Doberman pinscher

Are you planning to adopt a Doberman pinscher? Or maybe you got one already and are wondering about providing the proper care to them.

Certainly, it’s important to know how to care for a Doberman before you bring one home. There are a lot of crucial behaviors and nutrient requirements on which the lifestyles of these dogs should be based. Therefore we decided to curate this simplified yet detailed guide that lets you care for your furry friend better than ever.

Know Your Doberman

Doberman belongs to the Pinscher breed; it’s the category where their tails and ears are cropped. They also fall under the domestic dog category and remain popular for their loyalty, strength, alertness, and intelligence. Dobermans have been long used as guard dogs, police dogs, watchdogs, etc. This trend is however declining recently. Now, they are generally used as show dogs by various pet owners and dog breeders.

A Doberman is known as a “one-man dog” which implies that it is loyal only to its owner who offers him love, care, food, undivided attention, and plays with him often. Generally, Dobermans are likely to be closer to a mom that stays home. She would be the only individual they see regularly. When rescued from an ill-treated family Dobermans are known to be loyal and fiercely protective to their rescuer.

Dobermans are also loving and gentle when given much-needed love and care. It’s the training and treatment given to your dog that determines whether they turn into a ferocious guard dog or a loving family pet.

Doberman attacks only when someone ill-treats their family or when its family is in danger. Having a Doberman isn’t easy; they need enough mental stimulation to stay active and enough space for exercise. If you have a large backyard, front lawn, a single-row house, a bungalow, or a farmhouse a Doberman would be the happiest there.

Choosing A Doberman

There are many more aspects to consider before bringing a Doberman home. Read further to make a better choice for yourself and your pet.

Adopting An Adult Or Getting A Puppy

You will have to decide whether you are going to adopt an adult dog or look around for Doberman pinscher puppies for sale. There are pros and cons to both of these choices. Shelters too have many dogs that are in need of a home. While they can be great companions, they are less likely to be pure breeds.

On the other hand, when you get a puppy from a breeder, you can easily mold it into the mature adult you want. If you can give enough time to training, getting a puppy is an ideal choice.

Choosing A Breeder

You have to be very careful when choosing a breeder. We don’t suggest buying a puppy from a puppy mill where the mother dog is always unavailable to view. The puppy mill trade is unethical and immoral. It is just focused on breeding more and more puppies of a kind. This should never be encouraged.

Check Family History Before Adopting

There are numerous genetic health problems that can affect a Doberman. While their parents can be tested for some of them the others remain undetected. For example hip dysplasia is one of the common issues. A responsible breeder will make sure to screen the dog parent for hip dysplasia and will be able to show a certified score for the same.

A low score means that there is less or no guarantee that the puppies are free from the poor hip anatomy. However, it reduces the chances of this happening to them. For Von Willebrand’s disease, there has to be a blood test. If the parents test negative for the same, it’s good news.

How To Care For A Doberman?

Now, the most important thing. How to care for the Doberman pinscher you bring home. You need to make sure that they are happy, healthy, and satisfied with you. Here are some important things you need to focus on.

1. Get Them Vaccinated

Deciding on a dog vaccination schedule for your Doberman is the first thing you want to do for them. The best puppy care would be incomplete without a vet and proper vaccination. Therefore, make sure to get all the necessary vaccinations for your doggo. The vet is likely to give you a list of vaccinations and when the pet will need them. If you keep up with all the necessary vaccinations that the vet suggests, you will be able to keep them a lot healthier.

These vaccinations are also the ones to affect the average cost of petting and caring for a Doberman pinscher. If you want the best care for your dog, we suggest you plan all the associated costs beforehand. You can consult the vet to know the possible costs of these vaccinations.

2. Caring For Their Ears And Tails

In some conditions, your doggo may be required to have its ears cropped. They need to be erect. In fact, you will also have to get its tail docked. This is usually done on the second joint of the dog’s tail. Both of these are cosmetic procedures.

Ear cropping notably changes the look of the dog’s ears and the tail docking makes it shorter. However, it’s important to note that these procedures are your choice and have nothing to do with improving the quality of life for your dog. It just makes them look a certain way.

3. Pay Attention To Their Daily Exercise

Daily exercise is another very important requirement for your Doberman pinscher. It is one of those dog breeds that need to remain active and exercise daily. It is crucial to make sure that your dog stays healthy. This also prevents your doggo from getting bored.

There are several different types of exercises that will prove to be perfect for Doberman pinschers. Their favorite ones include hiking, running, and swimming. If you have a habit of going for walks daily then your Doberman would certainly love to join you.

4. Clicker Training

Providing the best puppy care for a Doberman pinscher starts with clicker training. It is one of the best training types available for puppies. You can look up clicker training for your dog to do a command-based or verbal say-so trick with them. These dogs are known to be very smart. They generally catch onto this training very easily and quickly.

Using clicker training involves rewarding your dog for following your command when you ask them to do something. Rewarding ensures that the same thing is done when you command them the next time.

Once your Doberman starts associating the clicking noise with the rewards they get, they will be even more interested in doing the verbal commands that you give them now and then, repeatedly. Once they master the verbal commands, you may try combining verbal commands with hand movements. All this can be easily done with clicker training.

5. Keeping Your Dog’s Coat Clean

As a part of regular care for a Doberman pinscher puppy, it is important to make sure that your dog’s coat is clean. There are several different grooming tasks recommended for this specific breed. You may want to start with using a short wire brush to get the debris out of your dog’s coat. It also helps in getting some extra fur off their coat. However, you must note that these dogs don’t shed too much fur.

You may also use a wet washcloth to get your Doberman’s coat completely cleaned. Consider using some leave-in conditioner spray onto your dog’s coat to make it look perfect and shiny. Dobermans don’t require too many baths. You should only consider giving them a bath when it is really necessary. For example, if they return home after running, all dirty and muddy, you must take them for a good bath.

6. Keeping Up With A Perfect Diet For Them

Another very important thing you must know as a Doberman owner is that your pet is likely to require a high-calorie diet. This is quite obvious as Dobermans have to exercise daily. They expend a lot of energy doing this every day and it’s necessary to recover all that energy.

A high-calorie diet, therefore, becomes very important. We suggest you take cues from the vet regarding how the perfect diet should be followed for your pet. Doctors often recommend that Doberman pinschers should be given a soy-free diet. This helps in keeping their digestive systems functioning well, proving positive for their overall health.

Some Important Accessories And Things You Need

If you are about to get a Doberman pinscher, caring for them would require you to have some important supplies. They are mentioned below:

?Short wire brush
?Leave-in conditioner
?Dog treats
?Clicker (for the training)
?Washcloth and towel
?Dog bed
?Crate
?High-calorie food
?Dog toys

Without knowing how to care for a Doberman pinscher, it may get really difficult to keep them happy and healthy with you. We hope this guide helps you manage your pet perfectly well.