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DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION Q & A ARCHIVES - Page 4, 2004 |
ITEM OF PARTICULAR INTEREST :
RESPONSE FROM JOE DUKES,
INSURANCE AGENT FOR FARMERS INSURANCE GROUP
I have recently opened my own agency with Farmers Insurance Group here in Las
Vegas. The other day I read an article about owners of large breed dogs and the
problems that they were facing with regards to insurance. It seems that quite a
few insurance companies are either surcharging the owners or denying them
coverage completely based on inaccurate stereotypes. From personal experience I
can say that my aunt's Yorkie is ten times meaner than any dog twice its size so
I know that a dog's temperament has more to do with the owner and not just the
breed. I want you to know that Farmers Insurance does not refuse to insure or
have a surcharge for any breed of dog regardless of size. In addition to
homeowners insurance I also provide auto, life and commercial insurance as well.
Please don't hesitate to give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you in
the very near future. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Joe Dukes
Farmers Insurance Group
Auto, Home, Life, and Business
1645 Village Center Circle, Suite 251
Las Vegas, NV 89134
Bus: (702)769-9122
Fax: (702)896-1649
jdukes@farmersagent.com
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
I have an Isabella male that I would like to breed but I'm concerned about potential combinations and problems.
After reading the articles on this website about health issues, etc., you need to think real hard about breeding your girl. If she has puppies that end up having problems, you will have to answer to the new owners and be responsible for each of those puppies for their lifetime. Breeding is a very big undertaking. Being a responsible breeder means knowing when NOT to breed.
You will have to learn and then ask yourself a lot of questions about breeding any Doberman let alone the possible color. Your dog must be tested for all of the inherent diseases that plague the Doberman breed before you breed so that you can make the best possible breeding decisions on health. Go here to read about our health problems: http://www.dpca.org/gendisease.html and here too to learn even more http://www.dpfa.org.
Your Doberman should go through a simple temperament test (WAE) that is put on by the DPCA.
In this article you can learn about how to use the test in making a breeding decision. http://www.dpca-breedered.com/breeders_tools.htm You can find out more about this test by going to http://www.dpca.org/wae.html
We do have a lot of articles on the web-site in the articles section about breeding. You should read and study the Doberman Pinscher standard http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm. You will need to garner as much knowledge about the Doberman as you can before you make the decision to breed and bring a litter of puppies into the world. This endeavor is a huge responsibility to say the least. Here is a good article about making the decision to breed or not: http://www.dpca-breedered.com/useorneuter.htm
I have found some of these articles for you. Please go to our pages at www.dpca-breedered.com and find even more articles and read them. If you go back into a few of the questions in the Q & A Archives you can find some answers to similar questions to yours about whether or not to breed your Doberman.
Breeding the fawn (and the blue) Doberman does have it's own downside too. Does your fawn Doberman have a normal coat or does he have the alopecia skin problem that often comes with the dilution factor. You can read about this too in an article that is on our articles page http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html. If your fawn Doberman does not have a normal coat it is recommended that he not be bred. He will sire this problem in his puppies.
Here is the color inheritance chart: http://www.dpca-breedered.com/colorinheritance.htm
You can also go here and find a mentor maybe in your area to help you evaluate your dog for breeding. http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCA_mentors.htm
This is just a start for you. These articles should help you answer some of your questions. If you should have a specific question feel free to ask us again.
I hope that this helps you.
I am in search of the best food/diet for a Doberman. As well as supplements. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
There are some very good
quality dog foods on the market today. If you are looking for a good
quality kibble, be sure to read the labels and try to stay away from
foods that have artificial preservatives or coloring. Dobermans can be
sensitive and even allergic to these ingredients. I don't recommend
canned food as it causes tartar build up. Some people feed a raw diet,
but this takes some work and research on your part. he The recipes must
be followed explicitly to ensure the correct nutrients are given. There
are many books on the subject.
Whatever you decide to feed, be sure it is a high quality food, (not
bought from a grocery store). Though they are more expensive, it's
worth it to have a healthy happy Doberman.
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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Nickie,
Oh boy, you are going to get an different opinion from everybody that you ask this question to. I feed raw and pretty much make up my own balanced diet.
