This Beautiful
2011 Calendar Cover Girl is
"Trinity's Long Gate Honey"
Dam of Long Gate's Sweet Dream Baby

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ABOUT TRINITY DOBERMANS
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Currently I live about 2 hours west of Washington DC with several dobes, and one small Papillion cross female who rules us all. I don't have a Kennel, the dogs live in my home with me and my mom.  Trinity pups are raised in my home, underfoot, to better prepare them for living in yours.  I am very particular about who I place my pups with, I am still in touch with buyers from every litter I've ever produced.  I love hearing how the puppy they received has brought them so much joy.  I hope to be able to bring as much joy to every family I place a puppy with. Please check out the Photo Gallery to see photos of pups from past litters.

One of my first litter of pups is pictured below.

TRINITY DOBERMAN PINSCHERS is a small but serious breeding endeavor, committed to breeding FAITHFUL, LOVING, family GUARDIANS, who are visually beautiful, structurally correct, good movers, intelligent and sound tempered examples of the breed.  I adhere to the breed standard, I do not endorse Warlock (oversize) dobes or the white Doberman, there is NO "Z" or white factor in my lines.

IN THE BEGINNING, I came to the world of Dobermans in 1981 after having what was, until that point, the best dog of my adult life, a Harlequin Great Dane  I had rescued named "Boris".  I was drawn to Dobes for all the same qualities I had found in my Dane, just in a smaller package and a longer life span.  My Boris was only 6 1/2 years old when I lost him. My first Doberman had a very hard act to follow.  She needed to be intelligent, brave, devoted, protective and love me more than anything else in the world and hopefully for a lot longer than 6 or 7 years.  Jezebel made me a believer in the Doberman breed and now 30 years later, I 've never looked back and I can't imagine EVER being without a Doberman in my life.
 
In the early years I showed a little in the breed ring and the obedience ring but not seriously.  The politics of the breed ring made it not an enjoyable experience  to put it nicely.  For the last 35 years I have raised Champion Conformation Show hunters, and truthfully when I was younger horse shows would trump a dog show every time when I had to decide the weekend activity.  Everyone was so impressed by my first dobes looks, temperament and training that I was constantly encouraged to breed a litter, just so friends and family could have a dobe just like mine.  Once I decided to breed Dobermans, my goal was always to produce the same smart (easy to train), kind, naturally protective, but easy to live with Doberman that I have been privileged to have in my life.    I also made the decision to do as much work as I could while raising my pups to make their transition from me to their new owners as easy as possible.

HEALTH TODAY, some 20 years later my goal is still the same, but I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience.  I have worked to improve my dogs and do more, better, with each litter of pups I produce.  I have become passionate about researching pedigrees for health & longevity, not just 3 or 5 generations but 13.  I'm committed to learning about the health and longevity behind each litter I produce.  I would like to thank my friend Kim Davis @ Keystone Dobermans for being so helpful with regard to studying pedigrees,  researching kennels and running co-efficient reports to determine which dogs, in any given planned breeding, contribute the most influence.  She has been very gracious to share her knowledge of dobermans of today and of the past!

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) incidence has risen above 50% in our beloved breed, worldwide.  HOWEVER we have had an exciting break through in this disease.  There is finally the first test available for the first mutant gene discovered that “may” predispose Dobes to acquiring DCM.  (Please click on the DCM DNA Tab for more information).  Unfortunately this first test is not PREDICTIVE, so it is a help breeders when making healthy breeding decisions, but it is only one small piece of a huge, complicated DCM puzzle.  

So lacking a definitive, predictive DNA test, extensive pedigree research and running mating co-efficient reports are for now the best tools to help us maximize the health and longevity of ancestors in a pedigree.  The goal is to produce puppies with pedigrees that are lower in risk for getting DCM based on the longevity of the ancestors.  No breeder can guarantee you a puppy that will not have heart disease and die a premature death - I can however honestly tell you that I believe through researching the pedigrees and quantifying the influence each dog in the pedigree contributes to the planned litter – this research will help tip the scales in favor of health and longevity.  Planned matings that increase the influence of healthy long lived dogs and reduce the influence of "questionable" health dogs, will produce a pup whose pedigree should be HIGH for health/longevity and  LOW RISK for DCM.  I am praying for the day we have a DNA test or combination of tests that will be predictive of this disease so that we will know, with confidence which lines if any are NO RISK for a prospective litter.  Of the 4 dogs tested today all have been NEGATIVE for this mutant gene.

