age is much more difficult as well. I would not
subject
an older pup/dog to the trauma of ear cropping.
*** *** ***
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Sharlene, the answer to your
question depends on the age of your Doberman. In your question, he sounds as
though he is most likely too old to have them cropped and to have them stand
erect. How old is he/she?
A: from
Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
Doberman puppy's ears are normally
cropped between the ages of 7-10 weeks. It can be done a little later than
that, but not much. It should be done by a competent veterinarian. If the puppy
is older, it's probably best to leave
it's ears natural and love him for who he/she is.
Q: from
Mike Ordell
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Time:04:09:43
Comments: Doberman Health
My 5 month old Doberman Pinscher is having
sleeping disorders. It results as shaking of the body, accelerated heart beating
and even some unpredictable unpeaceful sounds. Well I am not worried about my
dog's health because he had gone through veterinary health treatment that showed
no failures. Sleeping distractions are ALWAYS when he sleeps, I have never
noticed when he was on four feet. I think that may just having a bad dream but
is this normal? I mean I take care of him very well and he runs through these
bad dreams. Tell me if your dogs experience those troubles.
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
This is very common in dogs of all
ages. I'm not so sure that it is a bad dream per se Mike but I do suspect he may
be dreaming of chasing a rabbit or another dog or what-have-you. There very well
may be other replies on the site so whenever you have a chance please go to
www.dpca-breedered.com/QAArchives.htm
*** *** ***
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Mike, I don't think I
would worry about this, some dogs sleep very soundly and have what I call
"dreams". I've never really know what they are or what causes them but
I've had several Doberman's over the years that do the same thing.
Q: from
Thad Lovelace
- Date: Friday, October 24, 2003
- Time: 22:23:57
Comments: Other: Blue male 3mo old, coat problems
- I have followed your Rescue Remedy for blue
Dobermans listed on the miscellaneous part of the Article Menu to the letter
for the last two weeks and believe it or not I am already seeing positive
results. I do have
one question; as for the measurement of the Brewers Yeast. you ask for
7-grain. Ii cannot find that form of measurement anywhere. Can you convert
that into something I can understand, like a teaspoon and a half or something?
Thanks.
-
- A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
-
- I would like to refer you to this article that
is on our Articles pages,
Rescue Remedy for Blues.
It tells you what the author did when she couldn't find the 7-grain yeast.
After looking at the article, I see that I should maybe put the original
formula into the article. Even with the original however it doesn't state
specific amounts. If whatever you are doing is working, keep doing it.
The original formula that I got from Rusty back in the 70's is:
- One B-Complex (we need to make certain B2 and
B6 are in equal amounts) 4 times daily.
- Four 7-grain Yeast 4 times daily
- 1/4 Folic Acid (1mg size - prescription only)
4 times daily
- It looks like either a tablespoon or a
teaspoon is missing from the recipe and I would guess that it would be a
teaspoon.
-
- Q: from
Silke
Date: Friday, October 24, 2003
- Time: 11:56:16
Comments: Obedience top 20
What do I have to do to get in to the top 20
obedience nomination?
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
All you need to do is to win enough times
I believe. Please contact Gudi Molinari at altacrest@aol.com -- I am certain that she can provide you with more
information.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Silke, Your dog must receive a qualifying
score in obedience of 195 or better. This can be achieved in any class
(Novice, Open or Utility). The DPCA will track your scores according to
the AKC Awards Magazine. I am not sure of the start and finish dates but I
think they are the same as in top 20 conformation. There is also extra
points given for High In Trial in both Specialty and All Breed Shows.
Points are accumulated over the months given and the top 20 pointed dogs are
chosen. Even though the DPCA keeps track of the points its a good idea to
track your own also. You can also see where you stand by going into the
DPCA Web Site under Top 20 Obedience.
*** *** ***
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Pat Geske is the statistician for the DPCA Top 20
Obedience. I think she may be able to answer your question better. She can be
reached at
torttaylor@aol.com or you can go to
www.dpca.org and find Top 20 Obedience
information, I believe.
Q: from Alex
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2003
Time 13:53:40
Comments:
Doberman Health
I have red male Dobe who's almost 10 months. I
have a problem his with coat ... some pimple-like bumps and dandruff, hair
thinning on the back, etc. Do you have any advice?
Maybe a reference of a good Vet in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada in the Greater
Toronto area. The one I used is good but I guess my Dobe is the first one for
him. I live within an hours drive of Toronto. Thanks.
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Hi Alex,
Your pup might have a Staph infection. He needs to have a scraping to make
sure. Could also be any number of things. I'd call your breeder or
someone who is a Dobe owner/breeder and find another Vet, QUICKLY.
Q:
from Terri
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2003
Time: 02:18:53
Comments: Doberman Health
I have a litter of Doberman pups that will be 3
weeks old in 2 days. The dam only wants in to feed them. She sits instead of
laying down. She stays just long enough to feed. They are all fat and
healthy. My question is this: At what age do the pups not need their mom to
stimulate bowl movement. They are urinating fine, but I don't see much stool on
the newspaper. I sat with her tonight to make sure they all ate. She did not
lick any and wanted out. Do I need to stimulate them myself? Thanks
ladies!
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
This is totally normal. Pups this age
don't need stimulations any more.
Mom has them on a schedule now. Make sure she can go in and out when she
wants to. At 4 wks. start weaning them by giving them a couple meals from
a dish. By 5 wks. they should be eating about 4 meals and maybe mom will feed
them once or twice at night. By 6 wks. pups should not be on mom at all.
Q: from
Mike Ordell
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2003
Time: 04:08:07
Comments: Doberman Temperament
I am becoming a little concerned about my
Doberman' bravery, I mean it is not at the level it supposed to be. I
believe his courage is inferior to his peers. I bred him very well, give
Pedigree puppy meal up to 6 months and take good care of him.
My Doberman is growing in neighbourhood where
are no other dogs but when I take him for a walk and he meets other dog he seems
to be scared. He is 5 month old, 53 lbs, of very good appearance. Although he
has no contact with other dogs he meets other people and he is rather friendly
with them. He ignores cats but a week ago ran after a rabbit.
When I am having fun with him he sometimes
exceeds the point and becomes too rough and I have to shout to stop him.
