— Breed of the Month —

The Doberman Pinscher

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Breed Traits and Characteristics

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some breed characteristic you can find in Doberman Pinschers. 

 

  • Height

    26-28 inches (male), 24-26 inches (female)

  • Weight

    70-100 pounds (male), 60-90 pounds (female)

  • Life Expectancy

    10-12 years

  • Coat Type/Length

    Smooth/Short

  •  100 Affectionate with Family
  • 100 Good with Young Children
  • 60 Good with Other Dogs
  • 100 Trainability Level
  • 100 Energy Level
  • 60 Barking Level
  • 80 Shedding Level
  • 40 Drooling Level

History

The Doberman was bred by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector in the town of Apolda, Germany, around 1890 for a specific purpose – protection from hostilities at collection time. While their exact lineage is largely a mystery, it is believed that Dobermann crossed Rottweilers, German Pinschers, Black and Tan Terriers, and several other breeds to create a dog suitable for his needs.

The Doberman’s intelligence and athleticism led to international recognition as a working dog. The United States Marine Corps selected the Doberman Pinscher as its official service dog, and the breed garnered fame during World War II for their contributions to the war effort. Today’s Dobermans are celebrated show dogs, excel as therapy or service dogs for the disabled, and continue to retain popularity as guard dogs and trustworthy pets.

Doberman Pinscher Personality & Temperament

The Doberman Pinscher possesses an ease of movement and regal appearance befitting their royal status in the canine kingdom. Originally bred as guard dogs, Dobermans are strong and athletic, with boundless energy and keen intelligence that makes them highly trainable. Equally loving and loyal, these compactly-built dogs are very popular pets – provided their owners can cope with their energy level.

Doberman Pinschers have sweet, appealing personalities and stable temperaments. They are extremely loving, loyal, and trustworthy, and even play well with other dogs – provided they can run the show! Dobermans are generally stable and trouble-free. Instances of timidity or aggression can be easily rectified if addressed early in their development, as their high intelligence means they respond well to training.

If you are thinking of purchasing a Doberman, it is important to source from a responsible breeder who is breeding for not only looks, but health and temperament as well. Rescues are also great options for prospective Doberman owners. Contact your local Bark Busters trainer today to learn about great breeders and rescue organizations near you!

Doberman Pinscher Physical Characteristics

Dobermans are a strong, whip-smart breed, with medium-size square bodies. Their appearance projects elegance and nobility, as well as a sense of endurance and speed befitting their energetic nature. They make excellent watch dogs, as they are constantly alert and observing their surroundings.

Class & Color

Class

  • Working Group

Color

  • Blue & Rust
  • Black & Rust
  • Black Brindle & White
  • Fawn & Rust
  • Red & Rust

Size & Life Expectancy

Size

  • Medium to Large
  • Height: 26-28 inches (male), 24-26 inches (female)
  • Weight: 75-100 pounds (male), 60-90 pounds (female)

Life expectancy

  • Doberman Pinschers typically live between 10 and 13 years.

Other Traits

  • Sleek, graceful physique
  • Angulated head with long muzzle, tapered at nose
  • Flopped ears and long tail (though some owners crop both)
  • Smooth, semi-coarse topcoat and a soft, fine undercoat

Bark Busters Trainer Jeff Drier on the Doberman Pinscher

Doberman Pinschers are renowned for their natural leadership qualities and protective natures – noble traits that can create dangerous situations if they misinterpret human behavior, make errors in judgment, or start to determine who is and isn’t welcome at home on their own.

Case Study

Take King, whose human family included two teenage siblings. Like most brothers and sisters, they would squabble and sometimes roughhouse with each other. King’s protective instincts would kick in, leading him to misinterpret their wrestling as something more serious. King would growl and bark at them, and one day even bit the son when he was wrestling with his sister. He fortunately escaped without serious injury, but it was clear to the family that King needed help.

Our trainer reviewed King’s behavior and developed a plan to teach King that it was the parents’ job, not his, to police the kids. Being a typical Doberman, he was very smart and took to the re-education very quickly. The family soon reported that King had vacated his duties as policeman and was no longer reacting to the teens’ dustups, instead letting the parents handle any disputes at home.

Like any breed, Dobermans can make poor decisions and mistakes in judgment. Your local Bark Busters trainer can quickly help establish new patterns of behavior – often in just a single session.

Tips for Potential Doberman Pinscher Owners

Doberman Pinschers are susceptible to certain health risks. Responsible breeders will screen breeding stock for medical conditions inherent to the breed.

Dobermans are extremely active and require space for play and exercise, making them poor choices for apartment-dwellers.

Early socialization and basic obedience training are important to establishing patterns of good behavior with your Doberman.

The Doberman is an energetic athlete who needs a lot of exercise and free play. Taking your dog for long walks and hikes is great for their wellbeing.

We are always available to help you develop a consistent, compassionate approach to good behavior for your Doberman Pinscher. Learn more about our services and schedule an appointment with one of our trainers today!

Connect with Us!

Need help training your Doberman Pinscher? Call 1-877-500-BARK (2275)or enter your zip code.

