Doberman Pinscher Dog Breed Information
The Doberman Pinscher dog is a sleek, loyal, intelligent breed with a strong dedication to family. Dobermans are large, athletic dogs that love to stay active and be close to their humans. They’re courageous guard dogs and are also often used for therapy work, agility, tracking, and obedience work. These smart pups are quick to learn and pick up new skills easily.
Doberman Pinscher Dog Breed Rundown
Height: 26 to 28 inches (males), 24 to 26 inches (females)
Weight: 75 to 100 lbs. (males), 60 to 90 lbs. (females)
Lifespan: 10 to 12 years
Origin: Germany
Personality: The Doberman Pinscher dog is a loyal, alert, fearless breed that is dedicated to family and can be very affectionate and playful with all members of the family. Dobermans are strong, athletic, agile dogs and agile dogs that love to stay physically and mentally active.
Doberman Appearance
The Doberman Pinscher dog has an athletic, sleek, powerful appearance. These handsome pups are tall, muscular, and lean, with a noble, wedge-shaped head. Dobermans have an agile ease when they move. These natural athletes are elegant in appearance and have a watchful look. They have a well-muscled physique and in movement demonstrate speed and endurance.
Dobermans have sleek, short, shiny coats that can come in different color combinations. The color combinations include black, red, blue, fawn, and rust, with black and rust (a reddish brown) being the most common colors. Dobermans have distinct markings, with a contrast in color due to markings on their chests, paws, muzzles, above the eyes, and under their tails.
Dobermans naturally have floppy ears and long tails but people have cropped their ears and tails for aesthetic reasons. According to the American Kennel Club breed standard, the Doberman’s tail should be docked at approximately the second joint and the ears may be cropped.
However, there is much debate about the unnecessary pain and health risks of tail docking and ear cropping procedures and the American Veterinary Medical Association states that tail docking is an unnecessary and harmful procedure that can harm a dog’s health. Many countries ban tail docking, including the United Kingdom, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, South Africa, and most European and South American countries. Several countries also ban ear cropping, including Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Canada.
Doberman Pinscher History
The Doberman was developed in Germany by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a tax collector and night watchman who also was the keeper of a dog pound in the 1880s. The tax collector was not a popular person at the time and Karl Dobermann bred the Doberman Pinscher dog to be a loyal, fearless guard dog.
The tax collector set out to create an intelligent, courageous, protective dog breed and he is believed to have mixed the following dog breeds to develop the Doberman: the Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Beauceron, German Pinscher, and Weimaraner. Other breeds may have also been involved, including the German Pinscher and Black and Tan Terrier.
During World War II, the U.S. Marine Corps made the Doberman its official war dog. The American Kennel Club recognized the Doberman Pinscher dog breed in 1908. Dobermans are working dogs that have been used in military and police work, as guard dogs, and as guide dogs for the blind. These highly intelligent and trainable pups do well in nearly every dog sport, including obedience, agility, Schutzhund (protection, tracking and obedience), lure coursing, tracking, and dock diving.
Doberman Personality
The Doberman Pinscher dog is an active, athletic breed and needs plenty of physical and mental stimulation. Dobermans are very dedicated and close to their owners and enjoy doing activities together. Obedience and agility are great ways to bond with your Doberman.
Dobies love to stay active and make excellent running partners. They need at least one to two hours of exercise per day to stay happy and prevent problems like obesity, boredom, and separation anxiety.
Dobermans are alert, loyal, and protective of family. They are great guard dogs and only bark when sounding an alarm. The Doberman is usually reserved with strangers and new dogs.
These pups tend to have a sensitive side and can be very affectionate and closely in tune with their owners. They are sometimes even called “velcro dogs” due to their love of sticking close to their owners. Dobermans also have a silly side and can be very playful and cuddly with their people. They usually get along well with other family pets but can be domineering toward strange dogs.
Training Doberman Pinschers
Dobermans are highly intelligent and learn quickly. They are eager to please and are great at obedience and other dog sports. Because they are a dominant breed, they do need firm leadership. It’s important to establish yourself as the leader so your Doberman defers to you on how to treat approaching people and dogs.