I love my dog and he loves my family. I've
read a lot about Dobermans but I'd rather ask you how your dogs bravery
evaluated over the first months of their lives.
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Mike, your dog is just 5 months old. He is
a baby. Don't try pushing him. Let him be a happy puppy. Take
him places to socialize him but don't try to make him tough or you'll wind up
with a dog that you can't handle and might be a liability to you and your
neighbors.
*** *** ***
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I have a suggestion for you since you and
your dog live in a quiet environment. Because of this your young Doberman could
very well be behind his peers with not necessarily bravery but lack of exposure.
Inquire and look for, in your area, a class for young puppies. In my area they
call this a kindergarten class. It is an environment where your dog can go with
you and interact with other dogs his age under the supervision of a
knowledgeable instructor to teach you and your dog to handle such situations.
When you do take him for walks in your neighborhood, encourage him to check out
things by going to the object yourself and tap it and show your dog that you are
not afraid of it. Try to do this on a loose lead so as not to enable him thus
allowing him to do it himself. Maybe do it first on an object or a person that
you know that he will walk up to and investigate. Praise him when he does it. Be
upbeat and happy when you are encouraging him towards the object.
You will also need to learn about dog body
language and dog behavior. You can find some articles about this on this site's
article_menu.htm. I will be putting some new articles up on the site
shortly from the temperament seminar that we had at this year's DPCA National.
I truly believe that you need to get some help
because your dog's fear of other dogs can lead to possible dog aggression later.
Where exactly do you live? Maybe with that information I can refer you to
someone in your area for
hands-on help.
Q: from
Rhiju Bikram Shah
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Time: 17:59:30
Comments: Cropping And Docking
How to do cropping and docking of Doberman
Pinscher by myself? There is no veterinarian in my country because my country is
one of the poorest country in the world. I live in NEPAL (where the worlds
highest mountain peak MOUNT EVEREST is). I hope you have heard of it. So, please
guide right way to do by myself...
I would appreciate a lot for your help.
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans, USA
I do not
recommend you do this procedure yourself. You are probably better living
with a dog with natural ears than to try to do surgery yourself.
*** *** ***
A: from
Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
Sir, with all due respect, are you crazy?
DO NOT DOCK OR CROP yourself. That is a job for a veterinarian and someone
VERY trained in doing this. You could kill your poor dog. He could bleed to
death and suffer much pain.
I'm sure that's not what you what to do, is it? PLEASE.
Leave the dog alone and love him for what he is.
Q: from
Tommy Howell
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Time: 17:55:13
Comments: Doberman Health
I have a 14 week old puppy. He lives inside my
home. He is scratching a lot on the underside and his front legs. He has no
fleas. We are feeding him Pedigree Healthy Start For Puppies. Could the food be
causing an allergy or the carpet in the house? He does not scratch when he is
asleep. Thanks for any suggestions.
I have been told to bath him with Head &
Shoulders shampoo. I have also been told not to use human shampoo on any
dog.
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans, USA
Tommy,
allergies can be caused by both food and contact with the skin. Without
medical testing it's difficult to tell what is causing the problem.
I would not use
human shampoo. You can get medicated shampoos from most pet stores or from
your vet.
The only way to tell
if the food is causing it is to change the food to something else and if it
continues you know if wasn't the food.
You may want to have your vet check out the area for irritation and for him to
prescribe some medication to use on it.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I think your puppy might have an allergy.
It could be to bathing. A pup that age shouldn't be bathed much at all and
if you do, it must be rinsed, rinsed, rinsed and a mild conditioner put on him
to keep his coat from drying out.
It's possible the carpet it you're using some type cleaner on it.
Possibly his blanket if you don't rinse it thoroughly and might be using a
fabric softener.
Once in a while a pup might get an allergy to food, but most times it would be
loose stools. It's possible but not likely it's the food.
Most likely, it's either bathing or laying on something that's doing it.
*** *** ***
A: from
Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
First of all, DO NOT bathe the dog with human
shampoo. Dogs skin PH is different than humans and human shampoo can be
very harsh on their skin. Get a medicated shampoo for dogs to help soothe and
relieve itching. Your vet can recommend one. It can be allergy
related, either from the food or possibly carpet or grass outside. Take him to
the vet to be checked out.
Q: from
Cheryl
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Time: 18:55:41
Comments: Crate Training
I have 2 - 9 week old puppies and was wondering
how soon can you start crate training and for how long should they be crated on
a daily basis?
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans, USA
Cheryl, you can
crate train puppies early ... I usually start at 6 weeks of age. As far as
how long they can be crated during the day, I would have to ask why? If
you are talking about putting them in a safe place while you run errands or
leave the house, I would say 2 hours is plenty long enough for a young puppy.
If for a nap or a time out, an hour is probably adequate to give you and the
puppy a break. Remember their bladders are small and they cannot hold it
as long as an adult.
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Puppies can be started at early ages in crates.
Many people start them immediately after ear crops to keep them from hurting
each others ears.
Since puppies have very small bladders, I would not leave them crated for longer
than 4 hrs. during the day.
At night I'd potty them around 11:00 PM and get up with them around 6:00 AM at
this age.
Once they start soiling their crates, it's very very difficult to break them of
it if left in the crate for longer periods.
Q: from
Cheryl, Trabuco Canyon, Ca
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Time: 14:25:41
Comments: Potty Training
I have 2 - 9 week old puppies and was wondering
how to go about potty training when you work a nine hour day. I have been
confining them to the kitchen with lots of potty pads and plastic, I check on
them and clean mid-day and they walk all through the poop and urine. This time
around it seems so much more difficult because I can't be there to housebreak
them all day. I can't leave them outside on their own because of bobcats and
coyotes (even though we have a 7ft fence).
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Hi Cheryl, my advice to you is to purchase two
crates and crate train them until they are trustworthy in the house. DO NOT
leave them in a confined area pr they will make a mess just as they have been
doing. We have an excellent article about this on
this site.
Q: from
Natalie C.
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2003
Time: 18:59:47
Comments: Doberman Temperament
Two questions here,
- My boyfriend's Doberman peed on me when I took
him out to go to the bathroom... what does that mean? I didn't punish
him, but he knew I was upset.
- The dog recently started getting bumps and
thinning spots in his coat, the bumps are in his chest region and on the back
of his neck
What is going on and should he be taken to the
vet?
