There has been a lot of misinformation out there floating around on Doberman discussion groups about the cost of ear cropping procedures for Dobermans. Many prices owners post on public forums are either extremely outdated, not applicable to most owners (such as the price a breeder pays when cropping many puppies at once), or misleading. That’s why we decided to get some clear (and updated for 2022) numbers as to exactly how much it costs to crop a Doberman’s ears.

It costs an average of $631 for a Doberman ear cropping procedure at a veterinarian inside the United States. Many owners will pay an average of $107 additional for recommended blood work prior to the procedure. After the surgery, owners can choose to regularly post their dog’s ears in position themselves, or pay between $15 and $65 per posting change if it’s not included in the cost of the procedure.

Doberman Ear Cropping Costs

Above is a table showing all the veterinarians we contacted and the quotes they gave for an ear cropping procedure of an 8 week old Doberman puppy (rounded to the nearest whole dollar). We called veterinarians who specialize in ear cropping all across the United States to get a fair representation of the true, and current, costs of this procedure.

Pre-Surgery Exam

Typical Cost: Included

Most veterinarians want a pre-exam of the Doberman before scheduling that actual ear cropping procedure. Most of the time the cost of this is included in the total price of the ear crop. Only one out of the eleven veterinarians above charged an additional fee for the pre-exam that was required before the ear crop surgery (since it was required, we combined it with the cost of the procedure in the table above).

During the pre-surgery exam, the veterinarian will examine the puppy and make sure they’re a good candidate for ear cropping and that there’s a high likelihood the ears will successfully stand. Much of this depends on the vet’s opinion as to the thickness of the dog’s ear cartilage. Since the ears naturally become thicker and firmer with age, it’s best to get in to see a veterinarian as soon as possible for this pre-exam.

Most veterinarians will want to perform the ear cropping procedure when a Doberman puppy is between 7 and 9 weeks old, but no later than 12 weeks old. Remember, it’s best to contact your vet as early as possible about ear cropping as they are often booked months in advance and won’t perform the procedure if your dog is too old by the time they can get him in for surgery.

Ear Cropping Surgery

Average Cost: $631

The ear cropping surgery itself is usually the bulk of the cost when getting your Doberman’s ears cropped. Most veterinarians we spoke to advised that you would drop off your Doberman puppy early in the day and pick him up in the afternoon. Only one advised that they wanted to keep the dog overnight, and one advised they wanted to keep the dog for three days post-surgery. In all situations, the length of stay was included in the cropping price.

Although it varies as to what the procedure itself includes, below is what’s most commonly included with the price of the ear cropping procedure.

• Anesthesia (general)
• IV
• Catheter
• Antibiotics
• Pain Medications
• Heart monitor during surgery
• Cone/E-collar (if needed)
• Initial ear wrap
• Follow up exam
• Sutcher removal

Not many of the veterinarians we spoke to advised that they use cones or e-collars after surgery to protect the ears from the dog. It seems that most preferred using pain medications and take-home sedatives to dissuade the dogs from scratching at, or damaging, their ears after surgery. Most veterinarians advised that often the cones can “do more damage than good” to the ears by pressing them down flat making it less likely that they will stand.

Another option that was mentioned on occasion was the use of a therapy laser (or “cold laser”) after cropping. This is a way to help reduce inflammation and speed up the healing time after the surgery. Of the vets who offered this, only one charged an additional price of $15 for the laser therapy.

Blood Work

Average Cost: $107

Blood work is often optional but highly recommended by veterinarians prior to a Doberman getting their ears cropped. Essentially it helps to lower the overall risk of the procedure by checking for certain disorders that Dobermans often have and ensuring that they’ll be able to handle the anesthesia. These are all important things for the vet to know prior to surgery.

The cost of this is almost always additional and very few vets include the cost of this in the price they initially quote for the ear cropping. So when you’re calling around, make sure you ask how much blood work will cost and if it’s included in the price they quote you.

Follow-Up Exam

Typical Cost: Included

The follow-up exam is essentially a chance for the veterinarian to remove the initial bandages they put on the dog after surgery, assess the healing process, and remove the stitches (sutures).

In all cases, except one, a follow-up exam was included in the price for the ear cropping procedure itself. Only one veterinarian we contacted, Broadstreet Animal Hospital, did not include this in their ear cropping package for Dobermans. They stated it wasn’t necessary since they use sutures that dissolve on their own and don’t need to be manually removed.

Ear Postings

Typical Cost: $15 – $65

Dobermans need to have their ears “posted” (or braced) into position in the weeks and months after surgery to ensure that as the cartilage naturally thickens and hardens with age, the ears will stand in the correct upright position. This typically requires the ear posts (often call “ear wraps”) to be changed every 3 to 7 days until the ears reliably stand on their own.

This can be somewhat of an involved process and while many owners will decide to do the ear posting themselves, others want their veterinarian to do it. There seemed to be a broad range of costs here in the quotes we received. Two vets we spoke to included unlimited postings with the price of the procedure while two others advised they don’t do postings at all at their offices and it’s completely on the owners to do themselves. All other veterinarians either charged for all posting changes or included a few for free and then charged for additional postings.

Length of the Crop

Most veterinarians will charge the same amount for a Doberman ear cropping, regardless of the style (or length) of the crop chosen. Only one out of the eleven veterinarians we contacted, Powell Veterinary Service, Inc, quoted a different price based on the length of the crop. At this one vet, we were quoted an additional $100 if we wanted the long, show crop.

This is because it’s generally more difficult to get the ears to stand the longer the ear crop is. The added size and weight of longer cropped ears are what make this more difficult. This means the procedure usually requires a bit of additional skill on the part of the veterinarian. Also, it will require the ears to be posted into position for a longer period of time after the surgery before the ears will naturally stand on their own.

When to Get Your Doberman’s Ears Cropped

The best time to get a Doberman’s ears cropped is between 7 and 9 weeks of age, but it can usually be done as late as 12 weeks of age with good results. Most veterinarians won’t perform an ear cropping procedure on a Doberman older than 12 weeks of age. This is because the dog’s ear cartilage naturally thickens and hardens as they age and an ear crop after 12 weeks of age is less likely to produce standing ears.

If you’re looking to get your puppy’s ears cropped, it’s important that you begin looking for a vet to perform the procedure as early as possible since the number of veterinarians who perform this is shrinking, and the ones that do, are often booked for many weeks in advance. In other words, if you find a vet to perform the ear cropping procedure on your 8-week old puppy, and they’re booked for 5 weeks, that will put your dog at 13 weeks old by the time you could get him (or her) in for their ear cropping—too old for the procedure.

Take a look at our article all about at what age should you get your Doberman’s ears cropped for more in-depth information on when to get this done.

Where to Save Money

There are three different ways you can save a bit of money with the ear cropping process.

• Get Multiple Quotes – This is obvious with anything you are shopping for, but as you can see from the list of quotes we received above, there are some widely varying prices for the ear cropping procedure with this breed. The highest quote we received for Doberman ear cropping was $1072 and the lowest was $370. That’s a difference of $702 for seemingly the same proceedure! So if you aren’t affraid to drive some distance to get the proceedure done, it’ll definitely give you more options on veterinarians to consider and you may be able to find much lower price quotes.
• Skip the Blood Work – Most people, myself included, don’t recommend skipping on blood work before the proceedure. Not all veterinarians require it but they advised us that it helps them to gain a broader picture of your Doberman’s health before the proceedure, effectively reduing risks surrounding the proceedure itself. However, if your vet doesn’t require it and you choose to forego it, it will save you an average of $107.
• Post the Ears Yourself – This is the most common way us Doberman owners will save money in regards to getting our dog’s ears cropped. Dobermans need to have to have their ears posted in position after their ear cropping surgery until the ears stand consistently on their own, usually at 6 months of age. This will require a ear wrap (aka “ear post”) change and ear cleaning every 3 to 7 days until that time. Most veterinarians we contacted were happy to tutor owners how to do the ear posting themselves at home instead of paying them to do the change everytime. Besides saving you between $15 to $65 per posting, it will also save you a trip to the vet. There are multiple tutorials online showing how to post your Doberman’s ears yourself as well.

Less Veterinarians in the U.S. Are Cropping Ears

Despite the Doberman breed standard calling for cropped and erect ears, this procedure is becoming less common. As a result, fewer veterinarians are offering it to their clients. Often it’s the older veterinarians who have been in practice for many years who continue to offer the service whereas new vets are much less likely to. Canine ear cropping is not taught at many veterinarian schools in North America any longer which is likely much of this reason.

If you’re having difficulty locating a vet near you who performs ear cropping, try to focus on practices that have been in business for many decades. It seems the longer the veterinarian practice has been in business, the more likely they are to offer ear cropping services to their clients.

Can Doberman Ears Stand Without Cropping?

Yes, it’s possible to post a Doberman’s uncropped ears into the erect position and achieve upright ears. However, the additional weight of the longer, wider ears makes this less likely to be successful and the end result is often undesirable to owners. A Doberman who has not had the ear cropping procedure, but whose owner has posted their ears into position while they were young, will often end up with what many owners describe as “fruit bat ears”. They are large, wide, upright, and don’t resemble what most of us are used to seeing in a Doberman’s ears.

The picture below is of a Doberman who has not had an ear cropping but who has naturally erect ears (very rare). However, this is very similar to the result you’d get if you posted your Doberman’s ears in the erect position when your dog is young but did not have the ear cropping procedure done.

Undecided About Ear Cropping?

If you’re still on the fence as to whether or not to get your Doberman’s ears cropped, you’re not alone. Many owners struggle with this decision because our favorite breed looks so adorable with floppy ears when they’re young and so regal with standing ears as adults.

However, there are many other reasons this procedure is done besides just looks alone. If you want to learn more about all the reasons, see our article Doberman Ear Cropping Pros & Cons: Should You Do It. It really is a very personal decision and it’s important that owners make the decision that’s right for them and their dog.

The post Doberman Ear Cropping Cost – 11 Real Price Quotes appeared first on Doberman Planet.

I know firsthand how bad it can be if you have a Doberman suffering from separation anxiety. You feel like you’re a prisoner and your Doberman is your jail guard. If you walk out of sight of your dog, that’s when things get bad. Your Doberman might bark, howl, cry, chew up things they shouldn’t, or make that ear-piercing mix between a yelp and a bark (a classic Doberman thing to do). Luckily there are a number of proven methods Doberman owners such as myself have been using for a long time with this breed to alleviate these anxiety issues in their dogs.

The quickest way to resolve separation anxiety in your Doberman is to use desensitization exercises to reduce the stress of various triggers surrounding your departure and to make your dog as comfortable as possible in their environment.

There is a long list of various tricks and methods used by Doberman owners trying to solve separation anxiety issues but really only a handful of techniques keep popping up over and over and the “go-to” techniques that actually work for this unique breed. But first, you need to be able to identify if your Doberman is actually suffering from separation anxiety at all, or if it’s something else.

Signs of Separation Anxiety in Dobermans

There are many behaviors that Dobermans will exhibit when they’re experiencing an increase in stress due to the absence of their owners. Below is a list of some of the most common behaviors you’re likely to see in a Doberman with separation anxiety.

• Howling or Barking – This is a classic sign of separation anxiety in most breeds, including in Dobermans. Constant loud barking can happen in this breed when they’re suffering from anxiety. Howling is less common in Dobermans and usually only happens with extreme levels of separation anxiety.
• Destructive Behavior – Desctructive behavior is extremely common in Dobermans that are stressed, especially younger dogs under about 2 years of age. If your dog is destroying things, chewing on things they shouldn’t be, or digging up the yard, they’re likely experiencing hightened levels of stress.
• Whining or Crying – Probably the earliest and most common sign of separation anxiety in Dobermans is excessive whining or crying when their owner is away.
• Teeth Chattering – This is a common sign in Dobermans, but not so much in other breeds. If you’re hearing your Doberman’s teeth chatter (or click rapidly) in can be due to separation anxiety or a number of other causes. You can see more about Doberman teeth chattering here.
• Pacing – Constant pacing is a more subtle sign of anxiety in this breed and can be a sign of mild to moderate anxiety. However, if your Doberman is only pacing and not exhibiting any other signs, it’s likely they’re only experiencing mild anxiety or discomfort.
• Repetitive Behaivors – Dobermans are known for exhibiting certain repetitive behaviors when they are stressed such as “flank sucking” (or sucking on the flap of skin between their back leg and torso) and suckeling on blankets or bedding. However repetitive behaviors of any type can be a sign of increased anxiety.
• Overeating or Undereating – Another sign that your Doberman is experiencing separation anxiety is when they start to develop strange eating habits, like not eating when you aren’t around for example. This is uncommon but can still happen in severe cases.
• Swallowing Foreign Objects – If your dog is chewing up various objects in the house or yard and swallowing them, it’s likely they’re suffereing from anxiety. This is not only common in Dobermans, but it’s also extremely dangerous as they can get an internal blockage and require surgery.
• Urinating or Deficating Indoors – A Doberman with increased stress due to separation from its owner will also often urinate or deficate inside the house even though they’ve been previously fully potty trained. This is a bit less common however.
• Sharp High-Pitched Barks – This is a classic sign of separation anxiety in Dobermans. They do a type of “yelp-bark” that sounds like a cross between a yelp and a bark. It’s often done for attention when a Doberman is away from their owner.

Most of the various points listed above indicate simply that your Doberman is experiencing stress. If you notice that these things are associated with your absence, or your dog being alone in general, then it’s likely due to separation anxiety.

If these things are occurring when you’re sitting right next to your Doberman, then it likely isn’t separation anxiety but could be some neediness issues instead. I have information on addressing neediness in Dobermans here.

Step 1 – Get Your Dog Used to Your Absence

This is one of the most important steps for solving separation anxiety in your Doberman on a long-term basis. Essentially you’ll be using a form of desensitization training to slowly acclimate your dog to your absence. This is best started when the dog is fairly young, at about 8 weeks of age. However, it’s also highly effective on older Dobermans as well.

Start by placing your dog in his or her crate (or pen—wherever they will be contained when you leave), provide them with a distraction such as a toy or treat, and walk away. Don’t walk out of eyesight initially and make sure to return soon, within 30 seconds or so. Open the door to the pen or crate and casually walk away. When your dog comes out, if there was no whining, crying, or barking, then praise heavily.

Next time, do the same thing but walk a bit further away and for a slightly longer period of time. Again, walk back before you hear any crying, whining, or barking, and casually open the door to their pen. Praise when your dog comes out. Practice this a couple of times per day.

Repeat this process with progressively more distance between you and your Doberman and progressively longer periods of time. Make sure to progress at a speed where you can go through this exercise without any signs of separation anxiety such as whining, crying, howling, or barking. If you begin to see some of those signs of anxiety from your Doberman, slow down your progression. Let your dog set your pace here.

Step 2 – Desensitize to “Going Away Triggers”

Dobermans are highly focused animals and they see all the slightest things you do before you leave the house. Any of these can be a trigger that begins their spiral into high-anxiety territory. Your Doberman might see you do something seemingly small to you, like grab your car keys, and they’ll begin their anxious behavior. If your dog experiences anxiety within the first 10 to 15 minutes of your departure from the house, it’ll continue until you come back home.

Common “Going Away Triggers” Include:

• Picking up car keys.
• Putting on a coat.
• Opening the garage door.
• Putting on a backpack or grabbing a briefcase.
• Going towards the front door.
• Starting your car.
• Being placed in their pen.

If you do any of these actions and notice your Doberman start to whine and pace around the house, then you know that they need to be desensitized to that trigger.

Figure out which trigger is the one that causes the anxiety in your Doberman and practice that trigger multiple times throughout a normal day when you don’t plan to leave the house. If your car keys are the trigger, try picking up your car keys multiple times throughout the day and moving them around the house. Or take them with you to toss the trash out, and come right back inside afterward.

This is called desensitization training. All you’re trying to do here is to get your Doberman used to that action so it’s not a source of stress for them. That way it hopefully won’t trigger higher anxiety in that critical first 10 to 15-minute window when you’re leaving the house.

Step 3 – Make Sure They See Their Pen (or Crate) as Their Happy Place

If you plan to have your Doberman confined to a pen or a crate when you leave the house then it’s your job to make sure that place is seen as your dog’s “happy place”. You want nothing but good, relaxed feelings in that area for your dog. There are a few things you can do to make sure that this will happen.

Associating Relaxed Feelings With Their Pen

• Place It in a Quiet Spot Within Eyesight of the Family – Dobermans (espeically young ones) often want a break form the craziness in a chaotic house. This is especially true if there are young children in the home. However, they can get stressed and not easily relax if they also feel like they aren’t part of the family. So place the pen in an area where they can see the common areas of the house where your family usually gathers, but off in a quiet corner so they can also have a break if needed. Using a crate in a quiet back bedroom is a bad choice for this.
• Never Use the Pen as a Punishment – One of the worst things you can do is use your Doberman’s pen or crate as something they go in for a punishment and then also use that same pen to contain your dog when you leave the house. This will almost certainly garuntee that seperation anxiety will kick in when you leave them there. So be careful to avoide using it for punishment.
• Leave the Door Open Often – Leave the door open to the pen and encourage your dog to go into their pen on their own throughout the day. If this begins to happen, then you’re doing great and your Dobie is begining to see their pen as their “happy place”.
• Encourage Naps in the Pen – Waking up in the pen is a great way to help your Doberman feel relaxed there. If you have a young puppy, then get used to transfering them into the pen when they fall asleep on your lap or somewhere else in the house. Try to leave the door open if you are there to supervise, or open the door to the pen quickly when they wake up so that they only feel relaxed feelings there upon waking.
• Provide Special Treats and Toys When in the Pen – This is a very basic, but effective, method for associating good feelings with your Doberman’s pen. Encourage your dog to naturally want to spend time there by providing delicious treats on occasion inside the pen, or an exciting toy they rarely see.
• Have Short Times in the Pen (Not Just Long Ones) – Use the pen often throughout the day for very short breaks. It’s improtant that your Doberman knows that they don’t just go in the pen when you’re leaving for a long work day, but they might also go in for a short 5 minute period throughout the day occasionally as well.

