Where to Find Quality Doberman Puppies?

Where to Find Quality Doberman Puppies?

A lot of people complain about finding quality Doberman puppies. It’s not hard to find a Doberman puppy if you know where to find it. So In this article, I’m going to let you know the best places for finding quality Doberman pinscher puppies from reputable breeders. And, what to avoid, how to pick a specific puppy, and what questions you should ask the breeder. This information could save you thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills down the road and really a whole lot of heartache you want to find a reputable breeder.

Before getting into our topic, you should know what is difference between a reputable breeder and a non-reputable breeder?

Doberman Breeders:

Reputable Breeders:

• The reputable breeders in general, they’re going to have all the information about the dogs.
• They’re concerned with breeding out the genetic problems that are common in the Doberman pinscher bloodline.
• A lot of times they’ll have family trees available for you to look at of the puppies in the litter.
• They’ll have Kennel Club paperwork, for the dogs that you get from them.
• They’ll also have paperwork showing the results of the health testing.
• They’ll have most of the time, a full application packet for you to fill out and they’ll have as many questions for you as you do for them.
• They will ask you questions about, where you live? What kind of environment do you have for the dog? Where you’re going to keep the dog? What your family life is like?
• They’ll ask you as many questions as you’re going to ask them. So, that’s a good key to look for a reputable breeder.
• From a reputable breeder, they’re also going to cost more. The dogs are going to be ranging from $1,500 to $2,500. Sometimes, as much as $3,000 from a reputable breeder.
• How much do they participate in any shows or competitions for Doberman Pinschers? Breeders who are reputable a lot of times will be very active in the Doberman world. They’ll be taking the conformation shows or agility competitions. And, they’ll even have some titles to show you.

So, these are all good key things to look for in a reputable breeder

Non-reputable Breeders:

Non-reputable breeders are backyard breeders, a lot of times they just refer to them as B Y B’s, backyard breeders or puppy mills, which is even worse. These are peoples who have two Doberman’s and they decide, hey, let’s breed some and sell the puppies to see if we can make a little bit of money.

They just want to breed some puppies and maybe make a little cash on the side. This is a bad sign because they don’t do any health testing and screening. Their concern is, ok… we have a male Doberman and a female Doberman, and let’s make some money.

So, avoid those backyard breeders, avoid the puppy mills. In puppy mills, you’ll just see tons of puppies, and a lot of times, really horrible sad conditions. So, dogs from these places will have a lot of health problems.

They can have serious genetic issues, like, von Willebrand disease, Blood clots, hepatitis issues, problems with the liver, etc. They can have wobblers syndrome, which is a problem with the spinal cord, and the dog’s mobility and other issues.

These are serious problems that can cost you thousands of dollars and veterinarian bills down the road. And, this can cause a lot of heartbreak because your dog could die pretty young. So make sure you find a reputable breeder. Now, hopefully, you have a basic idea of what to look for.

On a note: Check out an in-depth comparison between Boxer vs Doberman if you are interested.

Questions and Factors to Consider Before Buying Doberman Puppies:

When you’re looking to get your new Doberman puppy from a breeder, you should consider a lot of different factors and questions when researching and interviewing potential breeders.

• How long have they been breeding Dobermans, and for what purpose? Now, what I mean by this is, are they just producing them to jump on a trend, or they are a fan of the breed, or, are they breeding to show them in different canine competitions. You want a breeder who has a purpose behind breeding Doberman puppies and takes the breed’s reputation very seriously.
• Check intelligence and guarding instincts of both parents, because Dobermans are very protective by instinct. This will give you an idea of what you might expect from your new puppy. Even, if the breeder says that the dogs they produce have a low level of reactivity.
• The first thing you need to do is to search for the breeder’s name on the Internet. If someone is an unethical breeder you should be able to find out with a simple search.
• Ask for health exams on both parents this includes tests for genetic diseases known in the breed, such as von Willebrand’s disease, and DCM, also known as dilated cardiomyopathy or wobbler syndrome.
• Ask for vaccinations, because vaccinations are extremely important and should be up-to-date on all their dogs.
• Check if the female is at the proper age. if the female is being bred too soon, run away. A female should be a minimum of 2 years old before her first pregnancy.
• Ask about the vet schedule for both parents and puppies. The vet will check for health and abnormalities.
• Ask if they have a vaccination schedule for the puppies, all puppies should be vaccinated at 6 weeks old. There are a lot of puppy vaccinations, however, the breeder should be able to provide information on what they vaccinate against and why.
• Ask about proven temperaments in both parents.
• Check the health of the parents and the siblings of your new puppy to make sure this coincides with what the breeder has told you.
• What is the typical life expectancy for their dogs?
• It’s always recommended that you’re able to meet both of your new puppy’s parents and can visit the breeder multiple times before taking your new puppy home. It allows you to get a better sense of the environment that they were raised in and the dedication of the breeder.
• Every puppy is an individual and has the potential to be nothing like its siblings and parents. so make sure you do your research on the breed and have the experience to be the perfect Doberman puppy leader

Trusted Sources To Find Doberman Puppies:

Choosing a breeder for your new puppy is the second biggest decision that you will make after deciding on the breed. So, it really does deserve some serious consideration.

