The Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher dog is a familiar sight in the movies. People are used to seeing individuals running for their lives as belligerent dogs lunge at them with demonic looking eyes. However, in real life, the Doberman Pinscher is really a loyal, intelligent family pet.

The American Kennel Club classifies the Doberman Pinscher as a member of its Working Group. These dogs were originally bred to be police dogs. They were also commonly used in the German military. The sight of one of these big, dangerous looking dogs coming toward them filled people with fear. After all, they are very powerful animals.

The Doberman Pinscher is a square dog with a powerful chest and a bullet shaped head. This breed weighs in at anywhere from 55 to 90 pounds and stands 24 to 28 inches tall. The short coat of a Doberman Pinscher is black, red, blue, or fawn with tan markings. Occasionally, these dogs have a white spot on their chests.

Its almond shaped eyes are dark in color. The Doberman Pinscher customarily has it's tail docked. While this may sound cruel, a docked tail can prevent painful accidents in the future. More than one undocked Doberman Pinscher has accidentally broken his tail.

The Doberman Pinscher and People

The Doberman Pinscher is not a high energy dog, but it has astounding endurance capabilities. These dogs do need exercise and do not do well in apartment settings. A fenced yard is a much better fit for them. A Doberman Pinscher will delight in spending time with it's owner, so even if you have a fenced yard, you should be prepared to take your dog for a daily walk.

Regardless of the bad publicity this breed receives, most Dobermans are great with children and other pets. These faithful family dogs will do anything to please their owners and are highly trainable. However, you do need to be careful if you have young children and a Doberman puppy. Doberman Puppies can accidentally knock your children down, since they do not realize their own strength and are very energetic.

You will need to begin training and socializing your Doberman Pinscher as soon as you bring him home to avoid problem behaviors. Dobermans are very intelligent and can get into quite a lot of mischief if they are left to themselves. Puppy obedience classes are a good idea, since the classes will help you train and socialize your puppy while he is young and easy to control. After all, who wants to wait until their dog weighs almost as much as they do before they try to teach him to sit.

The Doberman Pinscher and Health

Dobermans are big, muscular dogs and need a considerable amount of dog food. Be sure to feed your dog a food formulated for large breeds to be sure he gets the nutrition he needs. The Doberman Pinscher is prone to hypothyroidism and a hereditary condition called von Willebrand's disease. They also can develop heart problems. As they age, these oversized lap dogs are prone to becoming overweight, so you may want to check with your veterinarian to find out about special foods for older dogs.

The Doberman Pinscher and Grooming

It is easy to groom a Doberman Pinscher. You may want to brush your dog once a week to remove dirt and loose hair and you should check his nails to be sure they are not too long, but they rarely need any further grooming.

The Doberman Pinscher may look like a hardened killer, but they are actually quite placid around their family. If you want a dog that will protect your home but still loves to snuggle up beside you at night, then a Doberman Pinscher may be the right breed for you.

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