Meet Bean the Chocolate/Red Doberman and see what it takes to own this beautiful dog breed. She’s a real softie – loves her teddy and Mini Mouse toy and guards her precious toys against possible other canine toy thieves. She sleeps in her pink Princess Bed at night and is a very loved pooch.
She loves to swim, run, chase and forage. Unfortunately she has chased a kangaroo around her property which caused her to be paw-slashed across the chest and required several stitches by the local vet. The moral of the story for dogs here in Australia is to let sleeping kangaroos lie.
Males are about 27 or 28 inches tall and weigh about 70 pounds (32 kilograms), while females are an inch or two shorter and weigh about 60 to 65 pounds (27 to 29 kilograms).
They have a graceful long head and a sleek, muscular body. The ears are often cropped to stand erect, and the tail is usually docked short.
The Doberman pinscher has a short, sleek and shiny coat that is black, dark red/chocolate, blue or fawn with rust-colored markings on the face, body and tail. They do shed a little and require minimal grooming. Dobermans live about 10 to 12 years.
Personality:
Doberman pinschers are considered people-oriented dogs that are affectionate and sweet with people, if socialized and trained properly. They are loyal to their owners and are good with children if raised with them; however, some Dobermans bond only to one person. Princess Bean however is very loving with both of her human parents and is a real sweetheart.
Living With:
These powerful, energetic dogs need lots of exercise. If they are not exercised, they are more likely to develop behavioural problems like aggression. They can adjust well to apartment living if exercised daily.
Socialization and obedience training from a young age is recommended for this breed. Doberman pinschers respond very well to positive reinforcement i.e. plenty of pats and hugs.
No special guard training is needed for anyone who wants a good family protector. In fact, Doberman pinscher experts often advise against special guard training, which could result in over-guarding and aggression. Beware if another dog tries to steal Bean’s Teddy or Mini Mouse toy.
History:
A German named Louis Dobermann is credited with developing the Doberman pinscher breed in the late 1800s. He was a tax collector and wanted a fierce guard dog to accompany him on his rounds. Dobermann also kept the local dog pound, where he had access to many strays.
No one knows for certain, but Dobermann is thought to have crossed many breeds to get the Doberman pinscher. Some of the breeds thought to be involved include the rottweiler, German pinscher, Great Dane, German shepherd dogManchester terrier, and English greyhoundshorthaired shepherd.
Although initially bred and still used worldwide as guard dogs, Doberman pinschers also have been police and military dogs, rescue dogs and therapy dogs. Careful breeding has minimized their ferocious nature, and many Dobermans today are loving, family pets.
