When I was a kid, we had a dog that had no problem jumping clear over our 6-foot backyard fence. So when my wife and I decided to get a Doberman puppy, I knew I had to figure out how high they were capable of jumping and so I could decide if my fencing was adequate. Besides, I knew these were impressive dogs, so I was also just curious what they were capable of.

How high can a Doberman jump? A healthy Doberman Pinscher is capable of a vertical jump of up to 6-feet. However, jumping a backyard fence is rare as most Dobermans will respect boundaries. For Doberman owners, a 5-foot tall fence is usually sufficient, but a 6-foot tall privacy fence is ideal.

A Doberman is a very fast dog, and it’s partially because of their speed that they are capable of impressively high jumps. Although there are documented cases of Doberman’s climbing over an 8-foot plywood wall, typically a much smaller fence will suffice as long as you keep a few basic rules in mind.

Why Dobermans Can Jump so High

Doberman Pinschers are physically very impressive dogs for many reasons. But a 6-foot high jump is one of the highest, and rarely seen, in the dog world. So why can they jump, as one Doberman owner described it, “like a deer”?

The Doberman is an athletic working breed with long legs and a lean, muscular build. They are genetically related to the Greyhound, which we all know is incredibly fast and agile. In fact, the Doberman Pinscher is one of the fastest dog breeds around with a top speed of 40 mph (only about 5 mph shy of the Greyhound). With long legs and fast speeds, it doesn’t take much more to make impressive leaps.

Keeping Your Doberman in Your Yard

Luckily for potential Doberman owners, just because the breed is capable of very impressive physical feats like a 6-foot vertical jump, it doesn’t mean that you need an 8-foot fence. Because besides being fast and great jumpers, Dobermans are also very trainable and great guard dogs. As a great guard dog, it is usually instinctual to them to respect boundaries.

So if you have or are considering getting a Doberman, here are a few rules to keep in mind that’ll help keep them in your yard:

• Privacy fences are better. If they can’t see what’s on the other side, they will be less likely to want to jump the fence.
• Never climb on (or reach over) your own fence. Always greet your dog through the fence and not by reaching over or climbing on the fence. These dogs are some of the most intelligent in the world. If they see you climbing on the fence, they’ll understand that they can too.
• Don’t stack items against the fence. Keeping the area clear around your fence can make a big difference. Dobermans are great at using other nearby objects to propel themselves up and over barriers.
• Give them plenty of room and exercise. If your dog is taken out for walks frequently or has plenty of room to run and play, it’s very unlikely that they will have any desire to jump your fence. So give your dog plenty of exercise.
• Use their amazing trainability traits. This is the best tip I can give. These dogs are highly trainable. If you make it clear that they are not to jump or climb on their perimeter fence (by taking appropriate corrective action when you see it), your Doberman will quickly understand that the yard’s boundaries shouldn’t be tested.

Many people are hesitant to rely on just training alone for a dog to keep them in a yard. I mean, after all, that’s not full proof, right? Actually, you’d be surprised how reliable a Doberman is who knows the boundaries.

My dog is a perfect example of that. He is a 90-pound Doberman Pinscher. Throughout his life, I can count the number of times on one hand that I told him he wasn’t supposed to jump up on something or climb on something. Now, as a 5-year-old adult dog, he absolutely will not jump or climb over any obstacle. Almost to a fault.

In fact, I have tested this by laying down a foot and a half tall laundry basket in the hallway of our house (he could literally walk over the top of it) and playing with his favorite toy on the other side while calling him over. He will sit there, staring at me, crying and asking to be let through the small barrier but will absolutely not jump over it himself. It just isn’t an option for him. That’s how intelligent these dogs are.

Discouraging Climbing

Many Doberman owners will rely on a simple 4-foot tall chain link fence to keep their dog in their yard, with great results. I’m one of them! The side yard of our home has a kennel with a 4-foot chain link fence and we often use that area to separate the dog during large gatherings. I have never had him get out.

