Doberman breeder

For me I would definitely be asking them alot more questions.  Their website does not give me a very good idea about the quality of their dogs.  Sure, some seem to be set up in conformation poses, but they cannot even spell conformation or agility correctly.

Have any of their dogs placed, or been certified, in any KC events (i.e. Agility, Companion Dog, Conformation, etc).

What types of health certifications do they have (such as OFA/CERF and how were they rated?).

 If a dog is sent outside the Minneapolis area, does it have to be brought back to U of M if found to be positive for a congenital defect?  Why not a facility closer to purchaser's home?

To me, the website is very poor at giving any type of information about the breeder and dogs and I would like to know a little more about their program and breeding stock.  That is just my personal opinion and others may know more.

 Good luck in whatever you choose!  Dobermans are great dogs!

I was doin a bit of reseach on this breed myself a few days ago and I found a helpful site:

http://www.gentledoberman.com

[Edit: Nevermind.]

Natalie- i don't think i would buy from this breeder. It doesn't look like the do very much- none of their dogs are titled, and honestly i don't think they look that great. I would start by looking at the DPCA referral page...

You're in minnesota? I'll see if i can find anything for you.

major issues in dobe health: Cardiomyopathy, vWD (a bleeding disorder), thyroid problems, eye problems, CVI (aka wobbler's), hip and elbow dysplasia...dobes can have a lot of health issues!

 Here's a buying a dobe guideline

Natalie- i found some good info, i will PM it to you...i feel bad posting such negative things.

boredpuppy- i also emailed you some info on familydobes.

RidgebackGermansShep

i feel bad posting such negative things

I had no idea that MN was that bad,lol. Now it all makes sense, I was wondering why I've never see any Dobes around here.   I got your email and will join that forum for more info.

Not at ALL impressed w/that breeder's website.  Not a single pedigree listed for any dog - none of them list specific championships (one female says "intenational champion"- but doesn't list countries and what org they're titled thru.)  I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole - but that's my opinion.

DPCA is a great referral.  UDC (United Doberman Club) is also good.  What are you looking for in your Dobe?  Perhaps Amanda (RidgebackGermanShep) already gave you the dobermantalk.com forum - they're a great bunch of people.  If you're looking for a work-oriented Dobe, check out this forum: http://www.network54.com/Forum/200717/ - the format is a bit to get used to, but these are serious working Dobe folks, generally.  There's another forum that I just can't seem to find at the moment.  A few Dobe people here are on that forum as well, so maybe they'll see this and reply.

Good luck - I'm sure the references Amanda sent you will be very helpful.  Finding a good Dobe breeder is so important, that I appreciate your efforts to do right by the breed by carefully selecting a great breeder.

I would definitely take a pass on that particular breeder. 

I'll call a friend in your area tomorrow to see if she has any breeder recommedations.  What are you looking for?  ie..pet, conformation dog, obedience dog

 I'm not looking for conformation or obedience, just a pet.   I'm concerned more about health than anything.  I've seen one Dobe in the dog park a while ago and it looked horrible, barrel shaped with missing patches of hair.  I couldn't stop staring and then the owner finally said that the dog had hypothyroidism. I wonder if I should expect health problems down the road, even with good breeding I imagine one can't avoid genetic possibility.

BEVOLASVEGAS---I remember that your Bevo has a spine problem, I don't know if I can deal with that since my other dog is very active, we frequently jog six miles or more and I want to be able take both dogs. 

I've also seen another two Dobes in my neighborhood that look like Warlock dobermans, they must have been crossed with something big, they were way over the size limit.  They seemed too big and clumsy to me and not at all agile like I would think Doberman should be, plus their coat looked brittle and dry, must be their food I suppose......

I want something medium sized, well maybe if it's a male a little bigger but within the size limit... I  would prefer a calmer temperament and not super high energy or prey driven if that's possible in a doberman. I do want him docked and cropped, preferably before I get him because I haven't found a vet around here who does a good crop.

nataliem

 I'm not looking for conformation or obedience, just a pet.   I'm concerned more about health than anything. 

If health is #1 then I would urge you to doublecheck health clearances from ANY breeder. I could not confirm all of the health info on that breeder's site which could just be me, but better to be safe than sorry....

The female has "OFA'd Hips" but it didn't say what they were. So I looked at the OFA site. Her hips are listed as FAIR. The date of the test is Feb 2008---when she was FIFTY months old and had produced litters prior to the test. http://www.offa.org/display.html?appnum=1306338#animal Maybe it is a typo???   There is no clearance info on her parents,  I can't find her on the CERF site.

The older male has "OFA hips good" and indeed he is listed as such: http://www.offa.org/display.html?appnum=1105822#animal  There is clearance info on his sire, but no information on his dam. The breeder site says he is CERF clear, but I can't find him on the CERF site.

The older male has two offspring: one is excellent for hips and one is fair (Vital Gloria) http://www.offa.org/display.html?appnum=1267354#animal Her dam is not listed on the offa site. She was tested last year.

The breeder is planning to breed these two dogs again---knowing that the dam is FAIR and that this sire has produced one fair and one excellent pup. I do not pretend to have a working understanding of Doberman genetics, maybe this is acceptable....but if I knew a GSP breeder who was doing this I would steer clear.

 If health is the most important thing, then check out the CHIC page http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/brdreqs.html?breed=DP

I would also suggest that you ask about the siblings of the parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents, etc. Don't just ask about health clearances, ask about their general health. For the grands, etc---are they alive? If not, how old were they when they died? what did they die of???