Favorite Doberman & why?

[bmgillespie]

Hello all,
I am a Doberman fanatic and would like to know what Dobe fans favorite living Dobe and feel free to say why? My favorite Aerican bred is Agador & my favorite Euro is a tough one but I would have to go with a popular choice and say Ferrofarah Gomez di Campovalano. Let me hear what you think!

[dobesign]

Muse. My answer is Muse. Why? She told me to say that. I love my Tungsten dearly, but if I had to say who I think it the ultimate dobe, there is only one answer in my mind CH Logres' Warkant. Why? Structure determines function. Temperamentally, he would be a great working dog, a dog that could share the sofa with the most fragile of folk, and he has a soul that extends beyond him. Actually, there were some Tavey dogs (UK) that I had a great fondness for, but they have been eclipsed by more consistent dogs here. I'm not an ethnocentric, so I don't have euro vs american distinction issues. I prefer total dobes. People who say that show dogs don't work are just not willing to put the work into the dog. Tungsten is a champion, AND a great working dog in search functions, as well as assistance work for me. Elaine put a ton of work into him and so do I. He is conformationally correct, and a joy to be with, but he is also a true dobe and will back up what he represents in a controlled cogitated manner. Little Muse is on her way to take up that mantle in show and work, and has passed her public access at 6 months of age and has worked ever since. I can't say that I know many other dobes in this depth because so very few of them are in these other arenas. I do know of a few, but you asked for a favourite... GO WARKANT!!!

[Elaine]

Great topic… :) I could not choose from the Dobermans we own or have bred, each is so special in their own way… I love Fein Cera for being such a sweet angel.. and a survivor. Liz was special, as are her children and grandchildren. I feel like the mother in the Bible, I simply could not choose one. Of dogs that I did not own, two stand out as being exceptional: one is Indy (a.k.a. Ch Royal Tudor’s Wild As the Wind) and the other is Kafka.

Indy epitomizes the perfect Doberman bitch, temperamentally and structurally. And Kafka did more for the breed than any Doberman before or since. Not only was he a great show dog and sire, but his progeny are highly sought after still… Kafka’s grand son Eddie (Ch. Cambria’s Cactus Cash) has eclipsed his grandfather as a producer… and Agador descends from Eddie through his son Dagger, who the sire of Monty… but it all flows from Kafka. Kafka was the consummate show dog and consummate sire… his record speaks for itself.

[bmgillespie]

I should have added feel free to include links or pictures. Also there is nothing wrong with including you own dogs. I have not had minelong enough to put themup but they will be next time I opend this topic in a year or two :):). They also donot have to be champions in anything just your favoirtes.

[dobesign]

I appreciate a nice form, one that is structurally correct. And many of the conformation greats did indeed have that. But many are paperweights in the real world. Perhaps it is simply that they have never been given the opportunity to show their versatility. Kafka produced some remarkably solid dogs. My personal view is that there were less consistent results with that respect out of Eddie (cactus cash). Both are phenomenal dogs, yes. Indy, I agree was also remarkable, and when you know what she went through (showing and bloat) the fact that she could hold it all together shows true doberman resolve. I like to see a nice form, but without the brains and soul, its like viewing a picture on a page. Plus, you did ask for living dogs, correct? I had a dog named Peter that I would not hesitate to say was one of the most remarkable dogs I have ever. Known. He was out of a Thunder and marienburg brite lites/.damien bitch. I cheer on all who do the WAE and pass it without training (remember it is an aptitude test), but more so, I value the folks that aren't afraid to have their dobes get a ding or two or get dirty looking for a kid lost in the woods or digging someone out of a collapsed building the day after taking winners dog. I obviously have a biased point of view, but it is like having a Tiffany vase that will never see a flower because its a "work of art and is far to valuable to actually USE". I will stick with my favs...warkant has just not yet hit his potential...tungsten IS a champion and does all of the work and more. Muse will eventually be ranked there as well. If we include deceased dogs, I would offer Tavey's stormy obedience...and shirley hammand's bitch cinnamon (mexico city earthquake).

[Elaine]

I kind of skipped over the "living dogs" thing... and any of the dogs we've bred or owned (except Cera), in part because Dobermans are such an amazing breed, there are so many deserving of a special mention, I would not know where to begin or end. Dagger was special to Carmen, Forest was very special to Jan... Nina was very special to Phil... each lives on forever in the hearts of those who loved them. :)

[bmgillespie]

Sounds like great dogs, are ther pictures or links to see them?

[Elaine]

Dagger is Ch. Beaulane’s Hot Topic.. he was an Eddie son, and the sire of Monty (Ch. Eastwick’s Meadow Monster,) who is in turn the sire of Agador Ch. Dabney’s Phenomenan. Dagger is the sire of many BIS dogs… I remember seeing him in the ring on the Cherry Blossom Circuit and the judge commenting that he was the living embodiment of the breed standard. http://www.alluredobermans.com/Allure_Dobermans/About_Allure.html

Forest is Fantaja’s Forest Gump… http://www.geocities.com/~fantaja/ZiggyRowdyKids.html he was a tremendous dog.. and talk about correct, with correct conformation and tremendous prey drive… ask Carlos Rojas if he remembers Jan’s great dog Forest… http://www.alphak9academy.com/

[bmgillespie]

Thanks for the links Elaine, Found pictures of two of them and very nice dogs.

[Elaine]

Thanks for the links Elaine, Found pictures of two of them and very nice dogs.

From what I've seen of what you like, I think you would have loved Forest.

One problem with discussing great dogs is that if we haven’t seen them in person, we have to rely upon photos… and not everyone is great at getting good photos. Sometimes there are no really good photos of the dog that truly capture him or her. From my experience, a great photo is a function of having a great camera, a bit of knowledge, a bit of an eye and sheer luck, emphasis on LUCK. :):cool:

I had a conversation earlier this evening about Forest… there is no photo that does him justice. I saw the dog often, Carmen saw him, Diego Garcia saw the dog (he was actually a co-breeder of Forest)… many people saw him, though as a young dog and maybe not in his prime. Forest was incredible… he had excellent bone and substance, beautiful, correct movement… tremendous temperament… great breed type, he was sound as could be, very very impressive! It’s a shame that there are not better photos of him. He is the uncle of Jan's recent litter. Hopefully those females will carry his qualities forward.

I can only offer this bit of advice, “take the photo today, you do not know if you have tomorrow.”

[katdobemom]

All
I have loved all my dobes but one of my very special boys was my chicken killer.
Riley was to be killed for killing chickens to survive. Farmer wasnt so happy with this boy.
His past was pretty bad and his owner went to jail for drug related.
Athy was contacted about this boy and into DAR&E he came.
He was pretty sick when he first came to us and had some "issues" .
We fell for him, worked on his issues (fear aggression) took him to class religiously, socialized the heck out of him and he just became the most amazing dog.
We decided to adopt him within first couple days because my fear was no one was going to want to work on his bad habits.
Him biting my neighbor within first day or two cinched the deal for us.
Riley passed away from cardio a few years ago.
We have video of him working with DAR&E dogs being SAFER tested, helping with CGC testing, etc.
He was certainly not bred well, but certainly loved.