For the past 13 years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve and be served by Doberman Pinschers.  My first two, Tasha and Zoey, were adopted from a rescue organization when I lived in Ohio. Tasha lived to be 15 and Zoey lived to be 12. They died within 3 months of each other, both from cancer in 2010.  I was devastated to lose both my babies so close together.

Between the two of them, I became very familiar with most of the diseases and disorders  from which many Dobermans suffer; Von Willebrand Disease (wVD), a bleeding disorder, Wobblers Syndrome, a type of spinal cord compression, Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), a thinning of one of the heart muscles, and cancer. All of these diseases are hereditary and most are preventable through responsible breeding.  However, when you adopt, you get what you get and I am so thankful to have had my girls for as long as I did.

After weeks of sobbing following Tasha’s death, I decided to put a deposit down on an adult trained dog I had found online through extensive research.  Her name is Karma and she is a European Doberman.  Although I looked at the ones in rescue, none of them seemed to be just the right fit.  Another important aspect of a new dog was health.  Several of the diseases can be tested for prior to the breeding of the parents.  And of course, since Dobermans are like potato chips-you can’t stop at just one, I also brought home a beautiful puppy, Luna.

Karma and Luna share the same father but have different mothers and are 9 months apart in age, Karma being older.  Luna’s personality is very much like her mother’s and Karma’s is very much like hers.  Genetics are fascinating.  I was able to make the trip to Utah to see the facility and meet Steve, the owner of Family Dobes and do some training with Karma.

During the tracking session, Steve mentioned that Karma rarely missed “brain” or “bone.” Puzzled, I asked, “What do you mean? Are there body parts in those containers?” He answered, “Yes, 5 gram samples.  If she can find these, she can located an entire body with ease.”  Oh My Gosh! I never knew what was meant when he told me she did  HRD…Human Remains Detection.  I thought, “I didn’t sign up for THIS!”  Karma also does protection work, obedience, search and rescue, tracks 3 different ways and is especially skilled at cat-chasing.

These girls are the light of my life and fill my home with joy and make me laugh at their antics and provide a great feeling of security. They are sweet, energetic, cuddly, lovable, protective and so much fun to have around.  I can’t imagine life without a Doberman…or two….or three.

***I’d like to mention that both are DNA tested for cardiomyopathy (DCM) and are negative (it’s believed that 58% of Dobermans are affected), both sets of parents have their hips OFA Certified and eyes are certified, both are vWD negative, parents are titled and temperament tested and certified. If you are purchasing a puppy, you should expect nothing less.  And always remember, there are great purbred dogs in rescueswho need homes.  Check there first, but if you purchase, please buy from a reputable breeder and visit if at all possible to see first hand the living conditions of the parents.