Doberman Standards

Among the Doberman breeders and associations of different countries, there are different sets of standards for Dobermans. Standards are the measurements, weight, and appearance factors that are considered normal for the breed. Anything outside of the standard will cause a showing dog to lose points in the ring. The two main standards are the German and American standards.

The German standard was first developed in 1899 by the National Doberman Pinscher Club of Germany. The dog’s characteristics include a muscular, powerful build (without being overly large) and an agile appearance. Shoulder height should be from 21.6 to 25.6 inches for males, 18.9 to 21.8 for females. The length from the base of the skull to the first tail joint should be about 27.5 inches. The tail should be cropped to 5.9 inches or less. The top of the skull should be flat or slightly curved and taper towards the muzzle. The area from the tip of the nose to the back of the skull should measure 10 inches.

The eyes should be alert and intelligence in appearance, medium-sized, almond shaped, and medium to dark brown. The ears must be cropped.

In 1935, the new American standard was developed. It has since been revised several times with the most recent in 1992. The dog’s body should be medium-sized, square, compact, and muscular. At the withers (where the head meets the neck), males should be 26 to 28 inches, and females 24 to 26 inches. The standard for the head and eyes is the same as the German standard; however, ear cropping is considered “normal” but not “required.”

The dog should have 22 lower teeth and 20 upper teeth. They should be white and straight. An overbite of 3/16 of an inch or and underbite of more than 1/8 of an inch are faults, as are four or more missing teeth.

The brisket (chest) should reach deep to the elbow, and the front of the chest should be broad with well-defined muscles. The belly should be well-tucked up, extending in a curved line from the brisket. The hips should be broad and in proportion to the body, equal to the shoulders’ breadth.

The tail should be docked at the second joint.

The shoulder blades should slope forward and downward at 45-degree angles to the ground and meet the upper arm at an angle of 90 degrees. The shoulder blades and upper arms should be the same length. The legs should be straight and parallel to each other from elbow to pastern. They should be muscular and sinewy with thick bones. The pastern should be perpendicular to the grown when the dog is standing, and dewclaws may be removed.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic