FAQ
Here you'll find some frequently asked questions both specific to our program, and general to Dobermans as a breed.
Are Benchmark Dobermans friendly?
The Doberman breed standard calls for an aloof temperament with strangers. Dobermans are bred to be a personal protection dog, the only breed created to protect man from man. Dobermans are not Golden Retrievers and are not a breed known for being social and friendly with everyone they meet.
That said, our Dobermans range from social, to socially neutral. It is our opinion that a Doberman cannot truly fulfill the role of a PPD if it is not stable enough to go just about anywhere with its owner. If properly trained and socialized, a doberman should be comfortable and confident around strangers and attuned to its handler, responsive if there is a real threat but otherwise safe to take out in public.
Many of our personal dogs are actually very friendly and enjoy attention and pets from strangers, with permission from their handler. Some are more neutral, stable and safe in public but don't care about anyone except the handler. We do not own any dogs that are unsafe to take in public, that are at risk to bite unprovoked.
That said, our Dobermans range from social, to socially neutral. It is our opinion that a Doberman cannot truly fulfill the role of a PPD if it is not stable enough to go just about anywhere with its owner. If properly trained and socialized, a doberman should be comfortable and confident around strangers and attuned to its handler, responsive if there is a real threat but otherwise safe to take out in public.
Many of our personal dogs are actually very friendly and enjoy attention and pets from strangers, with permission from their handler. Some are more neutral, stable and safe in public but don't care about anyone except the handler. We do not own any dogs that are unsafe to take in public, that are at risk to bite unprovoked.
Do Benchmark Dobermans have dog aggression?
Dobermans are very prone to SSA- Same Sex Aggression- and most tend to be dog social as puppies and become less tolerant of strange dogs as they mature, specifically dogs of the same gender or dogs with an unstable energy. Ours fit the breed norms, most have some degree of SSA, and are standoffish with dogs they don't know. Our girls can all be together inside but we limit who is allowed outside together. Some of our boys fit that description as well. None of our dogs are outright dog aggressive.
Does Benchmark Dobermans breed Euro or American Dobermans?
The term "euro doberman" usually refers to eastern european showlines, often oversized hypertypes. Our pedigrees are comprised of mostly Western European working lines, with small outcrosses here and there to some east euro showlines and some american showlines. On each individual dog's page you'll find a link to their pedigree, and we're happy to answer any questions anyone may have about our pedigrees! We do not breed for oversized dogs, we do not breed for big heads or chests. Dobermans area medium sized breed, and we value athleticism and health over size.
Do Benchmark Dobermans resource guard?
Our dogs tend to have high genetic possession, a trait that aides in their working abilities as PPD's and bitesport dogs, but we have never owned a doberman who had resource guarding issues. Many RG issues stem from a genetic predisposition, but can also be created by improper handling. Our dogs eat their meals in their crates, and get high value chews either in their crates or closely supervised. We have no issues being able to take food or other resources from our dogs. In a bitesport dog, RG would be a dangerous and highly undesireable trait- typically the dogs most valued resource is the bite equipment (sleeves etc), and the handler needs to be able to take them from the dog without risk of being seriously bitten.
Are all Benchmark Dobermans extremely high drive/high energy?
Our dogs are working lines, so for the most part we are not producing lazy dogs that are content to spend most of their time on a couch. However they are not out of control maniacs either. Our dogs tend to be medium to high energy, and medium to high drive (with the exception of our American showline outcrosses who can be lower energy and low drive). While we are working hard to improve the working Doberman with better drive, better nerve and more stability, the majority of what we produce are nice stable working dogs suitable for most dedicated handlers in bitesports and performance venues (Rally, Obedience, Agility, Barn Hunt, etc). The vast majority of our own dogs and dogs we produce have a great off switch and make wonderful family dogs when not working. They spend their down time holding down the couch, taking turns sleeping in our bed, going for neighborhood walks with our kids, and enjoying the cushy pet life. A dog who can't be kept in the house as a pet when not working is not desirable to most, even top level competitors. Working dogs should be able to also be calm family companions, provided their physical and mental needs are being met. Please keep in mind your Doberman is not public property and advocate for their personal space. Don't let people hug and hang on your dog, put their face in your dog's face, or roll around with your dog. Dogs of any breed should always be closely supervised with children, as children are often rough or disrespectful of dogs without any malicious intent. Even the most loving and patient dog can bite if hurt, teased or mistreated.
Does Benchmark Dobermans provide breeding rights with their puppies?
All of our puppies leave here on limited registration, but breeding rights may be opened once the dog is fully health tested and titled.
What does Benchmark look for in an outside stud?
We are always on the lookout for exceptional Dobermans. When we see one who really catches our eye, we look for some very specific things.
