Fun and Facts

The "new" Dobermann standard !

The Dobermann can be described as intelligent, courageous and beautiful with an elegant appearance - all of which tells us nothing at all about the dog.

Head
The head is of great importance; without it the dog loses all expression and bumps into things. Experienced judges tend to notice this failing.

Muzzle
This is something else that all Dobermanns should have. It should start below the eyes and finish at the nose, and should not be too pointed or the judge may mistake the dog for a Dachshund, or too heavy in which case it might win the Rottie classes. Its predominant use is for jogging elbows when trying to enjoy a cup of coffee.

Teeth
These should be white, and should not stick out too far, or in too much. If they get grey or yellow, a mixture of sand and Ajax, applied with a wire-brush will get them white in no time. It may make the gums bleed but there is nothing in the breed standard about bleeding gums. Dobermann teeth are designed for transporting any object from the house to the end of the yard especially towels, bath sponges or one slipper.

Eyes
These should be open, and there should be two of them. They should both look in the same direction. If they don't, train the dog to keep them shut.

Ears
Again there should be two, one on each side of the head, but for uncropped ears they should not be so large that a good gust of wind can lift him off the ground. Dogs with no ears may have difficulty in hearing.

Neck
The neck should be strong, muscular and of medium length, preferably at the head end of the body. Dogs without necks may suffer from malnutrition due to difficulty in transferring food from the mouth to the stomach region.

Legs
The Dobermann should have four legs, one at each corner. They should be quite long but at least long enough to reach the ground. It is also desirable to have all four legs the same length, otherwise the dog will walk with a tilt. At the end of each leg, there should be a foot. Dogs with feet going in opposite directions have a problem, as this is a very difficult fault to correct.

Body
The body connects the front of the dog to the back. Dogs without bodies should not be shown or bred from. Dogs with bodies too low to the ground also have problems, especially nursing bitches.

Tail
All Dobermanns should have a tail, and it should be at the opposite end of the head. For this reason it should be quite short, to enable owners to differentiate between head and tail end at feeding times.

Temperament
The Dobermann must never be shy, sullen or growly, except when bill collectors come around. Biting a judge, even when justified as when being put into second place, is frowned upon. Biting stewards is quite permissible, however, as they are normally replaceable.

Colour & markings
The Dobermann must be of any colour acceptable in the Standard whatever they are, but it must be remembered there is a bias among judges who keep putting up strangely marked dogs. However, if you have an unusual colour, wait until a breeder judge producing the same colourings as your own is judging, as he will be the expert and recognise a good Dobermann when he sees one.

Disqualifications
Any artificial means used to deceive the judge, e.g. artificial limbs, false teeth, glass eyes or glued on coats (especially if this comes off on handling).

Faults
No Dobermann has any faults worth mentioning.