Step 4 – Provide a Special Treat or Toy When Leaving

When you’re leaving the house, get in the habit of pulling out a high-value toy that your dog only sees when you leave. Possibly a puzzle toy or something else with a treat (maybe peanut butter) inside of it. If you need help finding some toys that Dobermans love, check out my recommended products page for ideas. You can also provide a high-value treat when you leave as well. Doing this will help reassociate the action of you leaving from something traumatic to something positive and exciting.

Does your Doberman love you? If your Dobie is experiencing separation anxiety when you’re away, then there’s a good chance he (or she) does! Check out this list of 25 ways Dobermans show affection and count how many of these your Dobie does. The more of these things they do, the more likely your Doberman truly loves you!

Step 5 – Use Background Noise

The trauma of you leaving the house is often made worse because the house goes from a chaotic noise environment (especially true if you have kids) to a dead silent one. You can help lessen the impact of this by leaving on some sort of background noise. This can be a television, radio, music, white noise, or really anything else.

Just make sure that it’s something calming and be especially careful if you leave the television on to do this. You don’t want the next program to be a loud police movie with gunshots and barking dogs. That will certainly quickly add stress to your dog while you’re away. I’ve found that a quiet news or history channel seems to work pretty well and be fairly predictable.

Step 6 – Put Your Dog in Their Pen 10-15 Minutes Before Leaving

Since most separation anxiety in Dobermans begins in that critical window of the first 10 to 15 minutes after their owner leaves, you really want to do whatever you can to get through that window of time with no signs of anxiety from your dog. Try placing your Doberman in their pen (or crate) 10 to 15 minutes before you actually leave the house.

This will greatly help reduce anxiety feelings since the trauma of being put in their pen is now separated further from the trauma of their owner departing. Instead of experiencing these two potential anxiety triggers at the same time, they’re spaced out, effectively reducing their impact on your Dobie. Also, your Doberman will be able to see you still walking around the house and doing various things getting ready to leave for a while, as they hopefully begin calming down and settling in without the fear of being immediately alone.

Step 7 – Exercise and Feed Your Doberman Before Leaving

Dobermans are a working breed of dog that seems to always have excess energy. Excess energy in this breed leads to excess anxiety. So do your best to make sure your dog is well exercised before you leave the house to help your dog relax easier. Make it part of your daily routine to exercise your dog early in the morning before you leave, it’ll likely not only be good for your dog, but good for you too.

Another point of stress, in all dog breeds, is food. There’s a natural instinct in dogs to always be focused on where their next meal is coming from and it’s heightened as they begin feeling hungry. So take this stress off of your Doberman by making sure he (or she) also has a full stomach before you leave. If your dog is well exercised and has a full stomach before you leave the house, the chances of your Doberman experiencing separation anxiety are greatly reduced.

Just make sure to take precautions to avoid a condition called bloat in your dog. This is something that is common in the Doberman breed and can be deadly. The chances of your Doberman developing bloat are increased if they exercise within an hour of eating.

Step 8 – Provide Plenty of Chew Toys

Chewing is one of the primary ways Dobermans release stress. So providing your Doberman with plenty of “good” chew options will not only help avoid destructive chewing on items you don’t want your Doberman to be chewing on, but it’ll also help them to self-regulate their anxiety levels. This is especially important for young Dobermans under 6 months of age who are going through teething and are looking to get their teeth on new and unique textures in an attempt to relieve stress and soothe their aching gums.

The larger the variety of textures and types of toys, the better. These can be puzzle toys, kong toys, soft plush toys (make sure they’re safe and remove them if they’re getting destroyed), frozen toys, firm rubber bones, nylabones, or any number of other types of toys. Frozen toys are great for something different and really help soothe the gums of teething puppies also.

Step 9 – Leave and Return to the House Casually

Hopefully, you have your Doberman ready to be alone, now you need to have your demeanor dialed in before you leave. Remember this: the bigger you make the “event” of you leaving the house, the more likely your Doberman will be to react to it. Dobermans and people-watchers and pay close attention to your demeanor just about every minute of the day.

So if you leave the house with a big elaborate goodbye with tons of hugs, kisses, and a long drawn out “I’ll miss you!”, your dog is much more likely to react when you’re away. Similarly, when you return to the house, if you instantly run over to your dog’s pen, let him out, give him a big hug and tons of praise, then you are also making more of an “event” out of you being gone. This is only making your Doberman’s separation anxiety worse.

The best thing you can do is make both your departure from the house and your arrival as uneventful as possible. Keep it casual and relaxed when you leave, placing your Doberman in his cage 10 to 15 minutes before your leave and not giving him any big departing hugs either. Just get ready casually and slip out of the house. When you return do the same thing. Remain relaxed, do a few things around the house, and let your Dobie out of their pen maybe 5 minutes or so after you arrive home (there’s no rush!). This will take the emphasis off of your absence, which is one of the most important things you can do while addressing separation anxiety in a Doberman.

The Key to Long-Term Success

To ensure that you have long-term success in addressing separation anxiety in your Doberman, you’ll want to use the habit-forming tendencies of the Doberman to your advantage. Using the habit-forming tendencies of the Doberman to your advantage is the quickest way to long-term success in addressing separation anxiety. Essentially what this means is developing the habit in your dog of them not experiencing anxiety when you leave.

Dobermans love routine and are strong habit-forming dogs. This is something that’s ingrained in them and is one of the reasons they are one of the world’s more trainable dogs according to researchers (source). You can use this to your advantage by ensuring that your Doberman has as many episodes away from you as possible without experiencing separation anxiety. If you have enough of these positive times away from you, being relaxed and calm in your absence will become your Doberman’s new habit.

This is most useful to employ during the desensitization step above (Step 1 – Get Your Dog Used to Your Absence). While you’re doing this, make sure that you consistently return to your Doberman’s pen and let him out before he starts crying, barking, or showing any other signs of anxiety. Then on your next session, you can try to go a bit longer, but you should still return before anxiety forms and release your dog from the pen.

“Returning to your Doberman only once he starts crying is setting him up for long-term separation anxiety.”

– John Walter, FDS
DobermanPlanet.com

Consider each of these trips away from your dog where there are no signs of anxiety as a “win” and any trips away where there are any signs of increased anxiety (such as crying, whining, barking, etc) as a “loss”. Attempt to get as many “wins” in your column as possible as this is what will develop the habit of maintaining low anxiety in your absence and ultimately solve the separation anxiety issues in your Doberman.

Common Mistakes

The most common mistake Dobermans owners make while attempting to solve separation anxiety is progressing too fast during desensitization training. In other words, they’ll begin slowly acclimating their dogs to their absence during step 1 (above) and about when they get to the point of being away from their dog for 10 minutes or so, things start to fall apart.

Most owners become so excited that they’re seeing some progress and are “actually able to get a little work done” without their dog crying that they begin progressing too fast. They begin working on a project for work, or cleaning the house, and are so relieved that they seem to be making progress addressing the anxiety in their dogs that they want to “take advantage” of this quiet time they finally have. So they continue on their project longer and longer until they’re away so long that their Doberman finally does start to whine, bark, or cry. That is when they finally return to the pen to let their dog out.

The problem is, that whole session which was going great and could have easily been a “win”, has now turned into a “loss” and they’ve essentially helped to engrain anxious feelings in their Doberman a little deeper by being away too long. All simply because they were excited to finally get some “quiet time”. Owners who fall into this trap essentially are trading the joys of short-term success for the long-term failure of their dogs with separation anxiety.

Keep this in mind as you address separation anxiety in your Doberman, progress slowly, and get as many positive sessions away from your dog as possible where they end without high anxiety levels. That will ensure long-term success with addressing separation anxiety in your Doberman.

More Helpful Resources

• How Long Can You Leave a Doberman Home Alone – This article will discuss how long you can leave a Doberman home alone at various ages and steps you can take to make sure it’s a successful trip away from the house.
• 6 Steps to Get Your Doberman Pinscher to Stop Barking – This article addresses how to stop barking in your Doberman if it’s the cause of a behavior issue, and not separation anxiety specifically. If you suspenct your Doberman might be barking for behavior reasons, which is common in this breed, take a look at this article.
• 5 Reasons Why Dobermans Howl – Dobermans who start howling are suffering from any number of issues. This is fairly uncommon in Dobermans but can happen for any number of reasons, not just with separation anxiety. If your Doberman is howling, take a look at this article to learn about some other potential causes that really should be addressed soon.

The post How to Prevent Separation Anxiety in Dobermans—Proven Method appeared first on Doberman Planet.

Dobermans are known for bonding extremely tightly with their owners. Of course, that’s only if the owner has made an effort to bond to their Doberman in a way that this unique breed is receptive to. Yes, your Doberman is inclined to naturally bond with you, but there are some actions you can take that appeal to this breed’s natural instincts that’ll help ensure a tight bond builds between you too very quickly and stays for years to come.

As a Family Doberman Specialist, I’ve helped many families to bond with their Dobermans in a way that appeals to this breed’s natural instincts. Below are some of the best methods I’ve come across. Many of these Doberman owners have been using these methods for years to really develop that deep, lasting connection with their dogs.

1. Sleep Close Together

Dobermans, especially young Dobermans, love sleeping close to their owners. This is why Doberman puppies love sleeping in tight groups with their brothers and sisters in the litter. It provides them with a sense of security and is more or less their “happy place”.

This is especially true when they are winding down for the night and their instincts are telling them to find a safe place for the night. It’s also a constant reminder for the attention-needing Dobermans that they are close to their owner and “a part of the pack”.

Don’t be offended though if your Doberman’s natural instinct to protect you takes over and they reposition themselves with their back to you facing the door (or entryway) into the room where you’re sleeping. This doesn’t mean your Doberman is any less bonded with you, it simply means they are in protection mode. Dobermans do this much more often when they are sleeping in a new environment.

2. More Involvement in Your Daily Life

The more you integrate your Doberman into your daily life, the more he or she will naturally develop a deep bond with you. I’ve seen this time and time again with my clients. When an owner starts making arrangements to bring their dog to work with them, or to the outdoor market they frequent, or a mother starts bringing their Doberman to pick up the kids from school, many amazing things can result in the relationship between owner and Doberman.

First, the bond you two have will naturally deepen, but they will also feel more integrated into your daily life and routine (more on routine in a bit). This has other great side effects like reducing anxiety in your dog overall, resolving destructive chewing issues, reducing unwanted barking, and a lot more.

So get creative and see what parts of your life you can integrate your Doberman into. They’re called “velcro” dogs for a reason. They always want to be by your side no matter where you are. Plus, exposing them to new people and experiences does wonders for keeping your Dobie well-rounded, calm, and well-socialized.

3. Play a Game Together

Dobermans are working dogs and they instinctually bond with others who are a part of whatever “job” they feel they need to accomplish. So make yourself a part of that by creating a job for your dog in the form of a new game to play together. This can be something simple like fetch or something where they need to engage their mind like playtime with a puzzle toy.

One of my favorites that’s really easy to do with a Doberman is a game of “hide and seek”. Dobermans are naturally inclined to excel at this game since they naturally seek out their owners, they have amazing scenting capabilities, and they’re trainable enough to teach the rules of this game to easily. Plus it also engages their mind.

Have your dog “sit” and “stay”. They run off and hide somewhere in your house. Yell out a release command and wait for your Doberman to find you. When he (or she) does, reward with a treat and heavy praise. It’s ok to give some verbal encouragement to find you initially, but after a couple of repetitions of this, your dog should have the concept of this game down. If you need help training the basic commands I mentioned, feel free to check out the Doberman training guide which will help you with that.

4. Experience Something New Together

Finding a new experience with your Doberman is a great way to deepen your bond. Most “new experiences” involve what will feel like some sort of task for your Doberman to accomplish, which they love, even if it’s just watching the environment and keeping you safe.

You can take your Doberman on a hike, to a dog show, or out to the lake. These things help your dog become more socialized and will even help reduce the chances of reactivity to people and objects in their daily life. But more importantly, it helps you to bond with your dog.

5. Increase Physical Touch

Dobermans love simply interacting with their owners. Since they’re the only dog breed in the world that was created for the purpose of personal protection of humans, they’re also instinctually inclined to want that closeness to their owners. By physically touching your Doberman more often, you’re deepening your bond and also “communicating” with your dog through touch, even if you don’t mean to.

These things really do satisfy a long list of natural desires the Doberman has and increasing the amount of physical touch between you and your Doberman is one of the absolute quickest ways to bond tighter together.

You can simply pet your Doberman more, lay on the couch, play with their ears, play with their feet, and so on. Gently touching your Doberman while he (or she) is asleep is actually a great way to make sure your dog is steadfast and calm around children. It’ll also make doing things where your dog will be touched in strange ways, like nail trimming and vet visits, much easier.

6. Dedicated Training Times

Having dedicated training times every day with your Doberman is a great way to build your bond together, build your role as the leader of the house, and increase the list of commands and behaviors your Doberman knows. It also satisfies Dobermans mentally since they are working to figure out what you’re asking of them.

Even something as short as 10-minute training sessions one or two times per day will make a huge difference in your bond with your Doberman and their overall behavior in the house. These training times are a great time to teach your dog new commands or work on reinforcing commands they already know.

7. Accomplish a Task Together

As one of the premier working breeds, Dobermans absolutely love having a task to accomplish. It gives them a deep sense of accomplishment and purpose. They are also naturally apt at it. You’ll really see this when they’re performing a task they’re familiar with. Accomplishing a task together with your Doberman will help you tap into their natural instincts and bond with them through the use of this drive that’s naturally already ingrained in them.

You can do things like retrieving the newspaper together off-leash, performing a daily “perimeter” check of your property by walking along your fence line (Dobermans absolutely love this), or playing hide and seek with a family member where you and your Doberman work together to find the person hiding.

Even something as simple as taking a daily walk around the block can be seen by your Dobie as a “task” that you’re accomplishing together. Be creative and keep the activity fun so your dog is always looking forward to it.

8. Develop a Predictable Routine

Dobermans are strong habit-forming dogs and having a predictable routine (that involves you, the owner) is a great way the develop a close bond with your dog. Routine by itself helps to provide your Doberman with a sense of security and lower their overall anxiety levels. They’ll know for certain when they’ll be fed and when they’ll be spending time with you. These are points of stress in a Doberman’s life.

Make a well-thought-out routine with your Doberman and try to keep it as consistent as possible. It’s ok if it changes from time to time but try to make any major changes to the routine gradual so the transition is easier on your dog.

9. Frequent Communication

Since these dogs are extremely in-tune with their owners, they thrive off frequent communication. This is one of the few dog breeds that will look you directly in the eyes while you’re talking to them, and maintain eye contact. Use this human-focused nature of the Doberman as a way to bond deeper with your dog.

Talk to your Doberman often, give them feedback on what they’re doing by simply saying “good boy!” or “no, don’t touch that”. Simple phrases are understood more often than you might expect by a highly intelligent dog like the Doberman. Frequently communicating with your Doberman gives them that interaction with you that they desire so incredibly much and takes advantage of yet another instinct of theirs to build your relationship together.

How to Tell if Your Doberman Is Bonded to You

The more you work at creating a deep, meaningful bond with your Doberman, the more you may notice a few changes in his or her behavior. There are many, sometimes subtle, actions your Doberman will take that indicate they have bonded tightly with you. Below are some examples.

• Look Into Your Eyes with Nose Forward and Ears Back – This is a common way that a Doberman will “listen” to what you’re saying. But this particular pose is one where your dog is reaching their most sensitive body part out to you (their nose) and trying to get closer while listening.
• Try to Get Progressively Closer to You – This often happens when you’re relaxing on the couch with your Doberman, or after you allow your Dobie up on the bed with you. If they’re carefully trying to get progressively closer to you, it is a sign they are deeply bonded to you.
• Randomly Lean Against Your Legs – This is similar to the point above since it has to do with how these dogs need that constant closeness with an owner to whom they’re bonded tightly to. This will often happen at inopportune times though, like when you’re cooking in the kitchen or trying to clean the house.
• Won’t Leave Your Side, Even in the Bathroom – If your Doberman follows you everywhere around the house, even trying to force their way into the bathroom with you, then it’s a good sign they re bonded tightly to you. This is often more than just separation anxiety and is actually a display of that tight bond you have.
• Frequently Check-in with You in New Environments – If your Doberman is consistently looking back at you, or “checking in” with you while you’re somewhere new (or out in public), then it’s a sign that they’re bonded to you. Your dog is essentially checking on you for a sense of security and this only happens if you have a deep bond.

There are many more ways you can tell your Doberman is bonded with you, or even loves you. I give a rundown of 25 different ways Dobermans naturally show their love and bond to their owners in my article Does Your Doberman Love You? 25 Ways They Show Affection.

Bonding to One Person vs. A Whole Family

As a general rule, and as compared to many other dog breeds, Dobermans generally bond a little tighter to one specific person in the household. With male Dobermans however, this is almost not noticeable as they’re generally pretty welcoming of others and do very well in family settings.

Female Dobermans are a bit more obvious about their favorite person in a household and seem to bond better to one specific person. It’s not to say that females won’t bond with others in the house, it’s just that they’ll have that one person they are always checking in on, quicker to respond to when called, and most likely to be hanging around if given the choice.

There are actually many behavioral differences between male and female Dobermans and I give a rundown of these differences in my guide to the differences between male and female Dobermans.

Bonding with Young Dobermans

Puppies, especially those between 8 to 12 weeks of age, but really any Doberman under about one year of age, is much easier to bond with than an adult Doberman. This breed will naturally bond with an owner early on (a left-over survival instinct) and have trouble bonding with other owners or handlers down the road (should they change homes, for example). This is one reason Dobermans aren’t used as often in military and police roles anymore—they have difficulty changing handlers.

The quickest way to bond with a Doberman puppy is to regularly provide them with a sense of security. Providing a sense of security to a young Doberman puppy who is away from his or her siblings and mother will instinctually cause them to bond tightly to that person providing that security.

To bond with a young Doberman, you should also interact with it regularly, and it certainly helps if you are the one who feeds the dog as well. Really there isn’t much specific you need to do to bond with a young Doberman since they instinctually bond so quickly at a young age.

Bonding with Older Dobermans

While it’s easier to bond with a younger Doberman fast, it’s certainly still possible to build a tight bond with older Dobermans as well. This is most obvious to those who adopt or rescue older Dobermans. While they may be bonded to their previous owner, they can still develop a strong bond with their new owner with a little work.

