Meet The European Import Doberman
DanBar Queen Bee, currently 7 years old. Loved by the Gasbara family.
History, Character and Health
History
The Doberman breed was developed in Germany from a base of dogs left by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann who died in 1894. Otto Goller, a breeder who knew Herr Dobermann stated that a "grey colored" bitch mated to a "butcher's dog" (what Rottweilers were called) was the foundation of the Doberman. This actually correlates with an article from 1898, from a German dog magazine, that states "At the end of the 1860s, the owner of a gravel pit in Apolda (where Dobermann lived) had a blue-grey bitch, a sort of pinscher, which he mated to a black (and tan) butcher's dog. The sire had the characteristic tan markings and was a cross between a sheep dog (probably the old German shepherd) and a butcher's dog. Herr Dobermann... crossed the issue of these two dogs, which became good guard dogs, with German pinschers. That was the origin of today's Doberman."
This rings true to experts of the breed's history. Dobermann died before the breed was stabilized and it was up to breeders such as Otto Goller and Philipp Grunig to stabilize and refine (and enlarge) the breed by the use of documented crosses to a black greyhound and manchester terriers. At the turn of the last century the Doberman was not a large breed, males standing about 24 inches at the shoulder.
The breed was considered very fierce but its beauty, even in these early days attracted those interested only in dog show wins and it was a very popular show dog through the 1920s and 1930s. World War II put an end to importation from Europe and the American Doberman population has been seperate from European bloodlines since that time, explaining the significant differences between the two groups. Importation of European Dobermans to America only began again in earnest around 2000 and is confined almost exclusively to show line dogs.
The Doberman served with distinction in the Marine Corp in the Pacific theatre in WWII and was used as a police K9 in the early days of America's police dog program. However, years of being bred for exhibition only by breeders with no interest in working dog qualities has seriously damaged the breed's abilities and reputation as a serious working dog. In Europe and America the breed continues to remain much more popular with exhibition rather than working dog breeders.
Today the breed still struggles with the curse of its beauty - that of being attractive to those who care only about producing beautiful pups for sale and no interest in the good health and working character so necessary for a working breed.
This rings true to experts of the breed's history. Dobermann died before the breed was stabilized and it was up to breeders such as Otto Goller and Philipp Grunig to stabilize and refine (and enlarge) the breed by the use of documented crosses to a black greyhound and manchester terriers. At the turn of the last century the Doberman was not a large breed, males standing about 24 inches at the shoulder.
The breed was considered very fierce but its beauty, even in these early days attracted those interested only in dog show wins and it was a very popular show dog through the 1920s and 1930s. World War II put an end to importation from Europe and the American Doberman population has been seperate from European bloodlines since that time, explaining the significant differences between the two groups. Importation of European Dobermans to America only began again in earnest around 2000 and is confined almost exclusively to show line dogs.
The Doberman served with distinction in the Marine Corp in the Pacific theatre in WWII and was used as a police K9 in the early days of America's police dog program. However, years of being bred for exhibition only by breeders with no interest in working dog qualities has seriously damaged the breed's abilities and reputation as a serious working dog. In Europe and America the breed continues to remain much more popular with exhibition rather than working dog breeders.
Today the breed still struggles with the curse of its beauty - that of being attractive to those who care only about producing beautiful pups for sale and no interest in the good health and working character so necessary for a working breed.
Character
Health
I describe the average Doberman as "the Woody Allen of dogdom". Very intelligent, very funny and very neurotic. During the 1970's they became what I term a "fad panic"; a breed that becomes wildly popular, is mishandled by the majority of its new owners resulting in false myths and horror stories spread by media and a hysterical public. (Think the American pit bull in the 1980s - 2000.)
The Doberman shot all the way up to number 2 in AKC registrations, and this breed which early expert Philipp Gruenig warned should never become popular with the public - became just that. This noble, high-strung, aggressive, intelligent working breed that stormed the beaches of Guadalcanal, Tawara and Bougainville with US Marines, flushing out Japanese soldiers and carrying messages through combat became popular as a "status symbol" pet. To this day, the damage from poor breeding during its decade as a "fad breed" continues to the haunt the breed. Poor health, poor temperament and a lack of breed characteristics mark the breed in the USA today.
As often happens, as quickly as the "Doberman Fad" started - it ended, and the breed fell off the public's radar; but the myth of the Doberman as a "killer dog" had firmly entered the realm of public myth. At the same time so-called apologists spread equally damaging misinformation claiming that the breed is "just a big baby" and never aggressive.
The Doberman shot all the way up to number 2 in AKC registrations, and this breed which early expert Philipp Gruenig warned should never become popular with the public - became just that. This noble, high-strung, aggressive, intelligent working breed that stormed the beaches of Guadalcanal, Tawara and Bougainville with US Marines, flushing out Japanese soldiers and carrying messages through combat became popular as a "status symbol" pet. To this day, the damage from poor breeding during its decade as a "fad breed" continues to the haunt the breed. Poor health, poor temperament and a lack of breed characteristics mark the breed in the USA today.