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans, USA
Natalie, you did
not mention the age of your boyfriend's dog. Urinating on you could be for
a lot of reasons.
- it may have been an
accident or
- he may have been
demonstrating male dominance over you.
I wouldn't be to
concerned over it unless he continues to do it, then he will need to be
corrected.
As for the bumps, definitely take him to the vets. He could be allergic to
something or he may have a staph infection. Either way he needs to be on
medication
Q: from
Kazia
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2003
Time: 09:48:37
Comments: puppy size
Question ... I have a pair of Doberman MALE
puppies from two different litters ... one is 8 weeks old and the other is 9
weeks old. The 8 wk old pup is several lbs bigger than the 9 week old
although the 9 week old puppies parents are both quite a bit larger than the 8
wk old puppies. Which of these males is more likely to be larger as an
adult?
I know that you said you can't really gauge
their adult weights by their size as puppies but I am going to sell one of the
males and they are equally nice ... both have great temperaments and are healthy
and active.
I think I would prefer to keep the one that will
be the larger one as an adult so I'm leaning toward the 8 week old since he is
bigger than the 9 week old at the moment. I'm not a show person; I just
have a liking for really BIG dogs. (I have a Great Dane and and an English
Mastiff, too)
Also, at what age do you recommend ear cropping?
The breeders had the tails docked but did not have the dewclaws removed. I
figured I'd have this done at the same time as the ear cropping.
Thanks for any advice you might offer.
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans, USA
Kazia, again,
without really seeing the two puppies in person it is very hard for me to tell
you which is going to be the larger. You need to evaluate more than
weight. You need to look at bone and substance. Is the 8 week old
larger boned or just heavier in weight? Is the 9 week old smaller in bone
or just lighter in weight? You don't need to be a show person to see the
difference in bone and substance. The parents do play a significant role
in the size of their offspring but you can still get a more standard puppy from
two larger parents. If the 8 week old has larger bone and substance he
probably will end up being the largest of the two but that is just my opinion,
not a fact.
Also, please note that male Dobermans don't usually get along with other males.
There have been some successes with certain training where two will get along
but that is not the norm. It also does not matter if the other male is a
Doberman or another breed so please be aware of this potential difficulty if
either of your other two dogs are males as well.
Ears are normally done between 8 and 12 weeks, the younger the better. Good Luck
Q: from
Kazia
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Time: 19:20:00
Comments: puppy size
I recently purchased a pair of red Doberman
puppies from two different AKC litters. They were both the largest pups in
their litters. The male weighed 15 lbs. at 7 weeks of age. Is this a
good size for an average male Dobie pup, or can I expect him to be quite large
as an adult? His parents are 105 pounds (sire) and 80 pounds
(dam) All the other pups in the litter were close to the same size.
Thanks.
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans, USA
Kazia, the size
and weight of a puppy does not necessarily follow suit for the adult size and
weight they will become. Both the sire and dam of your puppy are out of
the standard for a Doberman. A male Doberman should weigh in at about
80-85 lbs and a female 58-63 lbs as an estimate. There is no way at 7
weeks of age to gauge what your puppy will weigh at full maturity.
*** *** ***
A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
It sounds like they will be a good size.
Hopefully not too large. It is, however, difficult to predict without
knowing the pedigree or seeing the puppies. Based on the size of the sire and
dam, it sounds like they will be on the large
size.
Q: from
Cheryl
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Time:16:26:20
Comments: Feeding your puppies
I recently got 2 Dobie puppies and was wondering
what was the most recommended feed and feeding schedule. We work from 8 to 5 and
I feed at 7am & 6pm. I am feeding Nutro Natural Choice large breed puppy and
they eat about 3/4 to 1 cup each at each feeding and they are 9 weeks old.
Their stools are formed but not solid.
A: from
Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA
I've had 2 puppies from my last litter who were
on the Nutro Natural Choice and were having stool problems. It could be
too rich for the puppies. They've since been switched to Science Diet Lamb
and Rice Growth and the stools have firmed up. Personally, I've fed
Science Diet for years but I know other breeders who use other foods with good
success. The important thing is to make any food changes gradually -
otherwise you'll cause stomach upset and diarrhea. Make a change in food
over a week's time ... decreasing the old food and increasing the new food until
a complete change is made in a week. This should avoid any problems.
You should see firmer stools very quickly. Supplements can also cause soft
stools. Feed dog food only. I soak my food until expanded and feed
"elevated"... even for the puppies. This is simply personal preference.
I feed puppies twice a day after 10 - 12 weeks
(easier on the new owners to have "predictable" potty schedules!). The
amount depends on the inpidual puppy. As they grow, their needs change.
By the time my pups are 4 months old they are eating way more (usually twice as
much) than my adult dogs. As they mature, the amount tapers down until
they are eating what an adult would. I don't like "fat" puppies nor do I
like thin puppies. You should be able to gauge their weight on a daily
basis and adjust as necessary. The labels on the food are just guidelines.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young Darwin Dobermans,
USA
Cheryl, often at this age we are still feeding three times a
day but if twice a day is the best you can do then I don't see anything wrong
with your schedule. The amount seems reasonable as well. I wouldn't
worry about it unless their stools go real soft.
A:
from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
The schedule sounds good. You might
consider changing dog foods. Some foods may be too rich for puppies. Biljac
Select is excellent for firming up stools. Don't add water to it unless your
puppies are fast eaters as it turns pasty and is difficult to eat after it gets
soft. If stools are still too loose check with your veterinarian.
Q: from
Badiola
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Time: 09:25:48
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
I bought a new Doberman and I'm just wondering
when she is going to have a season. She's already 2 years old and has never been
bred.
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I had one bitch that didn't come into season
until she was 2 yrs of age, but that is very unusual. Your bitch may be
having silent seasons which means she doesn't swell up or exhibit bleeding.
She can still be bred but this is
ONLY if you know for sure she is in season. You say stud session. Wrong
terminology. You may mean you have tried to breed her. I don't
understand this statement.
Please remember, only the BEST possible bitches should be bred. You MUST
have all their health testing done on both dog and bitch.
The tests include, OFA, both hips and elbows, DNA vWD test by VetGen, Thyroid
test sent to MSU, heart testing by Ultra sound and or Holter, Micoplasma and
Brucellosis tests done just before she comes in season or immediately after she
starts to bleed so you get the results in time to breed or not.
