Has little knowledge of the Doberman breed or his breeding stock, puts little time or money into his breeding activities, and will be interested in placing his puppies and uninterested in where they are placed.  The trouble here is that the breeder is breeding for purposes other than health, sure temperament, and betterment of the Doberman breed.  Of course, breeding is a very complicated, dangerous, and expensive process to do right. The Backyard breeder finds ways around most of this cost, accepts certain “facts” such as losing puppies, and avoids much of the responsibility by leaving the mother to do all the work alone in a basement or outside building.  This breeder simply wants to sell puppies and doesn’t need to get much for them because he hasn’t put much into them.

The One Timer

The One Timer is a person, usually a family, that has purchased a family pet Doberman and wants to breed her before its time to spay.  There are usually a few friends or family who, after being around a Doberman, have become interested in having a Doberman puppy themselves, the problem here is lack of experience.  This breeder, although likely a loving friendly home, is certainly biting off more than they can chew.

Puppy Mills

Puppy Mills are off-pettingly ill-kept with sometimes hundreds of dogs in poor conditions almost always outside.  Who knows what is breed to this or that or maybe him?   That is why Puppy Mills sell to Puppy Brokers and Pet Shops.  Just understand no breeder that cares for their puppies in any way would let them be marketed retail style.

The Master Breeder

A good Doberman breeder is one who breeds with the goal of producing healthy well-tempered Doberman that will be a progressive addition to the breed.

So how do we find one of these rare Master Breeders? Doberman Pincher Clubs of America (DPCA) or American Kennel Club (AKC) Breeder Magazines are all a good place to look. Remember though, being listed on the DPCA OR AKC websites, or in breeder magazine is no guarantee of being a quality breeder.  The best place to find a breeder is through the referral of a current Doberman owner.  Attending dog shows or visiting dog parks can help you meet current owners. These people, if they were happy with their experience and are currently happy with the Doberman, are more than happy to help you contact their breeder. This way you will have a good idea of what the breeder produces, having already met one of their Dobermans. A web search can be helpful. Many good breeders explain their breeding philosophy on a webpage and offer other helpful information. Master Breeders are small scale, not producing more than one to three litters of Doberman Puppies each year. They have a long-term plan with specific goals of producing superior Dobermans. They have studied the Doberman breed thoroughly, understand its strength and weaknesses, and use good breeding practices and sounds genetic principals.  As the mother Doberman approaches labor, she known she will be cared for by the Master Breeder, who will sit up with her watching her nest until the first puppy comes.  Once they do, she knows he will tend to the cutting of cords and removal and counting of placentas. You’ll know you are speaking with a Master Breeder when all of your questions, and more, are answered thoroughly and passionately.  A Master Breeder will always be there for you.  You will be encouraged not only to call with any question, even years after the purchase, but also to let them know how their puppy is doing. They also love getting pictures. When you leave with your puppy, you’ll probably feel bad –like you’ve taken one of their kids.  Master Breeders rarely have puppies on hand. More than likely you will need to wait for the next litter which easily could be months or an entire year away. If you have the opportunity to visit the parents or the puppies, respect their home and respect their time. Understand if they make you take off your shoes and wash your hands. If they don’t allow you to see their “facilities” respect this too. Likely, their facilities consist of a bedroom (or in the breeder’s case the dining room) converted into a puppy nursey, and mommy dogs don’t like strangers in the puppy nursey. Another thing noticeable about a Master Breeder, besides many happy Doberman dancing around, is other types of friendly pets. They understand the importance of socialization so there will likely be some cats or small dogs playing with the Dobermans.

The Show Breeder is a trickier one to spot. He is involved in showing Dobermans and probably has a few champions running around. He’ll have plenty of awesome awards and know everything about confirmation. He is breeding for show dogs. Even if you plan to show your Doberman A healthy well-adjusted Doberman should be your first priority.