This designer breed is, as the name implies, a mix between the Doberman Pinscher and the American Pit Bull Terrier. You may have heard these dogs called Doberman Pits, Dober Pits, or Pit Pinschers.
These beautiful, unique-looking dogs have incredibly hard-working, loyal, and fearless personalities to match.
The Doberman Pitbull mix is a hybrid breed that retains traits from both its parent breeds. This includes loyalty, strength, and affection.
Highlights
- A designer breed
- A result of mixing together the Doberman Pinscher and the American Pit Bull Terrier
- High energy dogs that require a lot of exercise
- A strong and loyal dog
History
The Doberman Pit is the result of breeding together the Doberman Pinscher and the American Pit Bull Terrier. It’s known as a designer breed, which means that its parent breeds were purposely bred together to make the resulting puppies rather than the two breeds breeding together without intervention.
This hybrid is a first-generation crossbreed, which means the parent dogs are of two distinct separate breeds. That means that the history of the Doberman Pitbull mix is hard to discern, and it’s difficult to pinpoint when and where they began to be bred.
We can, however, take a look at the parent breeds.
The Doberman Pinscher was first developed in 1890 by a man named Louis Doberman who worked as a tax collector and wanted a guardian to protect him while collecting taxes from unwilling folks. This is an incredibly loyal and fearless breed that has had a variety of ensuing jobs. This includes working in the Second World War as a search and rescue dog.
The Dober Pit’s other parent breed, the American Pit Bull Terrier, is a variation of the American Staffordshire Terrier that is not recognized by the AKC.
The American Pit Bull Terrier dates back to the 1800s in England. These dogs were originally used in violent sports like bull and bear-baiting. Today, however, American Pit Bull Terriers enjoy comfortable lives in homes across America.
Appearance and Vital Stats
General Appearance
Because the Doberman Pit is a direct result of breeding together the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Doberman Pinscher, it contains traits from both breeds. However, since this is a designer breed and not a pure breed, there can be a lot of variation within the breed itself.
The Dober Pit takes after both of its parent breeds in that it is an extremely muscular and sturdily-built dog. The American Pit Bull Terrier gives this breed a broad head. You’re also likely to see long, lean legs, like those of a Doberman Pinscher.
Dog Breed Group
The Dober Pit does not have its own dog breed group, as it is a designer breed. To determine where this dog fits in best, you have to look at its parent breeds.
The Doberman Pinscher is a working breed, which means that it is bred to be intelligent, physically strong, and able to perform a variety of tasks.
The American Pit Bull Terrier/the American Staffordshire Terrier, is part of the terrier group. These dogs were originally bred to hunt and kill vermin and have very high energy levels.
Size
This muscular hybrid breed is generally a medium to large-sized dog. Most Dober Pits stand somewhere between 24 to 28 inches tall. You can expect your Doberman Pit to weigh around 60 to 90 pounds.
However, you should remember that because these dogs are hybrid animals, there can be some variation.
Life Span
The Doberman Pit is a generally hearty mix, and you can expect yours to live for a relatively long time. As long as you take good care of your Dober Pit, you can expect him to live for around 10 to 14 years.
Coat and Colors
Because both Doberman Pinschers and American Pit Bull Terriers have short fur, the Dober Pit will have short fur as well. You can also expect your Doberman Pit’s coat to be very straight, which makes grooming fast and easy.
There can be a lot of color variation amongst these dogs. Most Dober Pits will have a brown snout, but it can be other colors as well. You can find Doberman Pits with colors like white, black, red, brown, tan, gray, brindle, and blue.
The Dober Pit is not a heavy shedder, although he may shed slightly more than usual around shedding season.
Tail
The Dober Pit’s tail is not generally very long. It will likely be thin and tapered and sit high on the dog’s rear.
Ears
Traditionally, Doberman Pinschers and American Pit Bull Terriers have their ears cropped. However, when left uncropped, both breeds have floppy ears that fold over rather than standing upright.
That means that you can also expect your Doberman Pitbull mix to have ears that flop over.
Personality
Both the Doberman Pinscher and the American Pit Bull Terrier have unique personalities that the Dober Pit takes on. The Doberman Pinscher is a generally outgoing and fearless breed that is incredibly loyal. These dogs were bred to also be intelligent and obedient.
American Pit Bull Terriers are also very loyal dogs. Unfortunately, because of their violent past, they have a poor reputation in many parts of the world. That said, a properly socialized Pitbull will be incredibly affectionate, loyal, and will get along well with almost anyone.
By combining these two breeds, you can expect a dog that is just as loyal, courageous, and loving as the Doberman Pinscher and the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Be aware that the Dober Pit can have a bit of a stubborn streak. When training, make sure to use plenty of positive reinforcement and keep training sessions as short and engaging as possible to keep things interesting for your pup.
Apartment Living
The Dober Pit is an incredibly active dog. That means that they should have a lot of space to run around in and stay active. A fenced-in yard will be required for these dogs to get the exercise they need.
If you live in an apartment, then you’ll want to wait until you have a home with a yard before you adopt a Doberman Pit, or consider a different dog. These dogs are not well-suited to apartment life.
