Our views on health

Ethical breeding looks at the whole dog.

Health testing is essential, but it’s only part of the picture. Here is how we think about it.

Ethical breeding is about making thoughtful, informed, and accountable decisions for the long-term future of the breed. We strongly believe in health testing, genetic screening, and responsible breeding practices. These tools are extremely important and should be part of any ethical breeding program. Breeding decisions are, however, rarely as simple as “pass” or “fail.”

A dog is more than a single score, a single test result, or a piece of paper.

A beautiful pedigree means very little if a dog lacks stable temperament, structure, soundness, resilience, working ability, or the trustworthy nature Dobermanns are known for. Responsible breeders must evaluate the entire dog — including all that as well as, pedigree, longevity, genetic diversity, and overall quality of life.

A dog may have a minor fault, a less-than-perfect HD result, or something that requires deeper evaluation. That doesn’t automatically make the dog worthless or unethical to incorporate into a breeding program. Responsible breeding is about understanding genetics, weighing strengths and weaknesses carefully, selecting complementary pairings thoughtfully, and making decisions that improve future generations while protecting the integrity of the breed.

We also believe accountability matters. We stand behind our dogs with health guarantees and lifelong support, because ethical breeding comes with responsibility, not just sales.

Our goal is not to produce dogs that simply “look good on paper.” Our goal is to preserve the true heart of the Dobermann: stable temperaments, sound minds, functional structure, working ability, emotional intelligence, and keen intuition — dogs that genuinely enrich the lives of the families they belong to.