In a recent trip to western Germany, I wanted to visit some Doberman breeders. But an internet search of the entire country revealed very few and none close to us. I think it is because of German laws. They differ in Germany’s 16 states, but in some states ownership of certain breeds are restricted. An example is Westphalia. There dog breeds are categorized. Category I dogs – which include the Pit Bull Terrier, are deemed dangerous and cannot be imported, bred, or sold. Category II contains potentially dangerous dogs that can be owned, imported, bred, and sold if they pass a temperament test and are free of aggressive actions for three years. Dobermans are in Category II. Dobermans may be deemed aggressive in Germany because unlike the U.S. version, European Dobermans are often bred for commercial purposes for guard and protection use and not as family dogs. Obviously these restrictions discourage Doberman ownership and breeding – especially when considering that licenses to own certain categories can cost up to $1,000 US dollars. Next: Which German Breed Gets a Pass.
