Fun Doberman Pinscher Facts For Kids

We may have come across many breeds of guard dogs but the Dobermann or Doberman pinscher is one of the most elegant dog breeds. Doberman pinschers are not exactly purebred.

However, they have a stereotype attached to their image that they are extremely aggressive. Recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1908 this working dog breed is fiercely loyal, intelligent, and protective.

The Doberman pinscher is comparatively a new breed that became extremely popular over a very short period. In 2018 the Doberman pinscher has been ranked as the 17th most popular dog by the AKC.

This breed is identified for its medium-large-sized body with a sophisticated gait. The Dobermann was initially bred in Germany, however, it is known as Doberman pinscher in Canada and the United States.

A tax collector from Germany named Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann wanted to establish a dog breed that would protect him. As he had access to many dog breeds he aimed to create a breed that will be extremely intelligent, protective, with immense strength and stamina.

There he bred this breed of dog in the 1880s which was a mix of many dog breeds. The Dobermann died in 1894 and after its death, the germans labeled this dog as Dobermann pinscher.

Intrigued already want to learn more about the Doberman pinschers? Then continue reading this article as more interesting facts are stated below.

If you like this article then check our other articles on Rottweiler lab mix and Italian wolf and share the amazing facts with everyone.

Doberman Pinscher Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Doberman pinscher?

One of the most popular working dogs the Doberman pinscher is a mixed breed that was initially bred by the german tax collector Louis Dobermann in the 1880s. He wanted a dog that will be extremely intelligent, active, and protective and this breed possesses all the attributes.

What class of animal does a Doberman pinscher belong to?

The Doberman pinscher belongs to the class Mammalia, of order Carnivora, family Canidae, and genus Canis. This breed of dog is further mixed with other breeds such as the German shepherd, rottweiler, Great Dane, poodle, beagle, bulldog, and many more.

How many Doberman pinschers are there in the world?

Doberman pinschers can be found all over the world as they make one of the best family pets, however, the exact number of dogs present in the world is not listed.

Where does a Doberman pinscher live?

Doberman pinschers are originally from Germany where they were first bred. The popularity of the dog spread globally and now this breed can be found all over them also. The coat of this breed is not very thick hence they can adapt themselves to any climate.

What is a Doberman pinscher's habitat?

The Doberman pinscher is a pet dog, that can be found in homes or rescue shelters. They are extremely active although they need a large space they can adjust to apartments too.

Who do Doberman pinschers live with?

The Doberman pinschers make a great pet because they are very protective and fierce. They live with humans and would protect them at any cost.

They require training and socializing but they can get along with the family as well as with children however, these dogs will be always suspicious of outsiders or strangers. They can live alone or with other dogs if they are raised together.

How long does a Doberman pinscher live?

The life span of this breed is approximately is 10-13 years but this breed is a victim of heart failure which is the primary cause of death in most of the Doberman pinschers. The health and longevity of these pet dogs are influenced by several factors such as Cardiomyopathy, where the heart fails to pump blood.

Von Willebrand's Disease is the condition when blood fails to clot resulting in excessive bleeding. Other health issues include Wobbler's Syndrome, Hypothyroidism, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Hip Dysplasia, and other minor issues as well.

How do they reproduce?

Large dogs such as the Doberman pinscher attains sexual maturity after one and a half years. The females undergo heat once or twice a year it depends on the breed.

During this period the female is prepared to reproduce. The method of reproduction is sexual, and there are two distinct phases of this process.

The first phase is called the first stage coitus where the male dog will mount the female dog and this will take about two to three minutes. After this, the dogs turn where the second stage follows.

The second stage is called the second stage coitus and it takes approximately five to 45 minutes where the dogs form a tie till the entire process is completed. The gestation period can be over 64 days and their clutch size of six to eight puppies.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of this dog is not confirmed. This dog is highly adaptable and it is widely found all over the world.

Doberman Pinscher Fun Facts

What do Doberman pinschers look like?

The Doberman pinscher, which is a mix of many dog breeds, is a medium-sized working dog. The body standard of the Doberman pinscher is determined by the World Canine Organisation or FCI based on the guidance of (International Dobermann Club) IDC.

However, the ACK has a different set of body standards for the Doberman pinschers.

The FCI or the World Canine Organisation’s standards are to be followed if the dog aspires to become a world champion. The anatomy of the male dog varies from that of the female.

The Dobermann, or Doberman pinscher, primarily appears to be square.

The female dogs are thinner than the male dogs who are more muscular and strong-built. As the Doberman pinschers were originally bred as a guard dog they are stronger than most of the dog breed.

