Need Dobe Advice

I will PM you.

Browsing through the site right now, i am highly concerned about the number of litters...not just in a year, in 2 months!!! 

Whoa, found this.  "You will notice in all my ramblings that I don't put all my stock in health testing, especially for things like Thyroid. All it tells you is the condition of the animal the day they are evaluated"

I googled one of their studs advertised as a CH... I'd be interested to know what this dog is a champion of, cause I couldn't find it listed in any AKC statstics (doesn't mean he's not finished AKC... but...) CH is a shortcut version of a AKC Conformation CHampion.  If he is a UKC Ch, they should put UKC CH to be clear. I've seen some folks with CH in front of their dogs names (in a deliberate attempt to mislead people) as CHampion of lesser known kennel clubs. 

RBGS will be great help to you, listen to her :)

Good luck!!!

Personally, I'd take a pass.

I don't like that they have had three litters in the past month.  Their health testing is hit or miss.  Some dogs are health tested, some aren't. 

Their puppy guarantee is, IMO, ridiculous.  The fact that it is in fine print is very questionable!  It guarantees against hip dysplasia, if you feed on an "approved food."  They feed Royal Canin, btw.  They guarantee against von Willebrands but you have to have your dog tested.  If they were not breeding carrier to carrier, or carrier to affected dogs, there wouldn't be a question of their vwd status, & you wouldn't be responsible for a $200 test.  EVERY responsible breeder that I know tests their puppies for vwd, if there is any question, before placing them in new homes.  It guarantees against wobblers in the pup's firtst 24 months.  Coming from someone who has done tons of research on wobblers, most dobes don't start showing signs of wobblers until they are around 5 years old.  (Danes usually develop wobblers as puppies, but Dobes generally don't)  They guarantee thier pups "to have sufficient temperament to be a working family companion."  I don't think that any breeder can guarantee temperament.  Yes, they should have an idea of what their puppies should be, but there in NEVER a guarantee of what they will be.  I believe that most Dobes are "working family companions" but I am sure that no two people's definitions of "working family companion" is the same.

They also ship their dogs, which IMO, screams byb/greeder. 

If I were you, I'd keep looking.  For $3500 you can have a pup who has parents who are fully health tested, & proven shipped in from another country, if need be.

We do not know enough about dog genetics to know how many generations must be clean/clear before problems show up.  Although I did not look at the site, I know that hypothyroidism can show up well after 2.  In the current breed I own, a life long health guarantee is the norm, not one that stops after 2 years.  (Dess and Nora both are life long with replacement or return purchase price if a disqualifying fault had developed) The production numbers makes it impossible to know the health and status of the puppies that have been produced.  You can't really promise that conditions do not exist unless you know the health clearances on the puppies produced and what might be in their off spring as well.

 The price being asked seems pretty high for the offspring of dogs who are marginally proven.

Personally, I dont trust a website such as this.  It is designed to sell to the general public and unless you through a rigerous (sp) I dont think they check out homes, just credit ratings.  I am not saying you can't find a dog via the net, or even make the purchase agreements.  I just dont think you can via a website contact.  I know it happens in my breeds but you will usually have to participate in a home evaluation and check by a friend of the breeder who is a member of the club.

Although the protection folk would call me absolutely nuts, I say go through the AKC club.  The clubs have problems sure, but they also have breeder code of eithics.  Here is a sample  http://malinoisclub.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=44  There will be a group of folks involved in protection work who are breeding for the whole package.  Usually I suggest starting with the committee chair of the working dog.  Be prepared to prove yourself over time.

 As to shipping, one of the terv breeders I am interested in working with for Dess's successor happens to live in Oregon.  I am in OH.  We just might ship a dog.  I know this woman is quite responsible and open about every skeleton in her dogs' closets and would go through just about anything to protect her puppies.

I would pass. Here is a page that has all sorts of links to info on reputable breeder vs backyard and/or puppymills.

 http://www.wonderpuppy.net/1breeding.php

 I am afraid I don't know enough about the Doberman breed to be able to give a lot of adive, but honestly - that number of litters would put me off regardless of breed.  Avoid!!