If you are going to feed a kibble, I would pick a high end natural kibble. I am trying to think. I take a publication called The Whole Dog Journal. In one of the 2004 issues they had an article rating all of the kibbles. You can find them on line and find that issue and I believe that you may be able to read it on line or you can at least get that issue.
When I did feed kibble, I fed Solid Gold's Hundenfloken. I added fresh raw hamburger to the meal. You can add yogurt too. For additives I fed
400 units of vitamin E 2x a day, 1000 mg of vitamin C or Ester C 2 times a day. I fed a fish oil cap once a day. I fed a tablespoon of Sunflower oil and 1 tablespoon of Udo's Choice oil that contains the omegas 3 and 6. You can feed flaxseed oil rather than the Udo's Choice oil for these important omegas. I fed kelp too although the Hundenfloken has seameal in it.
I have seen dogs that are fed the Flint River Ranch kibble that look good. Some of the kibbles that are fed give a dog a puffy look like it creates a inflammation look to their bodies. This is just my opinion about the kibbles. I hope that I have helped with the additives. I liked the Hundenfloken because it has a lot of the additives in it that I give to my dogs that are eating the raw diet. The additives mentioned above should be fed regardless you are feeding kibble or the raw diet.
If you are interested in the raw diet, you can get the book Natural Nutrition For Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet by Kymythy R. Schultze. You can get this book for under $10.00 from www.bookwise.com or info@4mdogbooks.com. I suggest that you get the book and read it before you start this kind of feeding. There are other books out there about the raw diet, I think this is the easiest one to read for starting.
If you don't have your Doberman yet, normally the reputable breeder will have a diet recommendation for you. Look at the breeders dogs for their condition too. I am assuming that you don't have your Doberman yet. Is that correct?
*** *** ***
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Hello,
There are hundreds of dog foods out there to choose from. If you ask a hundred people they will swear their's is the best.
Most good brand foods are good for most dogs. Occasionally dogs/puppies develop an allergy to some, get the runs from others or just don't seem to maintain their weight or get too heavy on others. Like people, dogs are individuals and their needs vary.
You should find a good brand you and your dog like. If the dog likes it, his coat stays in good condition, and he is keeping his weight at the normal level for his age, then stick with that.
It should be a food that has all the supplements added in. You shouldn't need to add others if it is a quality food. You might ask your breeder or someone who is a breeder and maybe shows dogs what brand they use. Look at their dogs. If you think they are in excellent shape, you might try that. Keep your dog on the same food over a month or so and you should know if he is doing good on it. Then stick with it.
Q:
from Nancy
Date: Monday, December 27, 2004
Time: 6:15 PM
Comments: Pregnant Doberman
My 5 year old Doberman is 50 days pregnant now and light brown discharge is coming from her vulva. Is this normal because I have read it is?
My vet cut one ear shorter than the other...what can I do? This is a show dog.
Hello Bonnie,
Not to worry unless it is a major flaw. You need to make sure that the shorter ear is stretched up well and does not have a pocket. There are most always no two ears exactly alike. Is there a person in your area that shows and breed Dobermans that can help and mentor you? If so, this person have look at you puppy. Take a look at the DPCA referral list that is on this web-site and see who might live near you. I believe that we have a mentors list too, so check that as well. If we don't you can find these lists at www.DPCA.org too.
If you live near me in Northern California, give me a call (717-539-2050). I am on both the mentor and the breeder lists.
Comments: Doberman Temperament
I have a male Dobe, 2 yrs old - who has no confidence around people and new situations - very skittish. Any suggestions. I have a female same age, same environment but very outgoing.
I purchased the male at about 13-14 wks the bitch at 9 weeks.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Orlando,
This is a hard one to explain in writing. You need the help of a trainer or a behaviourist that knows Dobermans. Knowing the breed is the key word.
You can try taking him for outings ( leash walks) without the outgoing girl along so he has to deal with things. He just lets her do the greeting. You will need to encourage him to go up to people when he acts skittish. You can do this by stopping and engaging in a conversation with the person and encourage the dog to come up to him/her and be by you. He should always be on leash of course. Have the person pet him while you are talking, just stroke him on the head. A common thing that we all do when they are younger is that we tend to pull them away from people so they don't bother them. In doing this we are telling them to be afraid. Now you have to reverse this. A good obedience training class is an idea too. Again, the trainer should know Dobermans to help you the best.
