Sunday, December 16, 2012

Is Registration Important - What registration is best


Around the world of the purebred dog that is much talk and discussion on registration.  It is part of the foundation that makes our Doberman possible.

While AKC registration and pedigree does not guarantee the quality of the dog, certainly a  lack of one  indicates negligence on the part of the breeder as they did not care enough to even try to get quality to start with.

Starting here in American we have AKC - American Kennel Club that is the only official registry that means anything in America -

1.   It is the oldest registry dating back to 1884.  It was established as a way for breeders to verify and track the dogs they bred and to assure their bloodlines and show off their breeding stock.  Breeders had kept meticulous records up to this point of what they bred but communication was not what it is today so many of those records died with the breeder.

2.  Without a registry it would be impossible to know parentage, or linage and track and follow what it produces.  AKC developed, maintains and set the gold standard for purebred dogs in America.

3.  AKC sets  Show schedules, history, breed, and holds all breed standards.

4.  AKC set the rules and guidelines for a breed to become eligible for registration with AKC

5.  AKC has member clubs across the states to promote and hold dog shows and events under the AKC umbrella.

The purebred dog fancy is all about pride of accomplishment and AKC registraton -  Breeding always to better the breed that is our passion.

FCI - established in 1911 maintains Show schedules, history, breed in Europe and had 86 members countries who reg dogs under the FCI guidelines. 

CKC -  Canadian Kennel Club - is the approved club in Canada for registering and showing dog.

Kennel Club of G B - is the approved club in England

Australian Kennel Club - approved in Australia

These clubs share a common bond and have a reciprical reg agreement.  In other words a dog that is AKC reg automatically qualifies to be reg in any of the above registries and vice versa.
This is crucial when considering importing.

What I call sub registries:

UKC - United kennel Club - again a long standing club that was primarily designed for the sporting dogs to hold field trials.  They do have their own registry and if you dogs line is registred with them - the like AKC puppies can be UKC registered.  It does not mean that they will qualify for AKC registration however.  But UKC has a strong reputation for setting standards and guidelines.  AKC dogs can qualify for UKC registration but UKC reg dogs do not qualify for reg in AKC.  

UDC - United Doberman Club - founded in 1990 when AKC and the DPCA did away with the working dog sports - some DPCA breeders broke away and formed the UDC.  They require any dog that participates in their venues to be either AKC, FCI or one of the above approved reg. 

IABCA -  International All Breed Kennel Club -  is not actually a club as it does  not have member clubs.  It was started here over 25 years ago and until just a couple years ago held shows under the guidance and rules of Union Cynologie International which conducts shows with Euro style of judging.  This is a German Based organization with ties to dog organizations around the world.  A dog must be reg through one of the approved registries to qualify to show in this venue.

In the past few years there are some very unscrupulous clubs that have popped up as a way for people who made a big mistake and got an unregistered dog to reg their dog.  Their biggest failing is they do not require valid registration from any of the above clubs to become reg in their registry.  Send money and a picture and if your dog somewhat resembles the breed you are trying to reg - it is reg.  It is a meaningless registration because they are not recognized by any of the official registeries.

Reputable breeders who breed to improve the breed would never have one of their dogs reg with one of these registeries.   If you care about a breed, want to breed the best, and work to improve the breed then you certainly want to start with a registry that is approved and recognized around the world because of its long standing history and integrity. 

How could anyone be reputable if they breed dogs that meet no standard, are not recognized by the parent club such as DPCA and are usually of very poor quality and conformation?  If anything goes then why not get a mutt???  If quality does not matter to anyone why even try to claim a dog is a certain breed when it lacks approved registration?

All dogs carrying these registries are from BYB.

Some of those fly by night cubs are CKC - very clever scam artist to come up with a name that mimicks the CKC - Canadian Kennel Club which is a reputable club.

NKC -  Natioanl Kennel Club
APR -  American Pet Registry
APRI- American Pet Registry Inc
WWKC- World Wide Kennel Club
Dog Registry of America

I am sure there are others but I hope you get the idea.  If you want to claim a slim hope of having quality then I am sure you would want to start with the Registration of the dog.  Any breeder breeding less than the best is surely in it for the money and I can't tell you how often I have had someone call me and the first thing they want to know is are the dogs AKC reg.  This tell me some one got scammed along the way by buying a dog from and unscrupulous registry and then finding out they could not do anything with it.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

How to become a breed and the importance of a breed standard


Due to all the misunderstanding of my strong stance on the Doberman Pinscher as cropped and docked breed I want to post some of the info on how a dog becomes a recognized breed in AKC in the hopes that it would help everyone understand how important a Breed standard is to any breed. 

At this time AKC recognizes approximately 175 breeds as PUREBRED.  The road is a long one to achieve this most important status.  While there are over 400 breeds recognized around the world in different breed clubs I want to just address AKC registration which does recognize certain approved outside registeries as acceptable for AKC registration.

Most people today want AKC registration - WHY?  It set the standard for purebred in the USA for each breed by requiring certain guidelines before registering a dog as AKC registered.

Seems to me if we want that registration to valid our dog we would want our dogs to follow the guidelines.  Believe you me out in public I have seen some pretty ugly Dobermans bred by BYB - roached, low tail set (which means the croup is not correct), snipey heads, cow hocked etc.  Why AKC reg does not guarantee any of these things the breeders who support their particlular breed and who show in order to maintain a breed standard hold themselves to a higher plane than just AKC reg - we support all that AKC stands for - The protection of the breed and to strive to meet the recognized breed standard as required for AKC registration as a purebred dog.

The first thing a breed has to do to be able to apply for registraton is to have a BREED STANDARD.  It is not at the whim of anyone and everyone to do their own thing.  The Natioanl breed club is responsible for writing the standard and then maintaining that standard - and this is where the breeder really picks up the sword and goes to battle -  We pour blood sweat and tears in our programs as we try to produce the "Ideal" of our standard.  We have done this for hundreds of years without government intervention.  We brought about dog shows to showcase our efforts and to promote our breed.

