I’m thinking of getting a Dobermann from a breeder in Serbia. I would have preferred to find one here in the UK, but I really want him to have that classic Dobermann look... so I’m leaning towards Serbia instead.
Has anyone ever imported a pup from there before? Does anyone have a recommendation or a specific breeder’s details?
Cheers!
Translated from French
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Oh, the "holier-than-thou" comment wasn't aimed at you at all! 😉
It’s just that whenever the conversation starts going on about "torture for aesthetic reasons"—and I get that perspective, even if the word "torture" is a bit much—people often forget that the dog suffers a heck of a lot more from chronic ear infections or constantly splitting the end of their tail open than from a minor procedure done when they're young. It doesn't exactly rob them of their way of communicating, either; cropped ears can be pinned back just as well as, if not better than, floppy ears, and a docked tail can still wag (what about Aussies born with bobtails—are they "handicapped" when it comes to communicating?).
And if that's the case, if we aren't allowed to use a scalpel on a dog for the sake of convenience, then we might as well stop preventative spaying and neutering too...
I completely understand your position, and I actually agree. If you just want a dog for the sake of having a dog, then a rescue should be the first port of call. But if you want a dog for a specific physical trait, temperament, or aptitude, then buying a puppy is also an option.
Me neither... it’s just the term ‘self-righteous’ that rubs me up the wrong way a bit. A self-righteous person thinks they’re the only one who’s right. That’s definitely not me. I’m just sharing how I feel! 😋
[Edit: To add to this so-called debate, and for the benefit of the holier-than-thou lot, have any of you ever actually owned a "natural" Dobe? I have, and I can tell you that docking isn't just "a matter of taste"—he was constantly injuring his tail.]
Ears aside, Eastern Europe produces some truly beautiful dogs. You shouldn't confuse "Eastern European puppy farms" with "Eastern European breeders"; they have absolutely nothing in common.
My girl is the first on her pedigree to be born here in the UK; her parents are from the East, and there are Italian lines among her grandparents...
And it's a completely different mindset when you’re adopting a rescue versus buying a puppy. In the first case, you’re combining the desire for a dog with the want to do a good deed; in the second, there are obviously specific criteria (whether aesthetic or functional) that factor into the purchase.
I look for dogs that are fit for purpose. That might be what you’d call "picking optional extras for a car," Aggie, but it’s a deliberate choice on my part, and I see no harm in it.
I completely agree! Mind you, @Koko 06, no, it’s not just a matter of taste! Dogs use their ears and tails to communicate with other dogs. If a dog has its ears cropped and its tail docked, it loses its means of expression...
I’m well aware of the rescue charities that bring dogs over from overseas; my own pooch is actually one of them. But the difference, really, is that they send them to the mainland to give them a fighting chance of being adopted, whereas in places like Guadeloupe, for example, they’re facing being put down. I can completely understand avoiding the risks of inbreeding in rare breeds. But buying a dog from abroad just to get ears like this or a tail like that… it always reminds me of picking out optional extras on a foreign car. But as I said, that’s just my personal opinion!
😉
Mastiff parents are rarely French! To avoid any risk of inbreeding in such a rare breed (there were only 14 left in the world in 1960), all breeders work in partnership! Moumouth’s dad is Italian and his mum is English!
Oh, really? I didn't know that!
I've heard the exact same argument about importing a car... sorry, but that completely goes against how I view the bond between a human and a dog. To me, it just makes them look like a commodity! Still, that’s just my opinion. I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind.
I completely get what you mean; it does sound a bit like they're just merchandise when you put it that way... But animal rescue charities also import dogs from Spain or from overseas with all the same legal "obligations" and red tape, etc. It’s just that because it's for rescue, it seems more justifiable...
Also, professional breeders often look abroad too, either because they breed rare breeds that aren't very common here, or to introduce new bloodlines to their stock.
I don’t see any problem with importing a Dobie as long as you’re sure about the breeding conditions and how the parents are being treated. Ideally, you want a reliable contact on the ground, or to go to the breeder yourself (it’s a labour of love, after all, so you don’t mind the time or the travel). Before I came across Sirius, I’d found someone who went to Bulgaria regularly to see family and was happy to go and visit any breeders I’d shortlisted, or even bring the puppy back for me if necessary.
Oh, really? I didn't know that! I’ve heard this exact same argument before about importing a vehicle... sorry, but it goes completely against my view of the bond between humans and dogs. All I see there is a commodity! Still, that’s just my take on it. I’m not trying to convince anyone.
