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I have a close relative who was the lead Officer of the canine program on a highly professional, well funded Police Department. I've had really educational discussions with him as well as Officers from other departments who were involved in selecting dogs. Because of these connections I'm able...

People cheat. There have been claims of so-called 'midnight trials' for decades. That doesn't invalidate the overall importance or value of having standards and testing for them. Police are expected to pass a qualification test to establish that they have a basic level of safety and competence...

Schutzhund is supposed to be a basic, general purpose test of overall temperament and physical ability to determine breeding suitability. Police and Military in the past, just like today have their own evaluation and testing criteria. Just like today, titled dogs of the past were not...

I’d cross Belgian Malinois/Dutch Shepherd in with the Dobermann to bring back drive and especially courage. Until you have worked a good Mail/Dutchie you really don’t understand just how pitiful of a working dog the Dobermann has become.

The episodes are on youtube.

First off- no matter how loosely you stretch and interpret Websters; conformation shows are NOT a sport. Secondly- there are some activities/hobbies/etc that attract large numbers of people who are predisposed to have a particular type of personality. Stereotypes DO exist for a reason. Third-...

Gelcoater- Haha, you must be a kindred spirit who doesn't readily latch onto the latest/greatest gadget or fad that comes down the pike! While you might find some here or there, there are so few that it's disingenuous to claim modern Dobermann's are still used in LE. To further hammer home the...

To answer your question we must first establish some sort of criteria for a protection dog. My general statements are based on the presumption that the criteria would involve the potential for significant levels of mental stress and physical force. Work that requires a dog to have a strong...

My interest in dogs has evolved around the amazing way they can live and work with people. I don't own or train hunting dogs but find it mesmerizing to watch a hunter and good dog work together. Same with herding, seeing eye dogs and so forth. It's incredible. It does however require that dogs...

Several good ideas. Thanks for sharing!

Many descriptions of the old/origional Dobermann temperament exist. No doubt some are exaggerated and others are products of selective memories. In spite of that, there is enough information about the Dobermann temperament all the way up through the 1970's to conclude that the temperament has...

Dude!!!! You are my hero! You trained your 'ol lady to help! Heck, I can train a dog, but you trained a woman!!! On a more serious note, its cool to see the progress you're making. You may already understand the psychology behind the Bark & Hold, but just in case here's some info-...

I enjoy hearing about long lived Dobermann's!

There is an article on Dobermann's and the "Predatory Sequence" that gets referenced both here and on another Dobermann forum. I think the Dobermann community would be better served to stop referencing it. I am in no position to discredit the author so I'll conclude that perhaps the article...

If I understand Matt correctly, I agree with the basics of what he’s stating about the Conformation standard being a separate issue from the Temperament standard. The initial conformation is more or less happenstance as a result of creating a working dog into a ‘breed’. Someone (or a group of...

I see that we are talking apples and oranges then. The ability to work (or a dogs "work ethic") is what I think of when someone refers to the "character" of working or hunting breeds. Hunters may have personal preferences for the Blue Lacy over the Black Mouth Curr; or they may choose the...

For this to be the case, the breed would have to actually have a superior character. I've enjoyed my Dobermann, but while his character can compete with German Shepherd Dogs, it has not proven to be superior to a good GSD. In some respects one could state that the character is lacking when...

I just read a forum where several people thought the term “Human Aggression” means unprovoked, random, mysterious attacks on people. I immediately thought of this thread. It's no wonder folks sometimes have a hard time discussing things. We share a common language but sometimes have a totally...

Great article! Thanks.

Pick a breed that at first glance you would think ought to be capable of protection work. How about the Rhodesian Ridgeback? This is a breed used to hunt lions. Confidence and fearlessness could certainly be used as descriptors of a well bred Rhodesian Ridgeback . The breed has Fight, defense...