BREEDING - CHALLENGE AND OBSESSION

There are likely few feelings comparable to those experienced by a breeder when obtaining a significant trophy at an important show with a dog of their own. That exceptional specimen, the one that stands out from the rest, the one you cannot stop watching in a Breed final, and that has achieved the highest honors, will undoubtedly possess magnificent structure—but it will also represent a great deal of work, effort, and time dedicated to transforming that great promise into a true show Dobermann.

The entire process must begin with the correct selection of breeding stock. When choosing the parents, one should not only evaluate their structural virtues but also ensure they are sociable with humans, highly adaptable to any environment, and free from uncontrolled aggressive behaviors toward people and toward their own species. Selecting breeding animals based solely on structure often leads to neglecting the evaluation of temperament. It is extremely important to remove from the breeding pool those individuals carrying undesirable hereditary defects and to select based on concrete characteristics linked to the breed. Breeding dogs with temperaments unsuitable for the breed represents a real risk that the puppies may also express such disorders. Nervous, hyperactive, or anxious mothers will be incapable of properly raising their offspring. It is well known that puppies learn by imitating their mother; therefore, fearful and insecure behavior will be adopted by the progeny, who will learn to fear the same stimuli. It is also true that although there is a genetic predisposition to certain behaviors, these are more easily expressed when the environment is inappropriate.

The health status of breeding animals must be a priority for every breeder. Health influences fertility, fecundity, gestation, and therefore the health of future puppies. The age of the breeding animals is another factor to consider, as older animals are less fertile, have smaller litters, and are more prone to difficulties during whelping, increasing the incidence of cesarean sections.

Once the breeding has taken place, proper monitoring of the pregnancy and management of the whelping must be carried out, as all of this will have a decisive influence on the future puppies. Many of the physiological and behavioral traits that will appear in the puppies are already determined during gestation. Errors in nutrition, inappropriate medical treatments, or diseases of any kind during pregnancy can lead not only to fetal resorption but also to abortions, perinatal mortality, and neonatal mortality. Any medication administered to the mother may reach the fetus. The birth weight of a puppy depends not only on genetic factors but also on the age and health of the mother, including her nutritional status and any parasitic or infectious diseases. It is also important to avoid unnecessary stress in pregnant females.

Proper feeding of the mother must be a priority. During the first two-thirds of pregnancy, only one-third of fetal growth occurs. In the final third, two-thirds of the growth takes place, making nutrition during the last three weeks critical. A diet enriched in proteins and fats should be provided. Commercial puppy foods are generally suitable. A transition period of one week should be respected to gradually change from a maintenance diet to a different one. Avoiding gastric overload in an abdomen containing a uterus with multiple fetuses is important, so the number of daily meals should be increased. Nutritional errors during pregnancy and lactation can lead to conditions such as eclampsia or alterations in the quantity or quality of milk. Overweight females tend to have lower fertility rates and more problems during whelping. As a general rule, the female increases her body weight by approximately 25% by the time of parturition.

Every breeder must be properly prepared for the moment of whelping. This represents the first step in preventing problems that may endanger the health of the newborns. Inadequate whelping boxes can lead to puppies being crushed by the mother. Preparing the appropriate environment, being present at the onset of labor, and monitoring its normal progression are of great help. It is important to know that the first and last puppies have a higher risk of dying.

At this critical stage, the puppy undergoes sudden and significant changes—circulatory, respiratory, and metabolic—transitioning from a liquid, enclosed, and temperature-stable uterine environment to a dry, open environment with variable temperature at birth. Puppies are born with their eyes closed, perhaps the clearest expression of their helplessness, which explains their complete dependence for survival on the external care they receive, whether from the mother or from their owners.

Lactation is the phase of greatest energy demand. The highest requirement of the entire reproductive process occurs around days 15–20 of lactation. The mother’s food intake should be increased three to four times or even offered ad libitum. After whelping, the female should weigh approximately 8–10% more than before pregnancy to maintain adequate milk production. Inexperienced, nervous, old, impatient, or anxious mothers may ignore their puppies or, at the other extreme, traumatize or even kill them. Females overly dependent on their owners may refuse to remain with their litter. Others may lick them compulsively, preventing proper nursing and rest. The interaction between the mother, the puppies, and the environment is fundamental.

