POPULAR PURE BREEDS (AND CROSSBREEDS) IN GUYANA (continued)

Last week we discussed the traits and capabilities of the Rottweiler breed, and included a photograph of a female Rottweiler with a naturally elongated tail, with which she was born. During the course of the week, many people wanted to know why the animal had a long tail. It seems that many Guyanese believe that Rottweilers are born with short tails. Well, they are not. However, for many, many decades, owners/caregivers have opted for an amputation of Rottweilers’ tails when they are puppies/young dogs. If such cosmetic and unnecessary amputations are to be implemented, please let the veterinarian carry out this surgical intervention.

There is no real convincing reason to amputate this breed’s tail. Some caregivers/breeders argue that it is “custom and practice”, and they are just following suit. Others put forward the point that, since the Rott is being kept for security purposes, as a guard dog, it would defeat the purpose of wanting the dog to show aggressiveness if its tail would be wagging when it confronts a thief, say. You would recall that I mentioned in last week’s article that Rottweilers are not naturally ill-tempered.
Actually, more and more veterinarians are advising Rottweiler owners/caregivers/breeders against mutilating the animals. On the other hand, it is always worrying to know that, if the vet is not prepared to amputate the tail, then the owner might be tempted to implement the surgery – incorrectly and without anaesthetic.

THE DOBERMANN
There is no debate where this dog originated, simply because it is well documented that its creator was a German tax collector (Herr Louis Dobermann) who needed protection. Yes, in those days, officials would have to go from house to house to collect taxes. Need I say more about the need to be safeguarded and defended? Mr. Dobermann created this giant terrier that has the aptitude of being a guard dog. Actually, as is often the case with breeding, someone else came along to improve the breed even further. One Mr. Otto Galler did just that at the end of the 19th century, and added Pinscher to the name. By 1900, the German National Dobermann Pinscher Club was established, and this breed was solidified in the annals of dog breeds.
The Dobermann Pinscher has not changed much. It is sleek, and its coat is shiny, usually black and tan, which does not need much grooming. Gorgeous from its elongated nose and jaws to the tip of its tail. And speaking of tails, like the Rottweiler, the Dobermann is born with a long tail – which has been traditionally cut to make the animal seem even more terrifying and ferocious.
Its size — weighing 65-90 pounds and with a height of 25-27 inches — makes it a medium-sized protective dog with rippling muscles in a well-set body and fearless carriage. Dobermann Pinschers are usually black, with brown/rust red, sharply defined markings on the chest and feet. Also, blue and fawn animals are accepted within the breed standards.
It is its elegance and constant expression of self–confidence that endears this animal to me, and to judges in Dog Shows. The Dobermann can outrun most breeds in the WORKING DOG GROUP. In addition, the Dobermann Breeders have extracted and reproduced several admirable traits, which include the animal’s ability to guard and track prey for lengthy periods. Working with Dobermann Pinschers in my early years, I have found them to be loyal, loving, intelligent, and given to great bursts of speed when pursuing the object of a chase.
The Dobermann is one of the few breeds popular with the Security Services (army and police), and yes, as a house dog as well; it enjoys being part of family life. The reputation for being overly aggressive is unjustified, and, to my mind, is only concocted and perpetuated to artificially create the myth of viciousness. Again, contrary to popular belief, the Dobermann Pinscher is one of the easiest breeds to train, and it is willing to learn that which is expected of it. Nevertheless, it does need firm and authoritative handling.
Finally, it behooves me to mention that, in some jurisdictions, the Dobermann’s ears may still be legally cropped and the tails docked. Let me hasten to add that such practices are illegal in much of Europe. Many of my colleagues no longer carry out surgical interventions on the ears and tails of hapless dogs, and rightly so.
Dobermann with unmutilated ears and tail