The Doberman Pinscher

Doberman Pinschers originated in Germany around the late 1800's as personal guard dogs, watch dogs, rodent killers, sheep herders, and gun dogs. Since then they have become extremely important to combat for the Marine Corps and as guard dogs for many houses. You will find the Doberman Pinscher is 65 to 90 pounds. Males tend to grow to 26- 28 inches, while the female is usually 24-26 inches in height. They are black, red, blue, and fan in colouring with tan markings.

Their coat tends to be thick, smooth, short, and coarse. You will find that they shed a little hair during certain seasons, but much less than other breeds of dog. The Doberman works well as a guard dog because of their extremely muscular body. They are able to jump to great heights and have quite a bit of stamina. Despite being a medium sized dog they are fierce. You will find they are resourceful, intelligent, and courageous as well as protection and devoted.

Grooming is not a huge concern for these dogs as the lack of hair helps you keep them clean. They do need occasional brushing or wiping down with a towel, but for the most part they are extremely clean dogs. Most often you will have to have dental hygiene care as well as trimmed nails. Bathing is not recommended with their sensitive skin. You will also find that they tend to suffer from Wobbler syndrome, Von Willebrands disease, hip dysplasia, and heart disorders. Unlike other dog breeds you will find the cold climates are too harsh on the Doberman Pinscher.

When considering how well they do around other people you will note that they are assertive in behaviour, and that they love companionship and stimulation from humans. They do well with like dogs, but can be a little anti social with other dog breeds. You will not want to have one around if you have small children, as they are not very tolerant. Strangers need to be cautious when first meeting the Doberman pinscher as they tend to be a little aloof. You will also find they need a lot of attention as most dogs do. They don't like being left for long periods of time and do well with active owners. This breed is not recommended if you have never owned a dog before or don't wish to provide a lot of exercise.

Training is quite easy once you determine the pecking order with the dog. They need a dominant owner. Someone who will give them attention as well as give them respect is the best type of owner. They can be shy, timid or aggressive without proper training. It is best to train right from the early stages of puppy- hood to get the best traits. They don't like harsh treatment and it will not work. Rewards or reinforcement for the correct behaviour is the best way to train them as well as consistency. You will find they are great with tracking, search and rescue, police work, and as therapy dogs when they have had the proper training. Mentioned above was exercise. They do need to have a lot of exercise during the day. Just a small walk and a little playtime are not going to be enough. They need to have play sessions, and long walks to feel their best. Though they can live in apartments the ideal place for them is a fenced backyard where they can run free and get plenty of play in during the day. Most often a house is the best place you can have.