Without the strigent requirements for registration and the breed standards to point the way there would be no purebred dogs.  You can't honestly have it your want and maintain the purebred dog.  It just doesn't fit as the minute you throw out one part of the standard then the rest becomes far less important and that is exactly what PETA and HSUS are hoping we do - by eliminating the right to crop and dock our breed they have undermined the standard and the entire purpose of the dog fancy.  If the AR groups succeed in getting our standard changed then they just took a giant step forward in eliminating the purebred dog world.  Don't be fooled - it is not about c/d.

I hope by reading the requirements to become a recognized Purebred dog you will have a better understanding the of part the Breed standard plays and why it is so important to maintain those standards as set down in the beginning.  We must not allow the AR groups to influence the government and destroy any breed.

The breed clubs in other countries changed their standard and now they have Dog Wardens who are the "guardians" of dog breed.  Their system has become very political and riddled with unscrupulous individuals who care little for any standard.  A system that allows breeders to work freely to pursue the art of purebred dogs is the best system to uphold what we have today.  While it might not be perfect is it far superior to having someone dictate to you what you can or can't do.

This info is from the AKC web site http://akc.org

What Does it Take to be an AKC Registered Breed?

Facts and Stats
The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world, and currently registers 164 breeds, representing a wide variety of sizes, colors, coats, temperaments and heritages. The Bluetick Coonhound, Boykin Spaniel and Redbone Coonhound are the newest breeds, accepted December 30, 2009. The next breeds in line for full recognition by AKC are the Icelandic Sheepdog, Cane Corso and Leonberger. The three will be eligible for AKC registration on June 1, 2010 and for competition in the Herding and Working Groups on June 30, 2010.

A dog that has full registration with the AKC is eligible to participate in many of the more than 20,000 events offered by the AKC and its affiliated clubs each year (some events are breed-specific).

Internationally, there are approximately 400 breeds that are listed with registry organizations in other countries. The AKC, however, does not register all of these breeds, either because there are too few dogs (of that breed) in this country or there is too little interest among owners of these breeds to obtain AKC registered status. Because the AKC is a "club of clubs," owners of a particular breed, wishing to have that breed registered, must establish an organized National Breed Club.
AKC Foundation Stock Service

Breeds that wish to begin the road to full AKC recognition must be recorded with an accepted registry (maintained by the national breed club or the optional AKC Foundation Stock Service). The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is the AKC's recording service for purebred breeds that are not yet eligible for AKC registration. Currently, there are 65 breeds in the FSS, but acceptance into the program does not ultimately guarantee full AKC registration.

To be considered for listing as an FSS breed, the Breed Club must send in a written request, along with additional documentation such as a written history and a written breed standard. Photographs are also required at the time of application. Once all information is presented to the Staff Executive Committee, a decision is made to allow or deny each request.

Miscellaneous Class

The recognition process begins with a written request to compete in the Miscellaneous Class from the National Breed Club. To be eligible for consideration to become an AKC recognized breed, the following general criteria must be met:

A demonstrated following and interest (minimum of 100 active household members) in the breed (in the form of a National Breed Club).

A sufficient population in this country (minimum of 300-400 dogs), with a three-generation pedigree. Dogs in that pedigree must all be of the same breed.

Geographic distribution of the dogs and people (located in 20 or more states).

AKC must review and approve the club's breed standard as well as the club's constitution and by-laws. Breed observations must be completed by AKC Field Staff.

If a substantial nationwide interest and activity in the breed is demonstrated and the above criteria met, the information is presented to the AKC Board of Directors for consideration to compete in the Miscellaneous Class.

Eleven breeds are currently eligible to compete in the Miscellaneous Class: American English Foxhound, Cane Corso, Cesky Terrier, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Finnish Lapphund, Icelandic Sheepdog, Leonberger, Norwegian Lundehund, Russell Terrier, Treeing Walker Coonhound, Xoloitzcuintli

Moving from Miscellaneous Class to Full AKC Registration

While there is no established "quota" or timetable for adding new breeds, dogs typically compete in the Miscellaneous Class for one to three years. At the end of the first year, AKC contacts the National Breed Club for updates on the number of dogs and litters recorded, and the number of dogs who have entered events since being eligible to compete in the Miscellaneous Class. Finally, the club must have held matches, local and national breed specialty shows, judges' workshops and breed seminars.

When all criteria are met, the information is presented to the Board of Directors for full recognition.   http://www.akc.org/press_center/facts_stats.cfm?page=8

Sunday, May 20, 2012

UP with designer dogs down with Breed Standards

I sit here sadly shaking my head as we come closer and closer to the fall of breed standards around the world.  It also amazes me that most of the people who feel it does not matter are not breeders, have never shown a dog in anything, do not understand the importance of breed standards and apparently don't even realize that the  reason they love the Doberman is because for over 100 years breeders have presented the dog at it most noble appearance (after all we all LOVE beauty) and a cropped and docked doberman is certainly breath taking.  I guarantee you if they were drawn to the hound look they would have chosen a hound breed.  Looks matter.

But if the standard falls then Designer Dogs will rule at best - the dog fancy will fall, no dog shows, won't need a lot of fancy dog equipment, won't have any clue as to what the dog will look like when it grows up and will not have a clue as to what might be lurking in the temperament.  Can't follow the history of the pedigree because who keeps detailed records of mutts???

I was told the other day that NO ONE owns a look!!  NOT me and not Herr Dobermann.  Has our world really become that dumb about what a purebred dog is about???  Do we really believe that we want and can have a specific breed if there is not standard that stands???

While PETA and HSUS have convinced a large part of the world that cropping and docking should be banned their ultimate purpose goes far deeper than that.

I look at Crufts - the oldest dogs show and ask who the heck is in charge - certainly not people who love purebred dogs.  and JQP is so uneducated about dog breeding as to think there are no consequences to these drastic changes.  They told me that in the same breath that they were complaining about the long wait they were having to get their new puppy imported in because they wanted a c/d puppy and wanted to show in a country that does not allow c/d and bans them from showing.  UNEDUCATED yet telling me I don't own a look.