In fact, one time he wanted out so badly because he heard the family having fun around the corner, that he shook the fence until the door came off the hinges and fell down. But he still refused to leave because he respected the boundaries of his kennel! I found him sitting patiently inside his kennel with the door off the hinges in front of him.

Spend some time training your dog. It doesn’t take much training with a Doberman for them to understand what you expect of them.

• If you see your dog climbing or jumping up on the fence. Tell him “No” in a firm voice and make sure he gets off the fence while you watch. You can either guide him off the fence or just use your words to get him off.
• Anytime you let your Dobie out of a fenced area (whether it’s the backyard or a kennel), never let them run past you when you open the door. Always make them wait until you have the door open, then pause for a second, and use your release command (I say “Ok!” and my dog knows it’s ok to run past me).

These simple actions will help your Doberman understand that the fence is a boundary and not an obstacle to conquer.

If you are still worried that your dog might climb out of your fence consider lining the inside of your fence with a roll of plastic mesh. This type of fencing can usually be found at your local home improvement store and is a great way for keeping your dog from getting a foothold on the fence.

Electronic Collars

The use of electronic collars (or “invisible fences”) can be somewhat controversial. Many people don’t like the idea of a dog getting a small static charge as a correction if they leave a certain area. I am not here to change your mind on electronic collar one way or another. However, many people use these collars, and only these collars (no physical fencing), as a way to keep their Doberman Pinschers on their property.

Basically, they consist of a very long roll of thin wire that you lay out or bury around the perimeter of your yard (or any other area where you want your dog to stay). Then you put a specialized collar on your dog.

If your dog goes near the perimeter, the collar will give your dog an audible warning beep. If your dog attempts to cross the perimeter, the collar will give your dog a small electrical shock.

Doberman’s learn incredibly quickly and in my mind, these devices are only really cruel to use on a dog that doesn’t easily learn or isn’t trainable. This is not the case with the Doberman. I have tried these devices on my dog and he understands them very well and what his limits are in less than a day.

If Your Doberman Pinscher Does Get Out

If your dog gets out of your yard, the chances are he or she will stay very close to your home. These dogs are pack animals and they don’t feel comfortable being far away from their territory or their pack (their family).

If your Dobie gets out during the day while you are at work, don’t be surprised if you come home to find him sitting on your porch waiting for your arrival.

Make sure you have a collar on your dog that shows who he belongs to, and even better, have him or her microchipped. This will ensure your dog will always find their way back to you.

Where I live we also are required to keep a “proof of rabies vaccination” tag on our dog’s collar as well. Having that collar is not only the law in some areas, but it causes animal control to treat your dog just a little bit nicer if they have to capture them, at least that’s what I’ve been told.

Related Questions

Do Dobermans dig under fencing? Although Dobermans have been known to dig underneath fencing, this is typically due to boredom and not an attempt to escape their enclosures. Providing your Doberman with more physical and mental activities during the day can help to alleviate the problem.

Do Dobermans chew on wood fencing? Adult Doberman Pinschers are not known for chewing on wood fencing. Occasionally, a young Doberman who is going through the teething stage will seek out wood to chew on which might include your backyard fence. Providing plenty of chew toys for your dog can help discourage wood chewing.

Can Dobermans climb trees? Dobermans are not known for climbing trees. If they’re chasing prey which runs up into a tree they will often attempt to scramble up the trunk, usually with poor results. Dobermans are poor climbers, but great jumpers with a vertical leap of up to 6 feet.

The post How High Can a Doberman Jump? Fencing Issues and More appeared first on Doberman Planet.

I always knew Doberman’s were fast on their feet, but it wasn’t until I owned one that I was able to see it for myself. I’ve seen my dog run impressively fast without really trying. So it made me wonder how fast a Doberman Pinscher is really capable of running.

How fast can a Doberman run? A Doberman Pinscher is capable of reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. The Doberman is a long-legged, muscular working breed that is genetically related to the greyhound and is capable of reaching high speeds for exceptionally long distances.

Many owners of Dobermans are like me; they know their dog is incredibly fast, but they don’t know just how fast. Luckily, we have the AKC’s FastCAT dog speed competitions to help us figure out how fast a Doberman can be.