Children and Other Pets
Both Doberman Pinschers and American Pit Bull Terriers can have quite dominant personalities. They may also exhibit herding behavior, especially around kids. It’s important never to leave your Dober Pit and your kids alone without supervision, especially with younger children.
That said, Dober Pits are naturally very protective dogs that make wonderful additions to the whole family. Remember to keep on top of your dog’s training regimen to make sure he can properly socialize with kids and other people.
When it comes to other pets, Doberman Pits can demonstrate some aggression. These dogs tend to do best if they are the only animals in the household.
Care
Feeding
Your Dober Pit will do well eating 2 to 2 2/3 cups of dry dog food every day. Make sure to choose high-quality dog food to keep your dog healthy.
Dober Pits aren’t generally prone to obesity. Still, you should divide his food up into 2 to 3 meals to keep him feeling full throughout the whole day and prevent him from overeating.
Grooming
The Doberman Pit is a very low-maintenance dog when it comes to grooming. You’ll find that your Doberman Pit has very short and straight fur that requires very little grooming overall. It’s a good idea to brush your dog’s coat about once a week to keep it healthy and looking its best.
When shedding season comes around, you may find that you need to brush more frequently. Instead of once per week, you may need to brush 2 to 3 times.
You should also bathe your dog every 4 to 6 weeks or so. Use a gentle, vet-approved shampoo to keep your dog’s coat and skin healthy.
Exercise
Both Doberman Pinschers and American Pit Bull Terriers are active breeds. That means that the Doberman Pit will be an active dog, too.
You’ll need to make sure that you’re providing your Dober Pit with enough daily exercise to keep his body in good shape. Regular exercise will also help prevent your dog from exhibiting bad behavior caused by boredom.
You should try to give your Dober Pit about 75 minutes of physical activity per day. Long, brisk walks, games of fetch, and tug-of-war are a few examples that will help burn off some of your dog’s energy.
Health
In general, Doberman Pits are hearty and healthy dogs. Even so, there are a few conditions you should know to watch out for with your Dober Pit.
Joint Problems
Dogs that fit into the medium to large size category, like the Doberman Pit, tend to be more susceptible to joint problems than smaller dogs. This includes things like arthritis and hip dysplasia, which occurs when the dog’s hip bones don’t fit together correctly and grind together.
One way to prevent potential joint issues is by making sure that your dog is getting enough calcium in his diet. You should also make sure your Dober Pit is getting the exercise he needs to maintain healthy muscle and prevent joint injuries.
Heart Disease
Another issue that Dober Pits might run into is heart disease. If your dog has heart disease, you might find that he is fatigued frequently, he sleeps more often than usual, he gets out of breath quickly, and he experiences rapid weight loss.
If you suspect your dog has heart issues, you should take him to the vet right away for a proper diagnosis. One way to help prevent and manage heart disease is by watching your dog’s diet and exercise and helping him maintain a healthy weight.
Thyroid Problems
Another common issue in the Doberman Pitbull mix is thyroid disease. The thyroid is a gland that produces important hormones for your dog’s body. If the thyroid does not work properly, then your dog’s important bodily processes will stop working properly too.
Hypothyroidism is especially common in Dober Pits and tends to affect middle-aged dogs. If your dog is experiencing unexplained weight gain, is losing fur, or appears to be weak and lethargic, you should make an appointment to see your vet.
Similar Breeds
American Pit Bull Terrier/American Staffordshire Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier is one of the Doberman Pitbull mix’s two parent breeds. These dogs were originally bred for violent sports like bull and bear-baiting. To participate in these sports, American Pit Bull Terriers had to be courageous, fearless, and incredibly strong.
While these dogs may have needed to bite other dogs and animals to protect themselves during events like these, one thing that was specifically bred into the American Pit Bull Terrier was an unwillingness to bite humans.
In 1835, these bloody sports were outlawed, and the American Pit Bull Terrier began to enjoy a different sort of life. Initially used to guard American farms against animal intruders, today American Pit Bull Terriers enjoy comfortable homes around the world.
Doberman Pinscher
This breed is the Doberman Pitbull mix’s second half. These dogs come from Germany and are super energetic, intelligent, and loyal dogs.
Doberman Pinschers may look intimidating at first with their incredibly muscular bodies and naturally proud stances. But the truth is that these dogs are incredibly sensitive and affectionate. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a breed more loyal than the Doberman Pinscher.
Dobies also tend to maintain puppy-like attitudes well into adulthood. You may find your Doberman Pinscher still showing some puppyish habits even once they reach 3 or 4 years old.
Boxer
These lean, muscular dogs may look intimidating at first. But you won’t need to spend long with a Boxer to see how naturally sweet and affectionate this breed is.
Similar to an American Pit Bull Terrier, Boxers have broad heads, though they are generally larger. Like both of the Dober Pit’s parent breeds, Boxers traditionally have their ears cropped and their tails docked. However, more and more people are choosing to leave their Boxer’s tail and ears unmodified.
Boxers are naturally goofy, playful dogs that love spending time with their humans. They are also incredibly patient, making them a great option for those with kids.