The standard of the FCI and ACK varies on the ground that the FCI demands a heavier and larger breed than the ACK.

The exact breeds which were a part of the Dobermann breeding done by Louis Dobermann is not known yet it is assumed that Black and tan terrier, Rottweiler, and German pinscher is a part of the breeding program.

According to the FCI, the standard height of the male Doberman pinscher is approximately 27-28 in (68-72 cm) and the female dog is 25-27 in (63-68 cm).

While according to the United Kingdom’s Kennel Club the standard male dog is around 27 in (68 cm) and the female dog is around 26 in (65 cm).

The length of its body must be equal to its height and its legs, head and neck must be proportionated to the body. Besides their height, the weight of this dog breed according to FCI is 88-99 lb (40-45 kg) for the male dogs and 71-77 lb (32-35 kg) for the female dog.

The ears of the Doberman pinschers are often cropped but this practice is considered illegal and has been discarded in many countries.

The tail of the Doberman pinschers is often docked as a puppy, and just like ear cropping, this practice is also discarded in a few countries. Tails are docked so that they do not get in the way of their work but they all are born with a naturally long tail.

The Dobermans have a sleek coat that is primarily black but also it can be color diluted.

They are nine probable outcome of this color dilution that may occur due to one dominant allele and two recessive allele. The possible outcome of such circumstances is black, red, fawn, and blue Doberman pinscher.

Under the black there is black-tan and black-rust, the blue is diluted black.

Under the red there is brown and red-rust, the fawn is just a diluted variety of red Doberman pinscher. There are rust markings above their eyes and also on the chest, muzzle, throat, and legs.

There has been also a rare case of white Doberman pinscher that was reported in 1976.

However, they tried to continue the genetic mutating by inbreeding the dog with her son who was later bred with his sister. This led to several health complications as inbreeding amplifies numerous health issues.

How cute are they?

The puppies of any dog are adorable, they have the most innocent aspect that can melt any heart. Puppies are not as aggressive as adult dogs so which makes them even cuter.

The Doberman is a working dog widely acknowledged for its elegance, they are always and protective. This breed is contemplated to be aggressive if not trained properly but these dogs are very dear to their owner. But an outsider or stranger can find them intimidating.

How do they communicate?

Dogs use body language and sounds to communicate with other dogs and even with their family members. Dogs mainly bark, however they whine too. It is important to give attention to them when they do so.

How big is a Doberman pinscher?

The Doberman pinscher can be contemplated as a medium to large dog based on the body standard that they follow. The standard size of this breed according to the FCI the male dog must be 27-28 in (68-72 cm) and the female dog must be 25-27 in (63-68 cm) in height.

The Great Dane is more than that of the Doberman as the male Great Dane is 30-33.8 in (76-86 cm) and the female is 28-31.8 in (71-81 cm).

How fast can a Doberman pinscher run?

The maximum speed of Doberman pinscher is 32 mph (51.4 kph).

How much does a Doberman pinscher weigh?

The weight of the Doberman pinscher is 88.1-99.2 lb (40-45 kg) for the males and 66.1-77.1 lb (30-35 kg) for the females.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male dog of any breed is called a dog and the female dog is called a bitch.

What would you call a baby Doberman pinscher?

The baby of the Doberman pinscher is called a puppy just like the baby of every other dog. The female dog gives birth to six to eight puppies after a gestation period of 64 days.

The Doberman pinscher puppies are born with long tails but they are docked in their initial puppy stage. This practice is an illegal practice in many countries.

The delivery of the puppies is a very critical moment because many puppies can die in the uteri. The puppies require more care and they must be dewormed and complete the course of vaccinations.

Training them and socializing them from the time they are a puppy is recommended because of their aggressive temperament. Dobermans make grows up to be an amazing pet they are very protective to towards the family but not much with outsiders.

What do they eat?

As much as training and exercise are important, proper diet and feeding are also crucial. A Doberman pinscher is a working dog with a high energy level so feeding them properly and in the right proportion is required.

An agile and active dog like a Doberman pinscher needs three to four cups of food twice a day.

However, the amount of food also depends on the size and the activity that the dog is into. A highly active dog requires more food while a dog with minimum or no physical activity requires less quantity of food.

Doberman pinschers are extremely active and a large spacious home with daily physical activities is needed to maintain them. These are strong and muscular dogs while the female dogs are slightly thinner than the male dogs.

High-quality dog food is largely available in the market for both adult dogs and puppies. This high-quality dog food contains their daily protein requirement and other vital nutrients that are essential to keep their muscles and bones healthy.