Also, more than a few curious-minded folks have gotten out the stopwatch, got in their car, or even attached a GPS to their Doberman so we could have the answer to this question. But exactly how fast any one specific Doberman is depends on a few, very important factors.

Determining the Speed of the Doberman Pinscher

While on my quest to find out exactly how fast my Doberman is, I questioned how I was going to figure out the number. After all, the average Doberman will easily outrun even an avid runner on their morning jog. They’ll even have no problem keeping up with your energetic teenager when they take them for a run alongside their bicycle. So how do we know just how fast they are?

Well, I soon found that there were two sources for this information. First was the “authority” sources from dog breeders, people in the dog racing world, magazines, and other such sources. The other source is from people who have actually done the legwork themselves and clocked their Doberman. I truly believe that both sources are just as valuable. So here’s what I discovered:

Doberman Race Results

Authority sources on the subject often say Dobermans can reach speeds between 30 and 40 miles per hour (MPH). However, they mention that “most” Dobermans in average shape can run between 25-30 mph.

There have been many who contest these numbers on both sides. That’s why I decided to contact the owner of one of America’s fastest Dobermans to find an answer.

Teddy Runyon is the Owner of a Doberman named Thor. Thor’s official AKC registered name is “Thor Exceptional Mastercopy CA DCAT”. For a short time, Thor was the fastest Doberman in the United States, however, he currently sits in the number two position on the AKC Fast Cat Top 20 Fastest Dogs page.

Fast CAT is a speed competition regulated by the American Kennel Club and open to any dogs who are registered with the AKC. The dog’s speeds are carefully measured and judged to ensure the results are as accurate as possible.

Thor’s fastest speeds while competing were measured as follows:

• Fastest Top Speed: 34.89 MPH (56.15 kph)
• Fastest Average Speed Over 100-yard Run: 30.07 MPH (48.39 kph)

These numbers are likely to be the most accurate information we have for the top speed of the Doberman Pinscher. That is why this website will maintain that the top speed a Doberman is capable of reaching is roughly 35 mph.

However, these speed competitions are done on grass and not everyone who owns a Doberman enters them into these competitions (or even know that they exist).

Are there faster Dobermans out there? Can a Doberman reach higher speeds on a different type of terrain? Due to these, and so many other questions, many owners have taken to speed-clocking their Dobermans themselves, and the results are very interesting.

Owners Who Have Speed-Clocked Their Dobermans

Luckily, I was able to find multiple owners who had actually clocked (or did at my request) their Doberman Pinscher at a full sprint.

Here are the results of the Doberman Pinscher speed tests using 6 different dogs:

Since in this article we are most concerned with what the maximum speed is that a Doberman can run, it is safe to say the maximum is approximately 35 mph (confirmed by race results) or 40 mph (unconfirmed).  Of course, this depends on the conditioning, age, and health of the individual dog.

See this video on YouTube as an example of a Dobie owner clocking his dog at 32 mph with his vehicle.

Other Factors Affecting the Speed of a Dog

Obviously, a lot more goes into how fast a dog is other than just the breed of the dog. In the human world, you have athletic people who run all the time and are extremely fast, and you also have couch potatoes who never go for a run and probably couldn’t catch a cold. Well, it’s the same in the dog world.

If your Doberman is physically lean and very accustomed to physical activity, it’s going to help them when it comes to running. If you take your dog with you for a daily jog, it’s not only going to help their muscles develop for running but their lungs and heart as well.

This the main reason there are often discrepancies with how fast a certain breed of dog is. One owner might clock their Doberman Pinscher at 28 mph while another might clock their’s at 40 mph. The difference is conditioning. If you want your dog to be fast, keep them lean, healthy, and make sure they get plenty of exercise.

Besides physical conditioning, other major factors affecting the top speed of a dog are: the terrain the dog is running on, the condition of their paws, and the level of effort exerted by the dog on any given sprint.

