German Shepherd vs Doberman – Which Guard Dog Makes A Better Pet
top animals TV [Music] Doberman versus German Shepherd which guard dog makes the better can any choice be more challenging than choosing between a Doberman versus German Shepherd for your next pet dog you have a big dilemma on your hands and we want to help you figure it out your choice of canine companion represents an exciting new shared journey as well as long-term commitment of your time energy money and most of all heart in this focused article we give you the German Shepherd versus Doberman facts you need to decide which one of these wonderful dog breeds the Doberman Pinscher or the German Shepherd will be the lucky winner number one Doberman versus German Shepherd which had to choose both the Doberman and the German Shepherd are dog breeds bred to work and serve people and both of these dogs originally hail from German and are products of careful focused breeding efforts over many decades so both dog breeds share some important similarities as well as the differences you will learn about here number two what is the difference between Doberman and German Shepherd dogs the Doberman Pinscher was born in 1890 and named after this breeds founder carl friedrich louie Doberman the goal was to create a police and soldier dog that would be strong fearless and intimidating the German Shepherd dog breed was born in 1889 in Germany by captain max von Stefan Lutz his goal was to create a strong and sturdy working dog to assist people with a variety of jobs including military and police work number three Doberman versus German Shepherd size when comparing the Doberman versus German Shepherd to determine which is stronger it will be a close contest indeed the Doberman weighs 60 to 100 pounds and stands 24 to 28 inches tall in adulthood male dogs tend to be taller and heavier than females the German Shepherd dog weighs 50 to 90 pounds and stands 22 to 26 and she’s tall in adulthood again males of the breed tend to be taller and stronger than females number four Doberman versus German shepherds shedding and grooming the Dobermans short coat is typically easy to maintain this dog breed won’t shed much and usually looks smooth and shiny with just a bit of daily brushing in contrast the German Shepherd dogs medium thick double layer coat can shed quite a bit this is especially during the twice annual seasonal coat blows when the entire coat replenishes itself you will need to commit to more regular brushing and grooming during these times number five Doberman versus German Shepherd temperament both a Doberman and the GSD are a popular pet dogs the Doberman is currently the 15th most popular pet dog registered with the American Kennel Club out of 194 purebred breeds and the German Shepherd is the second most popular pet dog overall both dog breeds have a loving calm and confident temperament both breeds are very smart and eager to please their people number six Doberman versus German Shepherd guarding tendencies had to choose between a Doberman versus German Shepherd for protection you truly can’t go wrong with either dog breed to watch a Doberman versus German Shepherd race to protect and defend their people in their territory from a threat is a sight you won’t soon forget in canine training lingo this trait is called the guarding tendency both the Doberman and the GSD score very high off the charts really in this particular trait it is truly hard to say which dog has more of the trait than the other however choosing a pet dog with high guarding tendencies also means you will have a special and ongoing responsibility and obligation to train your dog to use this trait wisely number seven Doberman versus German Shepherd training both of these dog breeds were originally created to work and serve people with jobs like police military k-9 guarding and protection as well both dog breeds are quite strong which means that early and ongoing socialization and training is key to bringing up a cup prepared to live productively in a family and community be aware that some home insurance companies may be reluctant to issue a policy to a homeowner living with the GSD or Doberman Dobermans are smart and talented dogs that learn quickly and are very easy to train they will try to become the alpha leader of the pack so owners should pay special attention to this dominance tendency and act consistently and firmly so they assume the role of the leader marade Doberman versus German Shepherd intelligence the GST are both very smart independent and confident dogs luckily this means they learn good behavior quickly with consistent positive reinforcement it also means they can get bored and destructive if they don’t have enough opportunities to exercise and work so before you bring home either breed make sure you have the time to keep these workaholic pups occupied 9 health problems Doberman vs. German Shepherd nothing is more heartbreaking than making a commitment to a new puppy only to discover that puppy has major genetic and perhaps life limiting health issues this is the main reason we recommend doing your research in advance before choosing a new puppy to love and care for one of the best resources for finding out about current known breed specific health concerns is the chic health database chic stands for canine health information center you can always consult the chic database to find out about the latest recommended health pre screenings and tests for any listed dog breed a Doberman health problems and testing Dobermans usually live from 10 to 13 years and are prone to some health issues such as wobblers syndrome wobbler syndrome is a neurological disease affecting the neck and spine of Dobermans due to cervical vertebral instability or malformation in the spinal canal the spinal cord is compressed causing neurological disability that results in paralysis of the limbs treatment may be surgical or medical with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs dilated cardiomyopathy dilated cardiomyopathy is a heart disease that results from the progressive weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle eventually leading to deaths by heart failure clinical signs include intolerance to exercise cardiac coughing decreased appetite weakness and fainting treatment is symptomatic aiming at slowing the progression of the heart changes that lead to heart failure and usually include the use of angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitors von Willebrand’s disease von Willebrand’s disease is a blood disorder that interferes with blood clotting it is an inherited condition and dogs that have it have decreased production of von willebrand factor in their blood a substance needed for blood clotting surgical procedures on dogs through this condition may lead to uncontrolled bleeding and can be fatal there is a DNA test that can be done to rule out the disease if dysplasia if dysplasia is caused by abnormalities in the formation of the hip socket that prevent the femur bone to fit appropriately the defective articulation is thus subjected to a constant wear and tear that leads to inflammation painful arthritis and eventually lameness if dysplasia is a genetic trait that can also be affected by environmental factors hypothyroidism hypothyroidism is a disease who originated in the thyroid gland due to an insufficient thyroxine production the thyroxine hormone is responsible for controlling the metabolism dogs with hypothyroidism of the following clinical signs air and muscle loss way gaining lethargy a disease is diagnosed by blood tests and treatment is achieved medically with hormone replacement albinism albinism is caused by a genetic mutation associated with severe health problems such as behavioral changes skin cancer photosensitivity immunological disorders abnormalities in the eye retina and kidney and liver problems white or cream Dobermans should not be bred and perspective owners should be aware of breeders claiming that albino Dobermans are raring thus more valuable and expensive be German Shepherd health problems and testing the sheik database currently recommends that German Shepherd parent dogs be pre-screened for hip and elbow dysplasia temperament optional recommended tests include cardiac issues eye issues autoimmune thyroiditis and degenerative myelopathy again be sure to obtain proof of testing before working with the bredrin consider having your own vet test any rescue pup you are interested in adopting number 10 Doberman versus German Shepherd which is better for me we hope this article has helped you select the right bad dog for you be smart loyal and devoted dogs have so many admirable qualities in common that choosing between them is an unenviable task indeed ultimately your choice might come down to looks or practical considerations about grooming or you might visit litters of both breeds and make a final choice based on which breeder most impressed you with their commitment to the health of their pups either way we’d love to hear which dog you chose and what finally tipped you in their favour [Music]