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Doberman Pinscher Health & Grooming

Health

The breed is usually healthy, but can be susceptible to bloat (a digestive condition), heart ailments like hip dysplasia and enlarged hearts, and a spinal condition called wobbler syndrome. Potential owners should purchase from responsible breeders, who typically genetically test their breeding stock for these issues.

Grooming

Dobermans are brush-and-go-type dogs that require little care for their short coats. A few minutes brushing and one wash per week should be enough to remove the soft, fine undercoat hairs that can shed or contribute an unpleasant smell if left alone. The American Kennel Club recommends monthly nail trimming, regular teeth brushing, and wiping out their ears with a small amount of baby oil on a paper towel every few days.

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Hear from Bark Busters Clients Who Have a Doberman Pinscher

Had a Doberman that was misbehaving. Marcus did a wonderful job working on his issues. Now we can go for walks. The barking and charging has stopped. Now its our turn to work.
Kay S.
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Scott has been helping us with a reactive Doberman who also has very high anxiety. After seeing her get worse we did private and group training classes but those used shock collars and we didn’t know then that we were making things so much worse and more traumatic for her. We then tried one of the top rated animal behaviorists; but they were the polar opposite. The more we paid the less they did. I felt hopeless and knew we would lose her if we had anymore biting incidents with her. I found Bark Busters and was immediately drawn to the fact that they do not use shock collars, clickers, treats or any things else you have been taught to keep your pup in line. The lady on the phone was fantastic and answered all my questions and told me about Scott. I honestly was surprised he was not working with famous people at how good he looked on paper. Scott came to our home and was so calm and patient. He listened and empathized; but then he got to work. The exercises we did during our FIRST session were already making a complete difference. He helped us with exercises and guided us as needed and left us with tips, tricks and tools to use until his next visit. He also made himself readily available if we were in crisis or needed help of any kind. I have had too many nights crying thinking I am going to have to put my Doberman baby down and now I feel such excitement and a newfound sense of confidence. Scott is honest and straightforward and will not tell you what you want to hear. He understands our crisis and how close we were to giving up. Scott is an all around professional and while he is our last ditch effort to save our dog, I full confidence that he will help us keep her happy, healthy and safe for a long time to come. Thanks Scott and thanks Bark Busters.
Kadie Rose O.
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I would like to start out by saying i have had 9 dobermans in my lifetime, most lived to be between 12 and 3 actually to 15 years. I thought i had seen it all. Never needed a trainer. Well our newest puppy challenged us. Our pup extreme high energy, very excitable, and out of control with puppy biting and jumping like a kangaroo. I had to resource to a trainer. No success the first 2 trainers and their methods, so we tried barkbusters. Chris, came to our home, and had immediate success on one command with our puppy, at the time 5 months old. I have to compliment the training methods suggested by Chris and barkbusters because they were successful, and totally humane. But the key as to anything is consistency. I am not going to say we are over the hump just yet since we are approaching 9 months and getting challenged daily with his new teenage doggy interests and challenges, but the overall experience was well worth it, Chris was great, and the best thing??? He is just a text, call or email away forever, and very quick to respond to our ongoing needs if necessary. highly recommend!!
Vonnie D.
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I have two dobermans ages 3 1/2. I needed to learn how to be the leader of this pack. The skills Sharon taught me were/are very effective with my boys. In addition, we worked on their backyard behavior. In the first session she had my boys greeting the neighbors dog with out aggression. Sharon knows dogs and is very patient when teaching her clients. This was well worth the investment. I am so happy I made the appointment. I would definitely recommend her services. Thank you Sharon.
Jeanine C.
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John was great training us and the pups!! We saw our dogs learning almost immediately. And we have a clear path of what to do moving forward.
Pete N.
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Session was super informative and personable. We appreciate the energy and time you put into teaching us how to help our fur baby! Learned information that is not online or given by other trainers. Thank you! Appreciate your intuitiveness and attentiveness! Very unique approach, love it!
Allison L.
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This training was absolutely amazing! This is so impactful to our lives. We are thankful we found this training.
Stacey L.
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The training helped reduce my stress almost immediately. I'm anxious to see the improvements come to light over the next few weeks.
Kelsey K.
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Very effective, quick results, clear explanation, receptive to question. We also used the phone to video our lessons.
Lock C.
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Joshua spent 3 hours with us and taught me everything I need to know to handle Vinny and his crazy behavior. We touched on all issues including dog aggression vacuum/ blender noises and his lack of eating.
Irish M.
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Johnny spent well over his time to make sure he and I discussed what my specific issues were. We also practiced training and he is very knowledgeable and I can always text if I have questions or need help . He is very helpful!
Anne G.
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Mason & Esteffany are awesome people who also happen to be very good at training dogs and teaching dog owners how to train their dogs. We have a year and a half old golden doodle who is high energy and likes to bark (a lot). After spending just a few hours with Mason & Esteffany, we have already seen an incredible amount of progress. We still have work to do on our end, but they left us with detailed notes and instructions on how to implement the training plan for our dog. It’s simple and doesn’t take a ton of work, just consistent application of a few techniques. Mason & Esteffany explained the “why” of their training methods, and this made all the difference. This was money well spent, and we would (and will) recommend them to anybody we know that wants to make life with their dogs more enjoyable.
Blake and Megan W.
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Mason was great. Easy to follow and understand. When he walks in the room doggie knows he's the Boss. Lots of great scenarios. Doggo has already learned a lot in the short time since training.
Rae H.
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Mason was professional, patient and informative. One session and Quest was responding to commands and sitting at an open door waiting for permission to go into the backyard even with a squirrel taunting him mercilessly! I am truly amazed at all we accomplished from walking on a leash without pulling me to not jumping as I enter the house. I love their approach, no pain to your pet and no treats just body language, voice commands and positive attention as reward. I highly recommend Bark Busters!
Stacie W.
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I just wanted to say how much we valued our training session with Mason.