Providing an older Doberman with a sense of security, purpose, and companionship, is the quickest way to bond with them especially if they’re in a new environment. Develop a predictable routine with your adult Doberman which includes some “tasks” to accomplish together. Even if this is a simple daily walk around the block. The routine itself will provide security and the task will give them a sense of purpose. Also, doing the walk together will help with companionship. This helps to develop a deep bond between owner and dog, even with an adult Doberman.

The post 9 Proven Ways to Bond with a Doberman of Any Age appeared first on Doberman Planet.

It’s a well-known fact that Dobermans need a lot of exercise throughout the day. In fact, most Dobermans need between one and two hours of exercise every single day in order to remain calm and reduce their anxiety levels. If you fail to give your Doberman the exercise and engagement they need, your Doberman will make up their own ways of getting out their extra energy, and it may not always be pretty.

As a trainer who specializes in Dobermans, I know how Dobermans can develop horrible barking or howling habits, start chewing on furniture in the house, overreact to common daily noises, and a whole lot of other negative behaviors, simply because they aren’t getting the exercise they need.

So, that’s why it’s good to have a list of activity ideas to have on hand to help you get your Doberman the exercise and stimulation they need.

Here are some of my favorite activities to do with Dobermans.

Doberman Activity List (Quick-Reference)

Click on any activity below to learn more.

Free Doberman Exercise and Activity Idea Chart (PDF)

Feel free to download our Doberman exercise and activity chart completely for free by clicking on the icon above (pdf format). This guide has all the great activities for Dobermans laid out in an easy-to-read chart including sections for notes about your dog and areas to check off your dog’s favorite activities. Print it off and include it in your Doberman’s binder!

1. Do an Agility Course

Items You May Need

• Dog obstacles
• Dog treats or reward

Agility courses are incredibly fun to do with a Doberman and they’re naturally fairly good at it! Since Dobermans are so highly trainable and focused on their owners, they’re a great fit for this activity. This is also one of the few activities you can do with your Doberman that is both highly physical and highly mind-engaging. It will also help your role as the leader in the house and, as if that wasn’t enough, it’ll provide you a chance to work on your dog’s general obedience.

I can’t say enough about how good this is for your dog. Take a look on YouTube for some examples of dog agility courses for some good ideas. You can build one in your backyard to practice on, buy some basic pre-made obstacles online, or fairly easily join a canine agility club near you. These agility clubs have regular meet-ups and owners come to practice this fun sport with dogs of all different breeds. You can even compete in agility events and earn ribbons for your dog as he or she gets better. See the AKC’s page on getting started in agility for more info.

2. Go Swimming

Items You May Need

• Dog life-jacket

Swimming is a great activity for a Doberman, and although they tend to be easily turned on to this activity, Dobermans aren’t the best swimmers due to their dense bodies and lean muscle mass. Once you get your Doberman to love swimming, you’ll have a blast visiting the local lake or river, or even a trip in a pool. This is a high-energy activity for your Doberman and it does moderately engage their brain in the process.

I’ve found that using something with a gradual entry into the water, like a lake, for example, is a lot easier for getting a Doberman accustomed to swimming as opposed to a swimming pool that may have steps or other sharp drop-offs. Just keep safety in mind first and foremost as these dogs do have a hard time swimming at times. Swimming somewhere without a current or other dangerous features is a good idea.

3. Take a Trip to the Dog Park

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash

There are a ton of benefits of spending a little time at the dog park if your Doberman is good with other dogs. For one, it leads to a lot of exercise and your dog’s interactions with other dogs at the park will also engage his or her brain. It’s also great to help socialize your dog and get them more comfortable being around others.

Another great benefit of a dog park is that dogs are fantastic at self-regulating each other. So, for example, if you’re struggling through the biting and nipping stage with a young Doberman, having interactions with older dogs can be great as they’ll often help to reduce that tendency (and help to teach your dog bite inhibition). Not to mention, a dog park is also a great chance for you to connect with other dog owners and as a Doberman owner, you’ll definitely get plenty of questions about your dog!

4. Play with a Flirt Pole

Items You May Need

• Flirt pole

A flirt pole is fantastic because it’s a high-energy workout for your Doberman and it can be used in a small area (indoor or outdoors). Also, it requires very little energy from the owner so most owners find it easy to keep it up for a long period of time. Dobermans have a strong prey drive, and that’s what makes them so interested in flirt poles.

Essentially, it’s just a long pole with a rope at the end and a “lure” attached to the end of the rope. Think of it like a small fishing pole or cat teaser pole. You simply move the lure back and forth on either side of you using the pole and your dog runs around at high speed trying to grab the lure. You can easily make a homemade flirt pole yourself or get a relatively inexpensive one that lots of Doberman owners use like the Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole, for example (see it on Amazon here, or Chewy here).

5. Play in the Sprinklers

Items You May Need

• Sprinkler system
• Towel

Dobermans don’t do exceptionally well in hot climates, but this is one activity that can make the hottest of days bearable. It’s generally very exciting for a Doberman and will lead to a high level of physical output and exercise. It may only moderately engage their brain (such as when they’re finding different ways to bite at the water), but it’s still plenty of fun.

Check to see if your sprinklers have manual or electronic controls to them where you are able to turn them on temporarily for this purpose. If you’re doing this in a fenced yard it’s even better as you won’t need a tether to your dog and he (or she) can really go crazy!

6. Chase Bubbles

Items You May Need

• Dog-safe bubbles

Since Dobermans have a high prey drive, they love chasing things down. That’s why playing with bubbles can be so effective with this breed as a way to get out that extra energy. It’s a highly physical activity that’s a ton of fun, even if it only moderately engages the mind.

You can use an automatic bubble-blowing machine to keep your dog busy for a long time, or manually blow the bubbles yourself. Just make sure that you get bubbles that are dog-safe. I’ve found that peanut-butter flavored bubbles seem to make Dobermans go extra crazy. You can pick some up at your local pet store or on Amazon here or on Chewy here.

7. Chase Snow Balls

Items You May Need

• Snow

Chasing snowballs is actually a really fun activity for a Doberman and it taps into their natural prey drive. It’s also moderately mind-engaging since snowballs act in ways that are very different from the normal ball your Doberman is used to chasing. In fact, snowballs seem to completely “disappear” to your Doberman once it hits the ground, often leading your dog to search the whole area looking for the ball.

If you want your snowball to disappear easily, then pack it lightly in your hand before tossing it. If you want to give your dog a chance of actually finding it and bringing it back to you, pack it as tightly as you can and then toss it. This can be a fun workout for you too on a snowy day. Just remember to keep an eye on your dog and bring him or her inside if it’s getting too cold for a safe playtime to continue.

8. Play in the Leaves

Items You May Need

• Lots of leaves
• A rake

If it’s fall and you need an excuse not only to clean up your yard but also get some energy out of your Doberman, why not rake some of those leaves into a big pile and let your Doberman go crazy in them for a bit! Most Dobermans are hesitant at first but soon fall right into the fun and excitement of it. It’s a high-energy activity to do with your Doberman that’s also lots of fun. This one isn’t usually super mind-engaging, however.

Just make sure you keep your rake handy as your Doberman will likely quickly destroy your nice pile of leaves you made. Try tossing a ball or toy into the pile of leaves and watch your dog jump headlong into the pile and root around trying to find it.

9. Go for a Run or Jog

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Collapsible water bowl

This is a step up in terms of exercise level from walking, this is considered a high-level exercise. Remember not to attempt this if your dog is younger than 18-months of age as a Doberman’s joints are still developing and repetitive, high-impact, exercise such as this can damage their joints. Even better is to wait until your dog is at least 24-months old and then ease into this activity slowly.

Not only is this activity good for your Doberman, but it’s great for you too! Just remember to take extra water breaks with your dog and know the signs of heatstroke so you can keep an eye out for it. A collapsible water bowl is great here as it’s easy to carry with you on a run.

10. Play Fetch

Items You May Need

• Ball or tossable dog toy

Playing fetch is a great way to burn some extra energy out of your Doberman and it appeals directly to this breed’s natural habit-building tendencies. While some Dobermans may be hesitant to fetch an item and bring it back to their owner instinctually (they aren’t retrievers after all), most will get the idea of how to do this with a little guidance and will quickly make this action a habit.

This activity provides just a little mental stimulation once they have the hang of what to do, but in the beginning, as your Doberman is learning, it may provide higher levels of mental engagement. It’s also something you can easily play indoors on a rainy or snowy day.

11. Play Frisbee

Items You May Need

• Frisbee

Frisbee is similar to playing fetch in the sense that it takes a fairly high level of physical exertion from your Doberman to play, but it’s usually lower on the mental stimulation side of things. That is, of course, assuming your Doberman is used to this game. In the beginning, it will provide higher levels of mental stimulation as they’re figuring out what you expect of them.

A frisbee is easier on the owner as well since it takes less energy to make the frisbee cover a longer distance, meaning you’ll hopefully be able to keep this up with your dog for a longer period of time. Make sure you’re using a durable frisbee or you’re very watchful of your Doberman and ensuring they don’t chew on it excessively since a Doberman can make short work of most frisbees.

12. Go Biking or Skating

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• A bike, scooter, skates, or skateboard

This activity will certainly get that extra energy out of your Doberman and it’s a great one for the younger ones in your house to do. Just be careful that if your Doberman is pulling you, that it’s done in a safe environment or you have sufficient control over your dog. You don’t want your dog to be running towards a busy street, pulling you along, with no way to stop him.

Although mental stimulation levels for this activity are fairly low, it does get your Doberman out into the world and experiencing new sights, sounds, and people. All of which will help with your socialization efforts and help them get more accustomed to the world in general, which will lead to a calmer adult Doberman.

13. Play Hide and Seek

Items You May Need

• Dod treats or reward

Hide and seek is such a great game for a Doberman for many reasons. For one, they’re velcro dogs so they love being by your side and will try incredibly hard to find you. Secondly, they have an incredible sense of smell and will rely on this during the search for you, even if you’re hiding in the complete dark. Also, Dobermans love playing along with this game and will “sit” and “stay” easily while you hide, as long as you’ve built a solid “stay” command into your Doberman of course.

Just have your Doberman stay, hide somewhere, and yell out your release command. When your dog finds you, praise and reward them. This can be good exercise, depending on how big the area is your dog is searching, and it certainly highly engages their mind while they search the area for you. It can also be a great game to play indoors on rainy or snowy days.

14. Play with a Puzzle Toy

Items You May Need

• A puzzle toy
• Dog food or treats

The entire purpose of a puzzle toy is to engage a dog’s mind. Since the Doberman is widely accepted to be the fifth smartest dog breed in the world, they have no problem doing this. It can also be a moderately high-energy endeavor depending on the specific toy that is used.

In case you aren’t familiar with puzzle toys, essentially they are dog toys where a dog needs to squeeze or move the toy in a certain way, or interact with it in some other manner, to get to an ultimate goal. Usually, the goal is to get the toy to release a dog treat of some type. Letting your Doberman go crazy with a puzzle toy is a great thing to do inside on a rainy day as it usually calms your Doberman while keeping him in one spot. I have some of my favorite puzzle toys listed on my Doberman toy page here if you want to see some that work great for Dobermans!

15. Play Tug-of-War

Items You May Need

• Rope or dog toy

Tug-of-war is a classic game for Dobermans and it really helps to build their confidence levels. It can be done indoors on cold rainy days or outdoors, it’s a decent workout for them, and it does (surprisingly) engage their mind a fair amount. As you’re playing tug-of-war with your Doberman, you may notice him or her thinking hard during the game of different ways to pull on the toy to get it out of your grasp. This is where the mental engagement occurs in this game.

Since this activity builds confidence in your Doberman, make sure you’re using it wisely. For example, it’s not a good idea to play lots of tug-of-war with a Doberman when they’re under a year of age and in the phase where they’re challenging your leadership role in the house (this is a normal occurrence for Dobermans of this age). Playing this during that time can build their confidence too high, making this stage more difficult. On the other hand, if you have a timid Doberman, this game might be great to build their confidence up (just make sure they win a decent amount).

16. Go Hiking

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Collapsible dog bowl
• Booties
• Vaseline
• Dog backpack

Hiking is a great outdoor activity to do with your Doberman, and it can be anywhere from a low-level workout (on flat, open terrain for example) to a high-level and very strenuous workout (on rougher terrain). There are also lots of new smells to experience and it does a generally decent job of engaging a Doberman’s mind.

Bringing a collapsible dog bowl and plenty of water is a good idea. But remember that if your dog hurts or cracks a pad on their foot when you are miles into a hike, you could be in serious trouble. Having vaseline and some booties to protect the paw on your way out in case of injury is a great idea. I have a lot of this gear listed in my recommended walking and hiking gear for Dobermans page if you need ideas of what works well for this breed.

17. Go for a Walk

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Collapsible water bowl

This is probably the most common activity Doberman owners regularly do with their dogs. It’s great if you can get in the habit of going on a walk at the same time every day with your Doberman since this breed loves having a strong routine so much. Just remember not to do exceptionally long walks on hard surfaces until your dog is at least 18 months of age since high-impact exercise can damage their joints.

While this activity is considered low mental stimulation, it’s really good for your dog because they learn proper leash etiquette (as long as you’re training your dog correctly, see my leash training guide if you need help there), and they’re getting exposed to unique sights, smells, and sounds. There are many benefits to frequent walks with your Doberman.

18. Go to a Dog Show

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash

Bringing your Doberman to a dog show is a great way to meet other dog enthusiasts. Even if your dog isn’t competing, it’s still a lot of fun and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see some pretty impressive Dobermans competing in the process. This is great for their socialization and is often moderately good exercise since most dog shows are spread out with plenty of walking between judging areas.

Just make sure your dog is well accustomed to being around other dogs, the last thing you want is for your Doberman to make a scene or “mess up” and perfectly beautified champion dog by getting into a scuffle. To find a list of dog shows near you that may include Dobermans, see infodog.com.

19. Go Camping

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Dog bowls
• Dog backpack
• Portable dog pen

Camping with your Doberman is not only an event that often leads to great exercise opportunities, but it’s also a great way to bond deeper with your dog. In most camping situations, your Doberman will be exposed to new people, animals, smells, sights, and sounds. All of these things will help to deeply engage their mind.

What’s most amazing about camping with a Doberman is to see their protective instincts in play, especially if you are camping in the woods, away from civilization. Most Dobermans will almost always sleep in your tent (or cabin) facing the door. They are smart enough to know you’re staying in a new place and will watch intensely over you while you sleep.

20. Train a New Command

Items You May Need

• Dog treats or reward

Training a new command in your Doberman is a fantastic way to highly engage their brain. While it may not be the most physically-intense thing you can do with your Doberman, stimulating the mind is incredibly important and will equally help to relax them. Doing this asserts your leadership status in the home (very important with Dobermans), and it can also be done indoors on a cold or rainy day.

For some great ideas on some cool tricks you can teach to your Doberman, you can see my list of 13 easy tricks for Dobermans to learn here. Then, once your dog is getting fairly advanced with their command training, you can attempt to move on to some more complicated commands such as those listed in my advance tricks to teach a Doberman guide here.

21. Train a New Behavior

Items You May Need

• Dog treats or reward

Dobermans have an innate desire to please their owners, and they love habit and routine. You can use both of these things to build a new behavior in your dog that will make life with them much easier. Although this usually requires a low amount of physical output from your dog, it almost always requires focus and will provide high levels of mental stimulation in the process.

Try creating a new habit such as having your Doberman go to their bed and lay down when you walk in through the front door of your house. Spend some time orienting your Doberman to what you want by walking in the door, guiding them to their bed with commands they know already, then praising and rewarding. Repeat this for a while until you can come through the door and have him (or her) run straight to their bed and lay down, waiting for a release command. As your Doberman progresses, try going longer and longer stretches of time before giving the release command. This is a very useful behavior to teach to your dog!

22. Find a Dog-Friendly Restaurant or Coffee House

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash

Taking your Doberman to one of the many restaurants or coffee houses that allow dogs (search for ones with outdoor seating as those are most likely to allow dogs) is a great activity for your dog. Although this action by itself doesn’t take a lot of energy, sometimes it’s done at the end of a long walk with your dog which is a great finish to a workout. Also, it’s a great way to socialize your dog with other people and get them to relax being out in public and around large groups.

Having a Doberman with you will get lots of attention and likely quite a few people will want to pet your dog. This is great for your dog, but just make sure your Doberman is relaxed enough and ready to accept petting from strangers first. Remember, you’re representing the entire Doberman breed out there!

23. Bring Your Doberman to Work

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Dog bed
• Bowl

Bringing your Doberman to work is an incredibly great way to bond. It’s also great for their socialization since most of the time they’ll see new sights, meet new people, hear new sounds, and so on. It’ll also help teach them to be able to relax in areas away from home. Now admittedly for most of us workers, this is a low-energy endeavor on the part of your dog (especially if you have an office job), but it does engage the mind moderately well due to the increase in socialization they generally get.

You may want to consider getting a second bed for your Doberman (one to keep at work), as well as a bowl so you can provide your dog with some water while you’re working the day away. But other than that, you really don’t need much else!

24. Go for a Boat Ride

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Dog life-jacket

Going for a boat ride with your Doberman is a great activity to do and it really helps to expose your dog to a completely different experience than they’re probably used to. Riding on a boat has really unique sounds, feelings, and sensations and it would be great to do early on during the critical socialization window. It may not be a lot of exercise, but it’s a very beneficial activity that does engage their mind in the process.

Just make sure you keep things safe for your dog and the others on the boat. A dog life jacket is a great idea, as is making sure your dog is sufficiently contained. In case your pup has a real “freak out” moment on the boat and starts jumping around, you want to make sure he or she doesn’t end up in the water or knock someone else in the water! If your dog does start to “freak out”, stop the boat, calm things down, and only progress as long as your dog doesn’t appear anxious. The last thing you want to do is traumatize them to this new experience.

25. Go for a Picnic

Items You May Need

• Collar
• Leash
• Water bowl
• Portable dog pen
• Dog food or treats

While a picnic might be a low-exercise activity to do with your Doberman, it is fairly mind-engaging (new sights, smells, people, etc) and it’s a great way to bond tighter with your dog. This is a great activity to do during that critical socialization window for Dobermans that occurs up until they’re about 16 weeks of age.