As often happens, as quickly as the "Doberman Fad" started - it ended, and the breed fell off the public's radar; but the myth of the Doberman as a "killer dog" had firmly entered the realm of public myth. At the same time so-called apologists spread equally damaging misinformation claiming that the breed is "just a big baby" and never aggressive.
Well bred Dobermans are expensive. They are expensive to breed. Expensive to buy. There is a reason.
After so many decades of poor breeding practices by those who only use the Doberman to win ribbons or to try and make money, the breed has been left in poor shape. The very worse problem, without question, is the breed's struggle with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) a deadly disease that kills up to 67% of all Dobermans. Yes, 67%.
To be a responsible Doberman breeder today means yearly echocardiograms (cost $350 - $500) each year, HOLTER testing (I bought my own HOLTER monitor $1500 plus $100 per test) as well as getting typical health tests such as hip and elbow xrays ($350 -$600) as well OFA testing on eyes, patellas and dental check. DNA testing is also important; luckily it only needs to be done once in the lifetime of the dog. The DNA tests called DCM 3 and DCM 4 can test for mutations associated with increased risk for DCM. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DCM 1 and DCM 2 TESTS ARE NO LONGER VALID FOR EUROPEAN DOBERMANS.
This site is designed to help you get a good, solid understanding of the health risks you absolutely need to be aware of before you purchase a Doberman. NO BREEDER CAN GUARANTEE YOU THEIR DOGS ARE "DCM CLEAR" - if they do they are lying. But some bloodlines are much more prone to DCM than others. There are ways to protect yourself and I will lay those out on this site.
Health testing is, sadly, not taken advantage of by far too many "breeders". Why? Often, in the case of so called "backyard breeders" (meaning people who just put two dogs together to produce pups for resale and have no real plan or knowledge of breeding) it is simple ignorance. These folks have never given much thought to producing pups and are often completely unaware of any of the common diseases or the testing which can detect them. Too often even "breeders" who know better, and may be involved in showing their dogs, just don't want to spend the money. Why should they when many puppy buyers don't know enough to ask about the health of the parent dogs? They charge a pretty penny for their pups - but none of that money goes back into the improvement of the breed. A sad betrayal of their dogs! A few know their dogs have or are carriers of specific diseases or conditions and simply don't want it brought to anyone's attention.
Please use the below links to educate yourself about Doberman health issues. Feel free to email me with any questions you may have. Dobermans are my passion and even if you don't purchase a pup from me I want you to know how to recognize ethical breeders working hard to improve the health of our breed.
DOBERMAN HEALTH PAGEBLOODLINES TO AVOIDABOUT THE OFAABOUT DNA
After so many decades of poor breeding practices by those who only use the Doberman to win ribbons or to try and make money, the breed has been left in poor shape. The very worse problem, without question, is the breed's struggle with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) a deadly disease that kills up to 67% of all Dobermans. Yes, 67%.
To be a responsible Doberman breeder today means yearly echocardiograms (cost $350 - $500) each year, HOLTER testing (I bought my own HOLTER monitor $1500 plus $100 per test) as well as getting typical health tests such as hip and elbow xrays ($350 -$600) as well OFA testing on eyes, patellas and dental check. DNA testing is also important; luckily it only needs to be done once in the lifetime of the dog. The DNA tests called DCM 3 and DCM 4 can test for mutations associated with increased risk for DCM. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DCM 1 and DCM 2 TESTS ARE NO LONGER VALID FOR EUROPEAN DOBERMANS.
This site is designed to help you get a good, solid understanding of the health risks you absolutely need to be aware of before you purchase a Doberman. NO BREEDER CAN GUARANTEE YOU THEIR DOGS ARE "DCM CLEAR" - if they do they are lying. But some bloodlines are much more prone to DCM than others. There are ways to protect yourself and I will lay those out on this site.
Health testing is, sadly, not taken advantage of by far too many "breeders". Why? Often, in the case of so called "backyard breeders" (meaning people who just put two dogs together to produce pups for resale and have no real plan or knowledge of breeding) it is simple ignorance. These folks have never given much thought to producing pups and are often completely unaware of any of the common diseases or the testing which can detect them. Too often even "breeders" who know better, and may be involved in showing their dogs, just don't want to spend the money. Why should they when many puppy buyers don't know enough to ask about the health of the parent dogs? They charge a pretty penny for their pups - but none of that money goes back into the improvement of the breed. A sad betrayal of their dogs! A few know their dogs have or are carriers of specific diseases or conditions and simply don't want it brought to anyone's attention.
Please use the below links to educate yourself about Doberman health issues. Feel free to email me with any questions you may have. Dobermans are my passion and even if you don't purchase a pup from me I want you to know how to recognize ethical breeders working hard to improve the health of our breed.
DOBERMAN HEALTH PAGEBLOODLINES TO AVOIDABOUT THE OFAABOUT DNA
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