Doberman Puppies Blog

A little history of the Doberman through the ages as seen through the eyes of the artist: Douglas Rickard.

I find that many people are not clued up about the actual size availability of a Doberman.

Some people look for “King? Dobermans…

There is no such thing as a ?King? Doberman. Or a ?Superior? or ?Excelsior? Doberman either. These terms refer to nothing more than an oversized Doberman. Dobermans are medium-sized, agile dogs and they must be able to perform the job they were bred to do. Perhaps if one is looking for a 32-inch tall (or larger dog), than one should choose a larger breed.

Some people on the other hand look for Miniature Doberman Pinchers…

Again, there is no such thing as a miniature Doberman. Most people think (and hope?) that the miniature pinscher (Min Pin) – also a native German breed that has been known in that country for over 300 years- is actually a smaller, miniaturized version of the Doberman. Sorry, it really is another breed altogether! . The miniature pinscher is 10-12?” at the shoulder and was originally used as a barnyard ratter. They are in no way similar to a Doberman.

“White” or “albino” Dobermans are not actually white animals. They are a pale tan or cream colored, and only the areas which would normally be rust-colored are actually white. These Dobermans have blue eyes, not pink or red eyes. Because these dogs are not white and because they have blue eyes, some people claim that they are not actually albino. Hairs from several albino Dobermans were compared by a veterinary expert to hairs from normal black, red, and blue Dobermans. The melanin pigment granules (melanosomes) are severely reduced in both number and in pigment content in an albino Doberman, as compared to normal Dobermans.That is why they are so light in color.The first ever albino Doberman was born in 1976.The mother of all Albino Dobies was registered by the AKC as White, since they believed that Albino is not a color. There have been tests done on these dogs, when two albinos were bred. Their offspring were found to have faults such as poor conformation, poor temperaments (aggression and fear problems, problems with trainability), multiple missing teeth, photosensitivity and sensitivity to sunburn. Although they are not the “best” representatives of their breed, they require and deserve just as much love…and even more care than the “normal” Dobies out there.

( Info: courtesy of: Ione L. Smith, DVM)

The acceptable colors of a Doberman are as follows:

• Black (with rust-colored markings) 
• Blue (actually gray, with rust markings. A dilute black is actually a blue.)
• Red (various shades of red-brown with rust markings)
• Fawn (called “Isabella;” about the color range of ‘camel’s hair’ with rust markings. A dilute red is actually a fawn.)

Occasionally one can see white colored Dobermans. They are albinos. This is rare and not acceptable according to the breed standard.

It is believed the German Pinscher, the Rottweiler, the Manchester Terrier and the Greyhound went into the makeup of the Doberman. Who would have thought….

Is it Doberman, Dobermann, Doberman Pinscher or Dobermann Pinscher? Well all four are acceptable and used. Doberman is used more often by the general public. As for nicknames..well, Dobe and Dobie seem to be the most common ones. The original name is Dobermann, due to the name of the original breeder: Louis Dobermann.

Greetings to all the Doberman fans our there! We are scattered around the globe, and our common love for this wonderful breed unites us across the virtual world. I have created this Blog to honor this wonderful breed and I will be sharing interesting and fun posts with you…everything that pertains to the Doberman breed. I grew up in Africa and my family owned 2 lovely Dobermans. My cradle was put under a Frangipani tree and Giant and Tiny lay next to me; guarding me as though their lives depended on it. A brave and loyal breed….let these pages be about one of the most beautiful German breeds of all time! Please feel free to share your thoughts with me. Your experience, your knowledge and your views on Dobermans.