Category: breeding

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    A Decade to Reflect

    Ten years is considered an achievement of longevity in the Dobermann breed and since my A-litter turned 10 this year, it is a fitting time to reflect.  I have owned dogs all my life, but Dobermanns only since 2011. My first Dobermann was a backyard bred, poor tempered, sick dog which I had to put down due to juvenile renal failure. This made me somewhat of a hypochondriac when it came to acquiring my next one, and so I went about purchasing my first ever “pedigree purebred” dog. I would guess Ashra’s breeder thought I was a bit cuckoo at…

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    Riding on Coattails

    It is a common practice in the dog breeding community to ride on the coattails of past successful combinations and individuals in a pedigree, rather than just resting on one’s own laurels. This has both positive and negative consequences: the original breeder who achieved fame becomes even more well known via the offspring and grand/great-offspring of their dogs, but likewise they are also blamed should a particular combination prove unsavoury. As a new breeder, one does not have the luxury of showcasing past achievements, and so even if care is taken to choose worthy individuals for a combination, until one…

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    Anthropomorphizing Dogs and its Consequences

    Last night I received the information from my flatmate that Ashra had been attacked by an off-leash pitbull mix, while on leash, in front of our home. I have been spending most of the night and day being furious that my dog’s life was put in danger and looking into the procedure of reporting the crime in the most effective way possible. But I have also noticed myself becoming more and more enraged about the whole Berliner situation. The thing is, this dog attack was not an accident, it did not happen in the dog park or in an off-leash…

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    Temperament and Genetics

    One persistent myth about dog behaviour and temperament that bothers me is the incorrect notion that all dogs are born as blank slates, ready to be molded. We’ve all heard such a story: My dog bites kids because she’s a rescue, she was traumatized by a rough child. My dog is afraid of everything, because his breeder didn’t socialize him before I brought him home, and so on. Most of the time, it’s misguided thinking, although occasionally it’s also a symptom of competitive victimhood. First of all, there are certain traits which are genetic: suspicion, boldness, and sound sensitivity are…

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    Breeding for Titles

    When I first started my breeding project, I aimed for using exclusively titled stud dogs – with both working and show titles, when possible – as this is what I had been led to believe was evidence of worthy breeding stock. Spend X amount of money on showing or training your dog, get X amount of titles and you are officially a reputable breeder and people will recommend you and your dogs. In fact, this sort of practice is a common fallacy held in the Dobermann world today and a huge problem which has led to popular sire syndrome –…

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