Page 143 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

History of the
DOBERMANN
The Dobermann had its beginnings in the city
of Apolda, located in the state of Thuringia,
Germany. Louis Dobermann was reputed to
be a tax collector in this area, and was also
responsible for keeping the strays in the local
dog pound. Herr Dobermann carried money
on his person, and wanted a dog for self-
protection. His ultimate aim was to possess a
dog that was of average build, so that it could
be intimidating to intruders or robbers. A dog
with a short, smooth coat that would be easy
to care for, with a minimum of grooming. The
dog would also have to have great stamina,
be intelligent, and display alertness, and
even aggression. So when he decided to use
different breeds to develop this special guard
dog, Herr Dobermann had a very specific end
in mind. Herr Dobermann’s choices were not
hap-hazard; he picked and chose the dogs
very carefully. This is one of the reasons why
the Dobermann pinscher is referred to as “a
man-made dog”. Unfortunately, he did not keep
any written records. However, some very good
conjectures can be drawn from the knowledge
we have of the anatomy and temperament of
the Dobermann, and the knowledge of the type
of dogs that were indigenous to that area and
time. The German Pinscher was probably the
foundation breed that Herr Dobermann used to
build his new strain of dog. This type of dog was
described as being rather non-descript in looks,
but the reputation of temperament that this dog
had was one of alertness and aggressiveness.
A Mix of Breeds
The Rottweiler was used in the development
of the breed due to its massiveness and
intelligence. This very solid dog also possessed
great stamina, and had excellent tracking
ability. Sometimes the Rottweiler strain can be
seen in a Doberman with a “wavy” coat. The
Manchester Terrier contributed the black-and-
tan colouration, and the short, shiny coat. The
Doberman inherited some of the elegant looks,
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020
the refinement and line of this breed of dog.
The Beauceron contributed size and colour to
the Dobermann bloodline. The Beauceron was
a solidly built dog, very alert, and was known to
be intelligent as well. Louis Dobermann passed
away in the late 1800’s. He left his bloodline
in the keeping, and care, of Otto Goeller. It is
speculated that it was Otto Goeller that added
the Greyhound, possibly black in colour, to
the bloodline. This would account for the
additional height, stamina, and the speed of the
Doberman. In 1899, the National Dobermann
Pinscher Club was organized in Germany. One
year later, Otto Goeller, and other fanciers,
drew up a standard for their breed. The
German Kennel Club immediately gave official
recognition of the newest breed.
In the UK
The first Dobermanns in the UK were from the
early 1900s, consisting of a handful of imports
that were brought in. But it wasn’t until the late
1930s that the Dobermann really gained in
popularity, and at Westminster 1939 the first
Dobermann was crowned BIS - Ch. Ferry v.
Rauhfelsen of Giralda, born in 1937.
For the UK, Fred And Julia Curnow, of the
famous Tavey kennel, were the first to put the
breed on the map; importing dogs predominantly
from Germany and America. Fred imported
a German female Beka V Brunoberg who
produced Adel of Tavey; the first Dobermann
litter bred in England. Other Dobermann
enthusiasts followed suit & imported dogs to
create their own kennels; Birling, Barrilmilne etc.
As more and more Dobermanns arrived on
the show scene, it wasn’t long before The
Dobermann Club was formed in 1948 (then The
Dobermann Pinscher Club of England), which
Julia Curnow became secretary of for a number
of years. Black and Rust was the most popular
colour at the time, with only a handful of brown
and rust Dobermanns.
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