Here are some trusted sources to get Doberman puppies.

AKC Marketplace:

Link: AKC Marketplace

The first one is American Kennel Club’s Marketplace on AKC’s website. There is a marketplace for breeders. And, any breeders who list their dogs for sale there, have to be in good standing with the AKC.

They perform inspections of the breeders who list on their website. They promote the involvement of the breeders in different activities, they also offer seminars and training for the breeders who list on the AKC marketplace website.

They award badges to the breeders who participate in training and shows that you will see next to their names. You will have an idea of how much a breeder is involved in the Doberman pinscher breed. So, this is a great place to find high-quality, healthy Doberman puppies for your family.

DPCA Breeder Directory:

Link: DPCA Breeder Directory

The second most trusted source is the Doberman pinscher Club of America’s breeder directory. They have all the Doberman pinscher breeders who have good standing with AKC. The breeders on their list should be members for at least 5 years. So, if they are members for 5 years, you can expect very good quality, healthy Doberman puppies.

United Doberman Club:

Link: UDC Directory

If you are interested in European Dobermans then you should consider visiting this directory. This directory doesn’t have a lot of search options. They only have lists of breeder’s names and their contact information for you to contact.

European Doberman dogs are very high-energy dogs. They need a lot of training and socialization as compared to American Dobermans. If you want to know more, check my post on European Dobermans.

Doberman Diversity Project:

Link: Doberman Diversity Project

This is a non-profit organization working on improving the health of Doberman pinschers. They do many research works and studies to improve the breed.

They only have breeders who contribute to their projects. So, you will get top-quality Doberman Puppies from these breeders.

Shelter or Rescued Doberman Puppies:

Adopting a Doberman puppy or adult dog from a shelter or rescue is a great way to add another family member to your home. But, you are not able to track where these puppies or dogs are coming from. There are high chances of mixed breeds listed on the name of Doberman. So, these sources are not recommended until you are an expert in recognizing pure Doberman puppies, and their temperament as well.

How to Pick a Puppy from Doberman Puppies Liter:

Choosing a healthy puppy from a liter is not easy. You should not go for beauty only. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to check Doberman puppies to make sure you are getting a healthy puppy.

Check Bloodline Information:

Always ask your breeder to send you the bloodline information of puppies in liter and 3-4 generations family tree. There should be AKC’s registration numbers at least three to four generations back. Perform bloodline research on dobiequest.org about the information breeder sent you.

Check for Health Problems:

It’s very important to perform a visual health check of puppies to make sure they are in good health condition.

• Check for abnormalities when they walk. The front and rear end should be inline while walking.
• There should not be any coughing, wheezing, sneezing, physical injury, or excessive sinus drainage.

Paws:

Check for the size of puppies’ paws, larger paws are an indicator of the size of adult Doberman. The paws should be turned forward, not in or out. And, the paws pads should be free of cracks and the nails should be free of flaws.

Coat:

The coat of Doberman puppies should be smooth and soft. And, there should not be any signs of excessive chewing or injuries.

Skin:

The skin of puppies should be soft and there should not be signs of any bites, dandruff, or red splotches.

Eyes and Nose:

The eyes should be bright, clear, and irises should be of same color and size. Any sign of seepage around the eyes is not a good sign.

The nose should be slightly moist without any signs of runniness or cracks.

Ears:

There should not be any signs of redness, irritation, inflammation, or mites.

Teeth and Gums:

There should not be any sign of damaged teeth, and discoloration of gums.

Asking Breeder for Guide:

Ask the breeder to help select a puppy according to your lifestyle. The breeder will ask you questions and will select a puppy that suits you best. The breeder knows each puppy very well. You still need to investigate no matter what’s the breeder’s opinion.

Spend Time With Doberman Puppies:

Ask the breeder if you can have access to spend time with the puppy in a quiet distraction-free environment. Spend at least10-15 minutes with the puppy and perform a health check as mentioned above. Most of the breeders will appreciate your efforts and desire for the selection of a suitable puppy.

Check Their Temperament:

Spend some time with parents of the liter. If you like the temperament of parents, look for a puppy that closely resembles that parent.

Select a puppy if he/she meets the conditions mentioned below:

• Place the puppy about 15 feet away from you facing in the other direction. Clap several times to get its attention and see if the puppy is coming to you easily with tail down.
• While maintaining the same distance, call the puppy to follow you while walking away and see if puppy follows you with tail down.
• Place the puppy on the ground and gently rub your fingers under its chin and neck and see if the puppy accepts petting him/her.

Choosing Male or Female Doberman Puppy:

Now, you know all the sources to find Doberman puppies, and factors to keep in mind while getting one. The hard part is whether to choose a male Doberman puppy or a female.

• The male Dobermans are taller and heavier than female Dobermans. They require more training and care. They are fairly independent, inclined towards leadership, and excel at guard duties.
• The female Dobermans are easy to train and care. They are smaller than males and have 20 pounds less weight.

I hope this article went some way into helping you with this tough decision. if you did enjoy it please share with the people struggling with the selection of their new family member. And, let me know if I missed any important points.