Her temperament should be evaluated by someone experienced with the breed and
hopefully she has passed a WAE (temperament) test conducted by a DPCA Chapter
club.
Q: from Terri
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Time: 02:31:22
Comments: Doberman Health
In reading your archives I noticed an answer that you gave in longevity in the
Doberman. You mentioned too many vaccinations. Could you tell me how many is too
many? Thank you.
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Terri, there are a
lot of theories going about over vaccinating our puppies. One of the
things I eliminated and so have many other breeders is the Leptospirosis in the
vaccine. Some breeders are not vaccinating for parvo before 8 weeks of age
and some are eliminating rabies after 5 years. I don't think there is a
guideline issued through veterinarian medicine that shows these changes or
supports these changes but I know some veterinarians are cutting down on the
number of vaccines as well. You are better off discussing this subject
with a veterinarian that you trust.
I usually vaccinate
my puppies for parvo at 5 weeks and then every other week until they are 14
weeks. Other breeders do not vaccinate this often and some run "titres" on
their puppies before vaccinating to see if they have immunities in their systems
already. I believe there are some recent studies by the veterinary fields
stating that we are over vaccinating and your vet should have those studies and
be able to share them with you.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Terri, I can only answer for my procedures when
giving vaccinations. First of all, I have a very good Vet who is up on
most of the newer updates regarding vaccinations as well as other things
especially relating to Dobermans.
Puppy shots: I start giving shots at 5 wks. This would be DHPP.
The following week I give a Parvo shot. Since I crop puppies at 7 wks. I
want them protected at this time. I then give alternating shots every
other week until 18-20 wks. I also will combine Corona and Bordetella a
couple times during this period.
I know many breeders and Vets do not like the this many vaccines to be given to
puppies so my advice is to follow your own Vet or Breeder and do what they say.
If I have a dog on the show circuits I will give boosters twice annually. For
dogs home and maybe going to training classes I just give an annual booster. Now
I hear that some Vets are recommending boosters only given every 3 yrs.
I've been doing the above practice for over 40 yrs. without incident but this is
something that you have to decide with your breeder and Vet.
Q: from Sheryl
Stanley
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2003
Time: 14:09:02
Comments: Breeding
Had my dog bred, it's her 65th day and no pups.
She has milk in her breasts and has gained weight but doesn't have a big belly.
She was bred on the Aug 4 and Aug 6. Could it be possible that she's not
pregnant or could she be a few days late? Thanks for any help.
A: from
Theresa Mullen, Terrylane, USA
Hello. I calculated your bitches whelping
date to be October 6th for the first breeding....the 8th for the second
breeding.....the gestation period being 63 days. This means that your girl
is over due by 4 to 6 days today.
I would have her checked IMMEDIATELY by your Vet, but with your description of
her, if she is eating and acting well with no temperature.....she is probably in
"FALSE WHELP".....where they do get mammary tissue development,
with some having milk. Some also do get a swollen belly/abdomen which
mimics pregnancy.
The great majority of bitches will be on time or early with their whelping dates
so your bitch is not the norm at this point. Your Vet will be able to palpate
her and determine if she is in whelp. All the best with your girl.....
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Sheryl,
I would suggest you take her to
see a vet and make sure she is indeed pregnant. You don't want her to go
too far over if she is. You vet can x-ray her at the vets to see if there
are puppies..
- Q: from
Karen
- Date: Friday, October 10, 2003
- Time: 08:55:17
Comments: Buying a puppy
- Good morning. We've recently lost our dog, not
a Dobe, and we need to have another dog in our life. I've been doing my
research and have been trying to to speak to some breeders in my area. Only
one was cooperative. I've found out that some people won't offer help, unless
they are guaranteed a sale. How unfortunate to be like that.
My questions are: How healthy is the Doberman breed. Is there a high incident
of early death and is there a high occurrence of cancer, and other diseases.
These may sound like terrible questions but we have just lost our third giant
breed dog who was too young to leave this world. They were all from known
breeders who were very reputable and all our dogs had the best care possible.
Please tell me as much as possible. Thanks
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Unfortunately (and its a crying shame) some
breeders aren't helpful to new buyers unless, as you say, they are guaranteed a
sale first. I apologize profusely for that but I believe it is like that in all
walks of life. :>((
The Doberman is a medium sized breed and as such
is slightly healthier than a large breed (Great Dane comes to mind for me). The
bigger the breed is the harder life is on their organs, bones and muscles
unfortunately. Having said that, I will say that the *average* age for a
Doberman is around 8-10 years and the largest killers of this beautiful breed
are cancer, cardiomyopathy, CVI (wobblers) and many individuals often suffer
from a thyroid condition and other ailments.
Reputable breeders do try very hard but there is
only so much we can do with so many factors such as carcinogens in foods, the
very air that we breath and over-vaccinating. I hope this helps somewhat Karen.
*** *** ***
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Thank you for your
careful investigation before purchasing a Doberman for your family Karen.
Doberman Pinschers are great companions and are often referred to as the "human"
dog. They much prefer being with people to other dogs. All breeds have
some health problems but in the Doberman Pinscher you are looking at some early
death diseases. These are cardiomyopathy, cancer and CVI. All of
these diseases can take your dog at an early age but there are some lines out
there that are less likely to be plagued with them than others.
You'll need to do even
more homework. There is a breeder referral link on the
DPCA website. Perhaps if you went there you
might find someone in you area that will mentor you in your selection. Good
luck.
*** ***
***
A:
from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
First of all, it is unfortunate if you spoke to
breeders whom you feel are in it for the "sale". I can assure you that is
not the majority of reputable Doberman breeders. Most of us spend endless hours
educating the public about our breed without selling a puppy. You just have to
do your homework and buy from someone you feel comfortable with. Someone
who will be available to you for help long after you buy that puppy.
Secondly, Dobermans, as do most purebred dogs have their "Breed Specific" health
problems. Cardiomyopathy and Cancer being the most common in our breed.
Responsible breeders do extensive research and health testing before breeding,
to rule out potential disease. But even with that, there are no guarantees. The
best thing you can do is ask the breeders about the perspective parents' health
background and what testing they have done. Then hope (as we all do) you
get a puppy that will live to a ripe old age.