Well your are right I don't OWN much of anything anymore-  The government keeps eating away at our freedoms.  But breed clubs do and should own their breed standard as that is what purebred is all about.  The dog fancy has promoted it and upheld it for years until the term 'politically" correct became the new buzz word for spin it and lie and then once you have confused and misled everyone go ahead and do what you wanted to do anyway.

Think about these consequences:    Crufts -  has specific qualifications for dogs to meet in order to qualify as "good enough" to be invited to show at Crufts - BUT IF your dog is c/d it is then disqualified.  Way to go guys really smart thinking.

Consequences:   Has this or will it affect quality of the dogs being shown in this limited and restrictive venue???   I say yes as half the countries in the world can't send there best there to show because they are banned for trying to uphold their breed standard.

Consequences:  Will it have other far reaching affects - as quality goes down due to the shrinking gene pool to show from will health become more an issue as recessive genes begin compound so the breed in a limiting country will become more health ridden.   The very thing by the way they claim to be trying to eliminate.

Consequences:  Long unhealthy quarantines required for anyone wanting to import a puppy from a country that still allows freedom.

Consequences:  Then end of purebred dogs -  Do designer mutts rule???  I say NO!

Dobs4ever - Dogs Under Fire
This material is copywrited 2010  It may not be copied, redistritubted, or cross posted with out the written permission of Dobs4ever - Suzan Shipp - J Bar S Dobermans

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

DID SOMEONE SAY DOG PARTY?????




  1. QUESTION:    Ive been taking my dog for his daily walks to a local park, its a good size with a lake to walk round and childrens playing area, all round a nice place to go.
    Anyway, walking my dog on his longish line, hes been getting 'warned' by other dogs, almost bitten at times (he then flings himself backwards save getting caught) & I have no idea why. Hes actually started to react himself a little bit with the odd dog which I of course have been correcting with a firm NO! and a leash pop.
    Why is this happening?? its getting me worried. I let him approach the dogs so he can say his 'hellos' and 90% of them have been offlead this is why??   I let him go to them figuring they must be somewhat friendly, Dogs on lead I check with owners first. And these dogs that have been acting aggresively have all been from what I can tell older than my dog.. He has not been neutered.  A concerned owner

    Socializing with other dogs in my honest opinion is a totally misunderstood concept.  First and foremost with Doberman's, which are known for some dog aggression, I don't care if they play well with all the dogs in the neighborhood.  In fact I would personally prefer that my neighbors keep their dogs in their yard as I will mine.  But none the less today we do have dog parks - another bad idea for dominant breed dogs and certainly for any intact dog.

    So to answer the questions as posed above - a dog on leash is conceived as weak and therefore, becomes a target.  If you allow your dog to approach the other dog you are invading his space.  Dogs as well as people do not all like others invading their personal space.  To prevent this happening  reel your dog in when you see another dog approach and stomp your foot as you point your arm and say no back off. This will show your dog you are in control so no need for him to react and it tells the other dogs you don't need their help..  His job is to focus on you and continue walking.  Move calmly away.  If you are not comfortable with this then carry a big walking stick.

    Dogs running loose are a big problem.  Most attack stories we read about are because dogs were allowed to roam or run loose.  Dogs should always be under control whether at home in your yard or in a public area.  Intact dogs running loose is asking for a dog fight.

    I prefer my dogs play well at home with pack members but it is always supervised play.  I don't really care if they run and play with your dog.  They should be safe and manageable on lead if I approach someone with another dog on lead.  They should sit calmly and not approach the other dog at all.  That is about as social as I care for them to be.  If we are friends and you come over with you dog and we agree that under supervised conditions we will allow them to play together that is fine.  But I do not ever subject them to public free for all's.  Way too many untrained and unsocialized dogs and some real stupid peopl for me to have faith in that kind of program..

    So socializing my dogs with other dogs is not a big part of my program.  To me it means we attend classes with dogs on leash and my dog learns how to properly behave in those situations.  When we go to dog shows I expect the dog to stay with me and not pay attention to other dogs.  So it is important that the dog not see all dogs a potential playmates because that can get everyone in trouble.

    Keep your dog on leash, under control displaying good manners.  Do not allow a dog to approach other dogs except in controlled situations.  Dogs like people do not like anyone to just invade their space.  Could be why they are called MAN's BEST FRIEND NOT   DOGS BEST FRIEND!!!

    Copyright © 2010 Suzan Shipp. All rights reserved. Revised: ALL PICTURES AND CONTENT ON THIS BLOG ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF Suzan Shipp/J Bar S Dobermans and may not be used or copied without express permission from the owner. Copyrighted 2010 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Has Crufts has made health testing the laughing stock

The talk of the town is the Crufts dog show and all the breeds that have been DQ's from the event as well as the 15 breeds that are under fire right now.

Crufts obviously thinks it has taken a major step forward in moving pedigreed dogs to a better place BUT HAVE they???

First  you can't always see genetics with the naked eye.  Most serious diseases that plague all animals and humans are usually no known until they appear or rear their ugly head sometime during the lifespan.  It is precious few we have an absolute DNA test for whereby we can eliminated it over time from a gene pool.

So whose kidding who???   A ring side vet check in no way can determine the health of a dog.  If it would then we can eliminate all the costly health testing test we do and just run our dog up to the local vet and have him look in the eyes, listen to the heart and lungs and say all looks good.  It is a bandaid at best.  That is why vets promote annual vet checks - things come up.

But to DQ a dog for possible razor burns -  What does that have to do with genetics, improving the quality of dogs showing, improve the dogs being selected for breeding or is it a ploy by the AR groups to once again hoodwink them into believing all breeders are bad and all purebred dogs are bad???

It is not secret to the outside world that the AR groups have heavily influenced and infiltrated the dog world in Europe and that they were successful in banning cropping and docking over 20 years ago.  Perhaps they made better progress over there because they are not as well informed and educated over there - Honestly I don't know.

But I know this is nothing but a witch hunt and personally I think Crufts has a lot of egg on their face.

Dobs4ever - Dogs under fire!

