Dobermann Grooming

Coat

Due to his short coat, the Dobe needs little grooming. A simple soft brushing once a week to remove loose hair should normally suffice.

Nails

Nails/claws should be kept as short as possible, and ideally should not touch the floor when the Dobe is standing. Sometimes, due to long term neglect, this isn’t possible because the “quick” has grown too far down the nail, preventing it being shortened enough. However, if the problem isn’t too serious, then regular trimming will gradually allow the nail to be shortened.

Nails can be trimmed by yourself if you are confident, and have been shown what to do by your vet. If you do it yourself, make sure you buy the best quality clippers you can afford. Some owners use rotary tools with an abrasive wheel to grind the nail away – it all depends on what your Dobe will tolerate. Remember to introduce “manicure” time carefully and slowly, by initially rewarding your Dobe with a treat for letting you handle paws, and touch them with the tool – without clipping anything. After a few encounters like this he will be more willing to trust you. Patience is key!

Teeth

Cleaning your Dobe’s teeth is a debatable topic. It very much depends on diet and how much chewing he likes to do. Dogs that are fed a raw meat diet, and have large bones to gnaw on, rarely need their teeth cleaned – their pearly whites are invariably in far better condition than those of their owners!

However, if your Dobe is eating tinned food, or a diet containing rusk or other fillers, then the opportunity for plaque to build up is always there. There are specialist toothpastes for dogs, and if you can see plaque on your Dobe’s teeth, then it’s usually best to get the advice of your vet as to the best approach.

Ears

Never NEVER put anything down your dog’s ears (cotton buds, fingers etc). A quick wipe round the entrance to the ear should be enough (perhaps with a few drops of Quistel on the cloth to help clear any muck) should be ample care. If you find much waxy matter on the cloth, then you may want to get it checked by your vet.