Can you talk to the breeders of your dogs for suggestions? Do you live near the breeder. If not can you tell us where you live and/or where you got your Dobermans from and what breeder.
Maybe we can help you with a referral. You can lookup breeders in your area by going here: http://dpca.org/breeder.html
Also, here is an article that you can go to and print if you like for further study about the critical periods in a dogs life. http://www.dpca-breedered.com/superpuppy.htm The article talks about the certain critical periods and tells the breeder what to do and what not to do during periods and why.
Since you got your male at 13-14 weeks the 1st, 2nd, 3rd,4th and the 5th critical periods would interest you. This is the time that the breeder had him. He came to you during the 5th period. By reading this you should get some insight to possible reasons and learn a lot about behaviours. There are other articles on our article pages too.
Let's see what the others suggest too. They may suggest to go here http://www.dpca-breedered.com/page1.htm and find a breeder in your area to help you. Some breeders can help with this sort of thing better than others.
I hope that this has been a little helpful.
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Hi, I am currently looking to buy a puppy but am having problems finding quality breeders. I am very much for the breeders code of ethics especially the part about only breeding to better the breed because there are plenty Dobermans in this world that need homes if you aren't breeding strictly to better the breed don't breed at all .
The problem that I have been running into is INBREEDING you can not have quality anything in mind when you are inbreeding. I was wondering what standards the breeders on the referral page have to meet to get on it because some of the referred breeders have gone so far as to breed ½ brothers and ½ sisters.....I find this disturbing. These are not quality breeders and are not breeding to better the breed. I have seen the result of "line" breeding , some results may be good and you might have brought out the best of that line but a lot of those dogs also have every flaw of that line but instead of it being a slightly noticed flaw it gets worse and worse the more the inbreeding takes place.
I have had at least one Doberman in my life
at all times and know what a wonderful breed they are. I hope that the
breeding among the members of the DPCA and AKC is strictly monitored
for quality and not quantity. We need to protect our breed, it already
is grossly misunderstood.
Hello Jessica,
The breeders names that you find in the DPCA breeder referral are supposed to follow the DPCA Code of Ethics. You should be able to find the code of ethics on the www.DPCA.org web-site. Click here for the COE: http://dpca.org/ethics.html
To the question of inbreeding and your opinion. Bear in mind that this is your opinion. I would like to point out that although a 1/2 brother to a 1/2 sister breeding is a close breeding but it not an inbreeding according to the definition of inbreeding. It is considered a line breeding. Inbreeding is pretty much as close as incestuous breeding such as daughter to father , mother to son and brother to a sister. Inbreeding is not done very often, but it is done to obtain improvements and/or 'fix' desirable physical characteristics or mental attributes through the mating of closely related animals. It is the opposite of out crossing, which refers to breeding with totally unrelated animals within a given breed.
Line breeding may be referred to as the happy medium between inbreeding on the one hand and out crossing on the other. By strict definition, it is an acceptable breeding program based upon the mating of somewhat distantly related animals, i.e. cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews, rather than brothers and sisters.
Breeding a 1/2 brother to a 1/2 sister is a close line breeding by my definition. Any breeding that is made by most DPCA members are normally well thought out. We take a lot into consideration. Health, longevity, temperament and structure are four important considerations that are taken. There are many components to each of these four things to consider also.
You can steer clear of these types of breeding if you so choose. There are litters amongst the DPCA breeders that are not this close of a line breeding.
One of the questions that you can ask the breeder is why they did do this type of a breeding. They should have an explanation and most likely a long explanation. There are articles on our pages that can help you with questions to ask the breeder and how to determine a good breeder. You are right though, we should be breeding quality and not quantity. In my opinion, this sort of a breeding could be for good reasons by the breeder. Just interview the breeder as they should interview you. Be sure to ask about health decisions too. Breeding pairs should be tested for all of the inherent health problems that plague the Doberman Pinscher. DPCA breeders also adhere to the Standard of the breed too. You can read the standard here:
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm
Also there are a lot of articles on our pages that explain and discuss the standard. There are articles about Doberman temperament and also articles about Doberman health. I personally think that it is an advantage to buy from a DPCA breeder because they/we have to learn all of these things to breed quality Doberman Pinschers.
