Hello from Northern Virginia

3526 Views 51 Replies 15 Participants Last post by Ninabug, Oct 29, 2011

angelamaria

Discussion Starter · Oct 16, 2011

I am so glad I found this site - what a wonderful trove of experience and advice! We are looking for a red female puppy, taking our time and hoping around Nov-Feb time frame. We live in Northern Virginia, and narrowly avoided making a mistake with a nearby breeder only (thank goodness for all your posts and info). We have a fourth-grade daughter, who will be the primary caretaker/trainer, and two mid-age inside only cats. We intend the puppy to be a family pet only. I had several dogs, including doberman and shepherds as a child, and our daughter rides horses and loves her cats and any other animals she can get hold of. My husband was not raised in the US and was not accustomed to pets, although he loves our cats and really wants a dog. For these reasons, we prefer a submissive female. In the meantime and from this forum, I am interested in a few things, if you would all be so kind to help me out:
1. We are no longer limiting ourselves to the local area, and are simply focusing on the top breeders in the US, understanding we can ship. I found the DPCA breeder referral (and the local chapter), but am still looking for some kind of ranking of most reputable breeders (found the Breeder of the Year list at AKC and a few in the Working Dog category were Doberman breeders). Any ideas?
2. I believe we are planning to dock the tail but leave the ears uncropped. Will there be any issues if our daughter wants to show the dog or anything that would make the dog unacceptable standard-wise (I have a vague understanding that cropping is outlawed in Germany, UK, and some other countries, but done in the US)?
3. I understand there is a difference between European and American dobermans, and I am not sure, but it seems that the European are stronger and bulkier, while the American are more beautiful in line but not as hardy - is this basically the case?
4. From reading many of your posts, I am going to insist on titled parents, with lineage back at least 2-3 generations; no more than 2-3 litters/year; all the recommended health tests on puppies and their parents; and evidence that the breeder also shows her dogs, not just making money by breeding; and temperament testing (I believe there is such a thing?). Is there anything else we should be looking for/doing?
5. Can anyone recommend a very good course in the Northern Virginia area for training our doberman?

Thank you all for your help!

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baxter

· #2 · Oct 16, 2011

Hello and welcome. I know there will be a lot of people on here that would be able answer all the questions for you. Good luck on your search for your dobe.

Reactions: 2

Sinister

· #3 · Oct 16, 2011 (Edited)

Hi! Welcome from Woodford! I'm 25 minutes from downtown Fredericksburg.

Schutzhund Village is in Charlottesville. Ill be training there with my girl.
Depending on specifically what you want (working sport or conformation) we can help narrow down breeders.

Does your daughter show? I show the BSHA circuit with Beth Linton. Gotta love schooling shows! If you want to chat Dobermann or horse, send me a pm.

Reactions: 1

Darkevs

· #4 · Oct 16, 2011

Hello and Welcome to Doberman Talk!

Good luck with your research and search for just the right dog.

If you get the chance, please check out a few rescue Doberman too!

Reactions: 3

RottenVonSpotten

· #5 · Oct 16, 2011

I got my Doberman in 6th grade and was his primary caretaker, but also had a wonderful mom to help me

He was my best friend through puberty, heartbreak, and all the wonderful things adolescence and teenage life brings. I hope the same for your daughter! Oh and I'm a former northern Virginian, fairfax county to be precise.

Reactions: 1

ZeldaRules

· #6 · Oct 16, 2011

Welcome from TX. Nice to see you are doing your homework

Reactions: 1

dax0402

· #7 · Oct 16, 2011

Hi and welcome to the forum from PA. Kudos for doing your research first before getting your Dobe. Best of luck in your search.

Reactions: 1

emmahudson88

· #8 · Oct 17, 2011

Hello, I am new too, I like this forum! I think I will make lot of friends here

MeadowCat

· #9 · Oct 17, 2011

You will find it very difficult to find a show quality dog in the US with uncropped ears. It's already tough to find a breeder who will leave ears uncropped on a pet quality dog (though that can be done). If you are interested in seriously showing, uncropped ears are going to make it really, really tough.

Reactions: 5

angelamaria

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 20, 2011

Thank you all for the nice welcome. I have already found several threads, and I believe helped us narrow down breeders. I am just waiting back on replies now, so hopefully we will get lucky. Quite honestly, we have been on the fence with the ear cropping. I appreciate the feedback, and looking at some other posts, we are probably going to stay with the standard cropping, after all. Now we are just hoping to find that special little red girl. As for rescue, our two beloved cats were rescues, and if not for the fact that we would have to get the puppy used to both cats and a young girl, and want her around for plenty of years, we would indeed go the rescue route. I have been checking out some other threads and learning tons! Thank you all again. Sinister, thanks for the info! Our daughter is in early cantering stage now, not yet showing horses (she has only been riding for about 1.5 years). Will give you a holler, though, when we start up that road - much appreciated.