Q:
from Mehmet Fatih Türker
Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Time: 13:26:22
Comments: Grading the Doberman Puppy
I want to learn that how may I understand that
I'm owning a real, purebred Doberman puppy? Which specification should a
Doberman puppy have?
A: from
Theresa Mullen, Terrylane, USA
I am hoping I understand what you are
asking.....which I think is.....how should a Doberman puppy look?? How do
you know you have a good Doberman puppy.....and a purebred Doberman??
We have a "STANDARD" that tells us and shows us
what a Doberman should look and act like. I will include our American
STANDARD which describes an adult, and a puppy should follow with the same
traits.
The difference is that the puppy is smaller in
stature.....the dimensions of the angles and its relation to the bones, muscles
and soft tissue is slightly different. But the basic form and description
of a puppy would be the same as an adult.
Read the description below.....it should help you
understand what you should be looking for. The legs should be
straight....neither toeing in or out....the back should be "straight"....not
"swayed" or "roaching" upward. The puppy should be "deep bodied"....with
the bottom of the chest reaching definitely to the elbow as you look at the
puppy from the side.
The head should have "parallel planes", a proper
"stop" and a full, well filled muzzle, that has good underjaw and squareness ...
the shape of a "blunt wedge".
Color of the body and the markings should be
proper....and the coat should be short and tight to the body....without any
fuzzy or extreme undercoat.
-
http://www.dpca.org/JEC/illustrated_standard.htm
- gradingpuppies.htm
-
selecting_conformation_puppies.htm
I hope this helps clarify things for you.
Don't hesitate to contact us again.
*** *** ***
A:
from: Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans,
USA
I guess I'd need more information before answering this one! First and foremost,
what is this person hoping to get? A show puppy, a pet, obedience prospect?
Grading is very different for all of these things.
What is her situation? Does she have a family, is she away at work all day, etc.
We look at lots of things when grading a litter.... we look at conformation,
temperament, attitude, movement, etc. When we watch puppies grow and
mature for weeks and weeks, we are able to determine which home would best suit
a puppy. I typically don't allow puppy buyers to "pick" puppies.... Unless it's
narrowed down to 2 show puppies and they are of equal temperament and quality.
Since I know each puppy, I'll steer a person towards the "right" puppy for their
needs and wants. For instance, I watched someone "picking" a puppy from a litter
a few years ago (not one of my litters). Immediately, people are drawn towards
the most outgoing, playful puppy. If they are looking for a nice family pet who
is more of a "couch potato", this puppy would NOT be appropriate for their
needs/wants. Yet... they picked this puppy and subsequently wanted to return it
2 months later when they said it was too "hyper" and was chewing everything in
sight. This puppy went into a serious obedience home it's second time around,
and is doing fabulous in this home.
I know this doesn't answer the original question, but I think more information
is needed for a "good" answer!
Q: from
Amy Pierce
Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Time: 12:11:01
Comments: Membership to The DPCA
How do you find someone to sign your membership
application who is in good standing with the DPCA? If anyone is willing to sign
my application please let me know. Is Kimbertal Dobermans a member? If so, can
they sign my application?
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox Kennels, Canada
Hi Amy. Please go to
http://home.earthlink.net/~dpcabreederreferral/
and click on your particular State. Once there find a breeder who is
relatively close to you that you can contact in order to get to know them.
Hopefully once you find a mentor they will very likely sponsor you.
You can also contact any
Board Member of the DPCA and get some recommendations of DPCA members in your
area.
To be quite honest I
don't know if any representatives from Kimbertal is a DPCA member.
Q: from
Travis McCulley
Date: Sunday, October 5, 2003
Time: 20:42:43
Would a Doberman be a suitable dog for someone that is allergic to dogs? I would
like to get a Doberman but I'm not for sure if I would be able to adjust to the
dander.
A: from
Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA
While Dobermans do not have an undercoat, they
still have "dander". It depends on the severity of the allergy and your
willingness to deal with it. If you really want a dog, you might want to
speak with an allergist first... before purchasing a dog and then discovering
that it is something that you unable or unwilling to deal with. Allergy
shots might be an option for you to desensitize yourself. There are no
"hypo-allergenic" breeds of dogs. Some are better than others, for
instance, poodles seem to have less dander as they don't shed.... but they are
still not hypo-allergenic dogs.
Personally, I am allergic to cats. I found
that if I touch a cat, then touch my face or eyes, I start to sneeze, become
congested and my eyes swell up. However, this has not stopped me from
owning 4 indoor cats! I have learned that after I pet my cats, I wash my
hands before touching my face. That helped. Also... over the years,
my allergies got progressively better. The more exposure to the allergen,
the more the body acclimates to it. I now have a cat that likes to sleep
on my head, and even though she's essentially on my face, I no longer sneeze,
get congested or get swollen eyes. It's taken 7 years to get to this
point, but it has gotten better.
Make sure that you are prepared for the
commitment of dog ownership... the good and the bad. We get lots of dogs
into Rescue because of a family member's "allergies". Sad, but true.
Q: from
Laura Roberts
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2003
Time: 09:40:43Doberman Health
Comments: Doberman Puppy
I have a four-month-old female Doberman. She has
had UTI/Vaginitis ever since I got her. House training has been a nightmare. The
vet has put her on a couple of different antibiotics but none have worked. My
vet wants to have her spayed early, next week. I have heard from other Doberman
owners that this is not a good idea. It was recommended that I should wait until
after her first heat cycle. They say that most of the time the first heat cycle
will clear the infection. I mentioned this to my vet and she is saying that
there is no medical evidence to support this and that new medical evidence
supports having them spayed early. Please give me any advice you have on this
matter, thank you.
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox, Canada
Unless this bitch was intended for breeding, why
wait for her first heat cycle to alleviate such a problem, when from what the
vet says, spaying will alleviate it...sorry, but I just don't get the
dilemma. Her health is much more important. Early spay/neuter has absolutely no
derogatory effect on dogs.
*** *** ***
A:
from Anna Browning, Windsor Dobermans, USA
I would definitely clear up the infection before
spaying her. I had a puppy bitch with a similar problem, and she ended up
having a vaginal stricture, and we treated another puppy bitch (both Dobes) with
the same problem. Essentially, the vaginal canal narrows, then gets wider,
then narrows again. What happens is that urine "pools" in the
vaginal canal in the "wider" area. The urine does not drain out all of the
way when the dog urinates. This causes constant infections which are very
resistant to treatment. It's hard to diagnose this and can be difficult to
treat.
