Serbian Dobermanns

Hi everyone, I’m planning on getting a puppy from Serbia and having him brought over to my town. The breeder is asking for about £2,000, which includes the transport, vaccinations, worming, and microchipping. Do you think that price is a bit excessive?

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone here has heard of Altobello Kennels in Serbia? Also, has anyone bought a Dobermann from Serbia before, and what was the process like? I only know of the kennel by name, but I'm aware that some breeders use dogs from there in their breeding programmes. They certainly look like stunning dogs in the photos, and it seems that health screening is done as standard. That's really important when you think about the heartbreak of a dog suffering from DCM or other common health issues within the breed. I'd recommend getting in touch with them directly through a Serbian translator to get the details you're after. Steer clear of any middlemen offering to sort everything out for you – dodgy dealings aren't uncommon... it might even be worth planning to head over there and pick up the puppy yourself!

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone knows of the Altobello kennel in Serbia? Also, has anyone here ever bought a Dobermann from Serbia before? I'd love to know how the whole process works.

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone knows of the Altobello kennel in Serbia? Also, has anyone here ever bought a Dobermann from Serbia before? I'd love to know how the whole process works.

@Wiegehts, the European convention this is all based on only covers pets, so that counts out piglets (who end up biting each other's tails as a compulsive habit due to overcrowding). There aren't many people in high places getting worked up about that, and in my opinion, there’s a massive amount of stuff to look at in the pig farming industry (teeth clipping, farrowing crates for nursing sows, indoor farming and floor space) before we even worry about tail docking. Anyway, to get back to dogs, yes, European legislation restricts docking even in third countries, non-signatories, or those with reservations, because of the knock-on effect you've described. Technically, I have the right to dock my dog, but it would rule them out for being exported for breeding, so either I don’t dock... or I do, but later on (which is more of a blow for the puppy really; if you think about the pain of the op, I’d imagine the later it's done, the more it's going to sting). And in the grand scheme of things, looking at the "French case", you can absolutely have a puppy's ears cropped if you can justify a medical reason. So you just have to find (or make up) poor circulation in the tips of the ears and your vet will give them a nice crop, taking full responsibility for it without any trouble. And if you can't find a vet who’s lax enough to help you out, we share plenty of borders with countries that still do it...

I’m just describing what I see; I’m not saying it’s ‘right’ or that it makes sense.

French breeders are docking the tails of breeds that used to be docked less and less these days, because most European countries that have banned tail docking no longer allow docked dogs in shows. It makes it hard for them to sell their dogs abroad if they can’t show them... If I’m talking rubbish, @BeCool will set me straight 😉 Also, regarding importing docked or cropped puppies... I’d much rather go abroad to pick out a good-looking pup if I think a pair of cropped ears is worth the effort, rather than buying a puppy here and having it butchered under the table by a vet. Sure, the vet could be prosecuted, but since they’re working off the books with no guarantees, they could just as easily deny it if they botched the job or were negligent (why would they care? There’s no paper trail). The owner would be liable for having the operation done in France anyway, so if you tried to report them, you'd be stuffed! There are still vets here who do the job properly, but is it worth the risk of a fine? Or breaking the law? As for tail docking, I heard that hunters kicked up a real fuss when they heard about the ban... as did the pig farmers 😁 Why? Because in factory farming, they dock piglets’ tails to stop them from biting each other due to the stress of being confined. Fact or fiction? I’m waiting for @BeCool! Anyway, I thought the law only applied to "domestic" pets, so why would livestock breeders have been affected? I’ve no idea, but it’s certainly not hard to find. I’ve known quite a few litters nearby (Boxers especially) where the tails were docked (and a good job too) by the local vet. These were non-KC registered puppies bred by hobbyists. On the other hand, I spent a lot of time looking at breeder websites a couple of years ago and they were all pushing the “all-natural” look, posting messages in bold red text to tell anyone who dared ask for a docked tail to look elsewhere straight away. That’s why I made that point—I know loads of people who’d rather get their dog from a local family than a professional breeder, especially if the breeders won’t sell them what they’re looking for.

Regarding tail docking, a significant reservation was made when the European Convention was signed (hardly surprising, as France is the historic home of many hunting breeds, and docking was seen as a practical necessity, if not a given). And as for ears, let’s not kid ourselves—it’s still very much a thing. It just means the dog can’t be entered into Kennel Club shows. You don’t need to go all the way to Serbia to find a dog with cropped ears. But of course, if someone doesn’t have the right connections to get a French-born dog cropped and they’re dead set on it, they’ll look abroad. While there are people doing a proper job out there too, the distance definitely makes things a bit more opaque.