You can also bring a frisbee or ball with you and play some fetch or incorporate any other number of activities into your picnic day. A portable pen is nice to create an easily movable “safe space” for your dog while you’re relaxing. I use a great MidWest brand collapsible dog pen that’s easily movable (see it on Amazon here, or Chewy here) if you’re interested in getting one for your dog.

Tracking Exercise with a GPS Collar

Probably the biggest game-changer for most owners is when they find a way to motivate themselves to get out and actually exercise their Dobermans. I know this was definitely true for me. I started using a GPS smart collar on my Doberman Arlo and it was an absolute game-changer in terms of his exercise.

Every day I would wake up, check my Doberman’s exercise stats on the app on my phone, and take him out trying to beat the previous day’s numbers. A GPS smart collar can give you information invaluable insight into your dog’s exercise, sleep, and even real-time location tracking (with virtual fences that give you alerts when your dog leaves the area you set).

Here’s an example of some of the exercise stats my smart collar gives me:

The collar also has somewhat of a social media aspect to it where you can interact with other dog owners, even your friend’s dog’s who have a Fi Smart Collar. You can root each other on, try to beat each other’s stats, and so on. You can even have private leaderboards.

With exercise being so critical to the health of this breed specifically I feel like a smart collar is almost essential now simply because of the reporting it gives you. If your dog starts acting more “in your face” than normal and you’re wondering if something’s wrong, pull up their daily stats, and see if lack of exercise is the reason. It’ll be right there in black and white.

This is a pretty cool specialized product and you can get the Fi Smart Collar here. There are other smart collars out there, but the Fi collar has the best battery life by far and is the highest quality one I’ve found (it’s brushed metal, slim, waterproof, and super strong with 300lbs pull resistance).

Final Thoughts

The great thing about Dobermans is they love being active and they need plenty of exercise throughout the day. They’re also very owner-focused and trainable. All this means they are the perfect adventure companions and really the list of things you can do with your Doberman is almost endless.

The single biggest piece of advice I can give you to have a happy and relaxed Doberman is to simply incorporate your dog’s life into your life, as much as possible. This will strengthen the bond between you and soon you’ll be finding you both getting healthier by having plenty of adventures together. Now get out there and have fun together!

More Helpful Resources

• 9 Proven Ways to Bond with a Doberman of Any Age – If you’re looking for some activities to do with your Doberman because you want to strengthen your bond, this article will outline some great ways to build a truly deep bond with your Dobie.

The post 25 Doberman Exercise and Activity Ideas appeared first on Doberman Planet.

It’s one of the very first questions any new Doberman owner has: how much am I supposed to feed my new Doberman? Naturally, the answer is going to vary depending on factors such as the dog’s age, size, activity level, spayed or neutered status, the brand of food, and many other variables. However, below is a great guideline that seems to work for well for most Dobermans in most situations.

Most adult Dobermans will consume between 4 and 7 cups of dry dog food per day. However, a Doberman may eat between 1 and 8 cups per day depending on factors such as the dog’s age, size, activity level, spay or neuter status, health, and much more.

Dobermans were bred to be guard dogs first and are designed on a genetic level to be in peak physical condition through the consumption of high-quality foods. Medium in size but muscular in build, Dobermans and their sleek athleticism require very specific requirements when it comes to their feeding quantities and times—the true answer to the question of how much to feed a Doberman is going to depend on their age, their weight, their activity level, and much more. Perhaps one of the biggest factors is what type of food you’ll be using.

You can use the information to help you and your veterinarian figure out how to best feed your Doberman, depending on your situation.

Doberman Feeding Chart by Age

The chart below is my personal chart that I follow closely with my Dobermans and that I recommend to others quite often, as their Doberman-specialized dog trainer. Remember that this chart is a general guideline and should be adjusted based on your vet’s recommendations and individual factors affecting your dog.

While the Daily Food Quantity (in cups) below may apply to many other dry dog foods, the chart below is the guide I use while feeding my Dobermans a diet of Purina Pro Plan (the recommended food on this site for Dobermans).

Links to these specific foods are below the chart.

I’ve found that using these amounts as a starting point, gets me fairly close to the ideal feeding amount. From there, I will adjust portions based on how my Doberman appears physically, how hungry they are at feeding time, and the recommendations of my veterinarian. I suggest you do the same, but always start with a trip to your veterinarian.

As you may see when you compare the amounts I feed my Dobermans (in the table above) to the amounts recommended by Purina on their dog food packaging (below), I feed my Doberman significantly more than what Purina recommends. In my experience, Dobermans require significantly more calories than is recommended by most dog food manufacturers.

Recommended Puppy Food

I consistently recommend Purina Pro Plan Focus for Dobermans for a few reasons. First off, it seems to be consistently ranked as one of the healthiest foods for Dobermans, it’s used by many sport and show Doberman owners, it passes WSAVA guidelines, it’s never had a mandatory food recall (that I’ve heard of), it contains grains, and Purina runs all their foods through feeding trials before releasing them which not every manufacturer does (look of packaging may vary).

Nutritional Information

• Protein (Min) – 28%
• Fat (Min) – 13% – 14%
• Fiber (Max) – 4.75%
• Calcium (Ca – Min) – 1.1%
• Glucosamine (Min) – 500 ppm
• Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min) – 1.8%

Purina’s Recommended Daily Feeding Amounts

Recommended Adult Food

This is essentially the adult version of the puppy food listed above. The protein and fat content are slightly less than the puppy version as now your dog should be done growing. You may also want to slightly dial back the amount of food when your puppy hits adulthood as well, depending on how they appear and what your veterinarian says. Generally, the number of times per day you feed your Doberman will also be less when they’re an adult as compared to during their puppy growth stages (more on that below).

Nutritional Information

• Protein (Min) – 26%
• Fat (Min) – 12%
• Fiber (Max) – 4.5%
• Calcium (Ca – Min) – 1%
• Glucosamine (Min) – 500 ppm
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min) – 0.45%
• Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min) – 2%

Purina’s Recommended Daily Feeding Amounts

Recommended Senior Food

This is also a Purina Pro Plan food, and it’s also a chicken and rice formula which your dog should be used to (if you’ve been using the food recommended above). However, this version is specifically formulated with botanical oils and omega-3 fatty acids to keep the mind sharp. It also includes glucosamine support to help with aging joints, which can be a problem with Dobermans. Many Doberman owners report great results in their older dogs after switching to the Bright Mind formula.

Nutritional Information

• Protein (Min) – 29%
• Fat (Min) – 14%
• Fiber (Max) – 5%
• Calcium (Ca – Min) – 1%
• Glucosamine (Min) – 500 ppm
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min) – 0.45%
• Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min) – 1.8%

Purina’s Recommended Daily Feeding Amounts

To find out more about why Doberman Planet recommends Purina Pro Plan dog food for Dobermans, see our page about our recommendations for the Best Food and Treats for Dobermans here.

Feeding Raw Diets

On Doberman Planet we recommend mostly kibble food such as Purina Pro Plan mostly due to cost, convenience, and a well-tested balance of nutrients. Also, we don’t recommend feeding a raw diet for the average Doberman owner since it’s easy to inadvertently provide your dog with the wrong portion of vitamins and nutrients since most of us aren’t canine nutritionists.

However, there are other great options that are certainly fresher and may even be healthier such as the Ollie dog food service shown above. This service delivers fresh human-grade “real food” for your dog straight to your door that’s veterinarian formulated, made custom to the Doberman breed, and delivered on a regular schedule. If you don’t mind spending a touch more money than you would with kibble to really spoil your dog, take a look at Ollie dog food service (click the image directly below). You can also see our video on Ollie food on YouTube here.

Number of Meals per Day by Age

Hopefully, by using the information above and speaking with your veterinarian, you have developed a plan for how much you will feed your Doberman each day. Now you need to decide how many times per day you’ll be feeding your dog.

Doberman puppies from 6 to 12 weeks of age should have four meals per day, young Dobermans from 12 weeks to 1 year should have three meals per day, and adult Dobermans over 1 year of age should have two meals per day.

The general rule is that eating more smaller meals each day is better when the dog is young and still developing. Below is a typical progression for a Doberman puppy as they grow.

Dobermans are highly routine-focused dogs. So ideally, you’ll be feeding your dog at the same time every day. This helps to reduce their anxiety around feeding time and especially helps puppies begin to feel more comfortable in their new homes.

It’s also important to make sure your Doberman is provided with plenty of fresh water. Dobermans love to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Ensure that you’re cleaning out your Dobie’s food and water bowls regularly to avoid developing any bacteria that may be harmful to your dog. This is often thought to be one of the causes of the small red “acne” looking bumps Dobermans often get underneath their chins when they are young.

Optimal Feeding Times

It’s best to spread out your Doberman’s meals evenly throughout the day. Below are the feeding times I use each day for my Dobermans, as an example.

Feeding Schedule by Age

• 6 to 12 Weeks of Age – 7:00am, 11:00am, 3:00pm, and 7:00pm.
• 12 Weeks to 1 Year of Age – 7:00am, 1:00pm, 7:00pm.
• 1 Year of Age and Older – 7:00am, 7:00pm.

While I try to stick to this schedule as much as possible, it does vary a bit depending on the schedule of those in my household. However, it’s good to stay as consistent as possible.

Adjusting Your Doberman’s Food Intake

As you continue feeding your dog, you’ll inevitably need to make adjustments to the quantity of food you’re providing. The best input you can get for this is from your veterinarian. However, you can also gain some insight into whether you may need to be feeding your dog more or less based on your dog’s physical appearance, apparent hunger level at feeding time, stage of growth, spayed/neuter status (spayed or neutered dogs generally require fewer calories), and activity level.

If you want a general idea on how your Doberman should be progressing in terms of weight based on age, as well as how they should appear physically if at an appropriate weight, see the Doberman Weight: Growth Curve and Average Weights resource here.

Transitioning to a New Food

When transitioning your Doberman to another type of dog food, it should be done gradually over the course of several days or weeks while watching for signs of an upset stomach.

Dobermans notoriously have sensitive stomachs so although most Doberman owners will change foods multiple times during their dog’s lifetime, they generally do it quite slowly. Sometimes, changing your Doberman’s food will cause your Doberman to suffer from an upset stomach and/or diarrhea. These issues can generally be minimized by using a slow transition schedule such as the one below.

This is one area where it’s probably ok to be a bit over-cautious and the schedule above is a bit slower of a transition than many dog owners use. But given the hyper-sensitivity of the Doberman’s stomach, being over-cautious here isn’t a bad idea.

If you’re bringing home a new Doberman, it’s a good idea to keep the dog on the same diet they had at their previous home. Changing homes (and especially owners) is stressful on a Doberman and it’s best to keep their diet the exact same for at least a few days while they get settled into their new environment to help keep their stress to a minimum. This goes for new puppies from breeders or new adult Dobermans you may adopt.

Make sure to consult with your veterinarian if your dog has any special nutritional needs or if you see any signs of intestinal or stomach upset such as diarrhea, vomiting, frequent gulping, loss of appetite, lethargy, licking the air, or frequently licking of lips.

TIP: If you’re considering a fresh food option for your Doberman, great! It’ll make a huge difference in so many aspects of life with your dog. Consider Ollie, they ship straight to your door, they expertly balance the vitamins and nutrients, and they’ll customize a plan for your specific Doberman!

Use Coupon Code “DOBERMANPLANET” for 60% Off Your First Box!
(Click below to try it for your Doberman)

Health Considerations

Bloat

One of the biggest issues when it comes to Dobermans and feeding habits is a condition called bloat — this is a condition where the stomach fills with gas or air, flips on itself, and cuts off circulation. It’s a life-threatening condition and the exact reasons why it happens are still a mystery.

However, it could have to do with over-eating, according to the DPCA. We do know that it’s an issue for bigger, deep-chested dogs and the Doberman is certainly one of these breeds.

A [Doberman] with bloat will have a distended abdomen and may appear restless and depressed and have dry heaves. Bloat most often occurs to middle-aged to older dogs.

Dr. Cathy Greenfield, Small Animal Surgeon at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Symptoms

If you suspect your Doberman has bloat, take him to your vet immediately. Pressure on the stomach will need to be relieved, and in most cases, emergency surgery to untwist the stomach will need to be performed. Below are some common symptoms of bloat.

• Enlarged abdomen.
• Rapid, shallow breathing.
• Pacing and general anxiousness.
• Pale nose, mouth, and gums.
• Drooling.
• Non-productive vomiting.
• Collapsing.

Prevention

Bloat is common in Dobermans and although the exact causes aren’t known, there are some things that owners can do to reduce the chances of their dog developing bloat, and a lot of it has to do with their meal times.

• Limit Physical Exercise 1 Hour Before an After Eating – Eating a large meal and then engaging in a high level of physical exercise immediately after has shown to increase the chances of bloat. Also, if your Dobie is panting for air because they just exercised before eating, it will increase the chances that they ingest more air while they eat, also increasing the likelihood of bloat.
• Slow Down Eating – Dog’s who are fast eaters have a five times higher risk of developing bloat as compared to slow eaters, according to the AKC (source). You can use a snuffle mat, puzzle toy, or slow-feeder bowl to help reduce the speed at which your dog eats.
• Have Fresh Water Available – Water helps your dog digest their food and also does the important job of helping transport nutrients to the rest of the body. Dobermans can be picky about always needing fresh, clean water. So even if there is water in their bowl, it doesn’t hurt to refresh it regularly to keep it clean. Also, don’t let your dog drink too much too quickly immediately after a meal either as that has also been shown to increase the risk of bloat.
• Smaller Meals, More Often – This prevents your Doberman from carrying around large quantities of food in their stomach at once, reducing their chances of developing bloat.

If you want more ideas on how to prevent bloat, take a look at the video I did all about preventing bloat in Dobermans here.

Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)

With a name like “Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy,” it’s easy to think that DCM is too complicated an issue to grasp. But simply put, DCM is an enlarged heart, and although it’s generally thought to have a genetic cause in Dobermans, there may be a connection to the food you feed your Doberman as well.

In our article, Doberman Pinscher Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) Simplified, we show how the FDA has linked DCM to certain grain-free foods. To combat this, it’s important that you feed your dog a high-quality dog food that contains grains.

Symptoms

Most early symptoms of Dilated Cardiomyopathy are only detectable via the use of an echocardiogram or 24-hour Holter exam by your veterinarian. Early detection is vital when it comes to managing this disorder. However, later symptoms include:

• Lethargy
• Weakness
• Collapse/fainting
• Unusual heart sounds or murmurs
• Irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmias
• Faster breathing
• Labored breathing
• Increased heart rate
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Coughing
• Abdominal swelling
• Pale gums
• Sudden death

Prevention

There isn’t a lot we can do just yet to prevent DCM in Dobermans, mostly because although science has discovered some of the risk factors of this disorder, we’ve yet to identify the exact cause.

Feeding a high-quality dog food that contains grains is one of the steps that may reduce the likelihood of developing bloat. Regular checkups at your veterinarian are also important for early detection and management of the disease.

You can also figure out some of your Doberman’s risk factors for developing DCM during their lifetime using a simple at-home DNA test kit that includes the DCM1 and DCM2 tests. You can learn all about the test kit we recommend for this in the Doberman Planet Guide for DNA Health Testing here.

Multiple Dog Considerations

It’s best to feed a Doberman separately from other dogs living in the same household. This is especially true if the other dog is of the same sex. Same-sex aggression can be an issue in Dobermans.

Dobermans, like many breeds, can be protective of their food, and most conflicts between dogs living in the same household are surrounding attention or food. Although some Doberman owners can get along for a long time without conflicts while feeding their dogs together, it only takes one of these incidents for serious injuries to occur.

Related Questions

Why is my Doberman always hungry? If your Doberman is always hungry, it might mean that their bodies are unable to absorb the correct amount of nutrients from their food. This could be because they’re eating too quickly or there’s a more serious problem with their digestive tract. Speak to your veterinarian.

How can I slow my Doberman down while eating? If your Doberman is eating too quickly, consider investing in a slow-feed or maze bowl to slow them down. You can also feed them from a cookie pan or muffin tin to help slow things down.

The post How Much to Feed a Doberman: A Complete Feeding Guide appeared first on Doberman Planet.

There are many ways to tell if your Doberman is in heat. This is critical information for a breeder to know as this can dictate the timing of the dog’s reproductive cycle and help determine when the mating process should occur. But not surprisingly, even Doberman owners who aren’t breeding their dog will likely want to know exactly when their dog is going into heat because there are certainly some changes (including moodiness, for example) that female Dobermans go through while they’re in heat.

When a female Doberman is in heat, hormonal changes in the body will cause her to exhibit physical and behavioral changes including swelling of the vulva, bloody discharge, mounting behaviors, and increased irritability.

When your dog is in “season” (another word for being in heat), many owners need to accommodate this by putting a female dog diaper on their Doberman, keeping her separate from other dogs in the house, or even pampering their dog to make up for some of the discomfort she’s feeling.

There are a few signs that can display in female Dobermans that will help you determine if she’s in heat. While most will display both behavioral changes and physical changes, some may not display any behavioral changes at all. Below are some of the common signs that can help you determine if your Doberman is in heat. The more of these signs your Doberman is displaying, the more likely she’s in heat.

1. Swollen Vulva Region

Swelling of the Vulva region in a Doberman is the earliest and one of the most consistent signs that a female Doberman is beginning her heat cycle. The vulva is the outer-most portion of the female reproductive organs and is located just underneath the anus. It includes the opening of the vagina. In Dobermans, the vulva will become larger and may also appear red in color. This usually occurs right before your Doberman goes into heat.

2. Vaginal Bleeding and Discharge

Another one of the most common physical signs that a Doberman is going into heat, is a bloody discharge coming from the dog’s Vulva. After your Doberman has entered her heat cycle, this bleeding may decrease.

The discharge may eventually turn from a red color to a straw-colored discharge. This is generally considered normal and is an indicator that your Doberman is ready to breed. You may think this is an obvious sign to look for, but it can be difficult to notice in Dobermans at times as they generally like to stay clean and may be constantly licking this area as a way to cleanse themselves. That brings us to the next sign.

3. Frequent Licking

A Doberman that is frequently licking her underside around her vulva may be nearing her heat cycle. This is due to your dog trying to clean herself from the discharge. This behavior is more common in Dobermans than in many other breeds.

