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Animal register · DogIn the app

Dobermann

Doberman, Doberman Pinscher

The Dobermann is a German companion, protection and working dog of medium size, strong and muscularly built, with elegant lines and a proud stature. Its FCI standard describes a short, hard, dense coat that lies tight and smooth, in black or brown with clearly defined rust red tan markings; white spots are not allowed. The ears and the tail are left natural under the FCI standard, and PetPrep always shows the dog with natural ears and tail.

Its standard calls it friendly and calm and very devoted to the family. The Royal Kennel Club says its loyal and obedient nature makes it an excellent family dog, and recommends more than two hours of exercise a day and grooming once a week. The PDSA adds that it is very energetic, needs plenty of mental and physical exercise and early socialisation, and — because of its large size and strong build — is not recommended for families with young children or first-time owners. The Royal Kennel Club gives its lifespan as over 10 years.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Dobermann — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S209
Adult weight
males 40–45 kg, females 32–35 kg — FCI S207
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S209
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S209
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S209
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S209

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS209S211
  • large dog — not for homes with small childrenS211
  • powerful dog — needs an experienced ownerS211
  • needs mental challengesS211
  • shedsS209
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS211

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S209

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S209
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S209
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S209

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S209

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 15–18 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S209
  • Height at the withers: males 68–72 cm, females 63–68 cm — FCI S207
  • Adult weight: males 40–45 kg, females 32–35 kg — FCI S207

Training

  • No. 5 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 143, group 2 (pinscher and schnauzer types, molossoid breeds and Swiss mountain and cattle dogs); origin: Germany. — FCI S208

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Dobermann need?

According to our sources, the Dobermann needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S209.

How long does a Dobermann live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Dobermann is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S209.

How big does a Dobermann get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Dobermann, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S209; Adult weight: males 40–45 kg, females 32–35 kg — FCI S207.

How much grooming does a Dobermann need?

Coat and grooming of the Dobermann, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S209; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S209; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S209.

Who is the Dobermann a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Dobermann as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S209S211; family life — The Royal Kennel Club S209; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S209. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S209S211; large dog — not for homes with small children — PDSA S211; powerful dog — needs an experienced owner — PDSA S211; needs mental challenges — PDSA S211; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S209; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S211.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 83 (6.9 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.9× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 83 (6.9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, The Veterinary Journal 198(3):638–643 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S209S212

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S211
  • Wobbler syndrome, where unstable bones in the neck press on the spinal cord and weaken the back legs, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S211
  • Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S211
  • Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S211
  • An eye defect that is present from birth (persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, PHPV) can occur in the breed; breeders are advised to have the parents' eyes tested. — PDSA S211
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S211
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — PDSA S211
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S211

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • DNA test for von Willebrand disease type 1 (vWD1) — The Royal Kennel Club S209

Further tests for best practice

  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S209
  • DNA test for dancing Dobermann disease (DINGS2), a nerve and muscle disorder — The Royal Kennel Club S209
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S209

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S207FCI — FCI-Standard N° 143 — Dobermann (EN PDF; date of publication of the valid standard 13.11.2015)https://fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/143g02-en.pdf
  11. S208FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Dobermann (143)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/DOBERMANN-143.html
  12. S209The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Dobermann — breed information page (Breeds A to Z, older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=5121
  13. S211PDSA — Dobermann breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/dobermann
  14. S212The Veterinary Journal 198(3):638–643 (2013) (RVC repository copy) — O'Neill D. G., Church D. B., McGreevy P. D., Thomson P. C., Brodbelt D. C. Longevity and mortality of owned dogs in England. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.09.020https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/OutputFile/1409027
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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