The Doberman Pinscher is one of the most misunderstood dogs in the puppy kingdom. Believe me, they’re not born evil, and they don’t want to eat your other dogs and kids, no matter what you’ve heard. I’ve owned two, and they were very sweet, smart, and a little bit silly.
There are some challenges involved in training a Doberman Pinscher puppy, but they’re not nearly as hard to train as, say, a Siberian Husky puppy. I dare say that a beginning dog owner who’s dedicated to doing the training right, can handle a Doberman Pinscher puppy with little or no problem.
Especially with my help!
A Doberman Pinscher puppy can be tranied to be either a junkyard dog, or a family friend. It’s certainly not hard to train a Doberman Pinscher puppy to either way. Due to the junkyard dog image, it is illegal in some areas to own a Doberman Pinscher as a house pet.
Thorough Doberman Pinscher puppy socialization is a very important point. Unless trained against it, a Doberman Pinscher might wrongly decide one of its beloved family members is under threat, which can lead to an unprovoked dog-on-dog attack.
I’ll get into training a Doberman Pinscher puppy a bit further down the page. Rest assured that all the behavior problems you’ve heard about with Doberman Pinschers are a matter of training.
You do have to know, however, that Doberman Pinschers were bred for aggression, and this is where training comes in. I’ll get into the training portion near the bottom of this article.
Jump to: Breed History, Appearance, Social Temperament, Health Issues, or Training a Doberman Pinscher Puppy.
Breed History – Doberman Pinscher
The Doberman Pinscher was bred by a tax collector in the 1890s who needed protection from highwaymen. That tax collector’s name was Karl Dobermann. He also owned a dog impound, and the rest is Doberman Pinscher puppy history.
The blood lines that went into the Doberman Pinscher are not well-documented. The only breed known for certain to have contributed, is the Greyhound, which can be plainly seen in the Doberman Pinscher’s body shape.
Appearance – Doberman Pinscher
The Doberman Pinscher is a very strong dog, usually with a broad muscular chest and narrower haunches. It stands just over two feet tall at the shoulders and weighs between 75 and 100 pounds, with females being a bit smaller and lighter with somewhat less muscle mass.
Some breeders are starting to select less-muscular specimens of the Doberman Pinscher for breeding, but the stronger Doberman Pinscher puppy is still more popular.
The coat of a Doberman Pinscher puppy is usually black and tan, with the tan markings limited to the face and inner legs. There are a few other colors, leading to some brown or rust colored Doberman Pinscher puppies, but these are not very common. There are even more rare variations of deep bluish-black and a rusty fawn. The most rare of all is an albino, but these Doberman Pinschers were not very healthy.
Social Temperament – Doberman Pinscher Puppy
Most people have met Dobermans who were trained as guard dogs. This is, after all, what the Doberman Pinscher was originally bred for, and they do that job well. Such a dog has been trained to be suspicious of strangers, aggressive, and in some cases will act downright vicious.
However, these are by far not the only traits a Doberman Pinscher puppy can be trained to develop. They are smart and loyal, and when properly socialized they can be sweet and very sociable. A Doberman Pinscher puppy can be trained to love your children and even your cats.
Unique Health Problems – Doberman Pinscher
A Doberman Pinscher’s life span is only about 10 years, though some puppies outlive this by far. One of the best ways to ensure a long, happy life is by giving only the best dog food and the right diet, with lots of play and exercise.
As with any breed, the Doberman Pinscher puppy breeder is responsible for screening which dogs they mate, in order to prevent hereditary diseases from affecting new litters. Below are a few of the common health problems that Doberman Pinschers can suffer from:
- Cervical Vertebral Instability aka Wobbler Disease, so-called because it causes a wobbly gait because the spinal cord is pinched, cutting off brain signals to the hind quarters.
- Von Willebrand Disease, a blood disorder that prevents or slows the clotting of injuries.
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a state where the heart’s muscles enlarge and relax, pumping blood less effectively than it should.
Training a Doberman Pinscher Puppy
Like any working dog, a Doberman Pinscher puppy wants and needs to be trained. The labors of obedience training stimulate their ample minds and bodies, and forms a strong bond between the dog and the trainer.
I’ve said many, many times that “old-school” methods of intimidation and cruelty are the wrong way to train any dog. Those methods only bring out a dog’s aggressive, primitive traits. If you are looking for a vicious, slavering attack dog, cruelty during training will get you exactly that.
If you want your Doberman Pinscher puppy to grow into a loving dog, treat your pup to kind, reward-based encouragement and love during training.
Clicker training is a great option for the Doberman Pinscher, and replaces the steady supply of treats they’ll earn as they breeze through every step of puppy training.
Along with plenty of puppy socialization your Doberman should be taught all the basic obedience training commands such as sit, stay, come, down and go to your spot.
Here are the things you’ll need to know as you train your Doberman Pinscher puppy:
- Make sure your Doberman Pinscher learns the command “go to your spot.” This command has many uses, including giving you a way to redirect and train your dog during tense situations.
- A typical, well-loved and socialized Doberman Pinscher puppy will grow up loving new friends, and the breed will tend to jump up on new people he likes. Don’t encourage jumping up by allowing it in your Doberman Pinscher puppy.
- The first time you take your Doberman Pinscher puppy out for a walk on a leash, you’d swear he was a sledding dog. Train your Doberman Pinscher early to avoid pulling and walk nicely on a leash.
- The strong jaws of a Doberman Pinscher puppy will present a problem during teething. Learn how to train your dog not to chew on the wrong things.
New dog owners who fall in love with a Doberman Pinscher puppy should seriously consider professional obedience training classes to get a head-start on the most essential step of puppy socialization. You should also pick up one of the comprehensive guides to dog training such as “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer” and read it early in your Doberman Pinscher puppy’s life.
Neither of my Doberman Pinscher puppies grew up to be attack dogs. They were certainly fearless, and I never felt the need for an alarm system in my house or premises when I owned them, but I’ll say this: I never regretted letting my small children, other dogs, and my wife’s cat play with them unsupervised. Not once.
Back to puppy training – back to dog breeds.