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Finding a Puppy...
Welcome to Doberman ownership. We don’t own them, they own us!
I
hope the information below will help you in your search for the
perfect puppy.
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THE PURCHASE:
When considering the purchase of a Doberman
Pinscher (or any other breed), a person deserves a dog that is
healthy, attractive, mentally sound, functionally correct and has
the best possible chance of providing years of companionship whether
it be a dog for pet, show (conformation), to compete in dog
performance events such as obedience, agility, flyball, tracking,
Schutzhund, or to perform Search and Rescue or therapy work. |
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THE BREEDER:
All ethical and responsible breeders health test,
temperament test, title their dogs, and aim to produce only the
highest quality Dobermans which will better the gene pool.
Responsible breeders are choosy about which dogs they breed – they
study pedigrees for quality in conformation, health, longevity,
temperament and working ability. They try to find the absolute best
match for their female, sometimes traveling to great lengths to find
the best male.
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Some
people feel that it doesn’t matter which breeder they deal with
because all they want is a nice pet. Some people feel that it
doesn’t matter if the parents of the dogs have any conformation,
obedience, working or temperament titles but it DOES matter.
A breeder who doesn't health test, temperament test and title their
dogs is basically saying that a buyer does NOT deserve any of this.
And it's extremely insulting that a breeder would try to satisfy a
person with something that requires less knowledge, less effort,
less commitment and less cost per unit. Don't settle for that!
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THE SOURCE:
The best source for buying a purebred Doberman is a breeder who has
had years of experience and cares about the dogs that represent
their kennel. With your new puppy comes a friend, who is
always there for
you and your dog. Most people want a Doberman simply because
they like his looks and want a pet and
a companion for themselves and their families. Then they
become attached to the dog, meet other people
who have Dobermans, learn about shows, and they get hooked on it.
Dobermans are habit-forming.
The purchase of a purebred, registered puppy is a very important
decision that should be considered carefully. A puppy is something
that should be brought into a home that is ready and willing to care
for and welcome him or her into the family. Your Doberman puppy can
be considered an investment even if he is intended only for a pet
and companion.
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THE SEARCH:
In your search for the
“perfect" dog, you may have noticed that the prices vary widely.
Newspaper ads may show one litter selling at $300.00 each and one at
$450.00 each. Though both are AKC registered, you will see through
our conversations that AKC "papers/registered" are no indication of
the quality of the pup. In this area a well-bred "pet" quality puppy
generally starts at $1,500.00. Show quality puppies start at
$2500.00 and go up from there. When you divide the prices over the
10 –15 years of a dog’s life and take into consideration veterinary
expenses on poorly bred pups, these amounts are not unreasonable.
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Never settle for less because of time, money or other
considerations. Your pup may be a part of your family for ten to
fifteen years and compromises now will affect you and your puppy for
a long time to come. If you are not able to find what you want
immediately, a few weeks or months of patience will generally be
rewarding. In fact, getting a pup from some of the better litters
usually requires a wait - as many are sold in advance.
So educate yourself, look around and see what is available by
attending local shows. Talk with various breeders about required and
expected standards and be wary of faults that are bred into the
breed by the "backyard" breeders.
The more information you have, the better decisions you can
make...!
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