  1. http://jbarsdobies.com Blog: http://dobes4ever.blogspot.com/
    Copyright © 2010 Suzan Shipp. All rights reserved. Revised: ALL PICTURES AND CONTENT ON THIS BLOG ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF Suzan Shipp/J Bar S Dobermans and may not be used or copied without express permission from the owner. Copyrigted 2010



Saturday, March 3, 2012

Dog Show Fancy - Sport or Cult

The other day someone who just bought a pet from a BYB made the comment about dogs show people being a cult.  Let's look at the definition of "cult"


1.
a particular system of religious worship, especially withreference to its rites and ceremonies.
2.
an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing,especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3.
the object of such devotion.
4.
a group or sect bound together by veneration of the samething, person, ideal, etc.
5.
Sociology a group having a sacred ideology and a set ofrites centering around their sacred symbols.  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult

I say if the shoe fits then wear it -  We are definitely a group bound together by veneration of something, an ideal - that centers around the sacred standard of the Doberman Pinscher and the standard describes our "Ideal". 

Dog showing is both a sport and a cult - just as football enthusiast are nuts about their teams and have games and tailgating to promote and enjoy their sport so does the dog show fancy have events, trails and shows to celebrate our accomplishments.  

This make the very nature of the BYB an insult to all that has gone before.  With no effort, no desire to produce the best, no understanding of the needs of the dogs they enjoy the freedom to breed less than stellar dogs and then when things go wrong they blame all breeders.

The very nature of the purebred  dog world sets it apart from the heinz 57 variety of dog that just breeds at will in the streets where they are allowed to roam.  Purebred dogs are special by design and purpose.  If you don't want to joint the "cult" then don't breed.

THE PURPOSE OF SHOWING

I was ina very interesting discussion on a chat list this week regarding the show ring -  It seems to me that those who are not involved and do no show have very strong opinions on what it is all about and they miss the mark by a wide margin.  It is a very involved and intense competition to say the least.

I have to wonder if these people have been rejected when attending a show or because they have poor quality dogs feel they need to strike out at all the things wrong with our sport. So I am going to try to shed some light on a very heated subject -

YES - it is a very closed  society and as we read earlier can be considered  to be very cult like by some.  But if you have no interest in pure bred dogs then it would seemed closed to you.  I don't care about motorcycles or motorcycle gangs but the people who love them love them with a passion.   They have get togethers, travel around the country together but it is not for me so I don't worry about what they do unless it breaks the law in some way.

But people who do not show seem really vindictive over the whole show ring program.  We hear that it is too political, too snobby, too closed minded, only handlers win and half the dogs that are champions do not deserve it.  Is it any wonder people don't like us???

Personally I don't think anyone has a right to critize something they have never done.  It is way too easy to misunderstand half of what is going on.  We just finished watching Westminister and already rumors are flying about the peke that won.  It is easy to sit in an arm chair and judge.  In the ring is a whole different matter and we only have a one sided view .  It would be nice to put on these special glasses and see a 3 D and life like.

For those who don't like showing or the "politics" my suggestions is don't do it.  No one forces anyone to show.  It is a sport some enjoy it some don't but for breeders it is an invaluable tool.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

A Tale of Ears and Tails by Avi Marshak


  1. I came across this article and found it very interesting on the subject of cropping and docking.  Many things are deeply rooted in our past and it appears that this might be another one.  I don't know how many remember the good old days anymore but many of the sayings and knowledge we have today is because way back in the early beginnings it did have a purpose. 

    I want to thank Dobermann Review for preserving and making this article available for us.

    It appears that cropping and docking might have been one of these.  Today the AR groups want to scream that it is all about looks - the cosmetic and I am quite sure that vets have sold us out.  Why would they do that?? - well they could it be that they make a lot more money when they have to do an emergency tail amputation due to injury.that what they make from docking a 4 day old puppy to help prevent the injury.

    No on can claim it a terrible ear crop if it was forced on them due to injury - they can only work with what is remaining so beauty certainly would not apply.  Today's vets have run a muck and run scared but I fail to see how you can claim one surgery illegal while allowing others.  Read the article and see what you learn from it.
    Dobs4ever

    A good article written by Avi Marshak
    (FCI International, all breeds & Dobermann specialist dog judge)


    Tale of Ears and Tails - The Future of the Past, by Avi Marshak

    The aim of this article is to try to cover as maney aspects as possible which rise from the prohibition against showing cropped & docked Dobermnns in many countries around the world. To explore the past, to deal with the present and to try to foresee the future of our beloved breed, the Dobermann. It is funny to think that the future of our breed maybe lies between the two edges of the dog; the ear and the tail.
    EARS
    In our collective memory, we have and we shall have forever the mental image of a cropped and docked Dobermann. Even Dobermann clubs from countries that outlawed cropping such as Norway and Finland have on their clubs badges the image of a cropped Dobermann, interesting isn't it?
    Let us look back at the "good old days" when we had the freedom to crop anything that could be cropped.

    Ear cropping began centuries ago as a preventive measure because in those times, there were no antibiotics for infections or anesthesias, and no veterinary surgeons to repair cuts, wounds and infections. The practical dog breeders learned to remove those portions of a puppy's anatomy that had the tendency of tearing: they cropped ears, docked tails, and removed dewclaws. Looking at the photos of the early-cropped breeds we can see that all early ear crops were short and crude. Today thank to the modern medicine, cropped ears are longer and it is very easy to crop but still it required the hand of the expert, for ears cropping is varied from one breed to another. In the F.C.I. list of purebred dogs there are more than 100 breeds that are customary cropped. Those who oppose the ear cropping claim that it is pure cosmetic surgery and it has nothing to do with the dog health. Now let us try to answer the "one million dollars question" that people always ask and probably will ask in the future: why are Dobermann ears cropped?

    Well, I believe that Louis Dobermann the founder of the breed and many other early breeders had the vision of breed with standing natural ears. If you cannot get natural standing ears, the aim justifies the means; you achieve your desired goal by cropping. So they created a Dobermann with cropped ears, ears that prevent infections and in the same time improve the silhouette of the new breed. Cropped ears create an alert expression and menacing appearance that brought the Dobermann more fanciers. So we have learnt that ears cropping was very popular in the early days and the Dobermann was no exception. If we take a look at the Bull Terrier history, a cropped breed that was created for fighting dog sport, once the breeders could get by selecting breeding small erect ears they stopped cropping.