How Dobermans Compare to Other Popular Dog Breeds

The average dog can sprint at speeds ranging between 15 and 20 mph. At 35 miles per hour, the Doberman is considered to be extremely fast. This is even more apparent when we compare the Doberman’s speed to other popular large dog breeds. Here’s how the speed of the Doberman Pinscher stacks up:

Doberman Pinscher: 35 mph

• Rottweiler: 25 mph
• American Pitbull Terrier: 28 mph
• Siberian Husky: 28 mph
• Belgian Malinois: 30 mph
• Boxer: 30 mph
• German Shephard: 30 mph
• Greyhound: 45 mph

Can You Outrun a Doberman Pinscher?

The fastest human in the world is Usain Bolt, an Olympic Athlete that currently holds the 100-meter and 200-meter world records. In 2009, Usain Bolt set the world land speed record for humans at 27.8 mph. Although he’s impressively fast in the human world, when compared to a Doberman, Mr. Bolt doesn’t stand a chance.

So on speed alone, you won’t be able to outrun a Doberman Pinscher. Even if you are exceptionally fast and the Doberman chasing you is in very poor physical shape.

Your best bet to get away from a Doberman, if you ever were unfortunate enough to have one chasing you, is to put obstacles between you and the dog. This means you should jump in a car, go into a house, climb a tree, or climb a fence. The one large physical advantage that humans have over a dog is the ability to traverse large obstacles. We’re descendants of monkey’s after all! So if you ever find yourself in this position, use your physical nature to your advantage and climb.

Luckily, Dobermans are not aggressive dogs by nature. Many generations of breeding for companionship more than aggression has created a more docile dog that perfect for family life, but still retains protective instincts (and abilities).

How to Condition Your Doberman for Running

There are many things you can do to help your Doberman to be faster. In fact, all of these things are not only great for building speed but are also great for improving the overall health of your dog. Physical activity will strengthen your dog’s heart, lungs, muscles and will likely even make your dog happier. The Doberman is considered a working breed and loves to be active.

Here are a few things you can do with your Doberman to not only help improve their speed but their overall health as well.

• Go for regular runs together. This will help improve your dog’s health and speed and maybe even yours also! Make sure you wait until the dog is at least 18 months of age before going on any long runs together. Earlier than that their bones and joints are still developing and are susceptible to damage.
• Play fetch in a large area or park. Playing fetch in an area with plenty of room is a great way for Doberman’s to increase their speed. This game literally consists of sprinting back and forth. Practice makes perfect and playing fetch with a tennis ball is a great way to practice sprinting.
• Go to the dog park. Let’s face it, taking your Doberman on a run is great but you aren’t really pushing them to achieve faster speeds. You’ll need other dogs to really test them. Frequent trips to the dog park will not only help your dog to get faster on their feet, but it will help socialize them with other dogs.
• Feed your dog a healthy diet. Keeping your Doberman lean and healthy will be a big help in developing their speed and maintaining their happiness. Make sure you are feeding your dog quality dog food.

Using these methods you should be able to drastically increase the speed of your dog. Consistency here is key. Try to get in the habit of doing something daily with your dog to improve their health and physical conditioning.

A word of warning; make sure that you start slow. This is especially true if your dog is new to physical activity and has made it a bad habit of being a couch potato in the past. Always remember to utilize positive reinforcement, provide plenty of water, and know how to watch for signs of exhaustion.

Always seeks a veterinarian’s assistance should you notice anything unusual at any time. In fact, if you plan to start an intensive training schedule with your dog, it might be a good idea to see a qualified veterinarian anyway to discuss your plans.

Related Questions

How far can a Doberman Pinscher run? Many Doberman owners report regularly running their dog for over 10 miles at a time without the dog displaying any signs of exhaustion. The distance a Doberman can run is dependent upon factors such as the individual conditioning and the pace the dog maintains during the run.

When can you start taking your Doberman Pinscher for runs? It is safest to limit extended runs with your Doberman until he or she is at least 18 months of age. Long distance running earlier than that, especially on concrete, risks damage to the dog’s joints which are still developing.