My current dogs are all vWD Clear, and OFA certified for hips and tested within the normal range for Thyroid (yearly).  During the yearly health/wellness exams my vet also performs heart auscultations (so far so good).  My dogs will all be tested for this first mutant DCM gene found by Dr. Meurs and the results will be posted on this website.

Trinity Dobermans Bred For Longevity - My Foundation male and female both have DPCA Bred For Longevity-1 (BFL-1) Certifications. Both the dogs Sire and Dam have lived past 10  and my female Devenshire's Gretta Garbo has a DPCA BFL-2 certification, which certifies both parents and all 4 grandparents have lived past the age of 10.  Please click on the DPCA BFL tab for a listing of all pups with Longevity Certifications and Bred For Longevity Certifications.   

I have bred back to the same lines that produced my first wonderful Dobermans because it has proven to be a very healthy pedigree with demonstrated longevity and very stable temperaments.  With each new generation I do choose a female with European ancestry to add to the line as I believe there are more European dogs with demonstrated health and longevity than can be found in the American lines today.  The euro dogs are also IMHO truer to my interpretation of the breed standard in physical type and character.

TEMPERMENT - Though I love and appreciate a dominant, confident, higher prey drive Doberman, they are not for the average family, and definitely not for the first time dobe owner.  I believe that the character that makes a Doberman a Doberman must be maintained.  This breed is not a Labrador or a poodle - they are a protection breed! Every litter I produce will have a mix of the level of dominance and drive. It is my responsibility and challenge to MATCH first time dobe owners and other buyers with a pup that will suit their level of experience and knowledge.  First time dobe owners need a puppy who has a bit lower prey drive and less dominant character or actually a puppy that is confident and happy being a follower.  I feel these middle of the pack pups are still very much Faithful, Loving, naturally protective family Guardians, but they will be a lot easier for most people to train and for them to live with.  With that goal in mind, I choose males and females to breed to because of their character, intelligence and trainable temperaments.  The pups that will have a higher prey drive and a more dominant temperament, should excel in Personal Protection and Schutzhund training.   First time Doberman buyers are not equipped to handle this type of Dobe and will end up being trained by the Dobe instead of the other way around.  It is not a recipe for success when the Doberman in the family is the one doing the training *grin*.  This is why I "MATCH" the pups in each litter with each of the approved buyers - because I know which pup will be the most successful in each home.

I stand behind my temperament 100% but behavior & temperament is based on a combination of both genetics and environmental experiences.  Doberman puppy temperament is determined not only by genetics and the way it is raised with the breeder, but by the environment and training provided by its new family and experienced in its new environment.  Inconsistency and inattention to, or lack of socialization and proper training will most definitely adversely affect the good genetic temperament the Doberman was born with.

To ensure that the Doberman receives the proper socialization and training to strangers, places and other dogs all 1st time Dobe buyers will be asked to enroll their Doberman in and graduate from a minimum of two (2) consecutive obedience courses by the time the Doberman is 1 year of age and to obtain an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification by 18 months of age.  This CGC Certification will provide validation of not only proper temperament but proper training.

I want my puppy buyers to be as happy with their Trinity Puppy as I have been with mine.  The key to this happiness is consistent, proper training and socialization to people, places and dogs outside your home. If you provide proper socialization and training from the time you get your puppy home - he should not have to be put up when company comes yet still be able to rely on your pups naturally protection aptitude that the breed is  known for.

Adding a Doberman to your family is a wonderful thing – but owning a protection breed carries a tremendous amount of responsibility. 

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Comming Soon!!
A great NEW  Doberman Blog - a place where you can talk about your new or old doberman, ask questions about training,  health concerns, and Breed Specific Legislation which is affecting us all.

I want the blog space to be a social community with lots of educational information and support! 

Check back soon for the Doberman Village - My Doberman Blog!

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You are Invited
To Get A Ticket To Ride At
The Dobermann Station!!
http://www.dobermannstation.com/

A Social & Educational Doberman Community
Supporting Responsible Owners, Trainers and Breeders

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adding lots of content!