We feel it is important to be very upfront about both the great things AND the bad things associated with the breed BEFORE you decide to get a puppy or dog of a certain breed. It is not our goal to sell as many puppies as possible but rather to provide healthy purpose bred companions into loving prepared forever homes. So BEFORE you look at our puppies, pricing, or fill out a waiting list application PLEASE read this ENTIRE page to be sure you understand FULLY what to expect out of your future companion both good AND bad.

CONS

1. Renting with a Doberman is extremely difficult. Most insurance carriers ban the breed. Large commercial rental facilities and partners also ban the breed like apartment complexes, town houses, or rental agencies. There are some cities that also ban the breed as well as some HOAs. Often you will find that those rentals that DO allow them either require you to carry dog specific liability insurance OR have high fees related to allowing the dog. It is very important to understand this before acquiring a Doberman. If you EVER have to rent you will have to spent a longer time to find a rental that will allow the dog and that you will likely have to pay more for that rental.
2. Even owning your own home does not eliminate this issue. Most home owners insurance carriers have dog breeds that are banned from being insured by them. Most mortgages REQUIRE you to maintain home owners insurance so this can be a big issue. Often the handful of agencies that DO not breed ban are significantly more expensive.
3. For the first 2-3 years a Doberman is EXTREMELY high energy and prone to destructive behavior if they are not well exercised and supervised. This is more so then most other breeds, we are talking about leaping over furniture instead of going around. Turning a couch into a pile of wood and stuffing. Chasing anything that moves. Barking non stop for no reason. A Doberman owner HAS to be much more vigilant about correcting, redirecting, and training their dog during this period because you will become VERY frustrated with an under exercised under stimulated doberman VERY quickly. You need to be able to devote at least 1-2 hours a day to taking your dog out and working with them either with a long stimulating walk run or obedience sessions. The more you exercise and train the dog the less trouble you will have.
4. People will fear your dog for no reason. This is a big one that many find it hard to adjust to. People will act as if you dog is trying to murder them even if the dog is walking politely or even just standing there. People will grab up their small children and dogs and flee in the sight of your dog. They may even scream while doing so. A Doberman is the opposite of social tool because the majority of the general public fear them due to their portrayals in movies and television. The breed has a stigma that is on par with that of the Pit Bull as being vicious and dangerous with little to no truth to that belief. If the idea of people fleeing, actively avoiding you, crossing the street to avoid you, or otherwise overreacting to your dog just being there is going to hurt your feelings this is not the breed for you.
5. Dobermans have short lives. On average a Doberman lives about 9-12 years. The #1 cause of death with the breed is heart related issues with cancer being a close second. The best thing an owner can do is fully verse themselves in the ways to prevent DCM in the dogs diet and to keep a close eye on their beloved dog’s heart. Skipping yearly vet visits is a bad idea with this breed if you want them to live to the longer end of their life expectancy you need to keep on top of their health with preventatives like heart worm prevention. We strongly recommend yearly Holter monitoring for at least 24 hours to help catch any heart issues early. Even with thorough genetic screening for DCM genetic markers there is no fool proof way to prevent DCM as there are multiple ways in which a dog can get it and genetics is just one path. Think of the paths to DCM like a town with multiple roads going into it, you can block the main road but there are other ways to get into town. Genetic screening is the biggest and easiest thing we can do to try to slow or prevent DCM but there are other types and ways to damage their heart that we cannot screen for. Genetics, diet, and monitoring are the three key ways to help keep your dog healthy for the longest time. Caught early enough there are effective treatments that can extend your dog’s healthy lifespan. We currently have no cure for DCM sadly.
6. This is not a cheap breed to own. If you do all the yearly medical things needed to keep your dog on the best health track you are going to spend 2x-4x the national average of vet cost for a dog. Properly feeding your Doberman will also be expensive, they do not do well on cheap dog foods and cheaper brands will lead to an early death from DCM. The best diet for a Doberman is a raw food diet which for a 70-120 lb dog will not be cheap. They have sensitive necks and skin and need more grooming than you would think and we recommend wider band collars for their necks or even harnesses to prevent neck injuries. These are large dogs so toys and treats will all need to be BIG and they cost a great deal more than toys for a small dog. They are also prone to bloat which can lead to a twisted stomach which requires a vigilant owner and quick emergency vet care to correct that or they will die within hours. This can range from 1000-10000 dollars and has no guarantee of saving them.  For this reason we recommend stomach stapling to be done as soon as the dog is at a vet recommended age to do so. This is best done at the same time they are altered if you are altering your dog. This procedure is 1/4th the cost of emergency bloat surgery and can help prevent the stomach from flipping and putting your dog at risk of death.
7. Socialization is an absolute must for this breed. As soon as your puppy has their full vaccinations you need to be prepared to take them out into the world to meet new people and see new things. This is the best way to prevent later aggression. This breed has a 150 year history of guardianship. They are one of only a few dog breeds bred entirely for the protection of their owner. That is their legacy and its deeply rooted into their genes. There is a small window during their younger years where you can help curb unwarranted aggression with socialization. If you miss this window you will end up with a dog that is prone to aggressive behaviour with all strangers regardless of age or actual threat. This is absolutely a recipe for disaster. Even the best fencing is just a suggestion to a determined or angry Doberman so the likelihood of an under socialized Doberman ending up with a bite record is extremely high.
8. Dealing with idiots who are anti docking or cropping when sharing photos of your dog or in person when they see your dog will be common. If you have a short temper about opinionated people declaring you are a monster for having their ears cropped or tail docked you may want to look for an uncropped or undocked doberman or find another breed. It is a very common occurrence.
9. They are large dogs and very energetic and can pose a threat to younger children because they may accidentally knock them over. They can also pose a fall risk to elderly or unsteady people for the same reason. A doberman tearing across the yard and bumping a family member is not a rare event.
10. Dobermans do not do well in cold weather. Their coat is short and offers very little in the way of heat retention. They will need coats in cold weather as well as potential booties and to have limited exercise in the cold. These are not outside dogs.

Okay so what are the Pros?