Not all female Dobermans will engage in this behavior, but it could help you determine if she is nearing or if she has entered into her heat cycle if you do see it, especially if it is accompanied by blood.

4. Changes in Urination Behavior

If your female Doberman is in heat, you may notice that she’s frequently lifting her leg or squatting in a different manner than normal when she’s urinating. She may also be urinating in different areas than she does normally. Instinctually, this is a way they “spread their scent” (her pheromones) in an attempt to find a mate.

Any sudden changes to the location and manner in which your Doberman is urinating may be a sign that she is about to be in season. This is often seen as short moments of brief urination on objects in a dog who usually empties the entirety of her bladder in one squat.

5. Increased Anxiety or Agitation

Dobermans who are in the beginning stages of their heat cycle may develop seemingly abnormal behaviors that they don’t normally display. You may notice your dog hiding under the table, cowering, or acting more irritated. Your Doberman may also bark more frequently or even have bouts of aggression.

6. Mounting Behaviors

Your Doberman may display mating behaviors such as mounting objects or other dogs while she’s in her heat cycle. Mounting an object or another dog without any other signs does not necessarily mean that your Doberman is in heat, however. When a Doberman is in heat, mounting is typically accompanied by some of the other signs on this list.

7. Unusual Tail Positioning

The way your Doberman positions her tail can also be an indicator if she’s in heat. Near the beginning of your Doberman’s heat cycle, she may be tucking her tail more often in an attempt to protect her swollen vulva region. This is especially true when other dogs are nearby.

However, later on in her cycle, her tail may become raised or she may hold her tail to the side in the presence of males, as this would be needed for mating.

8. Tucking or Raising Her Rear End

A female Doberman who is early in her heat cycle will often tuck her rear end, or even sit down more frequently when other dogs approach. This is done in an attempt to protect her vulva. However, later in the heat cycle, she may be noticeably more inclined to raise her rear end up, especially when male dogs are in the area.

9. Appetite Changes

Your female Doberman may show appetite changes around the time that her heat cycle begins or a ways into her heat cycle. She may start experiencing an increased or decreased appetite. Although this is normal during a heat cycle, in both cases, you may want to consult with your veterinarian if your Doberman is experiencing changes in appetite just to be safe as this can also be a sign of other health issues.

Just be sure that you’re always feeding her a quality diet of food that has a proven track record with other Doberman owners.

10. More Affectionate

During her heat cycle, you may notice that your female Doberman wants to be closer to you and wants more affection from you. She may seek you out more or follow you around your home. She may even be more vocal than she was before, especially if you aren’t giving her the attention she desires.

11. More Irritable

Although some female Dobermans become more affectionate, there are also some that may become more irritable. Even still, some Dobermans may experience severe mood changes that cause them to switch back and forth. A grumpy Doberman may be agitated more easily and may even show signs of aggression.

It’s important to show a bit extra caution if your Doberman is becoming more irritable around this time, especially if she’s had issues with biting in any manner in the past.

12. Roaming or Running Away From Home

When your female Doberman is going through her heat cycle, her hormones are kicking her natural instincts into overdrive. These instincts will likely be stronger than any previous training she has been put through. Take this into consideration if you’re leaving your dog unsupervised in the backyard or taking her away from home for any reason (such as for a walk).

Female Dobermans in heat may attempt to, or will, run away. This could be to get away from a male dog that has sensed her or to find a mate. It’s important to take extra precautions during this time, even if your dog is usually extremely trustworthy while off-leash or left alone.

Her First Heat Cycle

Once your Doberman has matured, her hormones will begin to change. She will experience an increase in estrogen that will lead her body to release eggs from her ovaries. If mating were to occur, the eggs may become fertilized.

The first heat cycle for a female Doberman can occur anytime after 6-months of age, however, most won’t experience it until 9 to 12-months of age.

When it starts, typically your Doberman will go into heat twice a year, according to the AKC. Prepare for the heat cycle to last around three weeks in duration. During this three-week time span, your Doberman will go through different stages of heat. If you have any questions or concerns about the heat cycle of your Doberman, it is important to get in touch with your veterinarian.

Stages of Heat

There are several stages of heat a female Doberman will go through:

• Proestrus Stage – The first stage of heat is considered the proestrus stage. This stage lasts around one week. The eggs that are in the ovaries are almost ready to be released and estrogen levels within your dog’s body will begin to rise. This is the stage when the vulva may show visible signs of swelling and discharge may be present.

• Estrus Stage – The next stage is called the estrus stage and lasts around nine days. This is the stage where the eggs are released from the ovaries. Hormone levels continue to change and fluctuate. If your Doberman is around a male dog, you may notice her raising her tail up or shifting it to the side. During the estrus stage, it’s possible for your Doberman to become pregnant. The estrus and proestrus stages are what are called “heat”.

• Diestrus Stage – The next stage is referred to as the diestrus stage. This stage allows your Doberman’s body to prepare for her pregnancy if she is pregnant or to help her body return to normal if she isn’t. If your Doberman does not become pregnant, then she will continue to go through cycles of heat until she’s spayed or becomes pregnant. A Doberman that’s pregnant will not go through another heat cycle until she is no longer pregnant.

• Anestrus Stage – The final stage is called the anestrus stage and is the stage after pregnancy. This can also be referred to as the inactive stage. Sexual behaviors are not seen during this stage. Your Doberman will need time to recover after her pregnancy and she will not be ready to breed right away.

These various stages of heat are outlined in great detail by the DPCA here if you want more information.

A Doberman’s Last Heat Cycle

Female dogs, including Dobermans, do not go through a menopause stage of their lives. In other words, they will continue to experience their heat cycles throughout their lifetime.

Although the time span between heat cycles will increase as your Doberman gets older, according to the AKC, your female Doberman will be fertile until the end of her life and will be able to get pregnant unless she is spayed.

Missed heat periods can be an indicator of illness. Dobermans experiencing missed heat cycles should be seen by a veterinarian.

When You Can Breed a Female Doberman

A female Doberman can be successfully impregnated during the estrus stage of her heat cycle, which lasts about 9 days. This stage occurs about a week after her vulva swells and discharge is first seen. During this stage, she may lift her tail or move it to the side while in the presence of male dogs.

Your Doberman will not be able to, and will not want to, breed in all the stages of heat. This is the only stage when any female dog can become pregnant as this is when the egg can be fertilized.

It may be difficult to determine when your Doberman is in this stage of heat. Generally, the female dog will act more interested in male dogs and will present herself to a male dog if she is ready to breed.

If you suspect your Doberman might be pregnant, take a look at these 5 signs your Doberman is pregnant to find out!

False Pregnancy

A false or phantom pregnancy, scientifically known as a pseudo-pregnancy or pseudocyesis, is a common occurrence for female Dobermans. This phenomenon occurs because of increased levels of progesterone (pregnancy) hormones circulating within the Corpus Luteum.

When this happens, you will notice physical signs of pregnancy such as swollen nipples and even milk production, vomiting, and/or fluid retention. Behaviorally, with a false pregnancy, you will typically notice lethargy and mothering behaviors along with possible aggression.

“Symptoms of false pregnancy usually begin four to nine weeks after the previous heat period and mimic the symptoms of true pregnancy. The reason for false pregnancies remains a mystery.”

Ernest Ward, DVM, VCA Hospitals

False pregnancies can vary in appearance, even in the same female Doberman. There is generally nothing to worry about and your Doberman should return to normal quickly. At times though, mammary gland infections and skin inflammation in the areas near the mammary glands can occur. If this happens or if your dog appears physically ill, you should seek the help of a vet.

Comforting Your Doberman While She’s in Heat

Your girl may seem uncomfortable often during this time, and it can go a long way to provide her with some additional comfort.

• Keep up on her hygiene. Routinely check to make sure that her hygiene is kept up on, especially near the vulva region.
• Provide her with a safe space. A place away from all humans and other pets, where she can go to relax and get away from a situation she may be uncomfortable with. Some female Dobermans will want to hide when they are in their heat cycle.
• Reduce outside stressors as much as possible. This includes reducing or eliminating unusual or starteling noises, loud children, or anything else that she tends to react to.
• Speak softly. Even small things to reduce stress, such as speaking softly to your Doberman and offering reassurance can do a lot to calm her.
• Give extra attention when desired. She may not be in the mood for extra love and attention at all points in her heat cycle, but at times she could become clingy and need it in higher amounts than normal. Try to provide this for her.

The personality and mood changes of your Doberman may be hard to decipher and deal with. Just know that this is a unique time in her life and she may not be acting like her typical self. If she ever acts out aggressively or her behavior is worrisome, get into contact with your vet who can offer you advice or schedule your Doberman an appointment.

Hygiene While in Heat

While your Doberman is in heat, you may want to pay a little closer attention to her hygiene. It’s important that your Doberman remains clean during this time. The skin of the vulva is very sensitive and also very susceptible to infection.

Once the vulva is swollen, this becomes even more true. Dobermans instinctually like to stay clean and many will clean up after themselves, however, it’s still a good idea to check the area to make sure there is no dried blood or other colored discharge. To help keep your Doberman clean, you may want to consider trimming the hair around the vulva and the anus.

Some Dobermans will be quite clean and tidy with themselves, while others may be neglectful. There are dog heat diapers that could help to catch the discharge from your Doberman, although they can take some getting used to by your girl. A brand called PetParents makes a popular diaper (see them here on Amazon, or here on Chewy).

These pants do act as somewhat of a mating deterrent for male dogs, but they shouldn’t be relied upon as the only prevention method as they can easily be circumvented by intelligent dogs like the Doberman (especially when they’re determined due to strong mating instincts).

Multiple Dog Considerations

If you have multiple dogs in your household, you will want to take extra steps when your female Doberman goes into heat. While other female dogs could potentially be an issue, most of the issues lie with male dogs in the household.

When a female enters her heat cycle, a male dog may become territorial and aggressive. This could be towards both the female Doberman, other male dogs, and at times even humans in the house.

If you don’t want your female Doberman to become pregnant and there is a male dog in the house, you will have to make sure that they remain separated during her heat cycle. A male dog who wishes to mate will do everything he can in his power to get to the female who is in heat.

This can cause the male to act aggressively and go to great lengths to escape confinement. Don’t underestimate a male Doberman who senses a female nearby who’s in heat. They’ve been known to chew through doors to get to the female on the other side. So make sure any barriers are strong (they’ve even been known to successfully mate through certain fences, like chain link fence), and the more physical distance you can put between your male and female, the better.

When You Should See a Veterinarian

In general, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your veterinarian if you see anything of concern in your Doberman, but below are some specific times when you may want to reach out to your vet.

• To get a professional estimate on when your Doberman will go into heat.
• If your Doberman is displaying severe bouts of aggression and/or behavioral changes
• If you’re noticing some behavioral signs of heat, but she’s not displaying any physical signs.
• If you have any questions or concerns about her heat cycle or pregnancy.
• If you see anything unusual or unexpexted in her heat cycles.

Your vet will likely perform a physical exam and ask you questions about her progression through her heat cycle. It’s always a good idea to keep a log of what you observe (and when) for this reason. Your vet can inform you of any conditions that may be present and rule out some of the more serious ones. They should also be able to definitively determine whether or not your female Doberman is in heat.

Related Questions

Can I separate two Dobermans while they’re mating? You should never separate two Dobermans who are mating as this can cause damage to the genitalia of both dogs. During mating, the male dog’s limb will be swelling while the muscles of your female dog will be contracting. This means that they are essentially stuck together until the mating process has finished.

At what age is a Doberman’s first heat? A Doberman’s first heat cycle most commonly occurs between 9 and 12-months of age. However, it can occur as late as 15-months of age.

How long does a Doberman stay in heat? Female Dobermans typically stay in heat for around three weeks but can get pregnant only during the roughly 9-day-long Estrus stage of their cycle. They may experience one to three heat cycles a year.

How old does a female Doberman have to be to breed? A female Doberman is sexually mature enough to be bred once she experiences her first heat cycle, which is usually between 9 to 12-months of age. However, it’s generally best not to breed her until she’s at least 2 years of age.

The post 12 Signs Your Doberman Is in Heat appeared first on Doberman Planet.

One of the most desirable features of the Doberman breed is its protection abilities. This is what draws a lot of families I work with to the Doberman breed in the first place. However, most owners either don’t want to or aren’t able to, get their dog’s “protection trained”. So this begs the question, will a completely untrained Doberman protect its owner—out of instincts alone?

An untrained Doberman will often instinctually protect its owner from a perceived threat such as an intruder in the house. How likely a Doberman is to physically intervene is dependent on factors such as its training, confidence, past experiences, and its bond to its owner.

The Doberman breed possesses an impressive set of behavior traits that make them highly likely to instinctually protect their owners from harm. Additionally, with even just minor confidence reinforcement through specific activities during daily playtimes, an owner can increase their Doberman’s confidence levels and therefore the likelihood the dog will physically protect them if needed.

Physical Traits Great for Protection Work

Physically, the Doberman is certainly cut out for protection work and it’s obvious that this is the case while simply looking at a Doberman. Here are some of the physical traits that make this dog so perfectly cut out for protection work.

• Physical Stature – Dobermans are large and powerful standing at between 24 to 28 inches tall and weighing between 60 and 100 pounds (source). They also have a deep broad chest which is a great asset for taking down a human or any large animal.
• Muscle Mass – The Doberman is known for having lots of lean muscle mass which is impressive to look at but also means they’re very strong.
• Mouth and Jaw – Dobermans also have a mouth that can open extremely wide, allowing whatever they’re biting on to go all the way to the back of their mouth where they can get plenty of leverage for biting, which is partially why their bite is so strong. You can read more in my article all about the bite force of the Doberman.
• Head – The Doberman posseses a wedge shaped head that is not oversized like some other breeds. This, combined with an often thick neck means the Doberman is incredibly hard to gain control of through a choking type manuever.

Additionally, the Doberman Pinscher traditionally has cropped ears and a docked tail. This reduces the handholds for an attacker to gain control of the dog and also makes them more alert in appearance. This is why the creator of the breed originally had his Doberman’s ears cropped and tails docked (for protection work).

You can learn more about why Doberman’s ears are cropped here: Doberman Ear Cropping Pros & Cons. Also, you can find out all the reasons why tail docking is done here: Doberman Tail Docking Pros & Cons.

The Doberman’s Guarding Instincts

Doberman Pinschers are the world’s only dog breed specifically created to excel at the personal protection of their handlers. The breed was created by a tax collector and night watchman during the 1890s named Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. He also happened to be the local dog catcher in his small town of Apolda, Germany.

This meant that Mr. Dobermann had access to many different breeds of dogs. So he set out to create the ideal personal protection dog that would accompany him on his rounds collecting taxes and performing duties as a nightwatchman. Through selective breeding, he eventually came up with the dog we know today as the Doberman Pinscher.

The Doberman has an impressive natural drive to guard and protect its owners. This comes with some really cool instinctual qualities that are engrained in this breed.

Instinctual Features of Dobermans Great for Protection Work

• Highly Intune with Their Owners – Dobermans are known for being highly intune with their owners. So much so that it is often said they can sense how apprehensive their owners are about a given situation while out on a walk “down the leash” and react accordingly.
• Fearless – Dobermans are known to be fearless when compared to most other dog breeds. They are much more likely to challenge a scary situation than they are to run from it. Another great trait for a guard dog.
• Suspicious of Strangers – These dogs are naturally suspicious of strangers, although this depends on their levels of socialization when young and other factors. In fact, female Dobermans are known for being much more suspicious of strangers than males. You can learn more in my article Are Male or Female Dobermans Better Guard Dogs.
• High Drive and Determination – Dobermans love having a task to accomplish and have a natural drive to accomplish that task no matter what. This means they are incredibly difficult to discourage from continuing an attack if they have decided to physically intervene to protect their owner.
• Highly Trainable – In the book “The Intelligence of Dogs” Dr. Stanley Coren, a professor of canine psychology at the University of British Columbia, concluded that the Doberman was able to understand new commands in fewer than five repetitions and obey the first command 95% of the time or better (source). This places the Doberman among the most trainable dogs in the world, perfect for guard work.
• Loyalty – Dobermans are known as one of the most loyal breeds on the planet. This is one reason militaries and police departments are actually using the Doberman less often. They have a hard time changing handlers. However, this is a great trait for a family protection dog.
• Stay Close to Their Owners – Dobermans are known as “velcro dogs” meaning they have a strong natural desire to stick close to their owner’s sides and make sure they don’t go anywhere alone. Another great trait for a protection dog.
• Intelligent Problem Solvers – Dr. Stanley Coren, PhD also concluded that the Doberman was the 5th most intelligent dog breed in the world. They are apt problem solvers and when combined with their drive and determination, this makes them an extremely formidable protection dog.

Clearly, the creator of the breed did amazingly well in selecting traits to preserve as he was selectively breeding. He created a dog that has many natural traits that make them perfect for guard and protection work.

Natural Protection Behavior

A Doberman, even one that has never been trained in protection work or bite sports, can often be seen exhibiting natural protective behaviors that are completely instinctual to them. Below are some examples of behaviors you’re likely to see from a Doberman.

• Sleeping Facing the Door – Dobermans can most often be found sleeping with their backs to the wall and facing the doorway or enterance to a room. This is especially true when sleeping with their owners in new enviornments.
• Sticking Close to Their Owners in New Environments – This breed will naturally stick closer to the side of their owners while in new or unusual environments, especially female Dobermans.
• Checking in with Their Owners Frequently – If let off leash, most Dobermans will often periodically check back in with their owners. Usually every couple of minutes.
• Protective or Aggressive Behavior When Their Owners are Anxious – This is most often seen while an owner is out on a walk and becomes tense in an unusual situtation. Dobermans can sense this tension and will often react accordingly.
• Checking the Perimeter of Their Property – You’ll often notice that when a Doberman is let into their yard after being kept away, they’ll immediately run around the perimeter searching and smelling the area for any changes since they last left.

These are common behaviors you’re likely to naturally see out of any Doberman, even completely untrained ones. These behaviors, which come naturally to the Doberman, are incredibly useful to an owner wanting a protection dog.

Dealing with Intruders

Whether or not a Doberman will physically protect its owner when an intruder breaks into the home is dependant on many factors including that specific dog’s personality, level of training, confidence, and more. It is not a given that a Doberman will automatically protect its owner, although Dobermans are arguably one of the most likely breeds to do this.

