Hey {{first_name}} , it's Gerald.
I had a 90-minute conversation with Haz from Shield K9 that honestly made me uncomfortable.
He runs a large commercial operation in Canada, meaning he sees dozens of Dobermans every year from multiple breeders, bloodlines, and countries.
What he said about our breed's health, nerve, and drive problems isn't what Doberman owners want to hear, but it’'s critical to know.
What to Expect in This Issue
Why commercial trainers rank Dobermans as a "4 or 5" on breed health problems (and what that actually means)
Drive vs courage: Why even "good" Dobermans max out at 7/10 compared to shepherds and Malis
IGP vs PSA: Which sport actually exposes nerve problems vs which one shows drive transition
Foundation beats talent: Why the dog you raised from 8 weeks will always outperform the better dog you bought at 2 years
Reading time: 4 minutes
THE HEALTH CRISIS WE’RE NOT ADDRESSING
Haz didn't sugarcoat it: "Out of five, where five are breeds with the most problems and one are breeds with the least - Dobermans are a four or five."
What Commercial Operations See:
Haz trains dogs by the dozen every couple weeks. Private clients, group classes, board and trains. Over a decade of operation. He's not seeing Dobermans at dog parks or his friend's house. He's training them in obedience and protection, which reveals dogs in ways casual ownership never will.
The Pattern He Sees:
IGP competitors importing European dogs from "famous kennels"
Dogs dying at 4-5 years old at rates no other breed experiences
Spontaneous genetic issues that don't show up in first 2-3 years
Health problems that can't be predicted even with full testing
His Take: "People say 'those are backyard bred dogs.' I'm talking about IGP people importing from Europe. Almost every person I know in IGP that has had a Doberman brought them from Europe from famous kennels. The amount of people I know that have had a dog die at four or five years old - you will never see another breed with that many."
"They have a big heart problem. They have a big courage problem."
DRIVE VS COURAGE: WHY “GOOD” DOBERMANS AREN’T ENOUGH
Here's where it gets uncomfortable for breeders. Haz trains Dobermans and finds them easy, snappy, high desire to please. From a training perspective - great dogs.
But when evaluating working quality:
Drive Assessment: "Even the Dobermans we'd say 'wow, that's a really good Doberman' - the drive is good at best. At best, I've seen seven out of ten. That's at best."
His Car Analogy: If the fastest car you ever drove was an Acura Integra and you never drove a McLaren, you'd think the Acura was incredible. It's faster than the Dodge Caravan. But once you experience the McLaren, you understand - these are completely different performance levels.
The Courage Problem: "They have a big heart problem. They have a big courage problem. Every time we do protection, the goal is for the dog to not run away because he's on that line. The decoy is doing everything he can to support your dog and get them through the sport routine."
What Haz Sees in European Working Lines:
Whether you've got health, drive, or character - you're missing something in one of those areas minimum
Maybe two minimum
Never all three at elite levels simultaneously
IGP vs PSA: WHAT EACH SPORT ACTUALLY REVEALS
I asked Haz which sport exposes the tougher dog. His answer surprised me.
IGP Shows:
Drive transition - from guarding to biting, prey to defense
Openness and aggression - dogs can be more active and aggressive
Gripping behavior - commitment, power, enthusiasm
The weakness: Dogs that can't bark well usually have insecurity issues ("the prey is too high" is often masking weakness)
Haz's Rule: "A dog that shows really nice drive transition- Okay, he's got good strong reactive aggression. That's the dog that in the woods, if you surprise him, he's not running."
PSA Shows:
Environmental nerve - variability in locations, heavy stimulation
Handler control under pressure - dog must follow commands even when decoy is screaming in his face
Clarity of mind - dog can't be in pure aggression state or he loses ability to transition behaviors
The weakness: Less openness because dogs must stay more handler-focused
His Boxing Analogy: "Boxing is not a street fight. But boxing will tell you a lot about a man; his skill, talent, and heart. MMA is still a sport, not a street fight. But it tells you a lot. Both sports show you something if you have eyes to see it."
The Reality: Most people want a World Championship dog but don't possess the skills, program, or help to get there.
Get a dog that can do the work; stop worrying about championships you'll never reach.
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US:
Stop pretending health issues are rare - track your dogs' health outcomes at 4-5 years honestly
Test for nerve vs drive separately - play drive doesn't equal courage under pressure
Prioritize foundation over talent - the dog you raised from 8 weeks will always be more reliable than the talented 2-year-old you bought
Use sport strategically - IGP shows drive transition, PSA shows environmental nerve
Consider outcrossing conversations - our breed may need genetic rescue beyond what line breeding can fix
When someone with this level of experience ranks our breed as a 4-5 on health problems and says even "good" dogs max at 7/10 drive - we need to listen.
This isn't breed hate. It's data from someone with no emotional attachment to protecting breeding reputations.
Until Next Tuesday,
Gerald
Alll World Doberman Insider
Instagram: @european_doberman_stud
Youtube: All World Doberman Club
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