1. Pedigree- we research the pedigree for health and longevity, excluding any dog who carries a high rate of DCM in the immediate lineage.
2. Temperament- we look for confident, stable dogs with strong nerves, working ability, and biddability without being soft or overly handler sensitive.
3. Structure- we aren't prioritizing show quality conformation, but functional working structure is vital to the dogs ability to work and be sound into old age. No matter how nice the dog works and how good the pedigree is, we just aren't going to use a structural nightmare.
4. Health testing- before we will use a dog, he must have passing results on his health testing. We have found dogs with no testing, and requested the owners test the dog before we will use him. If the owner won't comply, or the dog fails one or more tests, we move on.
5. Titles- titles dont "make" the dog, but the do prove him to the public. There have been dogs we've come across that have no titles, that we have had the privilege of being able to test ourselves and ensure the dog carries the working ability and temperament traits we're looking for, and we've moved ahead with using that dog. Titles are wonderful, but sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough, who may not be as popular or well known, who brings as much to the table or more than some of the highest titled dogs in the country. You just have to know what you're looking for and how to test for it!
1. Pedigree- we research the pedigree for health and longevity, excluding any dog who carries a high rate of DCM in the immediate lineage.
2. Temperament- we look for confident, stable dogs with strong nerves, working ability, and biddability without being soft or overly handler sensitive.
3. Structure- we aren't prioritizing show quality conformation, but functional working structure is vital to the dogs ability to work and be sound into old age. No matter how nice the dog works and how good the pedigree is, we just aren't going to use a structural nightmare.
4. Health testing- before we will use a dog, he must have passing results on his health testing. We have found dogs with no testing, and requested the owners test the dog before we will use him. If the owner won't comply, or the dog fails one or more tests, we move on.
5. Titles- titles dont "make" the dog, but the do prove him to the public. There have been dogs we've come across that have no titles, that we have had the privilege of being able to test ourselves and ensure the dog carries the working ability and temperament traits we're looking for, and we've moved ahead with using that dog. Titles are wonderful, but sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough, who may not be as popular or well known, who brings as much to the table or more than some of the highest titled dogs in the country. You just have to know what you're looking for and how to test for it!
Can I select my own puppy from Benchmark?
We have a process for making sure the right puppy gets into the right home. We begin with our questionnaire, to assess the needs and experience of the applicant. We have an interview process, where we talk to the applicant and get a good feel for what they want, and what they can realistically handle. When the puppies become old enough to develop personalities, we start assessing the puppies to get an idea of who would suit the needs of each applicant. Once the puppies have gotten old enough to really start temperament testing and drive testing, we match each puppy to the applicant who would best fit that puppy's drive, energy, personality and other needs.
If the applicant is a professional or experienced trainer, we do allow input in the selection process.
We dont allow applicants to choose their own puppy based off a photo, video clip, or short meeting. Puppies are fickle, change constantly, and can test/behave differently from hour to hour based on their mood, when they last ate, when they last slept, and their age at the time. As the breeder, we do know our puppies best and want to make sure they go to the person best suited for them, not the person who thought they were cutest/fattests/"chose them".
If the applicant is a professional or experienced trainer, we do allow input in the selection process.
We dont allow applicants to choose their own puppy based off a photo, video clip, or short meeting. Puppies are fickle, change constantly, and can test/behave differently from hour to hour based on their mood, when they last ate, when they last slept, and their age at the time. As the breeder, we do know our puppies best and want to make sure they go to the person best suited for them, not the person who thought they were cutest/fattests/"chose them".
*General Doberman FAQ*
What is Health Testing and why is it important?
Health testing goes much further than a standard vet checkup.
All Dobermans should be fully health tested prior to being bred. According to the parent club of the breed, the DPCA, the following tests are required for the Doberman:
Hips- these can be evaluated through OFA or PennHip. Passing scores are "Excellent", "Good", or "Fair".
Elbows- evaluated through OFA. Passing score is "Normal"
Eyes- evaluated by an canine opthamologist and certified by OFA. Passing score is "Normal"
Thyroid- evaluated by an OFA- approved Lab and certified by OFA. Passing score is "Normal"
vWD- tested and certified by select labs such as Embark and VetGen. Scores are either "Clear" (carries no gene for vwd, is extremely unlikely to ever have a bleeding epsiode), "Carrier" (carries one copy of the gene, is extremely unlikely to ever have a bleeding episode), or "Affected" (98% of "affected" dogs are genetically affected, they carry two copies of the vwd gene, but will never have a bleeding episode. 2% of "affected" dogs are clinically affected and may have one or more bleeding episodes in their lifetime, usually associated with major surgeries).
