Doberman breed standard
General appearance and character.
A dog of the Doberman breed should be medium in size, muscular and strong physique, but not too massive. Thanks to the elegant lines of his body, proud and slender posture, temperamental behavior and decisive actions, he corresponds to the ideal idea of a dog with a normal anatomy. Doberman is usually friendly, peaceful, very attached to the family and loves children. Moderate temperament, moderate spite and moderate excitability are preferred. Along with obedience and hard work, the Doberman should pay attention to the presence of a protective and military instinct, courage and firmness of character. Of particular importance for the assessment is self-confidence and fearlessness while maintaining a sensitive attitude towards others.
Sizes and weight.
The following sizes for dogs of the Doberman breed are provided: height at the withers 68-72 cm for males, 63-68 cm for females. Medium size is desirable. The total length of the trunk, measured from the sternum to the tubercle of the ischium, is on average. 7 cm. Weight in males: about 40-45 kg. Females have about 32-35 kg.
Head.
CRANIAL REGION: Strong, proportionate.
When viewed from above, the head resembles a dull wedge. The transverse line of the crown, when viewed from the front, should be almost horizontal, that is, not lower to the ears. Being a parallel extension of the line of the nasal dorsum, the line of the forehead decreases to the back of the head with a slight rounding. The superciliary arches are well developed, but do not protrude. The frontal groove is slightly distinguishable. The occipital protuberance is not pronounced. When viewed from the front and top, the lateral surfaces of the head are not loaded (chekast). The light lateral bulge of the upper jaw and zygomatic bones is harmoniously combined with the total length of the head. The muscles of the head are highly developed. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is quite distinctly developed.
Nose: The nose is well formed, rather wide than round, with large nostrils, generally does not protrude forward. In black dogs it is black, in brown – lighter shades.
Muzzle: The muzzle should be in the right proportion to the cranial part of the head, well developed, deep, mouth gap reaches the molars. The muzzle should be of sufficient width in the region of the upper and lower incisors.
Cheeks and lips: Cheeks should be flat and muscular. The lips fit tightly and smoothly to the powerful jaws, providing a complete closure of the mouth gap. The pigmentation is dark, in brown dogs – a lighter shade.
Jaws, bite, teeth: Upper and lower jaws strong, wide. Well-developed teeth should have a regular scissor bite. 42 teeth are arranged in accordance with the tooth pattern, of normal size.
Eyes: Medium in size, oval, dark in color. Brown dogs are allowed a lighter shade. Tightened eyelids. The edges of the eyelids are pubescent.
Ears: High set, vertical, stopping them according to the length of the head. If ear plugging is prohibited in a given country, uncropped ears (preferably of medium size, the leading edge should fit well on the cheek) are recognized as equal.
Neck.
Long enough compared to the trunk and head, dry and muscular. The neckline is upward and beautifully curved. The neck is held straight, with great nobility.
Body.
Withers: should protrude, especially in males, in height and length and thus determine the direction of the back line ascending from the croup.
Back: short and strong. The dorsal and lumbar regions are quite broad and muscular. The bitch may be longer in the lumbar, as she needs space for the mammary glands.
Croup: should slightly decrease from the sacrum to the base of the tail, due to this it seems quite rounded, in any case it can not be called either straight or beveled.
Chest: The length and width of the chest should be in the correct ratio with the length of the body, while its depth with slightly convex ribs should be approximately half the height at the withers. The chest is quite wide and especially emphasized, convex in front (forbrust).
Abdomen: The abdominal wall from the end of the sternum to the pelvis is noticeably matched.
Tail: set high and short docked, while retaining two distinct tail vertebrae.
Testicles: in males, both testicles are normally developed, should be visually determined in the scrotum.
Forelimbs.
The forelimbs when viewed from all sides, stand almost straight, that is, perpendicular to the ground, are highly developed.
Shoulders: tight to the chest, scapular bone on both sides covered with muscles. The upper edge of the scapula protrudes above the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae. The most inclined and well laid back, the angle of inclination to the horizontal is about 50 degrees.
Shoulders: Of sufficient length, with well-developed muscles, the angle of the shoulder blade is approximately 105 to 110 degrees.
Elbows: Well fitting, not twisted.
Forearm: Strong and straight, with well-developed muscles. The length is in harmony with the body.
Wrist joints: strong.
Metacarpus: the bones are strong, when viewed from the front – straight, side – in a barely noticeable inclined position
