"Most breeders tell people that 50% of Dobermans develop cardiomyopathy sometime in their lifetime so what more is there to say? There is a fifty-fifty chance that any dog will succumb to this dread disease".

I needed to know for myself where that statistic comes from for that is news to me. Where did that number come from? What studies were run to prove that?

We require Superchem/CBC bloodwork panel on any bitches we are breeding and require it be done on any bitches to be bred to one of our males (in addition to the other
pre-breeding tests - that continue to be added on as more become available).

For example, putting it mildly, Dobermans livers suck. I know a number of Dobermans (going back more than 25 years through the present) that have died due to CAH/copper toxicosis or antibiotic induced liver failure (sulfa-based drugs). I know of many that died of kidney failure as well ... MANY Dobermans and their relatives have died of liver disease ... MANY have also lived to a ripe old age.

CVI - congenital/malformed/mal-aligned vertebrae causing Wobblers Syndrome - I know quite a few of those as well.

Dobermans also have auto-immune issues; dings are and always have been prevalent in a few top producing lines.

If anyone breeds more than a few litters of Dobermans, (and I don't care how careful you are in picking the healthiest of the bunch) the resulting puppies are Dobermans ... 'you' will probably get one or more of the following common Doberman issues; hypothyroid, cardio, CVI, liver, kidney, vWD clinical bleeders, deaf and/or ding puppies, cancer of some sort, seizures, bloat ... the list is long and sad for this breed.

AND, of course there are also missing teeth &/or bad bites. That is written in stone as a breed problem, and is addressed in the Breed Standard, because it was so common in early generations. Missing testicles has to be included too.

Some of these things go along with deep-chested, long-necked, medium-to-large breeds, some are in all breeds, some, like bladder cancer, are more common in certain breeds (West Highland White Terriers, for example).

Bloat is something I NEVER want to deal with either but it is out there in most breeds.

The defensive posture of most breeders is rampant... their ego gets involved and the arrogant, pompous attitude of 'NOT IN MY LINE' rears its ugly head. Far too often this results in the 'head-in-the-sand" Ostrich stance.

Unfortunately it is necessary to ask a stud dog owner EVERYTHING one can think of about their dog &/or his lines and hope you are told the truth. When information is withheld by a breeder trying to present the picture
of what one thinks the other wants to hear, that is called taking away the freedom of choice.

The only way one can make an informed breeding decision is if one is given the truth ... a decision based on half truths is unconscionable and the bitch owner asking will have been steered, not freely given, the opportunity to decide which stud to use based on the total picture.

Unfortunately there are those who HAVE all the information about animals in their pedigree and they choose to conveniently have memory lapses all the while pointing fingers at others whose memories and facts are shared!