How do you, as a prospective Doberman owner, go about finding a “perfect breeder”? The best answer is to TAKE YOUR TIME & CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZE EACH BREEDER!
A “BREEDER” is an ethical, intelligent& caring individual, whose involvement in the Doberman Breed is one of LOVE for the Breed—they want to PROTECT & ONLY DO WHAT’S RIGHT for the Breed. They have invested years of their time and dedicated large sums of money to exhibit their Dobermans to the highest levels of achievement in the various venues that allow them to select only the”BEST & SUPERIOR” Dobermans to continue the propagation of the Breed.
A “BREEDER” cares about the QUALITY of the Dobermans they breed. They research pedigrees and search for the “right” BLOODLINES to combine together. They are looking only for the very BEST that the Doberman Breed has to offer—because only in this way will the Doberman Breed continue to improve and the problems that are innately there be corrected.
A “BREEDER” should be familiar with the Dobermans in the pedigrees that they are combining and using to enhance their breeding “plan”. Because they are concerned about HEALTH PROBLEMS in the Doberman Breed, they test and screen and expect the other BREEDERS that they associate with and have business dealings with, also care and do the same.
REPUTABLE BREEDERS want what’s best for the Doberman Breed, and so they associate themselves with Organizations that seek to “promote, protect and improve” the Doberman such as the DOBERMAN PINSCHER CLUB OF AMERICA and other CHAPTER CLUBS that are associated with the DPCA. Many REPUTABLE BREEDERS are also associated with ALL BREED KENNEL CLUBS in their area. This shows that the Breeder is concerned about the over-all Dog Community, also.
TALK TO THE BREEDER at length. Ask about their AFFILIATION with the DOBERMAN PINSCHER CLUB OF AMERICA. It would be a good starting point that the Breeder you buy a puppy from belongs to the DPCA. The DPCA has a CODE OF ETHICS that it’s membership abides by concerning breeding, puppy sales and other matters related to the moral and ethical responsibility they have as BREEDERS who bring puppies into the world that they feel personally responsible for. Many DPCA members also belong to local Doberman Chapter Clubs—ASK THE BREEDER IF THEY BELONG TO THE DPCA OR A CHAPTER CLUB. If in doubt, contact the DPCA to inquire and check their MEMBERSHIP. This doesn’t GUARANTEE that every member is an exceptional BREEDER—but it does say that they care enough to pay their dues every year and take the oath to follow the CODE OF ETHICS in their dealings with their Dobermans and the PUBLIC as well as fellow members.
Ask about their LENGTH OF TIME in the Breed. Ask about their SUCCESS in the CONFORMATION, OBEDIENCE OR AGILITY VENUES. Ask how many CHAMPIONS they have bred and if the SIRE (father) and DAM (mother) of the puppies are CHAMPIONS. Ask to SEE the REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES of the DAM and the PUPPY REGISTRATION PAPERS (first step in permanent registration) for the puppies. If the REGISTRATION PAPERS are not available make sure you have the FULL name and REGISTRATION NUMBERS FOR BOTH SIRE AND DAM. WITHOUT THESE, YOU CANNOT “TRACK” THE REGISTRATION PROCESS AND CHECK ON YOUR PUPPY’S REGISTRATION. A reputable Breeder will have all these papers in order for you to see and examine. Make sure you also have a copy of the puppy’s “PEDIGREE”. The PEDIGREE is NOT the REGISTRATION of the puppy. It only tells you the lineage of the puppy—it’s parents (Sire & Dam), it’s grand parents, it’s great grand parents, and on back. Most breeders will give you a 4 or 5 generation PEDIGREE for your records.
People who are “BACKYARD BREEDERS” OR “BYBs” don’t care about all the showing and expense of truly promoting the Breed. They just basically want to make some money without have to invest their own time and “BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS” into properly breeding and raising a litter of Dobermans. Most BYBs DON’T CROP the puppies ears. They usually sell them right after they are weaned and after their first shots so they don’t have the added expense and worry and work of cropping and taping a litter of puppies. EXAMINE the PEDIGREE closely and the REGISTRATION PAPERS closely. If the Sire and Dam and the Dobermans in the PEDIGREE are “CHAMPIONS” each name will have a CH. in front of the Registered name. An example would be: Ch. Red Boy’s Pretty Girl.
If the Dobermans in the Pedigree and on the Registration Papers have other working degrees, they will come after the name of the Doberman, such as: Ch. Red Boy’s Pretty Girl, CD, NA, TT
If the Pedigree and the Registration Papers don’t have the “CH.” or working titles such as “CD, CDX, NA” the Doberman is NOT a Champion and does NOT have working titles. LACK OF these titles is a “RED FLAG” and it may mean that the Breeder is simply not concerned with improving the Doberman Breed and is mainly concerned with making a “QUICK BUCK”. Not all Quality Dobermans necessarily have a title either in Conformation or in the Working venues. Some have the CH. and no working titles. Some have a working title but no CH. title. But when you see the pedigree FULL of dogs that have obviously been taken out and campaigned for their titles it says the breeder cares about these venues that enhance the testing of the dog’s abilities.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that some of the “Registry” letters in front of a Dobermans REGISTERED NAME is a “TITLE” of some kind. Unscrupulous breeders often put these in FRONT of the name of the Doberman because they are trying to fool the buyer into thinking it is the same as a CHAMPION bestowed by the AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB or the CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB!!”BEWARE”!! It will look like this: CKC, FCI Mr. I’m Lookin Good. The letters SEEM like they mean something impressive and good, but the breeder is just trying to make it appear that the dog is more than it is—which is probably just a pet from another “BYB”!!! SO, BE CAREFUL!! ASK QUESTIONS!! A successful Breeder should have MANY PHOTO’S of their Dobermans from the SHOW OR WORKING VENUES. If there are just a bunch of cute photos of “Susie” laying in the grass, or sleeping on the sofa—-“RED FLAG”. Breeding GOOD DOBERMANS is difficult, at best.
Contracts are encouraged by the DPCA CODE of ETHICS, because they spell out the terms of the sale of the puppy. It is clearly stated what each party is expected to abide by and there are no assumptions by either the buyer or seller. When you talk to a Breeder and they say they have a contract for the sale of their puppies, this is a good thing, as it is protection for both parties. Many “BYB” don’t worry or care what happens after the puppy is sold. They’ve got their “money” and “BUYER BEWARE” !
submitted by
Theresa Mullen
DPCA Public Education Committee