I’m looking for some feedback from Dobermann owners who have dogs from Eastern Europe.
I’m interested in getting a Dobermann and would love to hear your thoughts, particularly regarding which breeders to consider (Serbia, Russia, etc.).
Thanks in advance for any responses, information, or advice!
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A 60kg (around 132lb) Doberman? The poor thing must be either obese or absolutely massive.
My previous Doberman already weighed 50kg (about 7st 12lb)... he was all muscle and bone. When a dog of this breed exceeds such a substantial weight, I think it’s more of a deviation from the breed standard than anything else, likely caused by being overweight! My dog was very tall, but even then, he was at the absolute limit of what’s acceptable for a Doberman.
In any case, don’t go looking for the "biggest" or "sturdiest" dog possible.
Spain might be an alternative; the advice is the same as for any Doberman (whether from the UK or elsewhere)—be uncompromising about the parents' health screenings. In Spain, Dobermans tend to be a bit less stocky...
Another option is to look at shelters and rescue charities dedicated to Dobermans. You often find young dogs or adults with cropped ears, either from Spain or Eastern Europe. These are either pets being rehomed by their owners or rescues from Spanish "perreras" (local pounds). Combining the joy of getting your dream dog with giving a rescue a second chance is well worth thinking about, if you aren't dead set on getting a puppy.
Hi there,
The only real risk with Eastern European Dobies is DCM: all those 'pseudo champions' weighing 130 lbs (over 9 stone) don't make it past 6 or 7 years old.
As an alternative, check out Portugal and Italy (I think Spain is a no-go these days).
That’s what I’m going to do. But I was hoping to get some feedback from people who’ve actually done it. I don’t want to get into a debate, though. Thanks.
There’s a website for a middleman who specialises in Dobermann imports; he works with several Serbian breeders (I think they’re all Serbian, but you’d have to check). I won’t name him here or post a link, but it’s easy enough to find using keywords like "cropped ear Dobermann imports"...
Besides this person, you could try contacting breeders who have imported Dobermanns from those countries in their own kennels (they might be quite reluctant, as their aim is to sell puppies here in the UK, not those from other countries... but it’s worth a go, isn’t it?).
Private owners are unlikely to shout from the rooftops that they’ve imported a dog from there, given the controversy surrounding both the countries of origin and the cropped ears...
And a quick hello to @Bernard by the way (we’re playing hide and seek at the moment across all these touchy subjects 😈)
Right, without getting into the whole ear cropping and tail docking debate, when you’re looking for a pedigree dog, you need to do a massive amount of research into the breeder’s work, with health testing and socialisation as the top priorities.
It’s just like here; there’s bound to be an equivalent to the Kennel Club in the countries you’re looking at, with a list of registered breeders. Don’t just fixate on one single breeder.
Take a few days’ holiday to visit a few breeders over there. Have a chat with them, check the health screening results... as @wiegehts pointed out, a dog is a ten-year commitment, so don’t cut corners. You want a dog that’s not just good-looking, but healthy too.
As for cropping and docking... As long as the tail is docked within the first 8 days and the ears are done by a vet under general anaesthetic, there’s no need to kick up a fuss. And for the umpteenth time, as far as dog communication is concerned, I’ve never had any issues with cropped and docked dogs. The only thing that bothers me regarding the tail is the balance side of things—obviously, the tail is a natural rudder and counterbalance for a dog. But I’ve never seen my Dobermanns lose their footing; on the flip side, I’ve known several who actually broke... their tails!
And besides, my dear Bernard, have German Shepherds with their pricked ears or natural bobtail Aussies ever been blamed for having communication problems? I don't think so.
Especially since on a Dobbie, it’s a far cry from a 'battle crop' right down to the skull...
And yes, an undocked Dobermann can really damage its tail; I had a prime example with me for over 9 years who used to repaint the flat like a Jackson Pollock every time he bashed it against something.