So feed the best quality dog food.

Besides packaged dog food, homemade food can also be provided to them just it has to make sure that it contains the same nutritional value. Do not overfeed your dogs out of affection.

Are they slobbery?

Dobermans do not drool that much even though they are a mix of breeds that may slobber a lot. However, salivating is natural among dogs particularly when they see food and few dogs tend to drool a lot.

But it is not the same for the Doberman pinscher and if they still salivate a lot that could be because of an underlying health problem.

Would they make a good pet?

Doberman pinschers can be the best pet if trained and taken care of properly. It is supposed to be a mix of a Rottweiler, German pinscher, and a black and tan terrier.

Thus it is believed to possess some other their best attributes. The Doberman are working dogs who are loyal, intelligent, trainable, and protective.

They have a high energy level and hence it is better to keep them in spacious apartments or homes where they can run around. These dogs are widely known as dog show champions and everything depends on their training.

They can get along with family and children well but socializing with them as a puppy is important. Because of their protective nature, they would go to any extent to protect their owner.

Grooming them is less time-consuming because of their sleek coat and once a week should be enough. Feeding them high-quality dog food is needed to maintain their beautiful sleek coat.

The Doberman pinscher does not like to be left alone for a long time also they can suffer from any health problem. Heart failure is a primary cause of death among this breed so an occasional visit to the vet is recommended.

Did you know...

The Doberman pinscher was adopted as the official war dog of the United States Marine Corps during World War II.

This breed is a part of many fictional movies and shows such as Up, Road rovers, Transformers, Columbo, Oliver & Company, Bunnicula, and others.

The President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, had a Doberman pinscher named Moe.

Characteristics and health issues

When Louis Dobermann bred this dog he wanted to incorporate certain specific characteristics. He wanted the dog to be an extremely protective, intelligent, loyal breed that will guard him.

Therefore, Dobermans have various aspects that distinguish them from the rest of the guard dogs. Besides its physical strength and agility, the intelligence of this dog is far superior to any other breed.

It is because of their intelligence they are trainable just like the German shepherd dog, border collie, and golden retriever.

Nevertheless, training should begin from a very early stage. Dobermans are also stereotyped for their aggressive temperament which is not always true.

They are guard dogs and they would go to any extent to protect their owners as they are intimidating, fearless, and strong. But they would only get aggressive on the command of their owner as they are remarkably faithful.

Training plays a key role when it comes to the aggressive temperament of this breed, however, breeders have successfully toned down the aggressive temperament of this dog. The average life span of the Doberman pinscher is around 10-13 years but their life span can be affected by several factors.

Dobermans are mostly affected by dilated cardiomyopathy. It is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood as it becomes enlarged.

This is a major cause of death in most of the Dobermans and German shepherd dogs.

And the European Doberman dogs are affected more than the dogs of the American variety. Besides dilated cardiomyopathy, the Dobermann Pinscher tends to develop Prostatic disease, Wobbler’s diseases or Cervical vertebral instability, and even Von Willebrand disease.

Although the common cause of death is heart failure amongst this breed yet they can also acquire hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism. These two are less serious but common health issues along with the canine compulsive disorder.

Getting your own Doberman pinscher

Getting a pet is a huge responsibility be it any breed but it is always suggested to adopt a pet than purchasing it. There is various rescue shelter that will enable and guide you to adopt the right dog which you are looking for.

However, if you still want to buy then the cost of this breed can range between $600-$1000.

Other Doberman varieties such as the mini Doberman pinscher would be around $1000-$3000, Doberman german shepherd mix would be around $500. Price may vary according to the breeds, their availability, breeder as there are many Doberman mix breeds.

The Doberman pinscher temperament can be aggressive and training this dog is the most crucial part after getting a puppy.

These dogs have high intelligence so they are trainable but if not trained properly they can be hard to manage. Training them may require a great deal of attention, engagement, and patience if you have no experience of training dogs it is better to seek professional help.

Although they are considered to be aggressive they can be the best family dog it just requires early socialization.

Dobermans have a high energy level and require a lot of exercise to stay fit so a big house with a lot of space is appropriate for this breed. Grooming them is not tedious as they require minimal grooming, these dogs have a sleek coat that requires brushing perhaps once a week.

Brushing their teeth and bathing them particularly during summer is essential and along with that trimming their nails.

Doberman pinschers tend to develop many health problems therefore, completing their vaccination course as a puppy is mandatory. Also, occasional health checks up and visit the veterinary clinic is also recommended.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Boxerdoodle facts and Victorian bulldog facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Doberman coloring pages.