Additionally, it is the purpose of the DPCA to preserve and protect the Doberman Pinscher. Please read the Constitution and Bylaws which tells the purpose of the DPCA:
http://dpca.org/constitution.html
I hope that this helps some.
Are there any "home remedies" for preventing bumps on a dobe's elbows? I have hardwood floors in my house. Is there anything else I can do besides provide soft places to lay (which I already do)?
A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
Preventing the development of these bumps known as bursas is difficult. Keeping the dog from slamming down on hard surfaces can be a practice in futility. However cushions and rugs are the best way that I know of.
Many are quick to have the bursas drained if they are fluid filled. I do not recommend this as it can introduce infection and create scarring causing the bump to harden. Then they are more difficult to get rid of. And surgical removal is a last resort, IMO.
Message the elbows a few times day, while you are sitting with him/her watching TV for instance. I found this to be very successful. If you are diligent and patient and the dog is young, often they will go away on their own with time.
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A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Tim,
I am assuming that your dog has calluses on the elbows.
You have to soften them up. I have done it by putting bag balm on them. Do that for a few days and then wash the elbows. You will then need to squeeze out the dead hair that you will most likely find when you squeeze them much like squeezing a pimple. You will really have to clean them out. The dead hair that has been pushed into that area and that is what is causing the puffiness and the elephant looking skin. After you get them cleaned out you will have to medicate them with an antibiotic cream (use the cream rather then the ointment). You will need to have patience and diligently keep after these and keep them cleaned out. You may have to do this several times and for many weeks. During this time provide soft places both in the house and out in the yard and encourage him to lay on those areas. You may want to check with a vet with this method. I have been successful years back doing this. It does take a long while, like a few months. You need to ready the area to be able to grow hair once again. Once the hair can grow in again and it starts to grow, it will take at least eight weeks to fill in with hair. You will improve these elbows. Like I said I was successful in doing this many-many years ago and now I do all of the preventatives to keep it from happening again to my dogs.
I hope this better helps you.
Q:
from Sarah Clawson
Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Time: 11:05 AM
Comments: Doberman Health
My 2 yr old red Dobie has VERY flaky dry skin and she sheds a lot. What can I do to help?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Sarah,
It is common at this time of the year for this to happen to our Dobermans. The air is dryer now. Anyway, you can give in her food at each feeding a tablespoon of a vegetable oil, such as olive oil, sunflower oil, some people like peanut oil. Better yet, you can add flaxseed oil to the diet too in addition to the oil. She should get the Omegas 3 and 6 in her diet as well. You can give her 400 units of vitamin E twice a day and also fish oil capsules daily. All of this will help from the inside. The fish oil caps and the Flaxseed oil have the omegas 3 and 6.
Topically I make a mix of 1 part of baby oil or Skin So Soft (I like this), a capful of Listerine and put it in a spray bottle and then fill it with water and shake it to mix it well. Spray that on her twice a day and wipe her with the hair with a towel. She should look nice and shiny in no time.
*** *** ***
A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
You might consider changing the food you are giving. Supplementing with flax seed oil or fish oil with a sufficient amount of Omega 3 helps as well. Check with your vet as to the dosage for your dogs weight and age.
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Hi Sarah,
In the winter when the heat is on, many dogs will get dry, flakey skin just like humans. You can try some additives such as Vitamin E, Derm Care or Caps, Fish Oil etc. You should try and get Omega 3 and 6 in her diet. Possibly changing foods if the above don't seem to take care of the problem. Keep her away from registers where she might like to lay. If it's just a coat problem and not any underlying medical problem, these should help.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Sarah:
There a lot of different supplements you can add to the food to help the coat
but the first and foremost is that you are feeding a good quality pet food.
Some people are feeding raw diets with great success. One of the supplements
I add to their food is sea kelp, I think it helps with coat and dry skin.
Also, if you bath your dog, be sure you do not rub against the coat always rub
and dry WITH the coat. Going against the coat can cause dandruff to be
stirred up.