The post How Fast Can a Doberman Run? 6 Speed Clocked Dobermans appeared first on Doberman Planet.

I always knew that Dobermans were strong, powerful dogs but when I first got interested in getting one, I often found myself wondering how strong their bite actually was and how it compared to other dog breeds. I did countless hours of research on this, and the answer was rather surprising.

What is the bite force of a Doberman Pinscher? Although it is a common myth that a Doberman has a bite force of 600 PSI, this claim is largely unsubstantiated. It is generally accepted that the bite force of a Doberman Pinscher is 305 PSI. However, there are many factors other than the breed that can affect the strength of a dog’s bite.

There is actually a lot that goes into the force of a dog’s bite. Factors such as health, size of their body, size and shape of their skull, and physical conditioning can make a big difference. That’s why you will often see conflicting reports from various sources on the force of a Doberman’s bite. One source even claims a 600 PSI bite force. But is this really possible?

Calculating the True Doberman Bite Force

Bite pressure is generally measured in PSI or “Pounds per Square Inch.” This refers to how many pounds of pressure are applied per square inch. So if the force is 150 PSI, that’s the same pressure as a 150-pound person standing on just one square inch of your hand. Painful right?

When researching the force of a Doberman’s bite, I discovered that the most commonly measured bite force numbers are: 245 PSI, 300 PSI, 305 PSI, and 600 PSI. In fact, the rating of 305 PSI has been reported multiple times by many different reputable outlets.

When looking at these numbers it is clear that the 600 PSI rating seems far off from all other ratings that exist online. But why? Many claim this is a rumored number that has never been substantiated and true to those claims, I was not able to find any first-hand accounts of a Doberman actually being measured as producing that amount of force.

In fact, many good arguments exist as to why this number is merely a myth and should not be considered accurate. They include:

• It’s far above and beyond the pressures that any other domestic dog can produce, and similar to the power a lion can produce in their jaws.
• The Doberman’s snout is long and thin, which is traditionally a hindrance when it comes to applying bite force.
• The small head of a Doberman is also a disadvantage when it comes to applying force in the jaw area.
• Other dogs (such as the Rottweiler with 328 PSI of biting force) have much shorter noses and bigger heads, which are typical characteristics of an animal with a strong bite and these dogs cannot come anywhere near the 600 PSI number. This was confirmed in a 2005 National Geographic Study conducted by Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin at the University of Georgia.
• Due to the lack of supporting evidence, it’s logical to conclude that the 600 PSI rating of the Doberman’s bite should be disregarded as likely just a myth. So if that’s the case, what’s the true number? The answer is most often reported as 305 PSI. This number has been reported by reputable multiple outlets and is logical considering the physical traits of the Doberman. That’s why I consider this to be the most accurate number.

Although a dog’s breed does play a significant roll in determining how strong of a bite the dog is capable of, there are many other factors that can play an equally large role.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are two variants of the Doberman, the European and the American. Evidence suggests that the European may have the stronger bite. To learn the differences between these two, see my article American vs. European Doberman: A Side-by-Side Comparison.

Other Factors that Determine a Dog’s Bite Strength:

• Age and health of the dog.
• The individual strength of a specific dog. An active dog who gets frequent exercise will typically have a stronger bite than one that doesn’t. See my article about how to build muscle in a Doberman for more on building strength and stamina.
• The grip they have on the object they’re biting. A deeper grip usually produces more force.
• The thickness of the object they are biting. A thicker object that spreads the jaw open further is harder to apply force to.
• The dog’s willingness to apply maximum effort into a specific bite.

Since there are many variables affecting how strong a dog’s bite is, any numbers representing the force of a Doberman’s bite (or any dog’s bite) should really only be considered an approximation.

Even though rumors of a 600 PSI (pounds per square inch) bite force in Doberman’s may not be entirely accurate, they are still incredibly impressive and strong dogs. In fact, their scissor-like jaw action, which can inflict multiple bites in very rapid succession, makes their bite one of the most dangerous in the world.

