The Doberman is a noble and courageous medium-sized dog with a muscular body that combines grace and strength. Has excellent instincts, agility, and quick reaction.
Excellent in investigative work. Dogs are moderately aggressive and distrustful of strangers. Active, attentive, balanced and loyal - all these qualities make it possible to accurately choose Dobermans for the role of guard and friend.
The dogs are very active, feel like full-fledged members of the family, and get along well with children.
Dobermans are the only breed named after its founder. Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann was engaged in a rather dangerous occupation: he was a tax collector and worked as a night policeman.
He needed a reliable defender and a formidable guard. Dobermann carried out breeding work in a nursery for stray dogs, which he himself maintained.
He wanted to get a smart, vigilant and hardy dog. The first success came after 20 years of painstaking work.
The exact history of the breed is unknown, since the breeder did not keep detailed records. One can only assume that Dobermans inherited their best qualities from German Pinschers, Mastiffs, Great Danes, English Greyhounds, and Manchester Terriers.
Origin story and what it looks like in the photo
The first white Doberman appeared in America in 1976.
An albino puppy was born from two individuals of normal color. There were no white puppies in the grown dog's litter. Then, to consolidate the unusual color, the albino dog was bred with one of her sons.
As a result of such inbreeding, white Dobermans have some differences from the breed standard , which affect both their appearance and their temperament .
Origin story
This breed appeared in 1874 in Germany, and was recognized a year later - in 1895. Its creator is Friedrich Dobermann. This is the only dog breed that takes its name entirely from the person who created and bred it.
Initially, the breed was called Doberman Pinscher, but gradually the prefix “pinscher” fell out of use . In all countries, these dogs are simply called Dobermans or German Dobermans.
The breed has undergone some changes in its development. Since it was originally created for official, security and guard purposes, which, in fact, is what it does now, its appearance and character were slightly different.
The dogs were stockier and clumsier . Also, their temperament and attitude towards humans has always been angry and ferocious.
Otto Geller, who later became involved in breeding Dobermans, was determined to soften their character. He succeeded.
Thanks to his work, we know these dogs as obedient and compliant towards their owner, while the dogs’ guarding qualities are perfectly preserved.
In 1897, the first show of the breed took place in Germany . This marks the beginning of the popularity of dogs, which has not declined to this day. Their calling became security and search service.
In 1960, the breed was recognized by the International Canine Federation.
Nowadays, this breed belongs to the highest class and standard . She has numerous victories at various exhibitions and competitions.
Marriage or breed
The ideal Doberman is a medium-sized dog, almost square in shape, energetic, fearless, loyal and obedient.
The Doberman is harmoniously built: the height is almost equal to the length of the body, the depth of the chest is the length of the limbs, the front and rear limbs are articulated at equal angles:
- The head is wedge-shaped.
- The eyes are almond-shaped, and the dog’s intelligence shines in them.
- The ears are either set high or uncropped and lie close to the cheeks.
- The neck is dry and muscular
- The back is short and powerful.
- The legs are straight and strong.
- Short, hard, smooth coat.
The defects of the breed are:
- squatness,
- tallness,
- long or sparse hair,
- white spots on the coat, white color,
- deviation from square format,
- weak bones
- lack of teeth,
- timidity,
- excessive aggressiveness,
- ears set too low or too close,
- sagging or hunchbacked back,
- sharply sloping croup,
- clubfoot.
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
I would like to point out that albinism cannot be considered as one of the color types. This is primarily a genetic deviation, which not only affected the appearance of the dog, but also changed the character and habits inherent in this breed. I consider the white color of Dobermans to be unnatural and I am glad that conscientious fellow dog handlers today refuse to breed albino dogs.
Video
* We invite you to watch a video about the Doberman . In fact, in front of you is a playlist in which you can select and watch any of 20 videos about a given dog breed by simply clicking on the button in the upper right corner of the window. In addition, the material contains quite a lot of photos. By looking at them you can find out what a Doberman looks like.