I know that blues have problems with their skin but on average how big are they supposed to get we have 4 Dobes and 2 are blue. Our blue female is well over 1 year old and not even close to the size of her mother or father which are average size Dobes. Please help with some info. Also she is having her first heat and is being very aggressive towards all the other dogs and towards us. What should we do to help out with that?
A:
from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USADobermans are supposed to be standard size regardless of color. If the breeding was indiscriminate, there's no telling if the pups will resemble to parents in size, phenotype or temperament.
As for the aggression, you will have to monitor that. If she is aggressive toward the other dogs, a fight may ensue and you'll have to keep her separated from the others. Aggression toward you is unacceptable and you need to get professional help from a qualified trainer as soon as you can if you are not sure how to handle her.
Correct the problem while she is young.
*** *** ***
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USAHello Amanda,
Now I understand, I think? Blue Dobermans are the same size as other Dobermans. According to our standard male Dobermans are between 26 and 28 inches tall with 271/2 being the ideal height. With the females it is 24 to 26 with 251/2 being ideal. The height is measured from the highest point of the withers to the ground. Dobermans are considered a medium sized dog. They should have heavy bone and appear bigger than their dimensions. The Doberman Standard is here:http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm
Bear in mind that the Doberman usually gets their height by the time that they are approximately 10 months old and they develop their body mass or substance usually by 2 years of age or a little older. The reason that she may be much smaller is probably genetic and if she were a black or a red she could still be small. Maybe there are a couple of small framed Dobermans in both sides of her background. You would have to find the individuals in her pedigree and try to see them or ask questions of the breeders of the background to maybe get a more understanding as to why your girl is so much smaller than her parents.
Since she is having her first heat she is most likely not wanting the other dogs sniffing her and pestering her and her being snippy and not wanting them around her is normal. The heat cycle affects different individuals in different ways. There will come a time in her heat cycle (like soon) where she will take on a totally opposite behavior and want to play and court and so on. I would separate her from any male dogs before she changes into this behavior. In the meantime, she is just telling them "NO!!!!!!!!, leave me alone, I hate this!"
After she is finished with this heat cycle, and if you are thinking of spaying her, try to do it before her next cycle in approximately 6 months.
I hope that this helps.
My Dobe's pads crack and bleed occasionally in the winter months, is this
common, as I feed him vitamin E, Flax seed oil, safflower oil, and fish oil.
Any suggestions??
A:
Melanie:
*** *** ***
A: Hello Melanie,
I have not had experience with this except for with an injury. It sounds
rather unusual. I would talk to my vet about it and see if there is a topical
to treat this. When you do get it treated there are products on the market
that will help toughen the feet. Anyway, my advice is to see and talk to your
vet. I am interested in what the others have to say about this. I would think
that you would need something to treat the cuts and to soften the pads too.
Does his skin appear dry too, his nose and his other parts of his body?
Your additives to his diet are good and they are good for him to have
always.
I don't know if this is common since I live in a very mild winter climate and
have never experienced the problem. However, you can treat pads with tea
bags. Soaked tea bags help to toughen the pads, perhaps that would help.
Also, if the dog is out in the cold for long periods, perhaps that could be
creating the problem as well, try limiting exposure.
Anyone know home remedies for skin problems with blue Dobermans approx 6 months?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
I don't know quite what you want to know from us on your question. Can you be more specific? In the meantime I can refer you to a article about blue Dobermans that is on our article pages. http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html
If you have another question after you read this, let us hear it.
I hope that this article helps you.
Q:
from Lisa Burnett
Date: Sunday, December 12, 2004
Time: 3:11 AM
Comments: Doberman Health
I have an 8 year old female Doberman who has re-occuring tendonitis which is
particularly bad at the moment - what can you recommend for treatment of
this condition? She has regular (every 3 months) acupuncture and her current
medication is oroxine for a thyroid imbalance. I have been icing the swollen
hock area and also rubbing in myoton cream.
A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
This is really a question for a health professional as we are not veterinarians but you might want to investigate a holistic vet that may be able to recommend some more natural remedies to compliment the present therapy. As with any injury, rest and patience is paramount for optimum healing.
Comments: Doberman Temperament
Is the Doberman bitch or dog dominant? I have heard arguments for both sides
and for neither. I've also heard it's moot if you are going to get the dog
fixed which I planned to do.