The bite force of 305 PSI is also significant enough to put the Doberman Pinscher in the top 5 dog breeds with the strongest bite force. There are even reports of a Doberman breaking a grown man’s forearm with a single bite.

Video: The Insane Bite Force of the Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman’s “Scissor Bite”

There are various types of bites that dogs have which generally refer to the way in which the jaw closes. In the case of the Doberman, the jaw closes in such a manner where the teeth slide into place very close to other teeth in the jaw. This makes for a fairly effective slicing action when biting.

Also, the Doberman is much more likely to strike by releasing and re-biting its target in very rapid succession. These multiple quick bites can cause a lot of damage in a short time. This is commonly referred to as a “scissor bite.”

How the Doberman’s Bite Compares to Other Dogs Breeds

The Doberman’s bite is one of the strongest in the K9 world. Here is a list of other popular dog breeds along with their measured bite force so you can get a better idea of how the Doberman stacks up.

• Malinois: 195 PSI
• American Pitbull Terrier: 235 PSI
• German Shepherd: 238 PSI
• Doberman Pinscher: 305 PSI
• Rottweiler: 328 PSI
• Wolf Dog: 406 PSI
• Mastiff: 552 PSI
• Kangal: 743 PSI

Considering this is a list of the absolute most powerful biters in the dog world, the Doberman comes it at an impressive position. The Kangal is the world’s more powerful domestic dog when it comes to their bite, coming in at an astounding 743 PSI of bite force.

How the Doberman’s Bite Compares to Other Animals

While the Doberman’s bite is one of the strongest bites in the dog world, there are plenty of stronger bites out in nature. See the list below to get an idea of how it compares.

• Domestic Cat: 13 PSI
• Human: 150 PSI
• Average Domestic Dog: 269 PSI
• Doberman Pinscher: 305 PSI
• Lion: 600 PSI
• Hyena: 1100 PSI
• Bull Shark: 1350 PSI
• Polar Bear: 1200 PSI
• Crocodile: 3700 PSI

Dobermans still have much stronger bites than a human bite and even many other domestic dogs, but there are still much stronger biters in the animal the world. The crocodile comes it at first place with a jaw-dropping 3700 pounds of pressure per square inch.

Dobermans Pinschers as Guard Dogs

The Doberman Pinscher was originally created by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann in the 1800s. Mr. Dobermann was a tax collector in Germany who set out to create the perfect guard dog through selective breeding to keep him safe while he went out in town collecting taxes. He eventually did create the perfect guard dog, the “Doberman Pinscher.”

Not only do they make great guard dogs, but they were actually bred for that purpose from the beginning. They physically ideal for the job (strong, fast, and large-bodied) and they are mentally ideal for the job as well.

Doberman Pinschers are known for being one of the most intelligent dogs in the world. They are also extremely loyal and have a natural protective instinct. Due to their protective instincts, they will often sleep in-between their owners and the door to the room their owner is sleeping in. You’ll almost never find a Doberman sleeping with their back to a door. Many Doberman owners also report issues with excessive barking in their Dobermans. These are just a few examples of the many ways a Doberman Pinscher instinctually (with no training whatsoever) will display their aptitude for guard dog duty.

For these reasons, they have traditionally been used as police and military dogs for many years with great success. In recent years, however, some police departments have transitioned away from the Doberman due to the fact that they don’t do well in cold weather and the public perception of the breed as a “vicious breed.”

Related Questions

Do Dobermans Have “Lock Jaw”? No. In fact, no known dog breed has been discovered to have a mechanism or enzyme which causes them to “lock” their jaws. This myth has most often been assigned to the American Pitbull Terrier. Dobermans have a scissor-like jaw action and can deliver multiple bites in rapid succession.

How Dangerous are Dobermans? While in the past Dobermans were bred to promote aggressive personality traits, thanks to selective breeding most modern Doberman’s are gentle dogs that make excellent family dogs. They are one of the world’s most intelligent, loyal, and physically strong breeds.

The post What’s the Bite Force of a Doberman Pinscher? appeared first on Doberman Planet.