20/11/2025
I am so absolutely heartbroken at the shocking number of our beautiful Dobermanns being “thrown away”. They are being advertised for re-homing and going into Rescue to the point that the Breed Rescues are all overwhelmed and overflowing.
I am privileged to work with many lovely owners who choose to keep their dogs & work through their often difficult issues, but I have to say, I believe if first time prospective Dobermann owners really understood what a Dobermann is, how much work they can be and, most importantly, sourced their puppy from a reputable breeder, we would hopefully see a lot less of our beautiful breed being dumped!
I wrote a little piece which I share here. Iv made it public so please share far and wide with all your contacts to get the message out there.
Thank you 🥰
SO YOU WANT A DOBERMANN?
A FEW TRUE FACTS
A Dobermann is a huge time and effort & lifestyle commitment. They are a breed apart and are absolutely not for those who want an easy family dog content with very little input and one who can be left for long periods of time alone. Dobermanns do not do well left to their own devices & most crave your company. You will need huge amounts of time and be prepared to put lots of effort into this breed. For this reason many reputable breeders will not sell to those who work full time or have babies & very small children, quite rightly. It’s not a good idea to ignore their advice and seek a puppy from elsewhere from someone who is just after your money. More on “geeeders” later!
There are so many factors you need to know if you are considering a Dobermann as a pet and whilst many Dobermann owners may extol the virtues of a “pet” Dobermann, it is very important to understand that they are all very different as individuals, as are we. Also, because we all have different lifestyles, commitments, live in different environments and have different amounts of time to devote to a dog, especially a large working breed, designed for a specific job, some will manage better than others. Be in no doubt that all these factors will impact hugely on you and your Dobermann and how successful your relationship and life together will be.
So firstly, we really need to understand what the Dobermann is bred for and their function. This is still very relevant today. He is a large active, extremely intelligent, guarding breed who can also be very sensitive, with a hard wired need to work, both physically & mentally. This means we need to be prepared to acquire the right knowledge & skills to train him and we need to have lots of time to put in the necessary work to ensure we take care of his specific breed needs and this is a huge commitment. A walk simply will not serve most Dobermanns, and in fact walks can be problematic if one doesn’t train him for them, and also give him appropriate activities for longish periods daily. We need to train first - don’t expect to enjoy long leisurely, uneventful family walks in the woods or meadows with your finely tuned athletic, chase driven Dobermann unless you are prepared to train for hours, weeks & months for these walks!
Not understanding, or being able to take care of a Dobermann’s needs is largely responsible for the majority of behavioural problems, destructive & attention seeking “problems” that are broadly complained about by so many Dobermann owners who simply didn’t realise what they were taking on.
If you are determined a Dobermann is for you source your puppy from a reputable breeder and if you don’t know who they are, do spend time attending Championships Dog Shows & hang out at the Breed ring, asking questions & watching and learning for a good while before you buy your puppy. Most reputable breeders now will selectively breed for health & temperament and these are 100% the people you should source your puppy from. They provide lifelong advice & back up should you need it. In the unfortunate event you need to rehome your dobermann this breeder will take him back or help you rehome him, no matter how old. This breeder will have a waiting list for their puppies and will grill you as to your suitability to own one of their puppies. Do not be put off by the questions, you will be supported and looked after by this breeder and you will be purchasing a quality puppy who will give you lifelong pleasure & all that you dreamed of if you pass their scrutiny.
A good breeder will provide you with a contract, a Kennel Club 5 generation pedigree, a Kennel Club Registration Certificate, your puppy will already have 3 months free insurance and he will have been vet checked and had his first vaccination. His parents & previous generations will have been health checked for all the common Dobermann diseases.
Whilst the breeding of the Dobermann has obviously been thoughtfully developed by reputable breeders over the years, if you really want one then do be prepared to accept that originally Dobes were absolutely not bred for loving everyone & everything and to be able to play nicely with the local cockerpoo down the park. Don’t be surprised if your cute puppy grows up to be suspicious & stand offish, even reactive to other dogs. For this reason, socialisation & the right knowledge around how to socialise your puppy is even more important than for other breeds. In fact even if your Dobermann is “friendly” do be aware that they are usually far too much for other breeds and can often not play “nicely” and for this reason are mostly not welcomed by dog walkers & day cares if you are going to need the help of such support! Bear in mind you will need professional help with an ethical experienced breed trainer for at least 18 months to two years to train your Dobermann so this needs to be budgeted for along with insurance, vets, equipment etc.
I list below some of the issues owners of Dobermanns can face or don’t understand that I see regularly as a behavioural coach & trainer specialising in the breed. Most of these behaviours occur or are worse due to lack of knowledge & owner input.