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The Doberman is a proud, graceful and noble dog, distinguished by intelligence and intelligence. It is not surprising that these dogs are called four-legged aristocrats. The breed was originally bred as a service dog, but after some time Dobermans became favorite pets for dog lovers who needed a faithful and reliable companion
Now dogs of this breed are kept mainly to guard private households or simply as “four-legged family members.” Dobermans are excellent bloodhounds; they have an amazingly developed sense of smell. Dogs are very smart and are able to make their own decisions. Life expectancy is up to 16 years, some individuals lived up to 21 years.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the breed include:
- Beauty and unusual appearance
- Strongly developed sense of affection. They definitely need an authoritative leader, a master.
Disadvantages of owners of white color:
- unstable psyche. Animals are shy, their behavior is difficult to predict;
- poor health;
- difficult to train.
All these shortcomings make it impossible to use the dog for its intended purpose - as a guard and bloodhound..
Distinctive features
| Characteristics | Description | |
| Weight | 30-45 kg | |
| Height | 68-72 cm | |
| Wool | white or light cream color with a slight bronze tint. | |
| Eyes. | blue almond-shaped. Abnormal development of the retina can cause the dog to become blind and deaf. | |
| Nose | light pink | |
| Head | wedge-shaped with powerful jaws | |
| Ears | standing | |
| Neck | long, muscular | |
| Back | strong short | |
| Character traits | timidity, nervousness | |
Doberman - description of the breed
Dobermans are tall dogs (average and above average). The physique is strong and muscular, but not excessively massive. In accordance with the modern standard, the Doberman is a fairly strong, bony dog with a luxurious high-ampere silhouette consisting of straight short lines. By temperament - choleric-sanguine (and males have a more “hot” disposition). The Doberman is a harmonious combination of elegance and power.
Interesting fact: A properly raised Doberman is quite friendly, peaceful, strongly attached to the family and loves children very much. At the same time, the dog always shows temperament, moderate viciousness and moderate excitability. Even a perfectly trained Doberman will never forgive an insult inflicted by a stranger or an unkind glance from a dog walking nearby.
According to the breed standards approved in 2015, the height at the withers should be 68–72 cm (for males) and 63–68 cm (for females). Weight requirements: for males - 40-45 kg, for females - 33-35 kg. The above standards once again confirm the fact that Dobermans are strong and at the same time graceful dogs with a proportional build, wide bones and a lean constitution.
The head is relatively small in size, with an elongated, narrow muzzle and an undeveloped forehead. The eyes are small, the ears are set high. These dogs have a short neck and high withers. The Dober's chest is developed, deep and rounded, the back is straight and strong, and the croup is slightly lowered. In terms of appearance, the abdominal wall of dogs of this breed should be tightened. The forelimbs are characterized by wide bones, strong, and located at right angles to the body.
Regarding docking of ears and tail, there is still no uniform requirement for this criterion. For example, European dog breeders are categorically against surgical interventions, and in Russia and other CIS countries at exhibitions you can only see Dobermans with short tails and pointed ears.
What diseases are you susceptible to?
White Doberman is susceptible:
- allergies;
- photophobia. Owners have to darken the room, otherwise the dog will bump into surrounding objects;
- eye diseases;
- more often than other representatives of the breed, white Dobermans can have cancer and dermatitis;
- These special dogs are not immune from such a scourge as baldness;
- Hip dysplasia occurs in all Dobermanns. The disease is inherited and results in lameness in the hind legs. It is treated promptly. Subsequently, a long rehabilitation period is required;
- von Willebrand's disease. Animals with this disease have poor blood clotting. It cannot be treated. However, the presence of such a disease does not prevent the dog from living in a normal rhythm.
Basic rules of care
Dobermans are unpretentious animals. An important condition for their maintenance is the lack of thick undercoat in dogs. Therefore, a dog will not be able to live in an enclosure year-round in a cold climate.
When caring for your friend, you need to:
- Once a week, wipe the wool with a warm, damp cloth or towel;
- during shedding, comb every other day;
- bathe twice a year;
- clean ears;
- trim nails (if not sharpened);
- promptly vaccinate and treat against parasites;
- in the cold season, take care of warm clothes (preferably with a hood so as not to freeze your ears).
Caring for an Albino
- Wool:
Like regular-colored dogs, white dogs do not require complex coat care. It is enough to regularly wipe their fur with a damp cloth once or twice a week, because there is no undercoat, which makes the task much easier.
