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The first thing you need to consider before you start your search for a breeder is WHY? "Why do I think a Doberman is the right breed for me?"
Your breeder will ask you this question, and you should be prepared to answer it. Many people get Doberman's that might not be fully prepared for
the training and care that a Doberman demands.
Doberman's are very smart, loving dogs but you have to stay on top of their training. Obedience is a must, this breed requires quite a bit of mental
and physical exercise to stay happy and healthy. Doberman's do have quite a list of potential health problems. Are you prepared financially to
provide for your Doberman over the span of his lifetime? No one expects you to be Daddy Warbucks...but veterinary care is not cheap, and good
breeders will expect you to be pro-active in keeping your Doberman in good condition, and providing for him should be become ill.
Once you have decided that you are willing to provide proper care and training, then you need to decide what you want to "do" with your
Doberman. Will you be doing Schutzhund? Ring Sport? Conformation? Agility? or will he just be a loved member of your family? All of these are
acceptable, but your goals for you and your dog will help you decide where you should start searching for a Doberman.
On to the breeders........
No matter what your goals are for your Doberman, you deserve a healthy puppy from health tested, titled parents. Your breeder should help you
along the way, and answer any questions you might have about your new dog. Whether it be feeding, ear posting, training, health, or how to
groom him, the breeder should be there for you. They should be familiar with the pedigree for many generations before your puppy. After all, this is
the reason they bred this litter. They think this combination will click, and hopefully produce Dobermans even better than the dogs preceding them.
They should be familiar with the bloodlines, and happy to discuss health, titles, temperament, etc. with you.
Puppies from proper breeding are not cheap, but in my opinion, money spent up front, is money saved later. A good breeder is doing their best to
provide you with the puppy you are looking for, that matches your goals, and that will provide you with many years of companionship.
This does not mean, that just because someone is charging a ton of money, you are getting a quality Doberman either. There are all to many
commercial breeders out there, doing it for the money, not for the love of the breed, or to improve it. Alot of these breeders will advertise
"European lines" or "Champion Bloodlines" but if you look closely you will find that the champion is 4 generations back. The "euro" gimmick has
really taken off as well. Just because the dog is from another country, does NOT make it a quality Doberman. You should expect the same health
testing and titles from european parents. All to often these "euro lines only" kennels do as little as possible, so that they can maximize profit. This is
not someone you want to deal with. There are alot of nice european dogs in America, but you need to know what you are looking at. Research the
pedigree, ask about health problems, ask about temperament. Just for the record, although I personally prefer most of the european dogs, they DO
have the same health issues alot of the American bred Dobermans face. If someone tells you the "euro" have less cardio, less HD, less
whatever....they are full of it. European dobermans are affected with the same health issues that American Dobermans are. If you need help,
please feel free to contact me.
Then there is the breeder in the newspaper, they have "great family companions" or maybe the litter was an "accident". I would like to believe that
these people just honestly don't know any better. They don't know the importance of health testing, and they wouldn't know a quality Doberman if
it was standing right in front of them. Please,don't let the "low price tag" fool you. When you are paying thousands of dollars in vet bills or are
dealing with a Doberman that has less than desirable temperment....trust me, that breeder will leave you high and dry. They will have no clue
where to point you for help, and you will be left to deal with it for yourself. Once again the money spent up front is worth it's weight in gold to know
that you have someone to call when you cant get those ears to stand, or your Doberman "just isn't acting right"
So, enough of the bad, what DOES a responsible breeder look like?
They will probably ask you as many questions as you ask them. They have spent a great deal of time and money planning this litter, and they want
to make sure that their puppies wind up in the right homes.
They will provide you with information regarding the health of the sire and dam.
They will tell you what they expect from this litter (good and bad) Do they expect a stronger temperament, excellent trackers, SAR prospects?
They should have a written contract, explaining what they guarantee, and what they expect from you. This is for the benefit of you both.
Everything is in writing, and there is nothing left to guess later.
They will ALWAYS take the puppy back should something come up and you not be able to keep it.
They should be active in working and/or showing their dogs.
and once again.........they should be there for YOU, the puppy owner for the duration of the dogs life.
I hope that in some way I have helped you in your search. Please, if you are unsure about something, feel free to contact me. If I can't answer
your question I would be happy to point you in the direction of someone who can.
Best Wishes,
Amanda Shadforth