Any info will be greatly appreciated,
Reagan
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USAhttp://www.dpca-breedered.com/spaying_castration.htm
Hello Reagan,
Both the dog and the bitch Doberman can be dominate and they should be dominate and strong. You and your family should be dominate (alpha) over them though. Above is a link to an article on our pages about neutering and spaying that may help answer the question that you pose.
I have found the neutering and spaying has little difference on the dominance of your dog. You have to establish early on in your dogs life that you are the boss. Dobermans are very obedient and thrive well with the human in his or her life being the boss.
I hope that this is a help to you
*** *** ***
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Reagan:
It all depends on the individual dog. I've seen dominance in both sexes but
mostly in males. If you neuter the dog at a young age you can usually pacify
their dominance traits.
Comments: Doberman Health
When is the best time to have your Doberman cropped and how much does it usually cost?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Tracie,
The best time to crop the Doberman's ears is between 7 weeks and 10 weeks. The
ears have been successfully cropped at 12 weeks and as late as 16 weeks.
The average price is around $300.00. Most reputable breeders have the ears
cropped, stitches out and the ears are healed and ready to tape when their
puppies go to their new homes. The ear crop is included in the price of the
puppy.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USAThe best time for cropping is between 7 and 9 wks. Prices range from the mid $100's to $300. per puppy.
*** *** ***
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Tracie:
You should crop a puppy between the ages of 8 weeks and 13 weeks ideally.
Costs vary from state to state but you can count on an average cost of
$200-$300 a puppy.
*** *** ***
A:
from Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Kennels, Canada
Hello Tracie
Usually the ears are cropped at 6 to 8 weeks of age and it costs about $200.00
(Canadian) for the surgery and then there is all the aftercare and supplies
needed to tape the ears for the next 6 months. Find a vet that does cropping
and go see him/her. Read the
DPCA Breeder Education articles on the topic.
When you do your research for a vet, you also want to research breeders that could help you with the taping of the ears following cropping as well. You will need someone that is good at taping. There are also articles on the DPCA site about taping ears which you may find very helpful.
Hello Jim,
I hope that this helps.
*** *** ***
Baker:
The way I prepare liver for the bait is as follows:
Parboil the liver for few minutes to quick cook it. This helps remove excess
blood from the organ than can cause a "stickiness" when it's broiled if not
removed.
Put on a broiler pan and sprinkle with garlic powder and broil on one side until
brown; then turn and broil on the second side until brown.
Hope this helps.
*** *** ***
A: from Susanne Smith, Alpha Dobermans, USA
Boil the liver for about 15 minutes or so. Then rinse it very well under running water. Be sure to remove all the residue. Pat dry with a paper towel and lay on cookie sheet. Bake in oven at about 250 degrees for about 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness. Turn over and bake the other side until it looks dark brown. It can be bagged and frozen for future use.
Hello Bonnie,
I successfully feed a raw diet. First of all fruits and vegetables are safe for your dog and I feed raw vegetables everyday. I don't think that there are vegetables that are not safe for them but there are some that are better than others. Another thing they get more nutrition from the vegetables if they are chopped up small. I make a mix of 2 underground (carrots, yams, beets, etc.) 2 above ground (green beans, broccoli and etc.) and small amounts of two leafy (spinach, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens and etc.). I use the juicer and the food processor to make a months supply. I also add to that mixture which you don't have to, but I will tell you, garlic cloves (chopped) olive oil, apple cider vinegar and whole eggs including the shell.
To help you learn about the raw diet, I recommend the book, Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet, by Kymythy R. Schultze. This book cost under $10.00 and it tells you about the things that you can feed, the vitamins that they are rich in and why. For example the reason why the vegetables are chopped up small. You can buy this book at Borders, Barnes and Noble or at www.dogwise.com or info@4mdogbooks.com.
I like the book because it explains the diet simply and thoroughly. She does warn against feeding onions.
I hope that this helps. I strongly suggest getting the book for further knowledge.
Marj
PS: Kymythy also explains to give fruit a half hour away from other meals because they digest fruit at a faster rate then meats and vegetables. They can speed them through their digestion too quickly and cause stomach upset. She also says that too much fruit can cause loose stool. My dogs have not had this problem and they on occasion, like during harvest time, eat a lot of extra fruit.
