BREEDING PRINCIPLES
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BREEDING PRINCIPLES
 As we have said several times in this site breeding in order to continue the aims of Herr Luis Dobermann must be undertaken so that they fulfil all three needs in a rounded Dobermann:
To achieve this we must look to the parents and their ancestors in each of these areas to ensure that the puppies a mating creates carries forward all of these aspects.
With health breeding is between adults whose own and ancestral health is tested an known to be without genetic disposition for health problems then this is the best a breeder can do in this area. Although it is surprising how many breeders still don’t tick this box.
With temperament the use of dogs that have passed the ZTP will ensure that temperament is correct in the parents and therefore correct in the progeny. For that reason we always ensure that a) One parent has the ZTP and b) the resulting puppies have the correct requirements in terms of paper work to undertake it. We have bred from females that have not past the ZTP as there is sometime a balance to be made between achieving all three criteria above. We would rather use a female without a ZTP that is healthy and of correct form than use one with a ZTP and health problems. Temperament of puppies is often improved through its developmental age and with one strong parent and good education a full temperament can result. This being said there is often no need to make this compromise at all.
With Form it is important to look at the female you wish to breed from and be honest with yourself, look for the faults or weaknesses that need improving on…remember there is no perfect dog. Then you must look for a dog that compliments your female as it is strong in the areas you identified as her weaknesses. The breed standard is an excellent guide to understand form and to assess you female against, however your show critics from judges should also be a good guide.
Below you will find our guidance points in trying to produce better pups and also in making the decision to breed at all.
- Don’t breed unless you are doing so in order to improve the breed.
- Only breed from animals that are worth breeding from, from good examples of the breed.
- Do not use stud dogs for their convenience. Invest into travelling to the best dog you can find. Do your research and find the best male, look at his off spring and see what he is producing to different females.
- Always be honest with your self about your dogs plus points and weaknesses.
- Know your pedigrees, understand the ancestral types, health, temperament and how these will or could carry through to the next generation you create.
- Breed for a total dog, not just one or two characteristics. A dog with a fantastic head and poor angulation is still a dog with poor angulation.
- Quality does not mean quantity.
- Think ahead line a game of Chess, where are you going with the lines you are creating or crossing what the next generations look like?
- If a dog looks great but doesn’t produce the same qualities in its off spring then it is not worth using.
- Traits are inherited equally from both parents so if you are crossing “types” you will have both types and mixes in the litter. If you want one “type” then stick to using dogs of that type.
- Don't allow personal feelings to influence your choice of breeding stock. The right dog for your breeding program is the right dog, whoever owns it.
- Don't be satisfied with anything but the best. The second best is never good enough.
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