Doberman Pinschers: The iconic ears standing to attention, listening for every minute detail of sound, the confident stance, and powerful physique, the Doberman Pinscher is an impressive breed with many traits and historical facts that may surprise you.
Unfortunately, certain dogs are held to strong-believed stereotypes, such as “known aggressive breeds,” such as the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Akita, and the Doberman Pinscher.
But are these dogs truly as vicious as the media portrays? When dog bite statistics are compared alongside other breeds and dog sizes, are the ratios of breed-to-bite stereotypes as accurate as we think? Or do these dogs have the ability to be warm and welcoming, compassionate and loyal?
When it comes down to reality, the breed of the dog does not matter. Every animal has the potential to react differently than expected, especially in situations that are unknown, challenging, or intimidating.
Doberman Pinscher Resources
Can Doberman Pinschers Be Family Companions, or Are They Only Capable of Being Attack Dogs?
Dobermans have forever been portrayed as blood-thirsty beasts, obeying their owner’s commands, standing at attention at all times. But while Dobermans are capable of this “never resting” stereotype, they can be surprisingly domesticated and gentle around children, the elderly, and the sick and disabled.
This intelligent breed of dog has been a family favorite for decades; protecting children, defending the elderly, and socializing during family events and get-togethers, Doberman Pinschers are very sociable dogs, especially when their upbringing was infused with consistent interaction and mingling with strangers and friends.
Although Dobermans have a friendly and patient side, if a Doberman Pinscher is acting in a domesticated, gentle, and non-aggressive manner, this doesn’t mean that they cannot suddenly bite or attack out of fright, excitement, danger, or nervousness.
Even dogs with no history of prior aggressive behavior can bite as a defense mechanism. But the overall temperament of the Doberman Pinscher can widely vary depending on the type of upbringing they experienced.
Suppose you have been attacked or experienced a dog bite from a Doberman Pinscher or another dog breed. In that case, you are always urged to seek medical attention immediately and to contact a team of skilled and highly experienced dog bite lawyers.
Call us for a free consultation at (800) 561-4887.
History of Doberman Pinschers
Originating in the city of Apolda, Germany, in the state of Thuringia around 1890. After the Franco-Prussian War, Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann was a local tax collector and was in charge of the dog pound. He experimented with breeding different types of dogs until he came up with the perfect defender he could bring along during his tax collecting; Karl Dobermann collected his taxes in locations that ran high with bandits and robbers.
Also known as the “Tax Collector’s Dog,” the Doberman breed wasn’t officially recognized until 1900. The first registered Doberman was registered in 1898, and the first Doberman registered with the American Kennel Club was registered in 1908.
The Doberman Pinscher breed found its way into the military and law enforcement and make a tremendous aid to the brave men and women who fight for our country and our freedom every single day.
These brave and loyal dogs have carried out tasks with pride, even when on the battlefield; with guns firing, bombs exploding, shrapnel, and debris flying all over the place, these heroes established a strong name for themselves.
Dobermans also fulfill their duty on law enforcement teams, sniffing for drugs, explosives, and other dangerous tasks that help our men and women in uniform stay safe, so they can return home to their families.
Doberman Pinscher Dog Bite Statistics
Even though Doberman Pinschers make great family companions, they are still animals with natural instincts and defense mechanics. Even if a dog has never expressed hostile behavior before, it does not mean it can’t show aggressive behavior in the future, suddenly and without warning.
- Dobermans are responsible for: (September 1982- December 2014)
- 23 severe attacks
- 12 child attacks
- 9 adult attacks
- 8 deaths
- 12 maimings
- *According to Petolog.com*
- Dobermans are highly unlikely to turn on their owners/handlers
- Dobermans have been on record for breaking a man’s forearm with only one bite of their powerful jaws
- A healthy Doberman bite can measure in at a biting pressure of 200-400 pounds
For more information about Doberman Pinscher dog bite statistics and information, you can also visit PetHelpful.com
Why Are Doberman Pinschers Notorious for being Security Dogs?
You have seen them in the movies, chasing the burglars, being held in the back of police K9-Units, and even with bomb squads, swat team and the military, and there is a reason; their loyalty, their determination, focus, and agility makes them a prime candidate for security.
Their powerful body, muscular legs, disabling bite, and sheer speed make them a machine for destruction, taking down anything in their path if necessary.
Their deep black, almost mystical blue and red coats give them an appearance that cannot be confused with any other breed. Some breeders actually combine Doberman Pinschers with other breeds to give them the benefits of a Pinscher.
Rottweilers are also an unmistakable presence, with their brown and black markings, powerful physique, a confident stance, these breeds carry themselves with pride and loyalty to their handlers.
To have any sort of comparison of why Dobermans are the epitome of security and enforcement would be pointless. What would stop a burglar in their tracks? A Poodle, Jack Russel Terrier, maybe a Corgi?