Fresh fruits and veggies are great for dogs as long as they are given in moderation. They should not exceed 10% of the daily caloric intake, per the College of Veterinarian Medicine at the University of Florida. You do not want to interfere with the balanced nutrition ratios your dog gets from her (hopefully) good quality kibble you are feeding.
That said, Bananas, Raw apples (not the seeds), carrots, tomatoes, green veggies like broccoli make a great alternative to fattening dog biscuits. Use them as reward in training. Supposedly cooked is easier to digest, but vitamins are lost in the process. Be aware that some of the above can cause gas.... and we all know what Dobermans are known for...! So moderately. A few pieces a day is enough. By the way, no onions, they are toxic to dogs.
Hello Lois,
I have been very lucky myself and haven't had a problem with this foliculitis problem with my own personal dogs. However whenever I have had a bout with this problem I have been able to recognize it and start treating it immediately with antibiotics.
After a round of antibiotics which is usually about a month and I feed them a product called Grapefruit Seed Extract. This claims to be a homeopathic antibiotic.
For myself, I like to see if the dog is going to get this problem. This way I know if it is a problem in the line. I feel that the tendency for this problem is inherited, so I need to know for the future.
By the way, the antibiotic of choice these days seems to be Keflex (Cephalexin). In the old days we used Erythomycin.
The old way seemed to "knock it" more successfully to me.
I also think that daily wipes for the young puppy such as say, Listerine mixed with water, a touch of Skin So Soft and a few drops of bleach will help control this too.
I have found that if a person hits this right away for a long period of time (like 1 month) it has a strong chance of not coming back again. Most people treat it for only 10 days and it never seems to be enough time to combat the problem. It just keeps coming back and each time that it does it will be harder to treat and to eliminate all together.
This is my opinion and my experience with this problem. I hope that this along with the other answers helps you.
I heard from someone that this is not a good breeder to get a puppy from...what do you think?
Hello Glenda,
We cannot answer your question directly, but we do have some articles on our pages about how to find a good breeder and some questions that you need to ask and the like. Also you can go to www.DPCA.org and click onto the link, Public Education Committee for more information about this subject.
Here are our articles:
I hope that this helps you in your quest for a quality well bred puppy.
Q:
from AlyneComments: Doberman Health
My question is similar to Monica's on this page. My Doberman female (4 mo) has a lump at the back of her skull and it seems to be getting bigger. It is not quite the size of a golf ball but it is soft to the touch. I am very concerned. I just started treating her for demodex and I'm starting to really worry about this pups health. What can cause this kind of lump on the tip of the skull?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Alyne,
It sounds as though your pup may have bumped her head and it is filling with fluid in that area of injury. I would take her to the vet and let him/her suggest treatment. Has she been diagnosed with demodex? How are you treating this?
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A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USADear Alyne,
If the lump is on the occiput it is from a bump. Possibly going in and out of her crate or she just banged herself on something. Many times these fill with fluid. Really nothing to worry about if this is where it's located. Make sure the Vet checks it out first. It will eventually go down.
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A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Alyne:
If you are talking about a bump on the top of the head, it's likely
a head trauma injury like a bump on something. It will take several
months to go down because the fluids need to be reabsorbed back
into the body. If it's behind the back of the head and in to the
neck it could likely be a hemotoma caused from a vaccine. Either
way it would be best to have a vet exam and diagnose.
Comments: Breeding the Doberman
I have a litter of Dobies, mommy is Red
(#7),Daddy Black (#4). I got an entire litter of Blacks, some do
have a grey tint but I don't think it is a blue, (I have a blue
and he was much lighter at birth than they are, but what are the
odds that I would get all black from these two? Her previous
litters have always been almost all red. But this is the first
time I have breed to this male. Just curious?
Hello B. Short,
I had this happen years ago too and yes it is possible even though you can get both reds and blacks with the combination of breeding a #7 to a #4. I can say that blues do vary in shades of the blue color. I would think that you would know the actual color by now. You also would have to be breeding a #8 to a number #4 to get the dilution color.
Have you seen the color chart on our pages?
