Breed Priorities – The Doberman Pinscher

by Nikki Riggsbee

The book by Richard Beauchamp, Solving the Mysteries of Breed Type, categorized breed type features in five areas: silhouette, breed character, head/expression, movement, and coat and color. Different breeds value some of these areas more highly than others. I wondered where Doberman experts would focus. I know breed character is important and have been told that it isn’t a head breed. True? What else?

Eighty-five Doberman Pinscher breeder-judges were reached to invite to participate in a survey on evaluating their breed. Fifty-five agreed to do so, and thirty-three surveys were returned. Many of the breeder-judges are approved for just Dobermans or a few other breeds, while several are group and multi-group judges. The experts averaged over thirty-five years in the breed and nearly fourteen years judging them. All have judged Doberman specialties, and almost half have judged their National.

Doberman Pinscher Virtues

The survey included a list of breed characteristics from the Doberman Pinscher standard for the experts to prioritize from the most important to the least important. The following is the list of virtues in sequence by the breeder-judges’ average rankings, with 1 being the most important.

1. Square body
2. Medium size
3. The hindquarters angulation balances that of the forequarters
4. Gait shows good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters
5. Elegant in appearance
6. Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient
7. Back short, firm, … extending in a straight line
8. Shoulder blade sloping at a 45-degree angle, meeting the upper arm at a 90-degree angle
9. Neck proudly carried, well muscled and dry, well marched
10. 42 correctly placed teeth
11 Eyes almond shaped, moderately deep set, with vigorous, energetic expression
12. Tail docked…and is carried only slightly above the horizontal
13. Head widens gradually toward the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line
14. Feet well arched, compact, and catlike, turning neither in nor out
15. Strong rear-action drive
16. Ears cropped, carried erect, upper attachment on a level with the top of the skull

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Posted by Alex on Jan 23 2018. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.