Blue Dobermans

Ok I have a question. I was appalled at something I just read on Facebook. A gal said that her breeder euthanized blue puppies immediately at birth because they are not a good dog.....of any breed. I’m just finding this hard to believe! And wouldn’t a good breeder know how to breed so that that color didn’t happen. That just made me tear up. Just so sad.
Thank you.

It's pretty common to cull dilutes in Europe. They are not an accepted color, only black and brown. In the US they are accepted but some breeders choose not to breed them. They test for coat color and breed accordingly.

Izzy’s Mom said:

And wouldn’t a good breeder know how to breed so that that color didn’t happen.

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They could easily do the color testing so they don't breed for it and I do agree it's sad...

It's very sad to think of killing any newborn puppy, and I don't think it should happen. But before people knew about limited registrations and responsible pet ownership, it was quite common for breeders to cull puppies. I heard about it when I was quite young and my babysitter's family was into purebred Rhodesian Ridgebacks. This was back in the 1970s. A puppy could be culled for a white toe or white blaze on the chest. Back in the 1970s, the euthanization rate was astronomical compared to today.

Dilutes present their own problems, and I would never advocate breeding for dilutes. They are just as much a Doberman, but they suffer from issues that the blacks and browns don't. Today's breeders can avoid culling substandard pups without tarnishing their kennel name by selling pups on a spay/neuter contract.

Thank you all for responding. I am not nor ever will be a breeder but in my search for our new baby girl I’ve done so much research and had a feeling from what I’ve learned about breeding and I mean reputable, responsible breeders that this can be done! So many bad, money hungry breeders out there. I’ve gotten to where if I read enough I could pick them out!! But thank the good Lord there are also so many very good, reputable breeders out there! Seems to me it should be about bettering the breed first and foremost! Ok....stepping down off my soapbox now.

Damn that’s horrible. Over a coat color? Like, sell it for less money or give it away, why kill it? Ugh.

I know dilutes have a host of issues, but to the point where they are better off dead? I don’t think so. I -do- think that there are people out there that take on hopeless cases no matter what the animal might be and pour all kinds of resources into it for a subpar existence at best. These situations I believe culling is in everyone’s best interest. But for a coat color? Poor things..

That is sad, we had a blue doberman that was a wonderful dog. He had no skin or coat problems and lived to be almost 14. RIP Blu 3/17/05--12/28/18.

Pretty sad
As a teen the second Doberman I had known was a blue girl.
She was a great dog, sweet personality, protective of her people, WOULD NOT back down to a group of no less than 5 strangers at her gate one night! I saw it. Pretty amazing girl.
In short, she was ALL Doberman!

Pretty sad to think we might not have had her in our lives because of her color.

It’s quite possible I name my next female Doberman after her in tribute.

C908 said:

That is sad, we had a blue doberman that was a wonderful dog. He had no skin or coat problems and lived to be almost 14. RIP Blu 3/17/05--12/28/18.

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I had a fawn girl. She did have some skin problems but I think it had more to do with the abuse she got before coming to our house.

I personally believe the problems with dilutes is a myth. I say that not just based on my experience. I belonged to a couple dilute groups with 100's of members and the dilutes had no more problems than any other color. Sure they can have a thinner coat but with proper care that can be managed. It's certainly nothing to die for. ALL colors can have skin and health problems, it's not exclusive to dilutes.