Doberman Shepherd Dog Breed

The Doberman Shepherd is essentially classified as a working dog; while it is a hybrid, both parents — the Doberman Pinscher and the German Shepherd — are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as working and herding dogs, respectively. Like most "designer dogs," the Doberman Shepherd was most likely first widely produced in the 1990's. Because of the great amount of consistent training, early socialization and calm confidence required to raise a Doberman Shepherd, this mixed breed is not recommended for first-time families nor for families with very young children who may be left alone with the dog; raising these dogs is best left to experienced people.

PROS

• Great working dogs
• A variety of potential abilities: military, search & rescue, sighting, watchdog, guard dog, racing, herding and more
• Loyal to a fault: if they imagine a threat, they will often not hesitate to neutralize it
• Highly trainable and once properly trained, they will obey perfectly
• Low shedders
• Not roamers
• Extremely strong
• Very attractive

CONS

• Requires a lot of constant, persistent and professional training
• Must be exercised daily and for long lengths of time
• Can quickly develop separation anxiety if left alone frequently or for long periods
• Not good alone around young and / or small children
• Very sensitive to being handled
• Can easily suffer from obesity
• Must be socialized constantly and in sundry environments if expected to not be aggressive around strangers, other pets and when outdoors
• Unsuitable for small apartments
• Inexperienced and / or first-time families should not recommended
• Some significant health concerns that must be watched for
• Very big dogs

The Doberman Shepherd is one of the few practical hybrids that emerged somewhat formally with the "designer nineties" when dogs of most every kind were cross-bred with every other dog. This mixed breed is an extremely stable, greatly trainable and highly versatile dog whose loyalty, obedience and strength is best for active and experienced dog-loving people and families. Be forewarned: if for a decade or more you are not ready to devote a great part of your daily life to this dog, the Doberman Shepherd is not for you. Doberman Shepherds need a remarkable amount of training, exercise and socialization to burn off their energy, keep them mentally alert and prevent the inevitable bad behavior that will certainly result from neglect, inactivity and boredom.

The notable intelligence of both parent breeds — the German Shepherd and the Doberman Pinscher — are perfectly combined in the Doberman Shepherd. This is a headstrong dog that will dominate a household if allowed even a small chance. Still, they are extremely loyal dogs who will put themselves in mortal danger to protect your family, and living with one of these dogs is a huge responsibility.

The strength, stamina and raw power of the Doberman Shepherd is a considerable duty to manage. This is not a lazy hybrid, and a significant amount of daily exercise will be required to prevent problems as well as keep your beautiful and devoted Doberman Shepherd healthy and happy!

Despite the typically distinct appearances of both the Doberman Pinscher and the German Shepherd (GSD), there are many coat color variations for both breeds that can be conveyed to their puppies. While there remains a raging debate regarding whether black and white Dobermans and GSDs are prone to inherited health problems, both breeds are immediately disqualified from American Kennel Club (AKC)-affiliated dog shows if they are white.

Of the five Doberman colors, the AKC recognizes only four: rust and either black, red, blue or fawn. For German Shepherds, however the AKC recognizes a whopping 11 colors: bi-color (the black and tan that is most commonly seen), black, black and cream, black and red, black and silver, black and tan, blue, gray, liver, sable and white. The cumulative wide range of coat color combinations that can occur from cross-breeding these two dogs is immense, of course, and there are many resultant variations.

As for size, it is almost guaranteed that your Doberman Shepherd will be a big dog, have long pointy ears and possess a medium-length to long tail (providing their ears and / or tail have not been docked). Down-breeding for less-than-large sizes is not sought after in Doberman Shepherds, as size is one of the many desirable talents maintained from cross-breeding these two dogs.

The Doberman Shepherd comes from two highly energetic, remarkably intelligent and very demanding parent breeds: the Doberman Pinscher (classified as a working dog) and the German Shepherd (a herding dog). There is much about both breeds' aggression issues, but what is rarely addressed are two factors: exploiting the potential for violence (i.e., dog-fighting) and owner neglect that allows the dog to behave in aggressive ways. By refusing to engage the former and being attendant of not allowing the latter, aggression should not be a concern for those who adopt this remarkable dog.

Like their parent breeds, Doberman Shepherds need not just tasks but duties. They need to be trained, socialized and attended from very early on. The responsibilities to maintain this hybrid's athletic, domineering and duty-driven demeanor are many and extensive.

To be sure, Doberman Shepherds are not always the best dog for some families. People who are active, often at home and possessing a patient, level-headed and confident demeanor tend to be the best match for the strong, intelligent and take-charge Doberman Pinscher / German Shepherd mix. They are excellent watch- and guard dogs, and they will be eager to protect you, your family and household. They will love to run, jog or at least walk with you a couple of times a day and certainly for more than a few minutes. For people who live on farms, ranches and in sparse rural areas, these dogs will love to be given jobs to help keep things running smoothly.

Cross-breeding tends to mitigate if not altogether eliminate most health problems, but with the two large parent breeds that produce a Doberman Shepherd, there tends to be a magnification of the health problems the two purebred dogs may pass on to their hybrid puppies. Perhaps the most serious problem is hip dysplasia, which goes almost hand-in-hand with the obesity that can result from a poor diet and / or inactivity. Some other significant concerns are heart, eye and bone ailments as well as allergies.

With great care, however, you can expect your Doberman Shepherd to live about 10 to 13 years.