[hillbilly-music]

Ok, I am going to stick my neck out and look like an idiot but I am going to ask the question at least someone else is also thinking. Everyone is always posting saying "search the bloodline, check for health problems, check for longevity". I want to do all this---but HOW exactly do I go about doing that? Pardon me for being suspicious but there is no guarantee that the breeder is going to be honest with you. Breeder references are inheritantly biased. Even forums like this one attracts certain types of dog owners and may not be representative of the whole. I am looking at working dogs of european bloodlines and would love to know how to do this. Spending 2-3 thousand on a dog on my budget is a serious investment and I want to do it right.

 

[Adara]

First off, if you think a breeder won't be honest, find a new breeder. That alone would make me go to another breeder ASAP.

 

[KevinK]

I always think it's best to do your own research. I feel like reference, in any industry, are a complete waste of time to check. Nobody is going to give a bad reference, so it just seems silly. You can start with the basics, google the breeders name, check appropriate forums to see if people have had experiences, etc. A good breeder will be honest about their bloodlines, and if you feel like you can't trust them, like Adara said, I would keep looking elsewhere.

 

[Darkevs]

it takes time........lots of time......then even more time....sometimes years to get to 'know' bloodlines and to recognize breeders who give it their all.

so, first I suggest you educate yourself on the Standard of Perfection for the Euro bred Doberman, the FCI Standard.

The you will have a better chance of finding the right Dobe for you, where ever it may be.

Who knows, you may even find the right Dobe in a rescue near you. It could happen.

Good Luck!

 

[KevinK]

Also wanted to add, you're going to want a female, especially if you have 2 males in the house, 1 being aggressive/high drive.

 

[Abby]

First you ask your breeder, I think the best question to ask is whether there's any possible health problems to look into in the pedigree. When a breeder combines two dogs, there's never going to be a perfect combination- hopefully they're avoiding the most dangerous problems, this could mean they're taking a chance with two pedigrees that might produce, I don't know, allergies, or vWD, if they truly believe the puppies will have great hearts. If you ask about health problems in a puppies pedigree and they say "Our dogs are the healthiest on the planet, there are NO health problems in this pedigree!" or anything about the entire pedigree being in perfect health- RUN. A pedigree like that doesn't exist, and an ethical breeder will be straightforward about it.

For most pedigrees you'll see only a few different kennel names that make up the majority. After asking the breeder of the puppy, I would go back and contact the breeders who make up the pedigree- you don't need to contact the owner of every dog, they'll probably know about most of them. See what they say and use that to help your decision.

We also have a few people on this forum who know a lot about working lines, if you sent them a PM and said "I'm researching the health and longevity in this pedigree, and if you know anything about these dogs it would really mean a lot to me" they'd probably be happy to tell you what they know.

Good luck!