We've already seen improvement in our Great Pyrenees Millie in one day, and we're looking forward to our new dog. We just need some more practice till we have it down.

I have to admit we were starting to become more than irritated with her loud, constant, annoying barking, and even not like her at all. Our quality of life was affected, having to get up from whatever we were doing to stop her barking whenever a car drove by, a kid was playing, or even when the phone rang or a closet door closed loudly.

Mason explained that she was “in charge” and needed a demotion. We needed to teach her that we’re in charge, not her. He showed us how to claim our personal space, give her attention when we say so, not when she says so, and let her know it’s not her job to protect us from all the noises.

We’re confident that with practice, she'll become a well mannered and likable member of the family. She's gonna blow the family away!

So thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you, Mason and Bark Busters!!!!
Linda P.
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Joshua helped us achieve balance in our home. He understands dog behaviors & works well with difficult dogs.
Kahley B.
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Immediate improvement.
Aura M.
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Todd was wonderful. He made me feel much better. My puppy is not the problem, it's me. He's making me feel more comfortable.
Angela .
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John Torres goes over and above to help you understand your pets issue. I had issues with walking Elvis. He was jumping, lunging and pulling. John helped tremendously with the situation and he is like a new dog. I am actually enjoying taking him on walks now. I highly recommend John for any type of dog training. Thank you so much for your patience and time.
April Narine .
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We had a great experience. Theresa gave us a great training regiment that was catered to the issues we were dealing with. We saw a huge change of behavior in our pup after only 2 weeks of following the training!
Jordan W.
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Theresa is the best. Our golden retriever Tallahassee “Tally” needed help with puppy biting, door greeting strangers, leash work and recall. Theresa has a way that is down to the science of speaking a language that dogs understand. No treats, no shock collars - and wow we have a manageable dog.
Chip & Diane S.
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We had great results with our dachshund, she is better behaved and listens when we give her commands.Theresa is very knowledgeable about canines, we have followed her instructions and advice. On our 2nd visit our baby was very relaxed.
Kathryn M.
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Four of my colleagues used Theresa for their dogs, so I was a bit familiar with the things she has people do after having gone over to a few of their houses (for instance, my colleague/friend trained me and other visitors to make the “baaahh” noise when her golden retriever and Pomeranian tries to jump on you). So, when my parents got a four month old puppy who needed some training, I called Theresa. She was patient and understanding with my senior parents who have never trained a puppy before and, when my mom was getting overwhelmed after she left because the things that she was trying to teach them didn’t entirely work (or my parents just weren’t doing them right), my mom called her and, without hesitation, she talked mom through another solution of what to do over the phone. And then, if that were not enough, a little while later she called my mom and dad back to check in on them and make sure that they were OK and see if she could do anything else to help them. I can’t say enough good things about Theresa. Everything that my colleagues have told me about her was 110% correct—she is knowledgeable, patient, kind, and means business (to the dog!) but also shows how much she loves dogs at the same time. I would not hesitate to recommend her to work with anyone’s dog. I’m looking forward to seeing the changes that she makes in my parents’ puppy, and how she helps my parents along the way.
Reba W.
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Theresa is awesome! She has been helping to train us and two of our dogs. I love that she comes to our home. She helps break down the techniques in a simple and understandable way. Going through the training has been fun for us and our fur babies.

She isn’t just there to deliver training. She is there to help our family of people and fur babies be successful and happy.
Alicia H.
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A fantastic trainer! Overall made me feel very comfortable and gave me a ton of insight. Definitely will recommend to many people. Super helpful with common “quirks” seen in dogs that require training. I was given multiple tools to help with training at home. Every question I had was answered, and was given a full understanding of each answer! Will definitely continue my training through bark busters for my dog.
Kat H.
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Very professional and punctual. I would definitely recommend this service for your training needs!
Donovan D.
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Very professional. Would recommend.
Heather G.
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We learned a lot and found this resource extremely helpful. Our issues were quickly addressed, and we are already seeing improvements.
Jason H.
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Need Dog Training Assistance with Your Doberman Pinscher? Find Your Local Trainer Now!

CALL TODAY 1-877-500-BARK (2275)

Please begin by confirming your zip code.