Other known breeds that are used in law enforcement are: 2885
Although any form of law enforcement and the military is dangerous, these dogs are specifically trained for many different types of situations. From hand-to-hand combat to solo-dog missions, letting their handlers know of oncoming dangers, there are a plethora of ways a military dog can serve their country.
In 1944, the Japanese invaded American soldiers on the island of Guam. The Doberman Pinscher military dog could sense the Japanese invasion coming and alerted Marine Capt. William W. Putney, who led the patrol.
Although Cappy was killed, he saved his men from a catastrophic situation. Today, there is a monument with the names of 28 other military dogs that passed away while serving their country. There is a symbolic statue of a Doberman Pinscher on top.
What Is a Doberman Pinscher's temperament?
Society and the media have created a frenzy with certain dog breeds and identify them as “killers from birth.” This is inferring that these dog breeds have no control over their thoughts, actions, or temperament, and suggest that it’s strictly DNA, in the genes, and that the nurturing and upbringing of the animal is not a factor.
All living things that learn and grow as they get older, experience different environments and situations that ultimately transform them into who they become and how they act.
With exceptions for dogs that have mental issues, over-aggressive tendencies, and even diseases from an early age, a Doberman Pinscher, like all other breeds has the capability to act in all types of ways.
A Doberman that is raised in an uncomfortable environment, neglected, given little or no attention may grow up to be timid, overly-self-defensive, a biter, barker, and extremely unpredictable.
A Doberman that is raised with constant training, fighting, aggressive roughhousing, and even physical and mental abuse, are usually the stories behind dogfighters being raised. Dogfighting is the illegal and extremely abusive act of training dogs to be as vicious as possible, to go up against other dogs in a fight to the death, while the owners/handlers and spectators observe and bet on the winner and or loser.
A Doberman that is raised in a loving environment, with people and even other pets that share and give affection, attention, playtime, and learn gentleness and playfulness, is usually how a family companion is raised. It is very important that these dogs are trained in what is right and wrong from an early age with appropriate training techniques, discipline and strategies.
The breed characteristics chart above was provided by DogTime.com.
Owning a Doberman
Doberman Pinschers are extremely intelligent and loyal, hardworking dogs. Their ability to learn, accept training and overcome complex tasks take them to the top of the ranks, ranking #5.
According to Petrix.com, rank 1-10 of the world’s brightest dogs will:
- Understand new commands in less than 5 repetitions
- Obey the first command 95% of the time or better
Having a Doberman companion at home can also change your overall lifestyle. With breeds like Doberman Pinschers, more energy-relief, exercise, attention, training, bonding, and so on, are needed with these breeds. Also, others might be timider around these animals, especially at first.
If your Doberman likes to bark at noises, strangers, or anything else, noise complaints, reports, and other frustrating issues can be an unpleasant experience for Doberman owners. It can be important to take your Doberman for frequent walks and runs, playtime, and opportunities for them to explore, discover, play and make other dog friends. This will help with their cognitive abilities, training, maturity, and coping with all types of experiences.
Not allowing your Doberman to socialize with other dogs, animals, and people will only make your Doberman more aggressive, stand-offish, and hard to handle.
Doberman Aggression Vs. Other Breeds
There are many dogs we encounter that are prone to barking, growling, tugging on their leash, or looking like they want to bite you. Although size does seem to matter when it comes to the type of dog attacking, are some breeds more aggressive than others that have a reputation for being a hostile breed by nature?
Although Doberman Pinschers seem to have more size, weight, and power than smaller pups like a Pug or Chihuahua, their temperaments may not be all that different. Smaller dogs often indicate a tendency toward aggressive behavior. Barking, snapping, and growling are all common.
While these smaller dogs are showing signs of aggression and often biting at ankles, wrists, hands, toes, fingers, and other easy-to-bite areas of the body, the injury or wound inflicted by these bites/attacks may not be all that damaging, compared to a larger dog, such as a Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler or Pit Bull.
This is where disagreements come into play regarding breed temperaments compared to others. Many dog breeders, owners, and handlers are frustrated at the fact their breeds of dogs are being focused on more than others because of the injury severity.
Many people feel that overall breed temperament and average aggression should be categorized by specific groupings, and not identifying one breed as “more aggressive” than another, based on injury severity.
Example: If Chihuahuas have more statistics showing aggression, hostility, and violent behavior overall, than compared to the overall statistics found for Doberman Pinschers, Chihuahuas should be listed as more aggressive than Dobermans.
If Dobermans are shown to have an average of more severe injuries inflicted by bites than compared to Chihuahua bite injuries, that should be an entirely separate category than judging it strictly by bites/attacks, and not taking the severity of the injuries into consideration for the overall rating.
5 Steps to Protecting Yourself from an Aggressive Doberman Pinscher Attack
Even dogs that have never shown an ounce of aggression throughout their lifetime can suddenly, and without warning, go off and bite, attack, or show paralyzing aggression.