Reactions: 1

Sinister

· #11 · Oct 20, 2011

angelamaria said:
Thank you all for the nice welcome. I have already found several threads, and I believe helped us narrow down breeders. I am just waiting back on replies now, so hopefully we will get lucky. Quite honestly, we have been on the fence with the ear cropping. I appreciate the feedback, and looking at some other posts, we are probably going to stay with the standard cropping, after all. Now we are just hoping to find that special little red girl. As for rescue, our two beloved cats were rescues, and if not for the fact that we would have to get the puppy used to both cats and a young girl, and want her around for plenty of years, we would indeed go the rescue route. I have been checking out some other threads and learning tons! Thank you all again. Sinister, thanks for the info! Our daughter is in early cantering stage now, not yet showing horses (she has only been riding for about 1.5 years). Will give you a holler, though, when we start up that road - much appreciated.

There was a litter of purebred pups born in a MN rescue last week. No reds, 1 black the rest blues. Just a suggestion.

Pm MeadowCat

Reactions: 1

MeadowCat

· #12 · Oct 20, 2011

Sinister said:
There was a litter of purebred pups born in a MN rescue last week. No reds, 1 black the rest blues. Just a suggestion.

Pm MeadowCat

Unfortunately, DRM doesn't adopt that far away, but lots of rescues get puppies in if you're patient. Nothing wrong with going the ethical breeder route, either.

Just a note, though, on the cat thing...my adult rescue dog is WAY better with our cats than the dog we got as a puppy

Reactions: 2

Sinister

· #13 · Oct 20, 2011

Same, Juno eats my cats.
Too bad they don't adopt this far!

DAR&E has a table in a PETCO in Stafford. I want to branch out & volunteer with them. Go to their website.

Are you looking for a working dog or show dog? I'm not sure you specified.

Reactions: 1

GRAYGHOST

· #14 · Oct 20, 2011

Welcome from Virginia. Glad you decided to go with cropped ears; properly cropped ears are beautiful and greatly contribute to the 'look of eagles'.

Reactions: 2

angelamaria

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 21, 2011

Good info on the ear cropping. Sinister, not sure if we are going the working dog or show route, depending upon our daughter's preferences and skills in that arena - all unknown at this time

Sigh...still waiting for responses...must...have...patience

Just so hard when we are so darn excited about her arrival (whenever that may happen). My daughter has been dragging me to every PetSmart dog rescue event in the area to play with the dogs and occasional puppies.

Sinister

· #16 · Oct 21, 2011

May I ask who you have contacted?

angelamaria

Discussion Starter · #17 · Oct 21, 2011

After hours of running through threads and posts, there were several that had good mentions and were on DPCA lists, but you never know (until you run into several threads/posts that indicate some concern):

Marienberg
Cara
J-Win
Triadel
Firefox
Kalora
Niklby
Friendship

Reactions: 1

RottenVonSpotten

· #18 · Oct 21, 2011

A few others to add to your list that I know DT members have dogs from and are very satisfied (and I think their dogs are gorgeous):

Tiburon in Connecticut is expecting a really nice litter in December
ADAMAS
Rebholzer

There are others that I'll add later when I'm not on my ipad

Reactions: 1

angelamaria

Discussion Starter · #19 · Oct 21, 2011

Thank you so much for the information! Going to check out their sites now.

Fitzmar Dobermans

· #20 · Oct 21, 2011 (Edited)

angelamaria said:
After hours of running through threads and posts, there were several that had good mentions and were on DPCA lists, but you never know (until you run into several threads/posts that indicate some concern):

Marienberg
Cara
J-Win
Triadel
Firefox
Kalora
Niklby
Friendship

Who told you that J-Win is a good breeder?? Rescue has had more than one of her dogs!! I personally would not recommend Judith Washner - the fact that she is a DPCA member burns my butt.

And other than the fact that Friendship Dobermans has gotten several of their Dobermans from Pat Reinhard of Shadeko, I don't see that they do anything with them other than breed - suppose I could be wrong but that's what I come away with when I look at their website.

I'm not sure what your criteria is for a breeder, but I think you need a little more research - fortunately, you have come to the right place.

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