Non-surgical treatment consists of
sedating the bitch and using a speculum and or finger (depending on whether it
can be reached with these) to open up the stricture. It takes several
treatments to open the canal. Sometimes this does not work and surgery may
be indicated. While treatment is ongoing, the bitch needs to be on a LONG
- TERM antibiotic course (can be 6-9 months of AB treatment) with a STRONG AB
such as Baytril. Baytril is not cheap.
Whenever a bitch has a difficult to
treat UTI, there's generally more to it than just a UTI. The second bitch
that we were treating ultimately was sent back to the breeder, as the owners
didn't want to continue dealing with the problem. This puppy would have
urine "leaking" out as she was walking (sometimes) and she had little bladder
control. I don't know if she continued treatment or if she recovered
completely.
The first bitch that we treated had
her stricture opened on 4 occasions, and was on Baytril for 7 months. She
recovered completely.
If there is a stricture, there are
some who believe that whelping a litter can help open the stricture... however,
I'm not sure what would happen if the canal was too tight allow for the birth of
puppies. Not sure I would want to chance it.
Let me know if I can be of further
assistance...
Q: from
Marty C. Sentina
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2003
Time: 19:08:34
Comments: Other
How can I become a member of your prestigious
group?
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
If you are referring to
the Doberman Pinscher Club of America just go to www.dpca.org and all the information you need is there.
Q: from
Brijesh
Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Time: 06:26:03
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
My dog who is a healthy pup of five months has
lately been developing some small boils on the latter half of his body which
treatment with a 5-day course of penicillin had stopped but there is a
recurrence now after 2 weeks. These boils are very itchy and Jack literally
bites himself which results in hair coat loss in that area. Please guide
us......
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
This sounds like a Staph infection.
Penicillin isn't usually the drug of choice for this. It could also be an
allergy to something but I'd take him to another Vet for a second opinion.
*** *** ***
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
It sounds as
though this needs to be treated by a veterinarian on a long term basis. I
would look at a couple of possibilities. First is there something the
puppy is coming in contact with that is causing a reaction or is there an
infection going on. Either way the treatment would be longer than 5 days.
Most antibiotic treatments are for a minimum of 10 days though I'm not a
veterinarian that is what I've been accustomed to as a norm.
*** *** ***
A:
from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
Sounds like a possible skin allergy or bacterial
infection. You may want to ask your vet to do a skin scraping to rule out
mange mites. If it is bacterial in nature there are other antibiotics
which may be helpful, but a longer duration of treatment is usually necessary.
You can use a soothing antimicrobial shampoo ( available through your vet) which
may help with the itching and help clear the skin of bacteria.
Q: from
Lori Scarberry
Date: Monday, September 29, 2003
Time: 12:03:51
Comments: Doberman Health
My blue Doberman pup who is seven weeks old, was
born with what the breeder called cradle cap. Like dandruff in small spots
on the head... it is going away slowly.... Do you know anything about this?
What can you tell me?
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
I'm not sure
what cradle cap is in Doberman puppies but I would certainly have a vet check it
out if it doesn't go away in a short time frame. There may be some
medicated shampoo your vet can prescribe as well that would help clear it up.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
This sounds like a Staph infection.
You must be very quick to identify this or any other skin problem with a Blue as
they tend to have problems with their coats because of the blue color. I'd
take the pup to a Vet to make sure and treat if that is what it is.
*** *** ***
A:
from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans,
It does sound like what vets call cradle cap (for lack of a better term). Small
pustules about the eyes, lips or top of the head are usually bacterial in
nature. No one knows why some puppies get it. Often their little immune systems
don't seem adequate enough to fend it off until they get a little older. It
should go away on it's own, albeit slowly. Use fragrance free baby wipes
to keep it the areas clean. If it worsens at any time, consult your vet.
Q: from
Celeste Nelson
Date: Monday, September 29, 2003
Time: 12:20:04
Comments: Doberman Health
What is it that I need to do to prepare my
Doberman for a cold Michigan winter?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Other
than the obvious of keeping him/her in a warm dry place and not leaving them
outside, I would just be careful about the time you let him/her outside.
***
*** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Do the same as you would do for yourself.
When it's cold out and the dog goes out to exercise, make sure he doesn't stay
out too long. Keep him indoors and only brief periods outside in very cold
weather. If you take him for walks put a coat on him. Dobes have no
undercoats so they get cold just like we would being outside without a coat on.
REPLY: from Ann Green
- Date: Friday, September 26, 2003
- Time: 15:07:53
- Comments: Strong Odor discharge in pregnant
bitch - follow up
- Called the vet, did an urinalysis and sure
enough, there was a bladder infection going on. Bitch is being treated
with amoxicillin which should be safe for a pregnant bitch. Thanks for
your responses.
Q: from
Ann Green
Date: Monday, September 22, 2003
Time: 16:20:57
Comments: Strong odor discharge in pregnant bitch
I have a bitch who is 20 days away from
whelping. She has had a vaginal discharge all along which is slimy, egg
white consistency, sometimes clear and sometimes cloudy and strong in odor.
The odor is towards a high ammonia content. She drinks normal amounts of
water. She eats normally, her demeanour is normal and has energy and
nothing seems to be affecting her health. The vet said she has an
infection but does not want to give her antibiotics because of her pregnancy.
This is her second litter, she is 5 years old and the sonogram has shown 5
puppies. Any suggestions?
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
I would say that
you have to trust your vet but if there is an infection going on I would think
there is an antibiotic that is safe to give. I would think about
possibly getting another vets opinion. Maybe it's not anything to worry
about but I'd be a little concerned if there is indeed an infection.
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
If the color is egg white and slimy
that is just an indication she is very pregnant. I look for this sign
between the 5th and 6th week as a sure sign of pregnancy. I worry if I
don't see it and some bitches are so clean you only see it when they urinate,
while others have a copious discharge.
If the color stays the same and isn't a yellow, green, red, or black it sounds
like nothing is wrong. No temperature I assume?