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Hello,
You didn't say how many pups you had in your litter. If it's not too many, that wouldn't be unusual for having all blacks. You also said the sire is #4. Are you positive? If the sire is a Type 1 or Type 2, then all the pups would be black out of a type 7 bitch. Otherwise it was just the toss of the coin as to the colors.
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A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
B. Short:
You could get an all black litter and it's rare but you could
also get an all red litter from this type of breeding but I
would be inclined to think that the black dog is either a
dominant black or a throws blacks and blues. How do you know
what his color type is if you have not bred him before?
Comments: excessive shedding
Hi,
I had my first litter of Doberman pups on 02/14/2004 and it will be my last since my female is no longer with us as we lost her when the pups were 4 weeks old. She produced 5 blk/ rst and 5 blue/rust and 1 red. The runt was # 5 in the birth order, she took his umbilical cord all the way off so I do realize he was not suppose to live and with my help and hernia surgery he has defied the odds. He is 72 lbs now at 9 months, and thinks I am his mother.
Anyway for about a month he has been shedding, and I mean shedding. He has no bald spots on him but I am concerned that this could be a health issue. He is a housedog, the weather is changing here and I didn't know if this could have something to do with the problem.
Thank you for any opinions.
Chances are that he is just shedding his baby coat. If he isn't looking hair (balding) in spots then I don't think it's anything to worry about. Take a rubber curry like they use for horses and strip away all the dead hair. A couple days of good brushing should do it. If however, you see patches and it's the outer coat that is coming out, take him to the Vet.
I'd put him on Dermacaps as it has Omega 3 and is good for coats.
Comments: Doberman as a service dog
I'm in the process of trying to obtain a sponsor for a service dog due to having Cerebral Palsy. With the health problems of the Doberman do they make good service dogs? I live in a one bedroom garage apt. will the dog be too hyper for closed in areas?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Spann,
I cannot tell you which breed is the best for you to get for a service dog.
A good service dog is based on the temperament. The Doberman is not supposed to be hyper. The Doberman with the proper Doberman temperament will be a highly trainable dog and has the qualities to make for a great service dog. There are articles on our pages about the Doberman temperament traits that we should be breeding for. First here is our Standard: http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm
Here is an article that could be of interest to you too:
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/breeders_tools.htm
I have known both breeds to be great service dogs. I would think that you would need to also take into consideration the health of the service dog prospect. Both breeds, actually all breeds, have their health concerns. I would demand that the parents of your chosen puppy would be tested for all of the inherent health problems of the breed including being x-rayed and found clear of hip dysphasia. The parents and grand-parents and as many generations as we have had the testing for should have had breeding decisions made on the results of the testing. Other testing for Dobermans should include having a complete thyroid panel done, tested for Von Willebrands Disease, heart testing (a sonogram and a holter monitor test) and the C.E.R.F eye test too. Breeding decisions based on health should be made with the results of this testing. This is not a guarantee but it is start on our breeding for health and longevity.
I hope that this is a start in helping with your question.
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Dogs of good breeding should each be considered. You would have a problem with a Dobe in extreme weather because of the short coat. Of course I am biased and think a Dobe would be better but then I'm sure good Shepherd breeders would say the same of their breed.
Spann:
Doberman Pinschers do indeed make excellent service dogs and I believe so can
German Shepherds. I would make the choice based on your preferences of their
breed temperaments, adaptability to weather, house manners, etc. Both have
their health issues as do most other breeds.
There is a program within the Doberman Community. Joanna Walker is renowned in
this endeavor. You can locate her through the
DPCA website.
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Dear S.C.
Dobermans do indeed make great service dogs but it depends on the dog itself. Getting a young dog may be a little to active for you in such a small area. I would contact some of the service groups and see if they have any Dobes in training that would be suitable for your needs.
Comments: Breeders
I need help from the experts. Can I trust House of Hoytt Dobermans located in Knoxville TN. I don't want to be taken in by my heart. My wife and I enjoyed our Dobermans till they passed 21/2 years ago and are ready to bring them back in our home. Help!
Hi Richard...my reply to you is DEFINITELY NOT! I am sure others that write for the Q & A page will tell you the same if not more.
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A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Richard,
Go to the DPCA site: www.dpca.org and you will find DPCA breeders referral or e-mail to