European Dobermans especially are most likely to physically intervene if an intruder breaks into their home, although many American lines will as well. You can learn more about this, and other differences between these two varieties in my article American vs. European Doberman: A Side-by-Side Comparison.

Almost all Dobermans will alert and bark at an intruder, and many will physically intervene. Especially if that intruder is becoming physical with someone in the house. Dobermans, like many dogs, understand the significance when a situation turns physical, versus when it’s verbal only.

Training Your Doberman to Protect You

There are some things that you as the owner can do to help encourage your Doberman to physically protect you if the need arises. Below are some of the things you can do to help with this.

• Build Confidence – The number one thing any owner can do to increase the chances of a Doberman protecting them if needed, is to build that dog’s confidence. Confident Dobermans almost always intervene when needed. Confidence building games such as tug-of-war or agility games great ways to do this. I made a video all about building confidence in a Doberman which you can see here.
• Bite Sports/Training – Many owners will get their dogs involved in bite sports such as IGP, IPO, or Shutzhund. This is a great way to get your Doberman confident in protecting you when needed. To excell at this sport you need to have a Doberman who knows when it’s appropriate to be protective and when it’s not.
• Build a Stronger Bond – The stronger the bond between you and your dog, the more likely they are to put themselves in harms way for you when needed. Spend time with your dog, train them, work with them, and include them in family events. The more bonding time the better.
• Increase in Socialization – The more socialized your dog is, the more relaxed they’ll be in new situations. Having a socialized Doberman isn’t just great for a relaxed family dog, it’s also great for a protection dog because they’ll more easily be able to tell when a situation is “unusual” or “abnormal” and will be more likely to react appropriately.

Past Examples of Dobermans Protecting Their Owners

There are many examples of Doberman protecting their owners in various ways when needed. You’ll notice below that the intelligence of these dogs means they won’t just protect you from a burglar or attacker, but they are smart enough to realize when they need to protect you from other things like snakes.

Example 1 – Doberman Takes a Bullet Defending It’s Owner

On September 1st of 2020, a 58-year-old man was returning home after withdrawing cash from the local bank when two men, armed with guns, approached and threatened the man. They told the owner that they were going to shoot him when the man’s granddaughter opened the gate to their property without realizing what was happening.

When she did that, the family Doberman “Niki” can be seen on a security camera assessing the situation before physically attacking the assailants. The dog was shot but made a full recovery. The owner said the following about what Niki did, “She saved my life…They would have shot me, they told me they were going to shoot me.”

Video of This Incident

Example 2 – Doberman Saves Baby from Snake Attack

In 2007, a family rescued an adult Doberman name “Khan” from an animal shelter. The Doberman had come to the shelter as an abused dog who had been starved and beaten and had multiple broken ribs. The family who adopted Khan had a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, Charlotte. Only four days after the family rescued Khan, Charlotte was playing in her backyard when with Khan nearby.

At the time, Charlotte’s mother saw Khan “pushing” Charlotte away while she was playing. Khan had spotted a King Brown Snake, near Charlotte (the world’s third more venomous snake). As Khan wasn’t succeeding at pushing Charlotte away from the snake, he eventually grabbed her and threw her away from the snake.

Khan the Doberman was then bitten by the deadly snake shortly after. He was treated and made a full recovery. You can read more about this story here.

Example 3 – Doberman Shot Defending Owner from Armed Intruder

In 2011, a five-year-old Doberman named Zeus was let out of the house by his owner into his backyard when Zeus ran around the side of the home. His owner followed closely behind, but before the owner got to the corner of the home where he could see Zeus, the owner heard a gunshot, and Zeus “yelp”.

This gave the homeowner enough warning to quickly turn around and run back into the home for safety, calling authorities. Zeus recovered from his injures. You can see a video of the news report here.

Example 4 – Doberman Bites Home Intruder

In 2018 a home intruder broke into Vicky Cataldo’s house in Edmond, Oklahoma. Vicky’s daughter was inside the home alone with their 10-year-old Doberman Pinscher named “Prince”. Prince had never been trained to bite and was only raised to be a family dog.

Vicky stated that she believed the intruder was watching her house and broke in only once he saw all the cars leave. That’s when the suspect opened up the front door and came into the house. The dog quickly bit the intruder who ran from the scene screaming.

News Report on This Incident

Example 5 – Doberman Attacks Potential Burglar During the Night

YouTuber “amikegyver” posted security camera footage from his property in July of 2017. He reported that a trespasser came onto his property before his Doberman chased him away.

In the video, the potential burglar can be seen scoping the property for an entry point. He finally came within the fence line when a large Doberman shows up and appears to be aggressively pursuing the intruder before he is sent scrambling back up over the fence and off into the darkness.

Video of This Incident

Final Thoughts

Dobermans were bred from the beginning to be the ideal personal protection dogs and they certainly excel at that role. Their intelligence, drive, determination, loyalty, and fearlessness all play a huge role in why they are so great at protecting their families.

If you’re looking, as I was many years ago, for the ideal family dog who could double as a great personal protection dog, I would strongly suggest you consider the Doberman since they’re naturally great at protecting your family from an intruder with very little, or even no, training.

The post How Even Untrained Dobermans Will Protect Their Owners appeared first on Doberman Planet.

One of the first steps a potential new Doberman owner has to do is pick between all the various types of Doberman out there; the American, European, the various colors, what age Doberman to get, and even if they should get a male or female Doberman. There are almost endless combinations to pick from. As someone who specializes in the differences in behavior between the various Dobermans out there, believe me when I say there are very real differences between these Doberman variants and it’s incredibly important to pick one that matches your home environment and your goals.

There are certainly far more traits to explore with these dogs beyond what’s listed in the table below. For example, a single owner living by themselves who wants a dog that excels at keeping them safe on a daily basis will likely choose a much different type of Doberman over a family with young kids wanting a dog to fit in seamlessly with the kids in the house.

Doberman Type Decision Chart

The chart below outlines some of the major types of Doberman that you will choose between during your dog search, along with the key deciding factors for each type and examples of ideal situations.

Although there are many more differences between these types of Doberman (explained further in the sections below), their behavior seems to be the most important factor for new owners.

Choosing the Variety

There are a few varieties of Dobermans to pick from and although they’re all considered Dobermans, they have many differences from each other. You can dive further in-depth into the differences between American and European Dobermans in my article American vs. European Doberman: A Side-by-Side Comparison.

American Dobermans

The American Doberman is considered to be better suited for a role as a family pet and is a great choice for first-time Doberman owners. They have many character traits that help them to excel in this role. The list below will give you an overview of American Dobermans, should you make this choice.

Size

• Height
  • Males: 26 – 28 Inches
  • Females: 24 – 26 Inches
• Weight:
  • Males: 75 – 100 lbs
  • Females: 60 – 80 lbs

Price

• $1500 – $2500 from a reputable breeder in the U.S.

Appearance

• Build—Thinner, more toned, long, lean, and with a more elegant look.
• Head—Wedge shaped, with a thinner muzzle.
• Eyes—Light brown.
• Chest—Smaller, narrower chest.
• Legs—Thinner bone structure.

Behavior

American Dobermans are known for being the ideal family pet due to their calmer and more relaxed nature. They tend to be more in-tune with their owner’s emotions and respond positively to lots of positive reinforcement during training. They’re less head-strong and stubborn than the Europeans and can be easier to train for the new dog owner.

They also tend to share space better than the European Doberman and will cuddle with their owners without hesitation. However, they can lack some confidence as compared to Europeans in new situations meaning they may stick closer to your side while out in public and might be slightly less likely to physically intervene if their owner is attacked. Although it’s worth noting that any Doberman is still likely to intervene if their owner is threatened.

European Dobermans

The European Doberman is considered to be better suited for a working role but is often known to excel as a family dog as well, especially in active families. Below are some of the notable traits of the European Doberman.

• Height
  • Males: 27 – 28 Inches
  • Females: 25 – 27 Inches
• Weight:
  • Males: 80 – 105 lbs
  • Females: 65 – 85 lbs

Price

• $2500 – $3500 from a reputable breed in the U.S. (likely less if purchased in Europe).

Appearance

• Build—Thicker, with more muslce mass, less toned, and builkier overall.
• Head—Broader head with a thick muzzle.
• Eyes—Dark brown.
• Chest—Larger, broad chest.
• Legs—Thicker bone structure.

Behavior

European Dobermans are known for being the ideal working dog due to their high levels of energy and drive. They tend to be more confident and headstrong than the American’s and thrive on firm, clear direction during training mixed with some positive reinforcement. Due to their stubbornness, European Dobermans can be more difficult for an inexperienced dog owner to train.

European’s can also be great family dogs but do generally prefer more room and are less inclined to share personal space over their American Doberman. Europeans do well in very active families. They’re more confident in new or unusual surroundings however, this means they may be more likely to wander away from their owners in these situations than the Americans. Their high level of confidence also means that they are more likely to intervene physically if their owners are threatened.

Warlock, King, Gladiator, or Goliath Dobermans

There isn’t a set of behaviors or physical traits that are typical for a Warlock Doberman since this is primarily a marketing term some breeders use to describe an “exceptionally large Doberman”, and it isn’t truly any recognized variety of Doberman. Other similar names also used in this same fashion are the terms King, Gladiator, or Goliath Doberman.

The term “Warlock” originated from a famous American Doberman from the 1950s and 1960s named “Borong the Warlock”. Borong became famous due to his astonishing long list of titles in a wide variety of dog shows and competitions.

Borong the Warlock (the original Warlock) Racked Up:

• 230 Best of Breed titles.
• 20 “bests” in Specialty shows.
• 66 working group titles.

He was also the only Doberman Pinscher to have won the DPCA National Specialty three times. This long list of accomplishments is what helped propel Borong the Warlock to such a famous status. But remember, Borong the Warlock was just a normal American Doberman of average size. Borong sired many puppies since his name was so revered in the Doberman community due to his accomplishments and the name “Warlock” became known as meaning simply “a Doberman from a good quality bloodline”.

Around the 1970s in the United States, the term “Warlock” was adopted as a marketing term by breeders who were attempting to fill a growing demand for exceptionally large Dobermans. Unfortunately, this often meant they bred mix-breed dogs while looking for genetics to make larger Dobermans and labeling their creations as “Warlocks”.

Therefore there isn’t a set of standard behavior or even physical characteristics for a Warlock since it has meant so many different things over the years to so many people. Here are the types of mixed breed dogs that are often referred to as “Warlocks”.

Common Mix Breeds Referred to as Warlock, King, Gladiator, or Goliath Dobermans

• Doberman/Great Dane Mix – Also often called a “Dober-Dane”. Often this is done to make what appears to be a “taller Doberman”.
• Doberman/Rottweiler Mix – Also often called a “Rotterman”. Which is often done to make what appears to be a “bulkier Doberman”.

Just remember that if you are seeking out a Warlock, King, Gladiator, or Goliath Doberman then you’re usually seeking out a mixed breed dog. At times, some breeders will use the term to describe normal Dobermans who are just genetically slightly on the large side as well. But they’re always either an American or European Doberman. Refer to those sections above to learn more about those two main varieties.

Choosing the Sex

The most interesting thing about selecting the sex of the Doberman you want is that each sex has its own set of typical behavior traits. Below is a summary of the main differences between the two sexes but to learn more in-depth information about the differences, see my article Male vs. Female Doberman: Which is Better.

Male Dobermans

Male Dobermans are typically about 2 inches taller and 15 to 20 pounds heavier on average with more muscle mass than females. They’re known for being more “goofy” and playful than the females. They also have a reputation for bonding well with a family as a whole and being more accepting of strangers. They are generally more “outgoing” while in public and willing to explore their surroundings which can make them a bit more difficult to control while off-leash as compared to females.

They bond easier with new people and animals than females do. They’re also slower to mature than female Dobermans and usually hit an adult mentality at closer to 4 years of age. The fact that they’re slow to mature can make early training at a young age difficult at times due to how easily they’re distracted as compared to females.

Male Dobermans can also be a bit more headstrong and stubborn than females. They’re also more demanding of attention and affection from their owners. When bringing a Male Doberman into a home with other male dogs, it’s important to note that male-on-male aggression may be an issue especially if the dogs are close in age. Male Dobermans get in more frequent conflicts with dogs of the same sex than females do, but they’re usually less serious in nature with fewer injuries.

“Choosing a Doberman that is of the opposite sex of another dog already living in your home will increase the likelihood that they’ll get along.”

– John Walter, Canine Communication Certified (DobermanPlanet.com)

Female Dobermans

Female Dobermans are about 2 inches shorter and 15 to 20 pounds lighter than male Dobermans with less muscle mass. They’re “smoother’ in appearance and less bulky in muscle. Female Dobermans are known for being more serious and intense than males are. They generally bond tighter to one specific person in the family, which is another difference from the males.

Female Dobermans are also generally more reserved and suspicious of strangers and slower to warm up to new people. This means they are more cautious about exploring their surroundings while in a new environment and more likely to stick closer to their owners. This can make off-leash control of a female easier at times than a male.

Females tend to mature quicker than males and hit that adult mentality at about 2 years of age. This can make training a female Doberman at a young age easier than a male as they tend to stay more focused during training sessions. Females need more affection than males to be happy but are less demanding about getting it from their owners.

When bringing a female Doberman into a home with other female dogs, it’s important to note that female-on-female aggression may be an issue especially if the dogs are close in age. Female Dobermans get in less frequent conflicts with dogs of the same sex than males do, but when they occur they’re usually more serious in nature with frequent injuries.

Choosing the Lineage

What lineage your Doberman comes from arguably makes the biggest impact on how he or she will ultimately behave. Their genetic influences can more than make up for the sometimes subtle behavior differences between the specific variety or sex of the dog. Remember to always ask your breeder what they’re breeding for in their puppies. Are they breeding for champion working dogs or family dogs? This will tell you a lot about the likely genetic influences in the dog’s behavior.

Working Lines

Dobermans bred from working lines tend to possess higher levels of energy, more drive, more determination, and require high levels of focused daily training. They tend to be difficult for the average family to own and are almost never recommended for a first-time dog owner.

Working lines are happiest when they have regular tasks to accomplish during the day, especially those requiring physical exertion. If brought into a relaxed family environment without adequate daily exercise, it can lead to heightened levels of anxiety from the dog resulting in destructive chewing, barking, crying, and other negative behaviors. Intense working Dobermans without an outlet can also become a risk as biting problems can develop.

Pet Lines

Dobermans bred from genetic lines focused more on behavior and temperament traits which are ideal for a family pet to possess tend to be a much better family dog. They’re generally calmer, easier to train, less stubborn or headstrong, and are recommended for first-time owners.

These dogs are happiest when they’re living in close proximity to the members of their family, have a predictable daily routine, and close interactions with the other members of their “pack” (or family). They tend to be more accepting of strangers and just generally easier to manage on a daily basis.

Choosing an Age

When buying a Doberman from a breeder, you rarely can select at what age to bring the dog home. It’s almost always when the dog is between 8 and 12 weeks of age. But adopting or rescuing a Doberman means you can get a dog of just about any age.

Puppies (8 Weeks – 1 Year)

Getting a Doberman as a puppy means you can bond with your dog from a very young age. You will be taking your puppy home while he or she is generally still within the “critical socialization window”, which occurs between 4 to 16 weeks of age. This is when the sights, sounds, and experiences a dog has will set the stage for their future behavior.

Getting a Doberman as a puppy means you can acclimate your dog during this critical window of time to the sights, noises, and experiences they’ll typically experience while living with you, potentially leading to a calmer adult dog later on. Also, by selecting a puppy instead of an adult it means you can train the dog from the beginning the way you want, ensuring there are no negative habits that result along the way.

However, the dog will need a very high level of focus and attention from you during the first year of development. This means you’ll have your work cut out for you with potty training, the puppy nipping/biting stage, teething, and socialization.

“To increase the chances of a Doberman getting along with another dog in the house, make sure there is at least a 6 month age difference between the two dogs. Although a 2 year age difference (or more) is preferred.”

– John Walter, Canine Communication Certified (DobermanPlanet.com)

Adults (1 Year or More)

Choosing to get an adult Doberman generally means you’re adopting your dog from a rescue center or shelter. Adult Dobermans, especially those from a shelter or rescue, can have an unknown history. This means they may have bad habits, unpredictable behavior triggers, or may simply be used to a much different living environment than you provide.

Bringing home an adult Doberman means you are taking on a dog who you don’t know much about generally. The good news is you get to get a glimpse into the dog’s adult behavior before bringing the dog home, something that is not possible when buying a puppy.

However, if the dog has an unknown trigger, you may not discover this until you’ve already committed to owning the dog. This could also be scary if you have children in the house. Also, they may have developed bad habits at their previous home such as destructive chewing, leash pulling, or barking habits that they were permitted to get away with by their previous owner.

Dobermans given up to shelters or rescue centers are often done so because of behavior issues that the owner was not equipped to handle while other times it may simply be because an owner passed away or was no longer able to care for the dog. It’s impossible to know all the details with a rescue dog.

The main benefits to taking on an adult Doberman are that you can skip a lot of the more difficult stages in a dog’s life that occur during puppyhood. They’re often at least partially housebroken, leash trained, and may already understand some basic commands.

Choosing a Color

The primary differences between Dobermans of different colors are how the dog looks, and their health concerns. Very rarely do behavior traits have anything to do with color. The differences between health, colors, and any notes about temperament are listed below.

Black and Rust

This is the most common color of Doberman per the American Kennel Club (AKC). This is also the most traditional look for a Doberman and it’s the color combination more often seen in movies and television. It’s generally believed to be the color with the fewest health concerns and easiest to find when searching for a Doberman. This color is created via a dominant gene in Dobermans which is why it’s seen more frequently.

Key Deciding Factors

• The “classic” Doberman color.
• Most easily recognizable as a Doberman.
• The most popular color.
• The least health concerns.
• Can compete in any breed competitions.

The black and rust Doberman is also most quickly and easily identifiable as a Doberman which is one reason they’re a popular choice for guard work—intruders who recognize a dog as a Doberman are less likely to challenge that dog. This is considered a “standard color” for both American and European Dobermans and they can compete in any dog show or event.