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I am not so sure that any of us should be
answering this question and maybe you should seek the advice of another
veterinarian. It seems like there must be something that you can do. Some
discharges are normal and okay. In fact
it is a sign of pregnancy if the discharge is clearish to milky white. I think
that your vet can do some testing of the discharge to find out what kind of an
infection it is or isn't. Did he do that? Did he do a culture? It seems to me
that there has to be a safe medication to give her if she has an infection. A
good article to read is on our web-page, click on
Changes
In The Bitch And Foetus.
Q: from
Sandra Chitwood Date: Sunday, September 21, 2003
Time: 19:29:00
Comments: Doberman Health
I am the proud owner of a Blue Baby girl
Dobie. She recently turned a year old and my main health concern of hers
is her constant flaking skin and hair shedding. We have tried many
different types of food, shed-stops, vitamins and consulted her vet. The vet
said it was due to her having worms and her immune system not coping well thus
coming out in the form of bad skin.
She is up to date on her shots and in good
health except the problem with her skin. I know this is probably
bothersome to her otherwise I'd just go on with life. Is there such a
thing as doggie eczema? Is there anything short of lotioning her every
day that I can do to fix this itchy baby girl of mine? Thanks.
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Didn't your breeder tell you that Blues have
coat problems? Most (not all) Blues lose their coats by 3 years of age
if not a lot sooner. It's because they are a double dilution and there
are a few things you can do to try. I think there might be a diet put on
our web site by Marj Brooks. If not, hopefully Marj will respond to your
post.
*** *** ***
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
We have a very good article on our Breeders
Education pages about blue Dobermans. Click here to read it
Blue Doberman Alopecia Treatment/Diet.
Also does she have dry skin? You can treat that both topically and with the
diet. First read this article about the blue (and fawn) Doberman and see if it
helps you at all.
Besides coming back slowly from the worming
and the other veterinary treatments, she could be at the beginning stages of
what is common for blue Dobermans. If it is this alopecia, you are catching it
in it's beginning stages and can maybe stop the process. Anyway, take a look
at the article mentioned above as well as
Rescue Remedy For BLUE Dobermans.
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
The only experience
I've had with diluted coat problems is to give them a supplement called
melatonin which is given in tablet form and found at most drug stores.
You give them two tablets twice daily for 30 days and then stop for two
months. You should probably check with a vet first before trying any
suggested supplements.
Q:
from Chad
Date: Saturday, September 20, 2003
Time: 23:43:05
Comments: Doberman Conformation/Handling
I have just adopted a 1 year old Doberman male
with uncropped ears. His ears do not lie against his cheeks like most Dobies,
the base flares out like batwings while the tips flop and point down. What
caused this? Is this common among Dobies and can this still be corrected? If
so, how?
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Actually, in my
opinion your dogs ears would have stood rather easily had they been cropped in
the first place. I think he has a great ear set and the ears are almost
trying to stand without even being cropped. I've seen that often in
uncropped dogs and while you might not think it's attractive I would not worry
about it. There is nothing that can be done to correct it and I would
love the dog for his unique expression and ear carriage that makes him
different from most uncropped dogs.
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Yes, this is quite common. You will get
a variety of ear carriages with uncropped ears. In those countries where ears
are not cropped, the owners tape them so they hang properly. I have
never seen this done and wouldn't know what to tell you. We crop all our
dogs at 7 weeks. I doubt your dogs ears will ever hang to the sides of his
head after all
this time.
*** *** ***
A: from
Judy Bohnert, Equinox Kennels, Canada
Please go to any of the following links for Taping
Natural ears:
Ears To You
by SixStar Danes
Massaging
- The World Wide Boxer
Taping
- Brindle Hill Bostons
Taping - The World Wide
Boxer
Taping - Apex Boxers
-
Taping
- Burlywood Collies
Taping
- Giant
Schnauzers
Taping the NATURAL ear
erect
- Phi-Vesta Via Cardigan Wesh Corgis
Taping the NATURAL ear erect
- Crestar Chinese Crested
Q: from Cris Mattsen
Date: Friday, September 19, 2003
Time: 15:25:46
Comments: Doberman Health
My 3 year old Doberman vomits, in my
opinion, often. (once a week or so) It is always a small amount, of greenish
colored mucus. Our vet seems unconcerned, and I have been told this is
common to the breed. He is not under weight, seems completely healthy,
(besides his breath) and this is nothing new, it has been happening for well
over a year. Any Comments???
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Well the obvious is does the dog eat grass?
Are you feeding anything that could cause the color to be green? Do
you give ice cubes? Is there any addition to his diet or vitamins that
are given just before he vomits? Does he vomit just mucus or is it
undigested food?
It may be nothing but I'd find out the reason. To say this is
particular to the Doberman breed is hogwash. Have you done any test
for liver or kidney problems?
I'd get a second opinion. If everything checks out, then I'd not be
too concerned.
*** *** ***
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I would say that if your veterinarian
is not too concerned and the dog checks out healthy, I wouldn't worry too
much. My Dobermans will do this too and to tell you the truth, I have no
idea how often, but they eat grass and stuff and
sometimes they will vomit the same substance that you describe with a tiny
piece of grass in it. I don't worry about this type of substance and I don't
really think it is a breed thing. I have Dachshunds too that will gag up the
same thing and I have had cats do it too over the years.
About the bad breath, check his teeth. Are they clean or do they need
cleaning? You can regularly brush his teeth for a better smelling breath and
also for the health of his teeth. You can give him a raw meaty knuckle bone
too (outside of course) and that will help. Maybe some of the other answers
will be more helpful.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
I wonder if
your dog is vomiting up bile at the same time every day. Sometimes
when their stomachs are empty and it's close to dinner time they will spit
up. Certain foods seem to contribute to this more than others.
Also if he's grazing on grass a lot that will upset his stomach and also
cause spitting up. If it is close to meal time that he does it you
might move the time span a little closer between meals or you might give him
some dog cookies close to the time he usually spits up and then feed him at
his normal time. Hope this helps.
Q:
from Dean
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2003
Time: 14:13:57
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
What natural food do I feed my pregnant
Doberman and what supplements should I add. I would use pet foods but
the dog gets a rash so I prefer natural food.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I myself feed a natural, raw
diet to my dogs and I just raised a litter feeding this way. For a guide I
used the book Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet by
Kymythy R Schultze. You can get this book at
www.dogwise.com or at Borders or Barnes and
Noble. The book costs under $10.00 and it is a easy book to read and
understand. Since your girl is pregnant you need to get this going as soon
as possible. The book will tell you what supplements to add and everything
else that you may need to know.
