Herr Louis Dobermann (with two 'n's) was a dog loving tax collector. To protect himself on his rounds he bred an outstanding guard dog which became poplar worldwide. The breed has its heritage back to some of the old German dogs such as the Rottweiler and the smooth haired German Pinscher, as well as the Black and Tan Terrier of England.
In 1900 The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club.
For many years the Dobermann has made its mark with the Search and Rescue Teams.They have an excellent nose for tracking. A few owners have been surprised by the pointing and retrieving instincts of the Dobe and have made excellent hunting companions out of their pets. Dobes can also be found herding sheep (one such Dobe even has a Herding Dog Certificate) and bringing the cows in at milking time. Its qualities of intelligence and ability to absorb and retain training brought it in demand as a police and war dog. The Dobermanns loyalty, devotion, confidence and high degree of trainability made the Doberman the dog of choice by the USMC during WWII. They are also being used as a guide dog as well as an outstanding therapy dog.
The Dobermann is one of the smartest dogs of dogdom with an uncanny reasoning ability. These qualities combined with the Dobe's deceptive power, exuberance for life, and his simple yet complex nature and temperament, requires extra time for early socialization, obedience training and exercise.
Dobermanns are not recommended for people with limited time and experience. The Dobermann is extremely affectionate and has been able to find his way into the hearts of his owners, like no other breed. They make very loyal devoted family dogs. Film and television sometimes portrayed an undeserved negative image of the breed. They are great with children and other animals if grown up together. Many people are life long devotes of this magnificent "Rolls Royce " of dogs with the heart and spirit of a gentleman.