Echocardiogram- performed by a canine cardiologist and can be certified by OFA
Holter- typically performed by the owner, results reported by Alba Medical, can be certified by OFA
A cardiac auscultation is simply a GP veterinarian listening to your dogs heart with a stethoscope. This is used to diagnose things like murmurs and other abnormalities, but is not sufficient for heart testing a Doberman, especially one who may be bred.
All Dobermans should be fully health tested prior to being bred. According to the parent club of the breed, the DPCA, the following tests are required for the Doberman:
Hips- these can be evaluated through OFA or PennHip. Passing scores are "Excellent", "Good", or "Fair".
Elbows- evaluated through OFA. Passing score is "Normal"
Eyes- evaluated by an canine opthamologist and certified by OFA. Passing score is "Normal"
Thyroid- evaluated by an OFA- approved Lab and certified by OFA. Passing score is "Normal"
vWD- tested and certified by select labs such as Embark and VetGen. Scores are either "Clear" (carries no gene for vwd, is extremely unlikely to ever have a bleeding epsiode), "Carrier" (carries one copy of the gene, is extremely unlikely to ever have a bleeding episode), or "Affected" (98% of "affected" dogs are genetically affected, they carry two copies of the vwd gene, but will never have a bleeding episode. 2% of "affected" dogs are clinically affected and may have one or more bleeding episodes in their lifetime, usually associated with major surgeries).
Echocardiogram- performed by a canine cardiologist and can be certified by OFA
Holter- typically performed by the owner, results reported by Alba Medical, can be certified by OFA
A cardiac auscultation is simply a GP veterinarian listening to your dogs heart with a stethoscope. This is used to diagnose things like murmurs and other abnormalities, but is not sufficient for heart testing a Doberman, especially one who may be bred.
What's the scoop on Ear Cropping?
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The ear crop is one of the first things people notice about a Doberman, and a properly shaped and proportioned crop emphasizes the dog's head shape and should flow smoothly with the lines of the head. A reputable breeder will never leave it up to the puppy buyer to find their own crop vet, they either leave their puppies all natural (to remain all natural), leave floppy ears at buyer's request (to remain floppy), or will have the litter cropped before they go home to make sure it is done correctly.
Dobermans traditionally were cropped short, so as not to give an opponent the ability to grab a floppy long ear. Cropping is not cruel, if it is done by a licensed veterinarian under full anesthesia. Puppies typically wake up from surgery ready to eat and play right away, and have no restrictions like you expect after other surgeries. There is minimal discomfort, and they are provided pain management and antibiotics to prevent any possible infections. Ear crops heal quickly and within about 7-10 days the stitches are removed and they are ready to begin posting soon after. Posting is done by using a semi-rigid material such as backer rod foam, or heavy duty zip ties, encasing them in porous medical tape with padding. Posts are kept clean and dry and changed every few days, until the dog is done teething, at minimum. Some dogs may be done then, especially shorter crops, and some may need to be posted until a year old or even older for the long show crops. Cropping is primarily done now for aesthetic purposes, but it does carry some benefit to the dog. Cropping and posting returns the ear to the natural upright position seen in every wild canid species. Erect ears can more precisely pinpoint sounds. Erect ears allow airflow to the canal, reducing buildup of wax and debris and reducing the liklihood of ear infections. Erect ears experience hematomas less often than floppy ears. Crop vets we recommend: Dr Anne Midgarden, OH Dr Kay Backues, OK Dr Brittany Faison, DE Dr Yelena Lapova, TN Dr Laura Fiore, NY We use Dr Anne Midgarden, and we have the medium crop shown in this graphic for all of our puppies. |
DCM: DNA testing vs Echo/Holter
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Proper cardio testing is an echocardiogram and a 24 hour holter monitor. Echos measure size of the heart, thickness of the muscle walls, input and output of the valves, and any structural deformities. Holter monitors test the electric function of the heart, premature ventricular contractions in the left and right ventricle, and overly fast or slow heart rates. Both tests are used to detect and diagnose Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
DCM1 (or PDK4) and DCM2 (TTN) are dna tests developed by Dr Meurs and are widely available, however those tests have been widely proven inaccurate. The research has been unable to be replicated by other scientists, and the DCM1 and 2 genes have been found absent among the European population. Many dobermans carrying 1 or both copies of DCM1 and 2 are living far past 10, in some cases into their teens. And dogs that are clear for both DCM1 and 2 are dropping dead between the age of two and eight. THe obvious conclusion for us, and most reputable, experienced breeders is that we don't take the DNA tests into account when we are making our breeding decisions, we rely on holter and echo and we research our pedigrees extensively to try and utilize dogs with the least known DCM that we can find. |
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Bloat
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American vs Euro
A common misconception is that "Euro" Dobermans are larger, heavier, and with better temperaments than American dobermans. What many don't understand is that the FCI breed standard is nearly identical to the American breed standard.