During the first week, newborns nurse every 1–2 hours, and the mother periodically licks them to stimulate urination and defecation reflexes. During this time, they spend nearly all their time sleeping and nursing. Their sleep is accompanied by movements or tremors. Early environmental influences play an important role in shaping behavior. It has been demonstrated that puppies handled more frequently by their owners develop better emotional balance later. Gentle and calm handling is recommended.

Weight may slightly decrease or remain unchanged on the first day, but it is important that it recovers by the second day and then increases daily. A puppy should double its birth weight within 10–12 days. Normal daily weight gain should be approximately 5–10% of birth weight. Hygienic conditions in the whelping area are extremely important, as poor hygiene can lead to umbilical, ocular, or skin infections. The surrounding environment must also be carefully managed. Excessive numbers of animals or people can interfere with nursing. Large litters, insufficient milk production, or lack of maternal instinct can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, diarrhea, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and death.

Statistically, up to 30% of puppies may die before weaning, and 65% of those deaths occur during the first week of life. This represents a significant economic loss for breeding operations.

Identification of the puppies is essential to maintain proper control. It is important to assist weaker and lower-weight puppies, ensuring that all have access to the most productive teats. All puppies should nurse equally and regularly. The smaller or weaker puppies should be placed on the rear teats, which usually produce more milk. Artificial feeding may be used to supplement the entire litter or specific puppies. Daily weight monitoring of each puppy is the best way to evaluate growth.

Prevention of hypothermia is critical due to the limited thermoregulation of newborns, making environmental temperature extremely important. Hypothermia reduces suckling ability and gastrointestinal function and may lead to rejection by the mother, worsening the condition. The appropriate environmental temperature is around 30–32°C on the first day, 28–30°C during the first week, 26–27°C in the second week, and 24–25°C in the third week. Temperatures above 33°C may cause the mother to abandon the litter.

Immediate intake of colostrum after birth is vital. Puppies’ immunity depends primarily on passive immunity received from the mother through colostrum; only about 5% is transferred through the placenta. Intestinal absorption of antibodies must occur within the first 24–48 hours. Tail docking and removal of the first dewclaw should be performed between days 3 and 5. Performing these procedures within the first two days may cause unnecessary stress and increased risk for the neonate. Proper deworming protocols, periodic fecal testing, and strict vaccination schedules must be carefully followed.

Maintaining physical contact between puppies, the mother, and other adults until 2 months of age is very important. Handling puppies by different people from the earliest weeks greatly benefits their future as show dogs. Early, non-stressful physical contact with a wide variety of people is therefore essential. Environments with diverse stimuli are fundamental for a future competition dog.

Avoiding such contact under the pretext of preventing infections or parasitic diseases only promotes the development of fearful and poorly socialized dogs. As days go by, interaction with other animals, children, adults, and various noises becomes increasingly important, especially from the third week onward. It is essential that puppies are exposed to a varied environment and experience all types of stimuli from that time. Deprivation of these environmental influences is detrimental to later development. Isolation in cages or confined areas does not promote socialization and instead favors behavioral disorders.

Teaching puppies at an early age to play with a ball or other objects, walk on a leash, ride in a car, have their nails filed, and pay attention when presented with food stimuli is essential for a future show Dobermann.

At approximately 5 weeks of age, a fear response to unfamiliar stimuli begins to appear. It is therefore important to expose puppies early to as many different stimuli as possible to avoid negative reactions that may influence future behavior. Within the same litter, it is common to observe puppies with clearly different temperaments from the first days of life. It is also true that some owners consistently have dogs with temperament or behavioral issues, regardless of the excellent pedigree of the parents.

Every breeder seeks to produce a better and more complete specimen that is also an excellent producer. Each stage of the process is fundamentally important in this constant pursuit. Neglecting any link in the chain can ruin the tremendous effort invested. Breeding a Dobermann with good health, outstanding structure, raised in an appropriate environment that shapes a strong personality and allows the development of confidence and security, must be our challenge and our obsession.