Temperament:
Bred for a century to be an outstanding guard dog, the Doberman Pinscher is intense and energetic with tremendous strength and stamina. Versatile, highly intelligent and very easy to train. Determined, fearless and assertive, but not vicious. Noble, loyal and affectionate with the family. It likes to be physically close to the family members. Devoted and watchful, this is a very people oriented breed. The Doberman needs an owner who is willing and able to discipline the dog without being afraid of him. All family members should learn to handle the dog properly, as Dobermans can be pushy if allowed to have their own way too much. The Doberman is naturally protective and does not need additional "protection" training to be a fine guard dog. In fact he should be thoroughly socialized when young to prevent over-protectiveness. Mental stimulation is important for a truly well-adjusted and happy Dobe. The Doberman must be consistently and thoroughly trained to be a good pet. Training should be through positive reinforcement. Dobes can be good family dogs if of good temperament, well trained and raised with children from early puppyhood. Best with experienced owners. Female Dobes are a little more stubborn to train than the male. Although the Doberman has the reputation of being a very aggressive dog, this is just not the case. For example, Dobes make great therapy dogs. They are sweet and gentle with nursing-home patients - tippy-toeing over IV tubing and walking at the resident's speed (which can be very slow), while at the same time will fiercely defend his master if it becomes necessary. These dogs are like big, protective babies. Doberman Pinschers have many talents including tracking, watchdogging, guarding, police work, military work, search & rescue, therapy work, competitive obedience and schutzhund. Aggression towards other dogs is accepted in the AKC standard. Though generally a dominant breed, Dobermans vary greatly in temperament. Some are even very submissive. Some individuals are family dogs, and some bond only to one person. The Doberman has been bred to work with man, and he needs this interaction often. They must be with family, and not abandoned to the backyard.

Grooming:
Dobes need little grooming and are average shedders.

Exercise:
The Doberman is very energetic and needs thorough frequent exercise. They need to be taken on a daily, long walk or jog.

Living Condition:
Will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised, but does best with at least an average-sized yard. Dobes are very cold sensitive and are not an outside dog. That is why police in areas where it gets cold are not able to use them.

Origin:
This is a breed of relatively recent origin. It was developed in Germany in the 1860's, presumably by crossing among German Pinschers with Rottweilers, Beauceron, Pinschers, Greyhounds and English Greyhound to create the sleek and highly intelligent Doberman Pinscher. The creator of this mixture was a German tax collector named Louis Dobermann. Dobermann had to travel frequently through bandit-infested areas, and decided to "construct" a watchdog and bodyguard capable of handling any situation that might arise. Bearing the name of its originator (shortened by one n), the Doberman was first presented at a dog show in 1876. It was immediately a big success.