The name Doberman is believed to have come from a German tax collector named Louis Dobermann (the late 1800s).
Louis was known to take a dog with him whenever he went to collect taxes so that his taxpayers were less resistant to his requests.
In the hope that one day he would have an authoritative & fierce dog as his companion, he used to breed dogs in his spare time.
For the Doberman breed, he is believed to have crossed many breeds.It is believed that these breeds included Rottweiler, German Pinscher, Great Dane, German Shepherd, Manchester terrier, and English Greyhound.
Initially, the Dobermans were used as guard dogs (and that is where their true strengths lie), but later they were deployed for military, rescue, and therapy purposes as well.
The cutting of their tails and cropping of their ears are sensitive topics and can cause extreme angst amongst the activists.
However, some experts believe that because Doberman is naturally a “protecting” dog, there are merits in cutting its tail.
For one, a Doberman is believed to be the only dog that is bred for personal protection.
And with full-grown ears and tail, it doesn’t look quite like a protector (it looks cute and goofy); some believe that without the “chiseled look,” a Doberman doesn’t quite look like a Doberman.
Secondly, ear and tails could be weak points for a protector dog as the enemy (dog or human) could use them as handles — grab, bite or tear them.
The Doberman tail is especially thin and prone to painful breaking during a fight or even from daily wear and tear.
Dobermans are known to have recurring ear infections with un-cropped floppy ears due to restricted airflow, so ear-cropping by a skilled professional is recommended.