Even if an actual physical confrontation or personal injury does not happen, the overall experience of a large and majestic dog, like the Doberman Pinscher, can leave a confident individual trembling.
Victims of bites and near attacks can suffer from PTSD for weeks, months, years, and in serious cases for the rest of their lives.
Here are 5 steps that can help prevent or stop an attack or dog bite from continuing or happening in the first place:
- Don’t let the situation happen: Self-awareness and paying attention to your surroundings are very important in all situations and environments. Oftentimes, people distracted by their cell phones are unaware of the world around them. Coming face to face with a dog that is ready to attack can be very scary and dangerous.
- Keep your distance: If possible, stay as far away from stray dogs, on or off their leash. If a dog is running around, keep clear of any possible way you can come into contact with it. If the dog suddenly sees you and shows alertness and even begins to come after you, jump on top of a car, fence, wall, tree, or high place that can put distance between you and the dog.
- Defending yourself: If you weren’t able to avoid or put distance between you and the attacking dog and are now in a physical altercation, it is important to defend your neck and face; these are the areas the dog will attack first, next to hands, arms, and legs. Being loud, holding something above your head to appear larger and taller can possibly deter the dog from attacking you.
- A stronger line of defense: Fighting back at some point may be your only option. At some point, the dog may have a solid grip on you which increases their confidence in taking down their prey – you. This is where it can become very dangerous and potentially deadly. Pepper spray, weapons of any sort, hard items you can hit the dog with – aim for the head and legs/joints to throw the dog off balance and hopefully injure it temporarily to offer you a chance for escape.
- Doing whatever it takes to survive: If you are injured and the dog is showing no signs of stopping, and playing dead does not work, it is time to do anything you can to stop the dog.
Remember: Never stare into a dog’s eyes, turn your back, run away or antagonize a dog or any animal, especially one you are unfamiliar with.
Medical Attention After a Doberman Dog Bite
Experiencing a dog bite can be dangerous, painful and leave you with high medical expenses, pain and suffering, and even permanent disabilities which can change your life, alter your abilities to make a living, and care for your family.
The smartest thing to do immediately after a dog bite or dog attack is to seek medical attention. Dog bites can be very severe, needing stitches, staples, skin graphs, surgery, and other treatments. Not to mention that all animals have the ability to be carrying diseases, like rabies.
Rabies is a disease that must be treated frequently over a long period of time. You can get rabies from any animal or person that carries the virus, but animals that are at high risk for carrying the virus are:
- Raccoons
- Skunks
- Dogs
- Cats
- Squirrels
- Rats
- Possums
- Coyotes
- Rabbits
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rabies is usually transmitted through getting bitten by an animal that carries the rabies virus. It is a preventable viral disease, showing the importance of seeking medical attention immediately.
Dog bites must always be sterilized and cared for properly or the patient may have a high risk of infection, loss of limbs or body parts, and even death.
Documenting Your Doberman Pinscher Dog Bite Injuries
Medical attention is important to receive immediately following a dog attack or dog bite for health and safety reasons, but did you know it is also a great way to have your dog bite injuries associated with the incident itself?
Doing so documents your injuries in direct correlation with the dog bite incident, providing legal documentation for your dog bite case, proving that the injuries you received were in fact a result of the dog attack situation.
Not having your injuries documented can create a major dilemma for your case and can often result in a lack of necessary evidence to pursue a claim against the dog owner and their home insurance.
Don’t make a mistake that can cost you in the long run. Take the time to properly identify your injuries from the incident, and document those injuries.
What Your Case Needs to Win a Dog Bite Case
Dog bites can be traumatic and an overall horrible experience. Many people have ongoing issues and experience PTSD and other mental problems after a severe attack. You don’t have to be a victim. With the right preparation and tools, compensation can be yours to help pay for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other inconveniences. The best dog bite case will check off the items on the following list:
- Medical attention/injuries documented
- Police report
- Photos/video (where the incident took place, injuries, those involved, etc.)
- Evidence
- Eye-witnesses, their contact information, and a written statement
- Be organized and prepared: have a statement identifying the date, time, location, those involved, a summary of what happened and any other information your lawyer identifies is an important piece of information for your case
Let Bisnar Chase Represent You and Win, or You Do not Pay
If you have experienced an attack by a dog or specifically a Doberman Pinscher, seek medical attention promptly and follow up with a skilled and highly experienced Dog Bite Lawyer, like our team who has won more than $750 million, here at Bisnar Chase.
Our dog bite attorneys have established a 99% success rate and have helped all types of dog bite victims get their life back and receive maximum compensation.
Bisnar Chase has over 40 years of experience and offers the best legal representation you can find. We will make sure your financial obligations are taken care of and that you receive a winning settlement with maximum compensation, or you do not pay.
To speak with a lawyer and receive your free consultation and case evaluation, call (800) 561-4887.