    The late Herman Palmer "Von Furstenfeld" kennel told me many years ago that he played with the idea to cross the Dobermann with the ancient Pharaoh Hound breed (a breed with standing natural ears), and to create a Dobermann with natural standing ears, but as far as I know he has not done it. Countries like England and all the Scandinavian countries have since the early years of the 20th century legislation that prohibits cropping and docking of dogs, this legislation prohibits showing cropped and docked dogs in dog shows as well. Lately Holland joined these countries. Starting 2002, showing cropped and docked dogs in dog shows in Germany will be prohibited. On the other hand an attempt to apply this legislation in Italy was failed. I don't believe that the following countries will join this prohibition: France, Portugal, Russia and rest of new republics in central Europe, and all South America countries.

    TAILS
    There are almost 100 breeds that are traditionally docked. Docking is done when the puppies are 4 days old, it has scientifically established, that the nerves in tail are not activated and the puppies feel no pain what so ever. To those people who claim that dog uses his tail for balance and communication, the answer is very simple. Puppies that have been docked have not encountered any problems with balance or communication...
    The reason for docking Dobermann is very simple, the Dobermann used to be a police dog and service dog and by docking the tail we, prevented the criminal from grabbing the dog by his tail during action. In his book "The Dobermann Pinscher" 1959 edition, Philipp Groennig disclosed that in the past there were Dobermann that borne with "Bob Tail": natural short tail, however these blood lines lost, for the Dobermann breeders concentrated their breeding efforts to improve the production of deep tan markings.

    THE LEGAL SITUATION
    The European Convention for Protection of Pet Animals, that was held in Strasbourg, France in 13.11.1987 calls for the prohibition against docking tails, cropping ears and removal of dew claws, it deals also with many other aspects of keeping and breeding of pet animals. Although it calls for the prohibition against docking and cropping, it specifically recognizes the rights of nations which otherwise accept the Convention, to reserve their position on the issue. Unfortunately, so far many governments ratified these Convention resolutions and the result is prohibition against docking, cropping and showing cropped and docked dogs. In Britain the prestigious Royal College of Veterinary Surgeon decided not to press for Britain to sign up the controversial European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. Today Europe and tomorrow?

    Any American, Canadian or Australian dog lovers believing they are safe from those seeking to ban tail docking or ears cropping, may be interested to know what their veterinary associations have to say on the matter. In the USA, the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights opposes to various surgeries done to meet "breed standards". In Canada, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association also opposes surgical alteration of any animal, for cosmetic purposes. In Australia, the Australian Veterinary Association calls on the states to ban cosmetic operations.

    THE STANDARD
    When the "flood" has started, and more countries adopted the anti cropping and docking legislation, the World Kennel Club, F.C.I initiated an elegant wise step to meet the new challenge. The Standard Committee of the F.C.I stating published a circular:

    The fact that in more than a hundred breeds ears are either cropped or uncropped and tails docked or left their natural length should no longer influence the judgment at any exhibitions (National, International and World). All shapes should be judged without distinction since the cropping of ears and docking of tails are in some countries legally prohibited. The judgment, however takes into account whether the ears are well-cropped or not, whether the natural shapes and carriage of the ears in accordance with the standard and whether the tails are either correctly docked or the tails correctly carried.
    This circular is a preliminary step, but it does not solve the many problems and questions that have been raised by the anti-cropping and docking legislation. The F.C.I (Federation Cynological International) or the World Kennel Club Customarily recognizes breed's standard that is recognized by the leading non-organizations (the AKC and the English Kennel Club). Under the F.C.I jurisdiction, only the national club of the country of the origin has the authority to alter the breed standard. The German Dobermann Club (Dobemann-Verein e.v.) - the standard-patron of the Dobermann, is the only organization that authorized to alter the Dobermann standard. Let see what changes have been inserted in the Dobermann standard re-ears and tails. In the 1994 standard under the ears paragraph it is written:

    The ear, which is set high, is carried erect and cropped to a length in proportion to the head. In a country where cropping is not permitted the uncropped ear is equally recognized (medium size preferred and with the front edge lying close to the cheeks).
    Here the standard provides us with reasonable answers in accordance with the spirit of the F.C.I standards committee circular.Re-Tails it is written:

    It is high set and docked short whereby approximately two tail vertebrae remain visible. In countries where docking is legally not permitted the tail may remain natural.
    Here the standard also follows the spirit of the above-mentioned circular, however it does not disclose us any specific details such as: what is natural, what is the desired length of the tail, what is the tail's shape etc. So far so good, the fact that cropped ears and docked tails are not included under the disqualifying fault paragraph gives us some hope for the future.

    To conclude, let us all hope that docked tails and cropped ears will not be defined by the standard- patron, the German Dobermann Club, as disqualifying faults; this might be a "coup de grace" for the Dobermann breed.
    BREEDING
    If worst comes to worst, we shall have to put extreme efforts in breeding Dobermanns with small ears or we shall search for the natural standing ears. Re-tails, we don't know yet what will be the shape, the length of the tails, shall we breed for the German shepherd type tail? Than we shall look for a long slanted croup, or shall we breed for the curled tail that occurs in two basic varieties: single and double curl over the back, with many variations? It is well known in the breeding field that ounce you try to improve something in the dog you may loose something else, this what happens in the sport of the purebred dogs. As you are already aware of the many problems that lay ahead of us and I have not scratched yet the bottom of the "barrel", let us be optimistic and face the future with a positive hope.