* Dobermann’s love movement & chase everything that does move, not just squirrels but, joggers, cyclists & your children too
* Dobermanns are hugely attention seeking and if their needs are not met, will often demand bark insistently at you, they will not rest or relax, they steal & destroy things for attention and you will not be able to watch TV in peace.
* Dobermanns can be very destructive in the home if left alone for long periods
* obedience classes are often not suitable for Dobermanns - many trainers not experienced in the breed will blame you!
*Eastern European breeding can be far more challenging in a pet home due to the higher drive
* Many Dobermanns are reactive
* You will not be able to go to the bathroom or anywhere else alone without understanding how to create independence in your Dobermann
* Separation Anxiety can occur in your Dobermann due to his need to be with you
* Dobermanns will exhibit more jumping, mouthing & biting than “normal” breeds in puppyhood & adolescence
* Dobermanns will often get expelled & banned daycares due to their rough play
It is so important a prospective first time pet Dobermann owner knows of the commitment & time that needs to be invested in the breed and the problems that can arise and that you get the right breed specific help from day one.
Buyer Beware :
If you buy a puppy from a “greeder” (a puppy farmer or some random individual who has a Dobermann that they have just bred with the Dobermann round the corner for money with no thought to the genetics, health or temperament) then you are risking everything! This greeder does not care about the Dobermann he owns. or the puppies she produces. He absolutely doesn’t care about you! He wants your money.
The greeder will not rear his puppies well, he will not work on early socialisation or confidence building, the puppies may have lived in atrocious conditions, not received appropriate nourishment, may have had to “fight” his litter mates for his food and have worms etc or other health issues
The greeder is an accomplished con man, will ask no questions, will be prepared to sell you litter mates, will often have “made up” paperwork which he will pass off as a pedigree or a registration, will have carried out no health testing, and will just wave goodbye and then be uncontactable when you run into a problem.
The greeder is likely to sell you a puppy who has temperament issues, serious health problems and offer no back up.
If you see puppies advertised on gumtree, preloved, pets for homes or other such selling sites then rest assured these people are not whom you should be buying from.
Those advertising rare “colours” such as blue or fawn will also be looking for the colour of your money and absolutely won’t be breeding for health or temperament. These colours are not rare they are dilutes and often come with their own set of skin problems which is heartbreaking.
Imports :
The Breed Rescues are full of imported Cropped & Docked Dobermanns
If you buy a puppy as an import beware! If you do not have the help of a reputable breeder in the UK to help you source a quality import puppy from a reputable breeder abroad, the likelihood is you will be buying from a puppy farm. Whatever the promise do be aware that there are some fantastic puppy farmers and forgers of papers as Iv already mentioned above, selling from abroad and if you don’t know what the paperwork should look like it’s going to be even easier for them to defraud & claim to be breeding from “Champions”.
These poor puppies are not able to join you until they are much older, so it is important for pet dog owners to know that if you decide to import your puppy he will have experienced the ordeal of a long and terrifying journey which is often traumatic for the puppy and will cause fear or anxiety issues for both puppy and you. Add this to the fact that by the time the puppy arrives, you will have missed the window of opportunity and ideal time period to work on and build in safety, resilience and confidence through socialisation and training for your puppy, then this knowledge should further impact on your decision on whether or not it’s a good idea to buy from abroad. Liking the “look” alone is not a safe or sensible decision or option.
So How you can make life with your Dobermann work, for you both?
1. Ensure you have plenty of time to commit to a new Dobermann puppy.
2. Hang out at some KC dog shows & get to know the exhibitors & the breed.
3. Ask questions from reputable experts
4. Source your puppy from a reputable breeder who breeds for health & temperament
5. If in doubt don’t buy
6. Get the right specialist training & behavioural preparation advice in advance of collecting your puppy at 8 weeks.
7. Book into a puppy programme with a breed specialist who practices kind ethical training with built in support
8. Be prepared to invest in behaviour & training advice for the next two years.
9. Don’t ask for or follow the advice of other owners on breed groups. (I have had a set of teeth all my life but I’m not qualified to carry out dentistry)
10. Be prepared for considerable financial as well as time commitment.
Most IMPORTANT of all DO understand your Dobermann is a sentient being with species specific and breed specific needs that are hard wired and very very different from yours!
You will need to understand and be prepared and able to take care of these needs and understand also your Dobermann has emotions and feelings just like you and me.
Train through kindness, knowledge & understanding at all times
Knowledge is key without it we fail
Kindness is essential and not an option
Understanding gives us insight and the willingness to learn
Being open to learning and gleaning information from the right sources will set you up for success.
If you have read all of this and a Dobermann is still for you there is no other breed like him. If you give to him he will give to you.
Intelligence
Beauty
Grace
Ability
Athleticism
Safety
Wonder
Joy
Laughter
Loyalty and Love like no other
My heart belongs to the Dobermann ❤️
