Breeding Programme

I
INTRODUCTION
A breed specific goal-oriented programme for is a necessity when a breed club is applying for the approval of the
Finnish Kennel Club for any exceptional measures to guide breeding.
The most common of this type of measures are different programmes or regulations which aim to help the
breed club prevent hereditary diseases spreading within a given breed (the program in Finland is called: PEVISA).
Formulating and applying such programmes and guidelines for a given breed is well advised much for this and
many other reasons.
This programme for breeding replaces the previous programme for breeding accepted in 1992 by the Finnish
Doberman Club and the Finnish Kennel Club.
The aim of a breed-specific programme is to gather together all information of importance on the breed itself,
its history and all the background information required by breeders when planning and carrying out breeding.
With the help of such a programme, the development of a breed can be guided with determination and over a
long period of time.
Familiarizing oneself to and knowing the programme is most important to the breeders and devotees of the
breed. The programme should also enable all other interested parties outside the breed club to obtain information
on the status of the breed, the breed organisation and its ability to take care of the tasks it is trusted with.
By breeding, we mean an improvement in the genetic quality of a specific breed. This improvement is achieved
via reliable information on which a breeder can base selection and planned matings. The improvement in the
quality thus results solely from genetic factors.
The feeding, type of care or training may improve animals’ physical status but this is not breeding; improvements
are obtained and are not hereditary.
This breed-specific programme for breeding should provide answers to the following questions. Where we are
now = SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS? What we are aiming at = THE BREED SPECIFIC GOALS FOR BREEDING? How
we are planning to get there = THE EXECUTIVE GUIDELINES OF THIS PROGRAMME? What rules and regulations
we must follow = THE BREED SPECIFIC RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR BREEDING (PEVISA) and BREED SPE-
CIFIC GUIDELINES? This programme aims to demonstrate the goals that Doberman breeding should strive for.
This programme is not meant to last for eternity. It must be revised and its’ emphases altered when necessary.
II
II
BREED SPECIFIC GOALS FOR BREEDING
A ANATOMY
II A 1 Breed standard
The standard of the Dobermann breed is the only internationally defined guideline for breeding. Following the
breed standard is the most important guideline for all national Dobermann Clubs worldwide when planning and
setting guidelines for breeding. Depending on the situation in each individual country its central organisation
must make the choices and define the focuses for breeding at each given period of time.
The breed standards usually date from the times when a given breed was being developed. This is why their
main field of interest is often on the anatomy of the breed. The same goes for the standard of the Dobermann,
which - besides anatomy - includes only a few comments on the required temperament of the dog. The breed
standards rarely discuss the health issues related to the breed. However nowadays health issues are far more
important than both structure (anatomy) and character of a given breed. Outstanding structure or temperament
is of no comfort if the dog is sick.
The breed standards are not meant to be eternal either, they are meant to give guidelines for breeding and to
be altered when necessary.
The actual standard for the Dobermann has been approved by the FCI on February 14 th 1994.
FCI Standard No 143 / 14.02.1994 / D
DOBERMANN
Origin: Germany
Utilization: Companion, protection and working dog
Classification FCI: Group 2: Pinscher and Schnauzer type-Molossian type and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs.
Section 1 Pinscher and Schnauzer type. With working trial.
The Finnish Dobermann Club’s BREEDING PROGRAMME 3