Red and Rust

The red and rust Doberman is the second most popular and common color of Doberman. These dogs are generally thought to be a bit more easy-going and less territorial than black and rust Dobermans. Although, there are no studies to back this assertion up, and this is simply conjecture among those in the Doberman community.

Key Deciding Factors

• Second most popular color.
• Thought to be easy going and less territorial.
• Prone to some skin and fur issues.
• Can compete in any breed competitions.

They are a bit more prone to skin and fur issues than the black and rust Dobermans which are usually mild and easily treatable. These issues include acne and hair thinning or loss. This is considered a “standard color” for both American and European Dobermans and they’re able to compete in all dog shows and events.

Blue and Rust

The blue and rust Dobermans (often called a “grey”, “silver”, or “purple” Doberman) usually appear to be more of a grey color. This color is made via a color dilution gene that causes the pigmentation of an otherwise black and rust Doberman to become “diluted” in appearance.

Key Deciding Factors

• Less common color.
• Same temperament as black and rust Dobermans.
• Prone to skin and fur concerns.
• Prone to Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA).
• May be excluded from some European Kennel Club competitions.

They’re often considered less desirable and are therefore bred less often by breeders, making them rarer than the black or red Dobermans. These dogs have the same temperament as black and rust Dobermans with a few additional potential health concerns.

Blue and rust Dobermans are especially prone to skin and fur problems such as ingrown hairs, staph infections, and acne. They’re also very prone to a condition called Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA). This is a condition that is passed down genetically and can cause thinning hair, hair loss, and dry and itchy skin. This color is considered a standard color only for American Dobermans but not Europeans. As a result, they may be disqualified from entering certain competitions put on by European Kennel Clubs.

Fawn and Rust

The fawn and rust Doberman (also often called “Isabella” Dobermans) are essentially red and rust Dobermans who also have inherited the color dilution gene. This “dilutes” the pigmentation in their coat resulting in a fawn color, instead of a red.

Key Deciding Factors

• The least common of the four standard colors.
• Same temperament as red and rust Dobermans.
• Prone to skin and fur concerns.
• Prone to Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA).
• May be excluded from some European Kennel Club competitions.

These are also often considered to be somewhat less desirable and are often avoided by breeders, making them a rare find. These dogs have the same temperament as the red and rust Dobermans but do have additional health concerns.

These health concerns, same as with the blue Dobermans, involve their skin and coat. They are more prone to acne, ingrown hairs, and staph infections. They are also prone to Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) which is a genetic condition that can cause hair thinning, hair loss, and dry and itchy skin. This color is considered a standard color for American Dobermans but not European Dobermans. They may be disqualified from entering certain competitions put on my European Kennel Clubs.

White

The white Dobermans (also often referred to as “albino”) is the most controversial color of Doberman. This rare color is considered by many in the Doberman world to be the least desirable due to its potential for skin, health, and even potentially behavioral issues.

Key Deciding Factors

• Very rare.
• Possible behavior problems due to inbreeding.
• Prone to skin and fur concerns.
• Prone to sun burns.
• Prone to cancerous skin tumours.
• Prone to eyesight problems, especially in bright light.
• Excluded from kennel club competitions.

Many professionals in the Doberman world claim that significant levels of inbreeding and limited gene pools within the white Doberman lines have resulted in dogs with behavioral and health issues. Many consider it immoral to continue to breed for white-colored Dobermans.

Common health concerns of white Dobermans include eyesight issues (especially in bright lighting), the potential for sunburns, and increased rates of cancerous skin tumors. You can learn a lot more about the white Doberman in my article The White Doberman Pinscher: Pictures, Cost, Health, and More.

More Colors

While the colors listed above are the most common and recognized colors for Dobermans, you can learn all there is to know about the various colors of Doberman that exist such as the all-black Doberman (and many more) in my article All the Colors and Types of the Doberman Pinscher.

Example Situations and Dog Choices

Below are some examples of specific owners and their situations along with a recommendation for a specific type of Doberman that would be likely to fit their needs. These are merely recommendations and don’t mean that other types, sexes, ages, or lineages of Dobermans won’t work, simply that these recommendations are more likely to be an ideal fit for the types of owners listed below.

• A single woman without much dog experience, living alone, who isn’t highly active, and wanting protection – A great choice for this person would be a female American Doberman who is a puppy and from pet lines. American Dobermans are great for new owners, as are puppies (adults can have past behavior issues that require experienced owners). American lines with a pet lineage are also better for those who aren’t active or experienced dog owners. Also, a female is great as they love bonding with one individual very tightly and tend to be very protective of that person.
• An experienced dog owner, who is very social, and wishing to get involved in Search and Rescue (SAR) work – A great choice for this person would be a male European Doberman who is either a puppy or adult, and from working lines. Males are known for being very socially accepting of new people which is great for a social person like this. Also, Europeans are fantastic for roles as working dogs. An experienced owner should be able to handle either an adult or puppy.
• A family who is moderately active, inexperienced raising working breeds, and consists of multiple young children – A great choice for this family would be a male or female American Doberman, who is a puppy, and from pet lines. Dobermans are active dogs and even though the American is less active, they can still easily keep up with most families. They’re also a bit better for owners inexperienced in raising working breeds. Getting the dog as a puppy and raising them with young children in the house allows for tight bonding with the kids and is much better than an adult Doberman with an unknown past.
• An experienced dog owner who is single, not very social or active, living alone, and wanting protection – A female American Doberman, who is either a puppy or an adult, and from pet lines would work great here. American Dobermans are a great fit for owners who may be less active. Female Dobermans also bond very tightly to one person, seem to do better in less social households, and are excellent at protecting that person.
• An extremely active backpacking enthusiast, who is highly social, experienced raising working breeds, and who wants a dog to train and hike with – A male European Doberman from working lines who is either an adult or puppy is a good fit here. European Dobermans are great for highly active individuals. A male Doberman is great for someone who is highly social and wants a dog to be open to new people and animals. Also, this owner should be able to handle behavior problems that may arise from the unknown past of an adult Doberman so they could thrive with either an adult or puppy.
• A single man who is not very social or active, and already owns a 2 year old male dog – A female American Doberman puppy from pet lines would be a great fit here. American Dobermans are better for those who are less active and a female Doberman is better for this person because he already owns a male dog (this will avoid “same sex aggression” issues in the house between the two dogs). Also, a puppy is best as this will ensure a 2 year age difference between the dogs, lessening the chances of the owner experiencing behavior issues with his dogs due to “littermate syndrome”.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, the single biggest influence on the behavior of any given Doberman is what lineage he or she comes from. Meaning, what the dog was bred for. As an example, American Dobermans are generally calmer and easier for an average family to manage but I’ve seen working lines of American Dobermans who are incredibly intense as they were bred for working sports.

Similarly, I’ve seen European Dobermans bred for families who are very relaxed and easy to manage. So although we dissected many, often subtle, differences between the various types of Dobermans in this article, remember that the genetics of the individual puppy you choose is probably the strongest influence on that dog’s behavior.

If you want help choosing a specific puppy from a litter and gauging their individual genetic influences (very important when getting a puppy) you can see my article all about picking a specific Doberman puppy from a litter which will help you gauge how that dog is likely to behave as an adult.

Related Questions

Which Doberman breed is best? The best Doberman for a role as a family pet in a household that has frequent visitors is most commonly a male American Doberman Pinscher. The best Doberman for a highly active individual owner is most likely a female European Doberman.

What Doberman should I get? You should get a Doberman whose temperament closely matches your lifestyle. For example, a highly active owner living alone who wants a dog for protection should consider a female European Doberman while a relaxed family who has frequent visitors to the house should consider a male American Doberman.

Which Doberman is bigger? The biggest type of Doberman is generally considered to be a Warlock Doberman (also often called a King, Goliath, or Gladiator Doberman). Although these dogs are often not purebred Dobermans. The largest purebred Doberman is a European Doberman.

Helpful Resources

• 15 Places to Find Doberman Puppies for Sale: Best to Worst – This is a useful list of the best places to find Doberman breeders. This page rankes the various Doberman breeder directories from low risk to very high risk.

The post How to Choose Which Type of Doberman to Get (with Examples) appeared first on Doberman Planet.

Dobermans traditionally have a tail that’s docked at about the second joint. However, long natural tails on these dogs are becoming more popular in recent years. Owners have a choice to make, should you dock your Doberman’s tail or leave it natural? It’s a simple question and after working with many clients as they raise their Dobermans, and speaking to Doberman experts, I think it’s clear that there are valid arguments on both sides of this issue.

Dobermans do not have to have their tails docked. While a Doberman with cropped ears and a short docked tail is the traditional look for the breed, there is no requirement that owners need to get their Doberman’s tail docked unless you plan to enter breed conformation shows.

Many people new to the Doberman breed seem to think that the only reason for getting their tails docked is for cosmetic reasons. When in fact, there are many more reasons than that. Whether or not the remaining arguments hold any weight with you personally, is another story. Here are the pros and cons to getting your Doberman’s tail docked.

PLEASE NOTE: In this article, I will present the potential pros and cons of docking a Doberman’s tail by presenting arguments of those who are for and against it. The opinions and statements in the pros and cons sections in this article aren’t necessarily representative of the author’s opinions. They are presented here so you can make up your own mind.

Pros – The Arguments for Tail Docking

These are the potential benefits to getting your Doberman’s tail docked as most frequently argued by those who are for tail docking.

1. The Breed Standard

A breed standard is a document that outlines what the ideal example of a particular breed should be. Primarily, these documents are relied upon by breed conformation judges in the dog show circuit while evaluating dogs. There are two major breed standards for the Doberman.

The breed standard most used in the U.S. for the Doberman Pinscher, the AKC breed standard (available here), says:

“Tail docked at approximately second joint, appears to be a continuation of the spine, and is carried only slightly above the horizontal when the dog is alert.”

– Official Breed Standard of the Doberman Pinscher (The American Kennel Club)

The breed standard used in Europe, the Americas, Caribbean, Asia, Africa, and Oceania for the Dobermann (available here), says:

“The tail is left natural and is ideally carried high in a slight curve.”

– Federation Cynologique Internationale (AISBL) Standard No. 143 – Dobermann

The interesting thing about these breed standards when it comes to the tail is they are exactly opposite of each other. One requires a docked tail and the other requires a natural tail. Both consider it a fault to be outside their respective requirements.

Remember though that the breed standard only really matters if you plan to compete in breed conformation shows with your dog. The average household with a pet Doberman likely won’t be concerned with meeting breed standard requirements.

If you’re new to the Doberman breed, you can learn a lot of these basics by taking a look at the Complete Doberman Breed Overview here.

2. Easier Recognition as a Doberman

Inside the United States, a Doberman with a docked tail and cropped ears is so common that it’s actually extremely unusual to see one left in their natural state. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people who aren’t familiar with the breed to say they believe that Dobermans are born with short tails and upright ears naturally, as many have never seen a natural Doberman.

So when you leave your Doberman natural, it may get misidentified by people in public as a type of hound dog, mixed breed, or something else. Now, this can also be a benefit if you’re worried about the breed stigma that goes with the Doberman of being vicious, and want a dog who will be perceived as “softer”.

But being quickly identified also has other benefits, such as a deterrent for potential attackers, which bring us to the next point.

3. Better for Protection Work

The original reason Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann docked the tails of his Dobermans was to help them excel at their original purpose, protection work. The Doberman’s naturally long, thin tail presented a weak point and it could be easily broken in a fight. It could also be used as a handhold to gain control of the dog by an attacker. Both of these could be solved by docking the tail.

Besides helping with their original purpose, protection of their owners, a docked tail will also help a would-be attacker identify the dog as a Doberman quickly and easily (see point 2 above). Even criminals know that the Doberman is very protective and fiercely loyal to their owners and most won’t want to challenge one if they realize the dog they’re confronted with is a Doberman.

A docked tail can help them identify the breed quicker and possibly prevent an incident before it even occurs simply because of the Doberman’s reputation.

4. Prevents Future Injuries (Breakage)

A Doberman’s natural tail is long, thin, and dense. It can also break if it hits the coffee table too hard or the door frame as the dog sprints through the house. A broken tail on an adult Doberman is very painful and a vet will often recommend amputation if it occurs.

If the tail needs to be removed as an adult, it’s no longer a simple tail docking. It’s considered an “amputation” at that point and is now a serious procedure that can be painful for the dog. As a puppy that’s only a few days old (the typical time when a tail is docked), it’s not considered an amputation and is instead a simple procedure that arguably causes little or no pain.

5. More Practical in Daily Life

I’ve only ever owned Dobermans with docked tails but many owners who have owned both Dobermans with naturally long tails and short docked tails have told me that they much prefer docked tails for practical reasons. The long, dense, fast-whipping tail apparently has a tendency to smack kids hard in the face (causing tears), swipe drinks off of coffee tables, and cause other practical issues in daily life.

These things are made worse due to the fact that Dobermans are known for always wanting to be exactly where their owners are at all times.

6. Minimal Discomfort

The tails of Doberman puppies are docked when the dog is between 1 and 5 days old. Sometimes as late as 7 days old. When the docking is done at that young of an age, the nerve endings have not grown down into the tail yet meaning they likely won’t experience any pain at all. Tails are also not always simply cut off anymore, many breeders and veterinarians will simply wrap the tail in a tight band that will cause the tail to fall off in a few days.

In fact, one study on tail docking concluded the following:

“It may be concluded, therefore, that the initial absence of sufficient cortical-subcortical interactivity in puppies within 7 days of birth renders them incapable of consciously experiencing pain when tail docked at that age.”

– Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, New Zealand (Source)

The same research study cited above also indicates that researchers were only “occasionally” able to detect feeling sensations being received by the puppy from their tails at 7 days after birth but that they weren’t fully neurologically matured (and able to feel pain completely in their tails) until between 14 and 28 days after birth.

7. Cosmetics

Lastly, many owners admit that they prefer the look of a Doberman who more closely resembles the “classic” Doberman Pinscher. Certainly, these dogs are known for their proud and stoic looks which many argue is enhanced with upright ears and a docked tail.

Other owners are also highly concerned with raising a Doberman in the image that was intended for the breed by the original creator of these dogs, Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. His early Dobermans had docked tails.

Cons – The Arguments Against Tail Docking

Below are the potential downsides, or cons, to tail docking as is argued by those who are against the continuation of this practice.

1. Unnecessary Pain and Discomfort

Removing a Doberman’s tail is almost never medically necessary, especially when it’s typically done (at only a few days old). Many see this as completely unnecessary and argue that cutting through skin, muscle, and cartilage is always painful for a dog at any age. Also, it’s unclear how many Dobermans actually experience a broken tail as an adult.

During a study done on the behaviors of puppies during the tail docking procedure, researchers made the following observation regarding the 50 tail dockings they observed:

“All puppies vocalised intensely (‘shrieking’) at the time of amputation of the tail.”

– Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 49, Issue 4, 1996, Pages 335-342 (source).

Also, other studies have indicated that the dogs may experience ongoing increased sensitivity to pain in their tail stub or even phantom pains as an adult.

The issue of how much pain is felt is certainly still up for debate as there appears to be conflicting information. For example, many have argued that the “shrieking” that puppies do during tail docking is simply due to being pulled away from their mother and not from pain.

“Research shows that an intact tail is unlikely to become injured, and if it does, injuries are usually minor and heal easily.”

– James Serpell, PhD, director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at the University of Pennsylvania (source)

2. Reduced Communication

As someone who is certified in Canine Communication, I can tell you that Dobermans, like all dogs, use every part of their body to communicate how they’re feeling to other dogs and humans. Removal of one of the “tools” they use to communicate can lead to misunderstandings from other dogs especially, and the potential for additional conflicts.

These conflicts of course are not due to some inherent aggressiveness in the breed since Dobermans are not aggressive dogs, but instead simply due to a lack of an ability to communicate.

For example, in the dog world, a tail pointing up high to the sky is a sign of being alert (or a few other things like when they’re uncomfortable with a situation and squaring off with another dog). While a tail that is down will either indicate comfort or fear. These signals are impossible for your Doberman to give to others when they have a docked tail.

A study was done on the interactions of 431 dogs in the book “How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication” by Stanley Coren, PhD and well-respected dog behavior researcher. Among those, 49 of the encounters included aggressive interactions. After examining how many of those aggressive interactions involved dogs with long tails and those with short (usually docked) tails, Stanley concluded that dogs without tails were twice as likely to have an aggressive encounter with another dog (source, p.g. 132).

3. Less Balance

A long tail is an excellent counterbalance while running, jumping, or performing complicated maneuvers. Some owners who prefer a natural tail are concerned about the loss of stabilization to the “vertebral column” and a loss of support to the back muscles with a docked tail.

Certainly, a dog with a docked tail can adapt with time, but it’s unclear how much and how this affects them as an adult. Many argue that not having a tail can interfere with a Doberman reaching their full potential with balance and agility.

4. Increase in Hernias

Docking a Doberman’s tail is thought to result in loss of some pelvic diaphragm muscles. This makes a certain type of hernia, called a Perineal Hernia, more likely to occur in these dogs. Perineal Hernias can appear on a Doberman’s rear end near their tail, are very uncomfortable for them, and require surgery to repair.

5. Urinary Incontenance in Females

Some studies have also shown an increased risk of urinary incontinence in female dogs who have had their tails docked (source). This has been shown to affect the Doberman breed more than many other dogs breeds out there (source). This is thought to have something to do with the effects that the docking procedure has on the integrity and functionality of the urethral sphincter.

The difficult thing here is that female Dobermans who are spayed also have a higher rate of incontinence so, at times, it’s hard for owners to determine exactly how big of a role tail docking has in any incontinence issues they’re seeing in their female dogs.

6. Trouble Defecating

The same study linked to in the previous section also indicates that interfering with the muscles in this area can also lead to negatively impacting the dog’s ability to hygienically defecate. I don’t know of any first-hand experiences shared by Doberman owners who indicate their dogs have problems defecating due to tail docking, but to be fair, it may not be obvious to an owner if their dog has lived most of their lives with a docked tail.

Video: Docked Tails vs. Natural Tails

Legalities

Tail docking is not legal everywhere, in fact, there are many countries that have outlawed this procedure either completely or except for working dogs or for medical purposes. The map below can give you a general idea regarding where it may be legal and where it may not be. Keep in mind, however, that this map may not be up to date.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The map above may not be entirely accurate or up to date. It also may be misleading. For example, readers of this site have informed me that in Canada, tail docking is unrestricted on a federal level as indicated by this map, but is outlawed in most provenances. This is why it’s important to contact your local authority yourself and find out if it’s legal where you live.