    JUDGING & JUDGES
    The fact that in many counties Dobermanns nowadays are being shown uncopped and undocked in the dog shows can affect the judging and the handling methods. Natural ear changes the silhouette of the head; the head appears broader at the base of the skull, and less cone-shaped due to the natural hanging ears. When judging uncropped Dobermann it is easier to see clearly the parallel lines in head while judging a cropped Dobermann, part of the skull between the ears remains invisible in profile because of the cropped ears. The smart professional handler always lifts the natural ears up in order to emphasize the correct shape of skull and the parallel lines, by doing this it improves the expression as well. Being a specialist Dobermann judge and F.C.I. International All Breeds Dog judge let me share with you my judging experiences. My first overseas judging assignment was in South Africa, here most of the handlers lifted the ears in order to enable me to see the real shape of the head, those who did not do so, were requested kindly by me to lift up the ears.

    So far I have judged many uncroped and undocked Dobermann in the Scandinavian countries, I know exactly what to look for, but maybe the fact of being an All Breed Dog Judge, who uses to various forms of silhouettes ears shapes etc, helps me to absorb the "new version" of the Dobermann silhouette. To absorb the "new version" yes, but this will never change my intimate mental image of the cropped and docked Dobermann with piercing expression that radiates alertness... In one of my Scandinavian show I met an exhibitor who shoved the long tail into his jacket sleeve, but of course he could not run...Training new judges to the breed can be a little complicated for these new judges may get as a matter of course the new image of the Dobermann, and thus they may have the wrong idea of the correct Dobermann head. Whenever I see my "ideal Dobermann" in the ring, or outside, it is like having a "Mental orgasm".

    QUO VADIS?
    The Dobermann had rich and interesting past, but the question is, does he have a future? Does the metamorphosis, that the Dobermann is now undergoing, will affect the popularity of the breed? This is a "one million dollars question"...

    What is a Dobermann? My answer is very simple, the Dobermann is everything that the individual expects him to be, whether he is cropped or uncropped, whether he is docked or undocked...


Sunday, February 5, 2012

EVERY TIME TWO WORLD'S COLLIDE - WHY BYB MISSED THE MARK

EVERY TIME TWO WORLD'S COLLIDE - WHY BYB MISSED THE MARK 

The world of purebred dogs is definitely divided -  The good the bad the Ugly - 
I would like to start by taking a look at the beginnings of Purebred dogs and then the show world.  Why is it so divided  as far as show breeders and BYB go???  


It is divided because the nature of the sport goes against the very heart of the purpose - dedicated people working to produce the best example possible.

First if we look at the reason that brought about the purebred dog world we would have to go way back in time.  People had tasks that they needed  fulfilled so they looked at Man's best friend to help.  They noticed that certain dogs were really strong in certain task so they started breeding these dogs to each other with the specific purpose in mind to make sure more of the dogs would work or meet the requirements for which they were bred.  They wanted them to breed true to that task and a certain look, otherwise they wanted them to breed true to both form and function.

As men will be men they of course wanted to start pitting their best effort against someone else's best effort and the dog show world had its humble beginnings.  I am sure that even way back then that there were poeple who thought they were crazy.  This pursuite of excellence and competing to see whose dog could top whose dog.  But folks that is how it started - around a pub and a few good  men bragging about the days activities of field trailing.  From that Westminister was born and the rest is history.  

Dog showing as a sport is second only in organized sports to  -------- you guessed it Horse Racing.

So from the beginning I think the differences were there -  There were the BYB who had a dog and of course no one neutered their dog back then so they let nature take care of it self and didn't really give it a second thought.

But for the purebred dog world it was a big difference - there was a purpose - a passion.  Since dogs pretty much roamed loose in the old days they would mate with whoever was available but the purebred dogs were put up and carefully screened and mated with a specific purpose.  Breeders kept meticulious records  of matings and the results.  Hence the American Kennel Club was formed to help promote this sport and make these records more available to the public.  These purposes became the guideline or standard for each breed.   You can't have one without the other.  Purebred dogs must adhere to the standard.  


Most backyard breeders BYB are not even aware of a standard or the purpose of breeding.  Doming next 
Dog show Fancy - Sport or Cult???


Dobs4ever -Dogs Under Fire

Friday, February 3, 2012

Web sites and RED FLAGS

It appears that there needs to be some help with reading web pages and what they actually mean.  They all use certain "sales terms".  So how do you analyze a web site and how do you recognize RED FLAGS?


Is it just a case of having just enough knowledge to be dangerous???  In other words BYB have been around enough and in a lot of cases just copy and paste or steal phrases from good web sites -  I think the biggest is
BRED FOR temperament, confirmation (intential misspelling), working, health and longevity) 

People must use a little common sense and learn to break it down by asking the right questions -  Temperament - if you have never worked or trained a dog yourself in PP - how do you know what good temperament is???  Because a dog runs the fence line and barks like it would eat you alive does not mean it has correct temperament especailly if that same dog if you actually entered the yard in a threatening way RAN. 

Conformation -  This one really gets me when they can't spell it to begin with yet they will sell you a show puppy -  Folks it is dead serious to me when I say show puppy to someone looking for a show prospect in a young puppy.  If there is any question I prefer to just place the dog as a pet.  But someone who has never shown would not recognize a good show prospect if they tried.  Shouldn't you at least ask if they have ever produced a chamipion out of their breeding???

Working drives -  To recognise true working drive that holds up under pressure -  Should the person at least have titled in some obedience venue to have an idea of what it takes to get a dog to competion level???? in anything??

Health and longevity -  Of course every breeder hopes for this BUT can they produce a 5 generation pedigree and tell you about the dogs in the pedigree - strengths, weaknesses, health issues etc.  Vet checked is not health tested - they are two totally different things.   A dog in early stages of liver failure can still look good on the outside while things are going on and changing on the inside.  A full blood panel can help eliminate at least most of the serious issues and show that at that time the dog did not show any signs of problem -  EX:  kidney, liver etc.

PENDING is another RED FLAG also - I have seen people put pending when in 2 to 3 weeks if they had actually done the test or trial they would have the results. Why not just wait and publish the results???I have seen things that were pending for years.  It should be a RED FLAG and I would ask them to call me back when the results are in.

PayPal - Puppies are a living breathing thing not just a commodity like WalMart - to me it speaks more to the commercial breeder. This speaks volume breeder as Paypal charges a fee just like a credit card company.

