Doberman Pinscher: temperament, training and care

At a glance

Temperament

• Loyal, alert and sensitive
• Learns fast, bores fast
• Feels the cold

Training tips

Keep training upbeat: a Dobermann shuts down with harsh corrections.

Doberman Pinschers usually pick things up quickly, which also means they learn bad habits quickly. Keep sessions short and varied, and reward the calm behavior you want to see more of.

Start with a marker word, sit, come and leave it. For a puppy, see the puppy training guides.

Exercise and energy

A healthy adult Doberman Pinscher typically needs around 60 to 120 minutes of activity a day. Walks alone rarely cover it: add sniffing games, training and play so their brain gets tired too. Puppies need much shorter sessions while they grow.

See how much exercise a dog needs and our games and enrichment ideas.

Health to watch

Things the breed is known to be prone to. Ask your vet what to check for your dog.

• Heart. Heart conditions run in the breed: a yearly listen at the vet catches them early.
• Bloat. A deep chest raises the risk of a twisted stomach: no hard play for an hour either side of a big meal. See: Bloat (Twisted Stomach).
• Hips and elbows. Prone to joint problems: keep them lean and ask the vet to check the joints each year.
• Cold weather. A thin coat and little body fat: a coat on cold walks, and short trips out in winter. See: Too Cold (Hypothermia).