In Australia and some parts of Europe, tail docking has been completely (or almost completely) banned. Therefore, the veterinarians in those countries do not perform tail docking procedures.

In the United States, some states, like Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, now restrict docking procedures. Pennsylvania restricts anyone other than a licensed veterinarian from docking a dog’s tail after it is five days old. Maryland restricts veterinarian tail docking to between five days and 12 weeks after birth unless medically necessary. Maryland law also requires that anesthesia has to be used during the tail docking procedure if appropriate, i.e., if the dog is old enough to feel pain and needs anesthesia to be comfortable for the procedure (source).

In most other areas of the United States, it’s legal for anyone to dock the tails of puppies at home without sterile equipment or anesthetic. Some experienced breeders are accustomed to doing this procedure themselves, but of course, it’s strongly recommended (and much safer) to bring your puppies to an experienced veterinarian.

Cost

We called veterinarians on both coasts of the United States and got quotes for tail docking of Dobermans specifically in an attempt to find out first hand what vets are actually charging and found the following: A tail docking procedure on a newborn Doberman puppy costs an average of $33.75 for a single puppy. The price can be as low as $4.57 per puppy if an entire litter is done at once. The price often includes dewclaw removal and it’s a 5 to 10-minute procedure that a veterinarian can usually do while the owner waits.

That’s for puppies, but some people do get adult Doberman’s docked for various reasons and since that is a much more involved procedure (it’s officially an “amputation” when they’re an adult), we found it costs significantly more.

A tail docking procedure on an adult Doberman costs anywhere between $525 to $815, with an average cost of about $600 depending on the dog’s weight and how much anesthesia is needed. This procedure usually involves dropping the dog off in the morning and picking them up at the end of the day.

This is just one of the many expenses that are involved with owning Dobermans. Luckily this expense isn’t usually seen by the eventual owner of the dog, only by the breeder. To see a complete ledger of the expenses involved with owning a Doberman, see the article How Much Does a Doberman Cost? Puppy Prices and Expenses.

Length

A Doberman’s natural tail is approximately 18 inches (45.7 centimeters) in length, measured from the base of the tail to the tip.

The length of a docked Doberman’s tail is not as straightforward as what their natural tail length is as it can vary a bit. However, luckily we have the breed standard to go off of for this. There are certainly some Dobermans who fall outside this standard, but it seems to be the most reflective of the average Doberman.

A Doberman’s tail should be docked at the second joint. The resulting nub will be approximately 2 to 3 inches long when they’re an adult.

The AKC breed standard indicates the number of joints of the tail that the dog should be left with, but not the length. That number has been made from real-world measurements.

Age

A Doberman’s tail is usually docked between 1 and 5 days after birth. However, it’s often done as late as 7 days after birth. It’s generally considered to be easier on the dog the earlier it’s done.

Although tail docking can be done on an adult Doberman, this is usually discouraged as it’s considered an “amputation” which is a serious procedure involving full anesthesia, a longer recovery, and more discomfort.

Procedure

The tail docking procedure on Doberman puppies is usually done using one of two methods.

• Banding Method – With this method, a rubber ligature (almost like a small rubber band or o-ring) is wrapped tightly around the tail of the puppy. The band constricts the blood flow to the tail which falls off in a few days.
• Surgical Method – This method involves removing the tail with surgical scissors or a scaple. Many times a small clamp is used to pinch the tail before it’s removed to prevent bleeding. After the tail is removed, either stiches or surgical glue are used to keep the wound closed.

This is typically done at the office of a qualified veterinarian, although there are some vets who will do this at the breeder’s home so that it’s not necessary to disturb the mother and her newborn puppies with a car ride to the vet. If done at a veterinarian’s office, the procedure is only 5 to 10 minutes and is typically done while the owner waits in the office. The owner can take the puppies home immediately after if there are no complications.

Pain

How much pain a Doberman experiences during the tail docking procedure, and afterward, is still open to debate. Many argue, and even some studies seem to confirm, that puppies at the age when a typical tail docking is done (1 to 5 days old) are incapable of experiencing pain in their tail area as nerve endings have not progressed down the tail yet, but they will as the dog ages.

For example, one study noted:

“…it may be concluded that nociceptive barrages caused by docking of puppies within 7 days of birth would not be consciously experienced as pain. Nevertheless, such docking seems likely to give rise to persistent pain experiences in the longer term at least in some individuals… consequences of tail docking within 7 days of birth likely include an ongoing heightened generalised sensitivity to pain (hyperalgesia).”

– Tail Docking of Canine Puppies: Reassessment of the Tail’s Role in Communication, the Acute Pain Caused by Docking and Interpretation of Behavioural Responses (source)

The study also says that something called “Neuromas” will form at the end of the cut nerves and that in humans, these are known to cause significant levels of chronic pain.

However, this same study offers an explanation as to why puppies may scream or “shriek” at the time of tail docking and it doesn’t have to do with the pain, but instead from other circumstances such as being pulled away from their mother for the procedure.

Another study titled “Behavioural observations of puppies undergoing tail docking” recorded detailed observations of 50 puppies that were undergoing tail docking and noted that all 50 of them “shrieked” at the time of amputation of their tail suggesting that they were experiencing discomfort.

See section 6 in the “Pros” section and section 1 in the “Cons” section in this article for more information on pain surrounding the tail docking of Dobermans.

Tail Styles

There are two styles of tail for a Doberman, docked or undocked (natural). A docked tail is a short nub about 2 to 3 inches long and an undocked tail is thin, dense, consists of a small curl, and is about 18 inches long.

A Doberman’s docked tail is docked at approximately the second joint and is usually 2 to 3 inches long as an adult, however, it can be longer or shorter depending on where the docking was done.

Natural tails seem to vary in length from as short as 15 inches to about 19 inches. These are very dense tails that curl gradually as you get near the tip. Some Doberman’s will have a more pronounced curl to their tail over others.

Natural Tail (Undocked) Doberman Pictures

Below is a photo gallery of various Dobermans with long natural tails. You can click on any image below to see a larger version of that image. These photos should give you a good idea of what Dobermans look like with natural tails and ears at various ages.

Position of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

Veterinarians around the world have never really been in favor of tail docking. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) states that they began requesting that tail docking be removed from breed standards in 1976. They add, however, that while most of the world is opposed to tail docking, that there is less information regarding how veterinarians in the United States feel about it. The AVMA adds that there is very little scientific support to condone tail docking, even in working dogs.

Further, the AVMA clarified their stance on ear cropping and tail docking in the following statement:

“The AVMA opposes ear cropping and tail docking of dogs when done solely for cosmetic purposes. The AVMA encourages the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards.”

– The American Veterinarian Medical Associationg (Source)

Position of the American Kennel Club (AKC)

The American Kennel Club (or AKC) has long been for docking the tails of certain working breeds. They believe that purebred dogs are “purpose-bred” dogs, meaning they were bred to fill a specific role. Many of these purebred dogs are working dogs and as such, at times a cropped ear and docked tail can have a valid working purpose.

The AKC’s policy on tail docking states the following:

“The American Kennel Club recognizes that ear cropping, tail docking, and dewclaw removal, as described in certain breed standards, are acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and/or enhancing good health. Appropriate veterinary care should be provided.”

– The American Kennel Club (Source)

The Ameican Kennel Club also released a statement regarding the American Veterinary Medical Association’s stance on tail docking that I mentioned in the previous section. In the statement, the AKC claims the AVMA was mislabeling these procedures as “cosmetic” and goes on to describe why they disagree with the AVMA’s stance on the issue. You can read their response to the AVMA here.

WHAT ABOUT EAR COPPING? Cropping a Doberman’s ears so that they’re short and pointing upwards is much more involved than tail docking. It’s also less common. To learn more about ear cropping, see my article on the pros and cons of Doberman ear cropping.

Final Thoughts

Is it cruel to dock the tail of a Doberman puppy? Or are you saving the puppy from injury later in life? This is certainly still up for debate. A Doberman’s signature attributes are upright, pointed ears and a short tail; such alterations have been made to Doberman puppies for over a century. However, simply because it’s tradition doesn’t mean it’s right. But it doesn’t mean it’s wrong either.

While the science might be far from settled, you should now have a good understanding of the arguments both for and against getting your Doberman’s tail docked and my hope is that you’ll be able to make a decision that’s right for you and your dog. A decision that you can be confident in.

Related Questions

Why do they cut the tail of a Doberman? Many Dobermans have their tails cut (or “docked”) to conform with breed standards, prevent future injury, enhance working abilities, or for cosmetic reasons. This is a controversial procedure as many argue it causes unnecessary pain and discomfort.

Are Dobermans born with tails? A Doberman’s tail is naturally between 15 and 19 inches long and usually consists of a slight curl. Their tails are thin, dense, and consist of a short single layer of course hair.

The post Doberman Tail Docking Pros & Cons: Should You Do It? appeared first on Doberman Planet.

Getting your Doberman to bark on command is not only a fun trick to teach, but it’s also surprisingly useful. The method that I’ve finally settled on using for teaching this behavior to my Dobermans (and my clients) seems to work the quickest and most reliably for this particular breed. Luckily, the Doberman breed is easy to train if you appeal to their specific instincts, and that’s what this method does, which is why it works so quickly.

How to Teach a Doberman to Speak on Command

1. Choose your ‘speak’ command.
2. Figure out what naturally makes your Doberman bark.
3. Create conditions likely to elicit a bark.
4. Mark a bark with your choosen command.
5. Praise and Reward.
6. Repeat and reinforce.

Those are the simple steps, but that’s a lot more to it than that. For example, which command you choose to use can have a big effect on how useful this trick is for you.

Fair warning, while these steps might work for other breeds, this technique is specifically designed for Doberman Pinschers and you’ll have far better, and faster, results with it if you’re working with a Doberman.

Teaching Your Doberman to Bark on Command

Here’s what you need to know to teach this command as quickly as possible to a Doberman Pinscher. Remember that the basic approach here is to elicit the response using a few key triggers that works great for this breed, mark it with your command, and then reinforce it by building a habit of the appropriate response (Dobermans love habit and it’s a big part of what makes them so trainable).

Step 1 – Choose Your ‘Speak’ Command and Visual Cue

The first step is to choose what command you’ll use when you want your dog to bark. There are many options out there but the table below has some of the most popular.

When choosing a command, it’s important to remember that a sharp and abrupt command is better, and more easily recognized, for a Doberman. Choosing a command that sounds unique as compared to any other commands the dog knows will also help.

Don’t forget that training your Doberman to bark on command can be useful beyond just being a fun trick to show your friends and family. It can help ward off potential attackers, and even make potty training easier (by asking your dog to “speak” every time before you take them out to go to the bathroom, they’ll learn to bark at the door when it’s time to go).

I’ve always chosen the word “guard” for my Dobermans, I find it fits many of the requirements for a good command while also having the added protection benefit. If my wife is walking our dog in the evening and someone is bothering her, she can yell a firm “guard!” at our Doberman. When the potential attacker hears this command and our large Doberman starts barking like crazy, it’s sure a lot more intimidating than if she had yelled, “speak”. They certainly won’t know the difference and probably won’t want to find out.

Visual Cue

One of the modifications to this training technique that is specifically for the Doberman breed is to include some sort of visual cue. Dobermans love a visual cue. It can be a specific wave, hand gesture, posture, or combination. For me, I choose the “guard” command for the verbal cue and a closed fist held up in front of me as the visual cue.

Step 1 – Figure Out What Naturally Makes Your Doberman Bark

The next step is to figure out how you’re going to get your Dobie to bark so that you can associate the command you’ve chosen with this action. If you know your dog well, you should be able to recreate conditions you know will cause him or her to bark.

In case you’re having trouble, below are some common ways owners can elicit a bark out of their Doberman while training this command.

Getting Your Doberman to Bark

• Tug-of-War – Sometimes an intense game of tug of war with your Doberman can get a bark out of them. Try getting your dog excited as much as possible during the game, taking the tug toy away from them, staring your pup in the eyes, and encouraging a bark.
• Jump with Excitment – This is a great fall back if you’re not sure what makes your dog bark. Hold a toy or treat away from your dog, jump up and down, barking at your dog yourself. This feels very awkward but if you get your Dobie excited enough, chances are they’ll eventually let out a bark.
• Staring in the Eyes – Some Dobermans will react naturally with a bark if you slowly stare at them in the eyes, lingering, and even slowing putting your face closer and closer to theirs. Don’t ask me why this happends, but it seems to be instinctual to this breed.
• Wrestling – For many owners, they can get a bark out of their Doberman if they get down low, pound the ground with their hands, and encourage their dog to wrestle with them. This will often send the dog into and excited frenzy and get at least a few barks out of them.

Whatever you need to do to get that initial bark out of your dog is fair game, when in doubt don’t think about what you need to do to get a bark, think about how you can get your dog as over-the-top excited as possible that a bark naturally comes.

Step 2 – Create Conditions Likely to Elicit a Bark

Ok, now you’re really ready to start training. You know what command you’re using and what will get a bark. Now it’s time to do it. Have some training rewards ready (if your Doberman is food motivated), and get that first bark out of them.

If you’re using the “jump with excitement” method above, start jumping around and barking at your dog. You’ll feel ridiculous but that’s ok. While doing this, I usually encourage the bark by saying things like “Come on boy! WOOF! WOOF! Come on! YES! Good boy!” while jumping around.

Step 3 – Mark a Bark with Your Choosen Command

As you’re going through your process of creating conditions likely to get that bark, you should know about when your dog is going to release that “woof!” Just before your dog does, give the speak command you’ve chosen. Making it loud and clear so that the command doesn’t “blend in” with the other words you’re saying while encouraging the bark.

While it’s preferable to time things so you give the command immediately before the bark comes, another option is to give the command immediately after they release a bark. This is good to do if you’re having trouble timing this.

“Another option is to ‘mark’ your Dobie’s barking with a clicker along with the command you’ve choosen. If your Doberman is used to clicker training then this could be a great way to mark the good behavior very quickly, improving the speed of command comprehension.”

– John Walter (DobermanPlanet.com)

Step 4 – Praise and Reward

As soon as your dog barks and you’ve marked the action with your command, it’s time to praise and reward like crazy. This should be a “jackpot” initially of a high-value treat or multiple treats along with heavy praise from you. I also like to toss in one “good bark!” in there, if the command I choose was “bark”.

It’s not clear whether Dobermans can make the association of “good (command)” while training, but I certainly feel like it speeds up training time.

Dobermans instinctually want to please and have a “task to accomplish”. Keep that in mind while praising and rewarding them. Show how pleased you are and relieved that the task you assigned your dog was well executed. This sometimes subtle approach to rewarding works wonders with Dobermans specifically.

Step 5 – Repeat and Reinforce

Like with any command it’s important to repeat and reinforce the command or your dog will lose this skill. Around dinner or breakfast time before your dog is allowed to eat their food is a great time to reinforce commands such as “speak”.

Remember to increase the difficulty of what you’re asking your dog slowly after they have a solid understanding of the basic command. Start requesting longer barking sessions before you praise and reward. Or try giving the command from across the room. It’s important to always be challenging your Doberman and “upping the bar”. This is something they instinctually enjoy doing anyway.

Using a Clicker

As I mentioned earlier, teaching a Doberman to bark on command through the use of a clicker to mark good behavior is certainly a sound approach. The key here is whether or not your dog already associates the “click” sound with a job well done.

If you’ve used a clicker for training in the past then the chances are they will make that association and it would certainly make sense to include the use of the clicker here. However, I wouldn’t begin clicker training using this bark command.

For more information on training your Doberman in general, including incorporating the use of a clicker, see my complete Doberman training guide here.

Avoid Making Unwanted Barking Worse

The danger of teaching the bark command is that Dobermans are certainly a habit-forming breed. They’re also a vocal breed. So if you’re going through this process, it can be easy for your Dobie to confuse what they learn to mean “my owner loves it any time I bark!”

If that is the association your dog makes, then you have the potential of creating a barking problem or making an already existing one worse.

Here are some things you can do to help prevent this from creating a barking issue in your Doberman:

• Only praise and reward your dog when they bark on command. Never when they’re barking on their own.
• Train a “quiet” command so you can stop excessive barking on command.
• Avoid teaching the speak command by marking negative barking with the command and rewarding. Only teach this command when you elicited the barking behavior from your dog.
• Once you give the command and your dog barks, make sure the barking doesn’t continue until you give another command. In other words, shut down any “run-away” barking.

If you want some ways to stop the unwanted barking in a manner that works extremely well with Dobermans, see my article 6 Steps to Get Your Doberman Pinscher to Stop Barking.

Teaching a Quiet Doberman

In general, most Dobermans are not quiet dogs. As a protection breed, Dobermans bark a lot as an alert to their owners. But on occasion, some owners with very well socialized, stoic, and calm Dobermans will have an issue teaching this command simply because their dog is so content being non-vocal.

In order to get a relatively quiet Doberman to bark, you might need to break the rules and use one of the tactics from the “Avoid Making Unwanted Barking Worse” section above. Luckily for you, if you have a naturally quiet dog, it’s very unlikely that you’ll create a barking problem.

Try simply being incredibly patient and waiting for one of the opportunities to arise when your Doberman does bark, even if they are incredibly rare. When your dog does, quickly give your chosen command loud and firm, then praise and reward like crazy. Maybe having a friend ring the doorbell will do it.

Another option is to simply up the value of the training treat you’re using. Show your Dobie the treat, and then use the “Jump with Excitement” option above to elicit a bark. Sometimes hamburger meat or a slice of American Cheese will do the trick when other rewards won’t.

Final Thoughts

Teaching a Doberman to speak on command is a relatively straightforward behavior to teach. The most difficult part can be eliciting the initial bark at the right time while training this command. If you can do that simply by knowing what behaviors you can do to naturally trigger your Dobie to bark, then you should be well on your way.

Don’t forget to consider making the speak command useful in some way such as with potty training or by making it a “guard” command that can fool a potential attacker into thinking you have a vicious guard dog, and not just a sweet pup who’s trying to “speak” for their master.

The post Teach a Doberman to Speak on Command—The Easy Way appeared first on Doberman Planet.