American vs European

This is the unending, confusing and frustrating online debate you may have already heard about. At the end of the day, if you want a companion Doberman, this should not be an issue. The general rule of thumb is that European Dobermans are slightly taller and fairly heavier, with noticeably larger muscle mass, chest and neck size and bulkier head and jaw. Its American counterpart is recognized to be more “refined-looking” and will have a leaner, more athletic style and shape.

While those characteristics are widely accepted, at the end of the day, the heaviest and most muscular American Doberman will probably look more European than the leanest and most athletic-looking European Doberman. And the leanest and most athletic-looking European Doberman will probably look more American than the heaviest and most muscular American Doberman.

In addition, the information available online and the arguments used in favour of one versus the other have probably contributed to confuse potential future homes more than it has helped them making up their mind on the matter. Never mind the “continental background”: meet the parents, and if you can, the grandparents, or obtain some pictures of them. It should settle whether or not you would ultimately like how their offsprings will look when they grow and mature.