- Feeding:
White Dobermans are more susceptible to allergies than brown or black ones. For this reason, use only high-quality natural food or food from trusted manufacturers.
When choosing natural food, keep in mind: a healthy dog needs to eat 1 kilogram of fresh raw meat or more per day.
During pregnancy and heavy physical activity, the amount of meat is doubled.
Feed fresh fish or offal several times a week.
An adult dog should eat up to one kilogram of fresh meat per day.
Eliminate from your dog's diet:
- Roast;
- Salty;
- Flour products;
- Smoked;
- Sweet;
- Spicy;
- Fat;
Especially:
- Chocolate;
- Spices;
- Seasonings;
- Bones;
- Sausage;
- Potato;
- Legumes;
- Sausages;
- Cutlets;
- Dumplings;
- Manku;
- Candies;
- Mushrooms;
- Human vitamins;
- Barley;
- Leftover food from the table.
The dog's diet should also include vegetables, cereals, kefir, and cottage cheese.
Feed adult dogs 2 times a day.
- Claws and ears, vaccination:
Dogs should be regularly vaccinated and treated for parasites. Trim nails and clean ears in a timely manner.
You should also regularly take care of your teeth.
- Bathing:
Bathe your dogs 1-2 times a year, use shampoo purchased at a pet store.
Doberman diet
A peculiarity of white Dobermans is their tendency to allergic reactions.
Therefore, increased demands must be made on the quality of the diet. If it is ready-made food, then it is super premium or holistic class; if it is natural, much attention should be paid to the freshness and quality of the products.
An adult dog should be given daily:
- raw meat up to 1 kg (beef, lamb, chicken);
- twice a week instead of meat - fish or offal;
- vegetables (carrots, beets, zucchini, tomatoes);
- a small amount of dairy products (kefir, cottage cheese);
- cereals in the form of porridges (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal).
Remove from diet forever:
- semolina, pearl barley;
- smoked meats, sausage, bones;
- sweets, chocolate;
- fried and salted.
Price range
The price for Doberman puppies in nurseries can reach up to 60,000 rubles . In private advertisements you can find a price of 15,000 rubles. This applies to the cost of dogs of regular color.
For a white Doberman, the price can be doubled.
Before purchasing an unusual puppy, you should think more than once about the fact that exoticism and originality will be accompanied by the pet’s poor health due to genetic problems, unpredictability of behavior, excessive nervousness and cowardice.
How to choose a puppy?
- Choose a nursery with a good reputation. It is good if the nursery deals only with one specific breed.
- Watch the parents of the future pet, their performances at competitions (video) and ask about their achievements. Study their diplomas, not exhibition ones, but working ones.
- Do not buy a puppy under 2 months old
- Ask about vaccinations, look at the puppy’s card and veterinary passport.
- Pay attention to the puppy's behavior. A healthy puppy will be confident, playful and active.
- The coat should shine. The baby should have an excellent appetite.
- The paws should be straight and strong, the ears should be clean, the eyes should be clear.
NOTE!
You need to study the pedigree very carefully. Make sure that the related branch does not constantly interbreed from generation to generation, so that the same ancestors are not repeated many times.
White Dobermans are very complex animals that require an individual approach.
Albinism is a harmful mutation of the entire body, a serious genetic disorder, and not just a beautiful unusual color.
White color in Dobermans is an absolute disqualifying fault. Dogs will not be allowed to participate in any exhibition. The International Canine Organization does not recognize white Dobermans.
How to choose?
First of all, evaluate the external condition of the puppy: it should look healthy, well-groomed, with clean mucous membranes, not have an unpleasant odor, and not limp. Also, Doberman puppies should not be aggressive and cowardly - this is a defect.
Since it is the color of the coat that matters, ask the breeder for documents on the parents of the offspring whose pet you are going to adopt..
Documents usually indicate coat color. If possible, take a look at the mother and her color.
IMPORTANT!
The coat should be short, well-groomed, without bald spots or bald spots.
The color should be as rich as possible, but remember that there are only two shades of black in the Doberman coat.
If you notice another one, then it is better to refuse to take this particular puppy and take a closer look at others.
