Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher, called simply the Dobermann outside the United States and Canada, is a German working dog of pinscher type. It was bred in Thuringia around 1890 as a guard dog and is kept today for protection and as a companion. It is intelligent, alert and intensely loyal.

History

The breed takes its name from Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a tax collector who also ran the dog pound in Apolda. With many kinds of dog passing through his hands, he set out in the 1880s to breed one with the stamina, strength and intelligence to protect him. After his death in 1894 the breed was named Dobermann-pinscher in his honor. Otto Goeller, an early breeder, founded the National Doberman Pinscher Club and refined the dogs through the 1890s.

Exactly which breeds went into the mix is uncertain. Crosses with the Greyhound and the Manchester Terrier are documented, and the Beauceron, German Pinscher, Rottweiler, Weimaraner and the old German Shepherd are commonly named as well.

About fifty years later the Germans dropped “pinscher” from the name, and the British followed. Only the United States and Canada still use it, with one “n” in Doberman. During World War II the US Marine Corps used Dobermans as war dogs.

Appearance

The Doberman is a medium-large, muscular dog with a long muzzle and an even, graceful gait. Males stand 68 to 72 cm and weigh 40 to 45 kg; females are considerably smaller at 63 to 68 cm and 32 to 35 kg. The coat is short. Black with rust markings is the traditional and most common color. Red, blue (a diluted black) and fawn or Isabella (a diluted red) also occur, and fawn is the rarest.

The tail is naturally fairly long. Docking and ear cropping were traditional and are still called for by the American standard, but both are illegal in many countries, and the FCI has removed them from its standard.

Temperament

Dobermans are often stereotyped as ferocious, but studies give a more mixed picture. One 2008 study found them relatively high in aggression toward strangers, very low in aggression toward their owners, and average toward other dogs, and concluded that the modern Doberman is not an aggressive breed overall. The breed consistently ranks near the top for trainability; Stanley Coren placed it fifth for obedience training.

Care and health

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 11.2 years, and an Italian study found 8 years. Heart disease is the breed’s most serious problem. Dobermans are predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy, which is more severe in this breed than in others and is usually fatal; some affected dogs die suddenly, and others develop congestive heart failure.

The breed is also predisposed to von Willebrand’s disease, hypothyroidism, gastric dilatation volvulus, intervertebral disc disease, prostatic disease, compulsive disorder and a range of skin conditions, including color dilution alopecia in blue and fawn dogs. Hip and elbow dysplasia are less common than in most breeds.

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