AL’CHER DOBERMANS
Cheryl Green
Interview with Breeder
Meet the Breed: The Doberman Pinscher
BIS Magazine USA December 2020 issue
Q: Thanks for doing this interview with Best in Show Magazine. Please tell us, how did you get involved in dogs? How did you start with Dobermans?
A: In 1972, I went to my local conformation show in Nashville, Tennessee and met Jeff Brucker with Devil Trees Black Shaft. I already had a pet doberman (competing) in Obedience. I introduced myself to Jeff and asked for his recommendations on who to buy a puppy. The rest is history!
Q: Which Doberman has been your heart dog? Please share a short story about them.
A: I believe each dog takes a piece of your heart. Champion Aquarius Tantrums and Tiaras V Phillmar Red by Tim Stone and Jim Briley was my heart dog. I recently lost her at 10 1/2 in July, 2020. Gia was a group winner but was an outstanding producer. Producing 17 puppies, she had 11 champions, (including) two Best in Show winning daughters, the Doberman Pinscher Club of America (DPCA) top 20 winner and numerous obedience titles holder. Most of all, she was my best friend and my loyal protector.
Q: Which attributes are your priorities when breeding the Doberman?
A: Form to function is most important to me, along with balance and movement. I am a ‘headhunter’ so they must have a beautiful head.
Q: What criteria do you use when evaluating puppies regarding coat color? Do you prefer one?
A: Color really doesn’t matter to me, though I breed only blacks and reds. I appreciate a beautiful fawn or blue but have never bred one. Structure is far more important to me than color.
Q: How many dogs do you keep in your kennel? How often do you use dogs for reproduction from the private families who have your puppies?
A: I do not have a kennel. Dobermans do not thrive in a kennel situation. I currently have four Doberman‘s that live with me in my home. My breeding stock is always sold on a co-ownership for numerous reasons. I usually have one litter a year at my home. The bitches I co-own are bred in their home. It is less stress for the bitches.
Q: How often do you use a dog from other breeders at stud or by acquisition? Are these generally dogs in the USA or do you also go abroad?
A: All my puppies are sold in the US. I am always looking at stud dogs to use in my breeding program. I not only look at conformation but also look at longevity, health and the pedigree.
Q: In the show ring, which achievements are you most proud of?
A: I’m very proud of all my dogs I’ve bred. But when (I had) in the DPCA top 20, a bitch I bred and bred her parents, (that) was a thrill of a lifetime! I have been fortunate enough to have numerous Best in Show dogs and dogs ranked in the top five in the country.
Q: Which 3 dogs showed in recent years, not from your kennel, do you most admire?
A: GCHP Foxfire’s A: Allimate Wanna Be. An outstanding red dog with bone and substance and a really nice producer. GCh. Protocol’s Veni Vidi Vice. FiFi was an outstanding show dog with a lot of charisma and presence. GChP2 Rakly s Field Of Dreams Alisation. A beautiful representation of the breed.
Q: What do you think are the strong points and weak points in the breed today?
A: Strong point of the Doberman is that our temperaments are outstanding. We seemed to have shortened our length of the bodies up and we’re having better top lines.The win points in our parade are our gay tails. We still have lack of bone and substance and we need to improve the neck into shoulders.
Q: Do you think judges generally have a well understanding of your breed?
A: I find most working and herding judges understand our breed.
Q: Which judges would you consider ‘specialists’, meaning that their understanding of the breed is deep enough, that their opinion should represent a point of reference to breeders?
A: There are far too many judges to mention. I think breeder judges usually do a very good job of judging dogs. Again, working and herding judges (as they) understand movement for our breed.
Q: Which breed would you have if you did not have Dobermans?
A: I bred and owned English Pointers for many years as well as whippets. I am currently looking for an outstanding pointer special. Pointers are a very well-kept secret and a wonderful breed to live with!
Q: Finally, please share why you would encourage people to get a Doberman?
A: The Doberman breed is a very loyal and loving companion as well as a fierce protector. The short coat is definitely a plus. But a family should be committed to be involved with their Doberman. They are known as the velcro breed. They want to be (close) with their person.