Pricing - should be based on the quality, health testing, showing and knowledge of the breeder along with the kind of support they provide throughout the life of the puppy.  I have been contacted many times by people who bought a puppy with the promise of "lifetime support" UNTIL there was a problem and then the breeder STOPPED responding.
               a.   AKC registration should be a must
               b.  Titles and awards on their own dogs - not dogs back in the pedigree
              c.   Member of at least one of the breed clubs - DPCA (Doberman Pinscher Club of America or UDC  United Doberman Club -  it shows that they agree to follow a COE and that they are at least aware that there is a correct standard for the Doberman Pinscher.- It also shows they are active in more than just breeding.
              d.  Health tested no just vet checked as well as knowledge of the past pedigree and any health issues.  There is NO test that says cardio clear -  Very misleading and untrue statement.
              e.  Charging extra for ear cropping - Since it is a cropped and docked breed I would not want a breeder who tried to cut corners.
              f.   Price should be based on whether you are getting pet puppy or show puppy NOT color and not registration.   ALL puppies should be AKC registered.  To do less says you do not care about trying to preserve quality.

Contract -  I would not go into any business deal without requiring a contract.  This spells out exactly what is expected of both parties.

Z factored - AKC reg does give you a way to know if you are buying Z factored or not so ask for Registration numbers of the sire and dam.  Last year there was a web site where the first page was right out  of the DPCA web site - all about the importance of breeding quality and that dogs being bred should be shown and titled -  All written to impress the novice -  then as you moved on through the site and looked at pictures the dogs were roached (humped back) and z factored - that means they are out of albino stock which is banned by their own  breed club because albinoism is a serious genetic defect that can cause a whole set of problems specifically related to the albino mutation.

Unfortunatley JQP is very gullible - If it is printed on a web site it must be true -  PLEASE ask questions  about each of the above.  The breeder should be comfortable and open to answering any and all questions.  If they get angry I would sya they are trying to hide something.  RUN.

Dobs4ever -

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Inbreeding Linebreeding part 3 cont

In continuing this subject from a breeders perspective I have to say we have a different view of things than science or certainly someone who is not a breeder.  First we have to understand a little about how a breed is created and that by its very nature it is ALL inbreeding and line breeding in the end just because the gene pool is closed.

Back when Herr Dobermann started on his search to create his vision of the Dobermann with very specific traits to provide him the protection he was seeking he had to survey and have some understanding of each dog introduced into the gene pool.  With each breed he had specific traits, looks, temperament etc that he wanted to combine and bring into one gene pool.  He was not interested increating a "designer" dog that could not reproduce or carry on.

The dogs he selected all had certain things that were good and all had some health issues that they brought to the mix. It is important to remember that back then "the health nut craze" had not infiltrated the world.  People accepted as a fact of life - both life and death so I am fairly certain he was not concerned with how long each breed used lived to -  He was focused and dedicated to his single mindness in his creation.

Once he achieved the results he wanted - temperament, drive, coat, head, size, he then had to breed them back to each other til they reached a point that they bred "TRUE" to his vision - in other words every dog came out looking like his Dobermann and none ever looked like a throw back to the shepherd, rotties etc.  When this happens there are certain things that become SET in the gene pool and are going to be there for life.  No matter how much you try to breed away from it there are just too many combinations of genes that can show up at anytime.

I personally believe that the cardio issue was introduced when Groelier introduced the Great Dane into the gene pool.  We know Great Danes suffer from cardio.  Does it matter - not at this point because we can't go back and take it out of the gene pool.

Breeders HAVE to believe tha they can work to make things better - if we did not believe this we would throw in the towel.  Does not mean we can solve it all but means we can maintain for the most part a healthy gene pool to draw from.  There are things that affect it -  inBreeding, line breeding, and the popular sire syndrome which can and does create a bottle neck thereby diminishing the majority of the gene pool.  BUT in a small closed gene pool there are some things that can't be avoided and all the science in the world will not change the overall picture even thoug we would like to think so.

Look at humans for example - we do not necessarily follow any form of inbreeding as it has been banned and for the most part we don't line breed BUT we do have health issues that are common to man.  If you listen only to science then we all must stop bnreeding and this will cure the health issues because the species will disappear.
Dobs4ever

Inbreeding Linebreeding part 3 cont

In continuing this subject from a breeders perspective I have to say we have a different view of things than science or certainly someone who is not a breeder.  First we have to understand a little about how a breed is created and that by its very nature it is ALL inbreeding and line breeding in the end jsut because the gene pool is closed.

Back when Herr Dobermann started on his search to create his vision of the Dobermann with very specific traits to provide him the protection he was seeking he had to survey and have some understanding of each dog introduced into the gene pool.  With each breed he had specific traits, looks, temperament etc that he wanted to combine and bring into one gene pool.  He was not interested increating a "designer" dog that could not reproduce or carry on.

The dogs he selected all had certain things that were good and all had some health issues that they brought to the mix. It is important to remember that back then "the health nut craze" had not infiltrated the world.  People accepted as a fact of life - both life and death so I am fairly certain he was not concerned with how long each breed used lived to -  He was focused and dedicated to his single mindness in his creation.

Once he achieved the results he wanted - temperament, drive, coat, head, size, he then had to breed them back to each other til they reached a point that they bred "TRUE" to his vision - in other words every dog came out looking like his Dobermann and none ever looked like a throw back to the shepherd, rotties etc.  When this happens there are certain things that become SET in the gene pool and are going to be there for life.  No matter how much you try to breed away from it there are just too many combinations of genes that can show up at anytime.

I personally believe that the cardio issue was introduced when Groelier introduced the Great Dane into the gene pool.  We know Great Danes suffer from cardio.  Does it matter - not at this point because we can't go back and take it out of the gene pool.

Breeders HAVE to believe tha they can work to make things better - if we did not believe this we would throw in the towel.  Does not mean we can solve it all but means we can maintain for the most part a healthy gene pool to draw from.  There are things that affect it -  inBreeding, line breeding, and the popular sire syndrome which can and does create a bottle neck thereby diminishing the majority of the gene pool.  BUT in a small closed gene pool there are some things that can't be avoided and all the science in the world will not change the overall picture even thoug we would like to think so.

