I have an old dog breed book floating around somewhere, I will have a look for it when I get home and write the Doberman standard out for you here. I'm not sure how old it is exactly, but the Doberman picture is a black & white one of that old terrier looking type of Doberman.

 

I can't find an actual printing date on the book, but the preface was written in April 1945. This is the entry on the Doberman:

This German breed was probably manufactured from crossing the Pinscher, Weimaraner Pointer and the Vorstehhund, taking its name after Louis Dobermann of Apolda, Thuringia, who founded the breed as a type from a bitch named "Schnupp" in 1890. "Schnupp" was registered as No. 1 in the stud book of the Dobermann Pinscher club of Germany for its first year, 1912. In or about 1910 Otto Göller also took an active interest in the breed and saved it from threatened extinction. The Dobermann is much appreciated as a "G-Dog" by the American F.B.I., and enjoys growing popularity in Britain today.

Height 26 in.
Weight 60-65lb
Colour black, tan and blue with red markings.
Coat short and harsh
Head clean cut; ears cropped on the continent but in Britain preferably erect*
Body lithe and muscular
Legs fairly long
Tail docked short
The whole dog looking very much like a like a large Manchester Terrier.


* I wonder what this bit means? Cropped on mainland Europe, but what do they mean about erect in Britain? I wonder if it meant natural?

 

That book has to be one of those general purpose dog books and the information is sort of inaccurate. The mix of breeds if you read the early German breeders is not as presented and the description isn't one that was ever a standard in either Germany or here. And I can't imagine what the heck they even mean about ears in Britain since cropping has never been allowed since Dobes were first registered with The Kennel Club and uncropped ears are rarely erect. They first show up as a registered breed (rather than miscellaneous foreign dogs) in about 1950.

Marj Brooks (Manorie Dobes) did an article for Doberman Quarterly some years ago comparing the original German standard with subsequent German and American standards. I've got it somewhere but don't have a scanner so there is no way that I could reproduce the article for you. The AKC standard was virtually identical to the German standard (with the exception of the addition of fawn as an allowed color in the AKC standard in 1969)from the beginning (which was 1908 in the States) but about 15 years ago the FCI standard as approved by the German breed club made some sweeping changes including disqualifying dogs out of the standard size range.

But as the OP remembered (correctly) the early German dogs were much smaller than the standard calls for today.

 

Thanks Disco! I guess 26" isn't the difference I thought, but 60-65lbs is something. That is interesting what it said about Britain, I've never seen any Pharaoh Hound-eared Dobermans from there!

 

I have an old book........The Doberman Pinscher in America by William Sidney Schmidt

The First Standard of the Breed, issued by the National Doberman Pinscher Club in 1899

Height at shoulders:

Males 21.6 to 25.6 inches
Females 18.9 to 21.6 inches

it does not even mention weights.

 

Is anyone doing what Doberman did(creating a new breed of dog) today? Bet the breeders of whatever different breeds that person was using would have a cow and chastise the new breed of dog breeder for producing mutts. From what I read the original breed looked heavier than todays standard. Shorter and thicker boned with a more rounded face.

 

Is anyone doing what Doberman did(creating a new breed of dog) today?

Yes, well there are many who have been "created" and are going through the process to become a breed (whether this will work or not is still up for debate). Bull Arabs (can't remember this mix, but there is bully breeds and greyhound in there) and Australian Labradoodle (labrador, poodle, Irish water spaniel and some more) come to mind, as well as Silken Windhound and Huntaways. I don't think people have a problem with it if the dogs are being bred with a purpose in mind. I'm not sure about Labradoodles and Silken Windhounds purposes, but the Huntaway is an unequaled sheepdog in New Zealand, it works better over our land than any of the existing sheep dogs and heards by voice, not eye like a Border Collie. The Bull Arab is an Australian dog used for hunting Boar, again bred with a purpose in mind and I don't know anyone who has purebred dogs that has a problem with this breeding.

 

Here is an article from the DPCA Website that I found interesting and the evolution of the size of Dobermans.

Standard Size: The Whys

 

Dobebug - what is your perspective on changes in the representation of the standard by the dogs that are winning over the years? Have you seen a noticeable size difference through the years?

I'd really never given much thought to change in size but I've only been around Dobes since the 80's as a child. And they all seemed HUGE compared to me as a kid.

 

I remember reading that article in DQ too. Not sure which issue, going to have to sift through them all now as I am on one of those need to know missions now.

from that 1899 standard..........
"General Appearance:
The Doberman Pinscher should be built muscular and powerful, but not clumsy and massy, neither should he be greyhound-like. His appearance must indicate swiftness, power and endurance. Temperament should be livley and ardent.
He must be courageous and not scared of anything. When protecting his master he is showing the courage of a lion. He is not fighting other dogs (my words..............very interesting!. ) he is not vicious and not unloyal. His eyes show intelligence and resolution."

Lots of intersting information in the old books.