Dobermans who are larger, heavier, and with blockier heads are not true to any standard but are "hypertypes", overdone and often unhealthy.
Dobermans who are larger, heavier, and with blockier heads are not true to any standard but are "hypertypes", overdone and often unhealthy.
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The Spay/Neuter Debate
For decades it has been the norm to alter puppies- anywhere from 8 weeks to 9 months was a normally recommended age by many veterinarians. The primary thought process being that most people can't control their pets and that early spay/neuter would prevent unwanted litters of puppies, as well as curbing behaviors such as aggression, roaming, humping, resource guarding and others. More recently, studies have been conducted showing that not only does altering your puppy NOT eliminate unwanted behaviors, it can actually cause them! Not only can it lead to unwanted behaviors and temperament issues, it is also detrimental to the physical health of the dog, for example, early spay/neuter has been shown to lead to health issues, such as increasing the risk of some types of cancer and CCL tears.
Studies:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&fbclid=IwAR27dbmAM_sJewkD1JTSzUlHi_vvgZGhH3-aQfhBX2K_Pqf_J1w1RqMMCj0
https://www.akcchf.org/news-events/news/health-implications-in-early.html?fbclid=IwAR3DYsT3_75quzdS1XDu8FJxDmwumkDEo1hTU1rLloMtAatl9cmj61_enek
https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2020-08/data-on-the-consequences-of-early-neutering-continues-to-mount/?fbclid=IwAR1c8GUX_FMMTOIJF9mcbLf_WkcojbOJtU695C1WB2wJ18sR059OAW5hmSQ
https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/big-dogs-face-more-joint-problems-if-neutered-early?fbclid=IwAR2Z2L588cuK_jfW2FVcVizctj6cQ2yYfzauOh6O71HLNBmtCBpkVgVRYCo
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7359819/?fbclid=IwAR1KCy605z47Mmo8cEqSr-n0mFfgCZ7-GzU0jFbERFoFR9mKnqFHPxkQ_VI
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-retriever-study-suggests-neutering-affects-dog-health?fbclid=IwAR1fIsW6qHTNyy1I-L80nviMTzHJbB7--02xXWldAQmhKST6kkDJO8o671Y#:~:text=Specifically%2C%20early%20neutering%20was%20associated,tumors%20and%20hemangiosarcoma%20in%20females
Studies:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&fbclid=IwAR27dbmAM_sJewkD1JTSzUlHi_vvgZGhH3-aQfhBX2K_Pqf_J1w1RqMMCj0
https://www.akcchf.org/news-events/news/health-implications-in-early.html?fbclid=IwAR3DYsT3_75quzdS1XDu8FJxDmwumkDEo1hTU1rLloMtAatl9cmj61_enek
https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2020-08/data-on-the-consequences-of-early-neutering-continues-to-mount/?fbclid=IwAR1c8GUX_FMMTOIJF9mcbLf_WkcojbOJtU695C1WB2wJ18sR059OAW5hmSQ
https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/big-dogs-face-more-joint-problems-if-neutered-early?fbclid=IwAR2Z2L588cuK_jfW2FVcVizctj6cQ2yYfzauOh6O71HLNBmtCBpkVgVRYCo
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7359819/?fbclid=IwAR1KCy605z47Mmo8cEqSr-n0mFfgCZ7-GzU0jFbERFoFR9mKnqFHPxkQ_VI
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-retriever-study-suggests-neutering-affects-dog-health?fbclid=IwAR1fIsW6qHTNyy1I-L80nviMTzHJbB7--02xXWldAQmhKST6kkDJO8o671Y#:~:text=Specifically%2C%20early%20neutering%20was%20associated,tumors%20and%20hemangiosarcoma%20in%20females
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How to Live with and fulfill your high energy Doberman
A Doberman is a working breed and as such, an inherent amount of energy typically comes with it! With most working line Dobermans, a walk in the neighborhood is not nearly enough to exercise and stimulate your dogs body and mind. Calm exercises like leash walks and dog puzzles are great for some percentage of your dogs needs, but things like hiking, swimming, running, dragging light weights or playing with a springpole and flirt pole are more suited to a high drive, high energy, athletic working dog! Treadmills come in a variety of types- electric treadmills such as the Dogpacer or Jog A Dog are great options for controlling the speed and monitoring distance. Slatmills are dog powered treadmills that the dog controls the speed, the mill doesn't run unless the dog chooses to move on it. Slatmills are great for cardio and endurance. Carpet mills are also dog powered and are great for building muscle! (For the Doberman we do not recommend weighted collars)
Socialization
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Socialization prepares a puppy to properly interact with their environment and the people and animals in it. A properly socialized dog should be comfortable and confident in a variety of situations and around strange people and animals. They should be able to tune out their environment and focus on their handler, and not be overly concerned with any person or animal in their vicinity.
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