Look at humans for example - we do not necessarily follow any form of inbreeding as it has been banned and for the most part we don't line breed BUT we do have health issues that are common to man.  If you listen only to science then we all must stop bnreeding and this will cure the health issues because the species will disappear.
Dobs4ever

Inbreeding Linebreeding con't

  1. This is a quote from Frank Grover on the ADPEF.org web site on breeding. I thought it could open up some interesting discussion for those who wish to participate. Science has never created anything unless it was in a test tube. I don't want to live in a test tube.
    http://americandobermanpinschereducationalfoundation.org/breed_today/franks_breeding_and_rescue 
    I think it is important to understand first that inbreeding and line breeding are two totally different strategies and can't be lumped into the same sentence.Inbreeding is the mating of two very close relatives - ex. Father to daughter, mother to son, half brother to half sister. This is used when a new breed is being formed inorder to intensify the specific traits one is wanting to "set" in the lines. With that also comes some hidden faults that can be intensified. Once a line is set pretty much what is the the genetic mix is there to stay. That is why in the beginning you hope that there is a wide variety of dogs used to bring about the product you are looking for and that it reduced the negative as much as possible.

    1. LineBreeding is a tried and proven strategy breeders have used with success for many years. It is the mating of more distant relatives ex: Grandsire to granddaughter, Uncle to niece and its goal is to produce more consistent litters. Back in those days dogs were very prepotent meaning the genes were so strong you could predict what they would be like as adults - Each line back then had very distinct charastertics and breeders bred to what they liked. Often you will hear a judge say a dogs is "very typy" and this is mostly due to line breeding.

      If you look at the history of the Doberman's that were imported to America, breeders took these dogs and developed several specific "types" from the mix depending one which dogs they crossed. Back in the early 50's, 60's and even into the 70's we saw dogs that were very distinct in type and by looking at the dogs you could tell which kennel they came from because of the line breeding. This is what we call prepotent.

      Linebreeding certainly has its place in the purebred dog world and breeders should know the lines and breed accordingly to produce the best dog possilbe while sidestepping the landmines. We must understand that by the very nature of the purebred dogs there is a certain genetic load that can't be avoided because in the end they all came from the same beginnings.

      Each breeder has to determine for themselves how much they want to linebreed and how tightly. In all things consdered every breeder I have every talked with agrees you have to go outside to bring in new blood to keep the line strong and healthy without loosing what you have worked so hard to maintain. This is not new to breeders who have been breeding for a while and understand the whole picture.

      The problem is today we have way too many johnny come latelys who have no real knowledge of what breeding is really all about or how it plays out and that to me would include the author of the above article. Scientist are not breeders and neither sicene or genetics in breeding always work out in a nice neat little package that would allow us to label linebreeding as a bad thing especailly if they lump linebreeding and inbreeding in the same catagory.  
      Dobs4ever  


On the subject of inbreeding and linebreeding




    1. "Inbreeding/Linebreeding was once a valuable tool in shaping today’s breeds. As these have now reached a high degree of homogeneity, it has lost its importance and turned into a fatal and disastrous habit."
      Hellmuth Wachtel, PhD   Quotes below are excerpts from this article

    I will share a quote from the Great Tess Hensler - (quote)Remember; it is better to marry the worst member of a good family than the best member of a bad family.(quote) Pedigree is important in the animal kingdom..  ADPEF.org

    I am not sure Herr Dobermann was rich - beings he had 3 or 4 jobs - Tax collector, dog pound and landlord at least part of his job was collecting rents for someone - that tends to make me think he was a workng man. The rich tend to sit in their castles and look down on everyone else and usually had someone who worked for them who actually did the work and study.

    How would anyone have a rudimentary knowledge of genetic science when it has not been discovered yet??? What they had was specific traits and looks that they were seeking and without all this knowledge they quickly accomplished it. While they may not have known the far reaching results they accomplished quickly the traits they desired. This in and of itself was brilliant. They learned it by careful study of the resulting progeny and IMHO they were amazingt in what they accomplished without all this science. In fact they GAVE science the road to follow with the proof of results the careful following of lines - In other words they pointed the path for science to follow. We must work hand in hand and breeders are making adjustments as then learn more and they are taking the necessary steps to proceed with caution so as not to destroy all that they have built up to this point.

    As I see it science job is to help find the answers that arise as we progress down the road. Or give us a better way through DNA to safely eliminate the undesirables while maintaining the original purpose or dog breed. Breeders job is to keep a gene pool to draw from while protecting the standard.

    Pedigrees were and are important because the people developing them had specific traits that they were looking for and because science or genetics was not developed to the point it is today they had to study and follow the results of what they were producing. I agree that there are too many today breeding with out the understanding of this knowledge base to follow. They get two dogs and they are going to breed them with little thought or understanding of where they want to go beyond just breeding.

    I agree science is new, but that does not equate to better necessarily. Science has been wrong a time or two and that is the problem with the johnny come latelies in the dog world. They seems to think they know better and that they don't need to study the history with understanding to know where we came from and where they should then try to go with these new found revelations. For sound breeding tactics we have to find the correct way to apply science along with the solid breeding practices of old. Genetics is all too new to throw out everthing.

    For the most part inbreeding has faded into the background as the breed became more fluent, but I will say this - you can't compare what happens in nature to what happens in the world of purebred dogs because purebred dogs is a manipulation of man so by the very nature to start a new species you must inbreed in the beginning and bring in enough outside dogs in the original creation to hopefully develop a strong gene pool as you narrow the gap. Once you have dogs breeding true with the results you were looking for you close the gene pool.

    To reiterate - "some of this may be beyond anyone's control - especailly if we want to maintain purebred dogs.

    Dobs4ever -Copyright © 2010 Suzan Shipp/Dobs4ever. All rights reserved. Revised: ALL PICTURES AND CONTENT ON THIS BLOG ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF Suzan Shipp/J Bar S Dobermans and may not be used, copied or reprinted without express permission from the owner. Copyrighted 2010