- Q:
from Terri
- Date: Thursday, September 18, 2003
- Time: 01:21:32
Comments: Doberman Health
-
- I keep my Doberman in a kennel that sits
on cement. Her elbows are starting to callus. What sort of padding do I
need to put inside her kennel to avoid this? Thank you.
- A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
-
- I like to use
raised beds for my dogs. I call them trampoline beds but that is my
term. You can purchase these beds (made with a web-like fabric and
pvc piping) from vendors at dog shows or through many online pet supply
groups. They are fairly reasonable and they are great during hot or
cold days as it gets the dog off the cement. You can soften the
elbows with a vaseline.
- *** *** ***
- A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
- You can get her a nice soft bed to lay on
in the kennel and hope that she lays on it. There are a lot of things that
you can do. You can buy rubber-like padding from a pet catalogue or
something similar from Home Depot (or a store such as those) and pad the
kennel or a large area in the kennel run.
-
- I personally would try the bed and put it
where she likes to spend her time laying down. I don't know where you
live, but if you have a Costco in your area, they sell a nice bed for a
reasonable price.
-
- You can also try an Igloo or a dog house
with a bed in it or even straw works too.
For her elbows, clean them and make sure that they are not infected with
ingrown hairs. If they are infected, which it doesn't sound like they are,
take her to the vet. If they are not, you can put bag balm on them
everyday and rub it in. That too will help the hair grow back in and
hopefully will help prevent the elbows to get more calluses.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
-
- There are many crate pads available in Pet
stores or on line. I'd get one with thick padding but Dobes are
known chewers so be very careful she does not chew and get an obstruction.
I'd raised the crate off the cement to keep her from getting cold or damp.
You didn't mention how long she is being crated. Dogs shouldn't be
crated for hours on end. A few hours during the day or at night is
ok, but that should be the extent of it.
- Q: from Leah Hartlep
- Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2003
- Time: 00:23:35
Comments: Doberman Health
-
- I have a 20 month old red bitch.
She has a beautiful coat - except on her chest, where she's VERY sparse.
Her thyroid T4 and TSH came out fine, she's on a premium food (Innova),
and her kennel is well padded.
I've had some people tell me that red bitches (as a rule) have sparser
hair coats and that the thinning on her chest isn't something I should
worry about but I can't help it - it bothers me. I'd appreciate
any input you can provide! Thanks in advance!
-
- A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
- Many pups don't have a lot of hair on
chest and belly. We've pretty much bred out thick coats and
undercoats on our Dobes. If she seems otherwise healthy and is not
losing hair on flanks or top of back or anywhere else, I really wouldn't
worry about it. In winter, she may grow it back.
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Your
bitch could have sparseness in her coat due to several reasons.
Thyroid would only be one possible cause. I think diet can have a
contributing factor, perhaps trying a different food might help.
There is also a supplement called melatonin that is given to dogs with
allergy related coat problems as well as alopecia. You can see a
vet specialist as there are ones out there that deal primarily with coat
issues. Also, if the coat is only sparse in the loin area, it's
most likely due to hormonal reasons and I have never found a cure for
that problem as even spaying does not help.
Back to the thyroid, however, sometimes a dog can test pretty much in
the normal range but be symptomatic and vet will try supplementing the
dog. Have you discussed this with your vet?
-
- Q:
from Gerri Peter
-
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2003
-
Time: 00:03:42
Comments: Doberman Health
We
noticed a lump in the throat area and the neck area of our 7 yr old,
healthy female Doberman in May 2003.. It was surgically removed in May.
The biopsy was benign. In July more lumps developed in the neck, hip and
leg area...these were surgically removed and were benign. In Sept. more
lumps appeared and quickly erupted...bloody discharge and raw looking
skin area. Culture and biopsy revealed pylogranulomtous cellulitis and
ulcerative dermatitis. She was then put on clavamox for two weeks with
not much improvement...no new lumps but all lumps that first appeared in
Aug. are slowly erupting and draining bloody discharge and raw appearing
skin is apparent. She was then
switched to Baytril which we are now continuing into the 3rd week. We
will see the Vet again on Sat 20th Sept.
She
is off her food slightly but still eating fairly well. She does not seem
uncomfortable but started drinking more water than usual two days ago. I
am keeping in touch weekly with Veterinarian and will see him again on
Sat. He is concerned that the skin eruptions have not cleared up after 4
weeks of antibiotics and mentioned the possibility of testing for
Cushings disease which scared me to death.
Do
you have any suggestions or do you know of similar happenings in
Dobermans? All suggestions are appreciated. Thank you very much. MGP
- A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
-
- It sounds like a Dermatology Specialist
might be the best way to go for a second or third opinion. You might
also go into some of the Veterinarian web sites and type in her
diagnosis for more information. Other than that, I personally have
not heard of this condition. Good luck.
REPLY September 16, 2003
:
Thank you for your prompt reply to my question regarding our
female Doberman's skin problem. We returned to the Veterinarian this
morning...decided not to do "the wait and see for another week".
She was tested for Cushings disease and hopefully this will be negative.
If negative for Cushings the Veterinarian plans to treat her for
panniculitis with prednisone.
I appreciate your reply and suggestions. Hopefully
for our Dobie's sake and ours the possibility of panniculitis will be
the problem and not Cushings. We are keeping our fingers crossed and
hoping for the best for her and that she will be improving soon. We feel
comfortable she is in good hands with our Veterinarian but should she
not respond and show big improvement very soon we will consult a board
certified Veterinarian specializing in Dermatology. Thanks again.
REPLY
September 27 2003 :
Update to my email of 9/16/03.
Further testing and review of lab tests by the lab's Dermatologist
Specialist confirmed the diagnosis was indeed panniculitis. Our
Dobie is responding beautifully to prednisone/antibiotics ...
improvement seen within 3 days after prednisone started. Apparently
canine panniculitis is rarely seen. Our Veterinarian was
convinced our Dobie's diagnosis was panniculitis and had the lab's
Dermatology specialist review all biopsies, slides, etc to
verify/confirm diagnosis of panniculitis which was missed on initial lab
reports. Hope this info will help pet owners should their pet have
similar problems. MGP
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