The Doberman Pinscher dog is extremely loyal and will go to far lengths to please her owner. As long as your training style is clear and consistent, your Dobie will pick up on commands quickly.
Socialization is also an important part of any pup’s training, but especially for large, powerful breeds like the Doberman. Begin your Dobie’s socialization training early, exposing them to as many good experiences as possible that are age-appropriate. Young Dobermans are very people-oriented and enthusiastic and part of your training and socialization may include training your pup to greet people without jumping on them. It’s important to take precautions to avoid bad experiences as much as possible during socialization so your pup doesn’t develop fears or harbor memories of bad experiences. Dobermans have excellent memories and can be sensitive so ensuring positive experiences is especially important for them.
Famous Dobermans
With such an intelligent and trainable personality and beautiful physique, it’s no surprise that there are many Dobermans in TV shows and movies. Unfortunately, Dobermans have often been portrayed as vicious attack dogs in movies, but public perception is changing as people recognize how friendly and charming this breed can be. Here are some movies and TV series where Dobermans stole the show:
‘The Doberman Gang’ was a 1972 movie that launched the cult classic ‘Doberman Gang’ series. The movie featured a pack of Dobermans trained to rob banks.
‘Father of the Bride’ movies 1 and 2 have comedic scenes where Steve Martin confronts “the MacKenzie dogs,” two Dobermans owned by the parents of his daughter’s husband who are loving to their owners but not welcoming of Steve Martin.
‘Sons of Anarchy’ season 1 episode 4 has a guard dog Doberman that Tig and Juice try to bypass to try to steal a truck.
Celebrities with Dobermans
Many celebrities have been enamored with the Doberman Pinscher dog breed. Here are some stars who have owned Dobies:
Writer Hunter S. Thompson owned and loved Dobermans, who were characters in some of his books. In ‘Where The Buffalo Roam,’ Hunter had a Doberman named Bronco, who it’s rumored he trained to attack on the command, “Nixon”.
John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the U.S., had a Doberman named Moe.
Actor William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in ‘Star Trek,’ had Dobermans named Kirk, Morgan, China, Heidi, Paris, Royale, Martika, Sterling, Charity, Bella, and Starbuck.
Singer and songwriter the Weeknd adopted a Doberman in 2017, shortly after his split with Selena Gomez.
Singer and pop star Mariah Carey owned two Dobermans in the 1990s, Princess and Duke. Princess is in Mariah’s famous Christmas music video, ‘All I Want for Christmas is You.’
Comedian Kevin Hart is a Doberman lover and has two Dobermans, Roxy and Roscoe.
Entertainer and producer Steve Harvey has a Doberman named Bear.
Actor Sylvester Stallone has a Doberman named Ace.
Kendall Jenner has a Doberman named Pyro.
Doberman Health
Dobermans are generally a healthy breed but unfortunately, they are prone to some health conditions, including the following:
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a fatal heart condition that strikes quickly and is more common in Dobermans than other breeds.
Bloat, a life-threatening digestive condition that tends to happen in large breeds more than others.
Hip dysplasia
Von Willebrand's disease, a clotting disorder
Progressive retinal atrophy, a degenerative disease that affects photoreceptor cells in the eyes
Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid condition
Where to Get a Doberman
If you’d like to adopt a Doberman, many great rescues specialize in Dobermans. Here are some resources for Doberman adoptions:
The Doberman Pinscher Club of America is the official AKC Parent Club for the Doberman Pinscher dog and has resources for adopting and caring for Dobermans.
Doberman Rescue Unlimited of New England is a Doberman rescue group serving the New England region.
Doberman Underground is a Doberman rescue with adoptable Dobermans serving Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
Doberman Pinscher Club of America has a directory of Doberman rescues by state so you can find the rescue closest to your location.
If you are ready to take the next step and adopt a Doberman, check out our 10 Tips to Prepare for Adopting a Dog.
