Gait

 

1899–“A”

There is no verbiage about gait in this standard.

1901–“B”

Again, no verbiage.

Circa 1901–“C”

Again no verbiage.

 

1920

Gait: Running gear must be light and free. Note: this appears in the General Appearance section.

 

1925

Again, no verbiage about gait.

 

1935

Gait: Free, balanced, vigorous and true. Back firm, indicating the lasting qualities of a working dog.

Faults: Lack of drive, stiffness, looseness, excessive back motion. Paddling. Throwing front or hind legs.

Scale of Points:

Gait………………………………….6

 

1942

Gait: His gait should be free, balanced and vigorous. When moving swiftly, he should throw his hindlegs at least as far as his front legs.

Faults: lack of drive, stiffness, looseness, excessive back motion, throwing front or rear legs, or both, in or out. Not covering enough ground with rear legs.

 

1948

Gait: The gait should be free, balanced and vigorous with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting, there should be a strong rear drive, with rotary motion of hindquarters.  Each rear leg should move in line with the foreleg on the same side. Rear and front legs should be thrown neither in or out. Back should remain strong, firm and level.

SCALE OF POINTS

Gait…………………………………………………6

Faults: The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

 

1969

Gait: Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting there is a strong

rear-action drive. Each rear leg moves in line with the foreleg on the same side. Rear or front legs should be thrown neither in or out. Back remains strong and firm. When moving at a fast trot, a properly built dog will single track.

Faults: The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher. any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.                                                                                                                                                                                        

DISQUALIFICATIONS  Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch, undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth.

Note: The verbiage  of rotary motion that was in the 1948 standard was removed in this 1969 standard. I was interested in the reason why, so I looked it up in the DPCA minutes in an old magazine and found this:

In the November-December 1966 issue of Doberman News in a
report of the committee on the standard October 1965 to September 30, 1966.
This report was prepared by Eleanor Houston Carpenter, chairman and read by Dr. Shute. “Under 7I, Gait, the phrase “rotary motion of the hindquarters” is an incorrect description of the ideal gait as may be seen by reducing motion pictures of a moving Doberman to a slow speed. Hence this phrase should be eliminated.”
Here is a little more on the Gait section. “Under 7J the committee is not
all in agreement on the advisability of introducing into the standard the
observation that at a fast trot a properly built Doberman will
single–track. Granted that this is correct the question remains whether the
show ring gait is fast enough to show this trait and whether any but most
practiced judge would distinguish between the tendency to “come in on line” and the fault moving too close behind. Before marking the ballot please be sure that you are thoroughly informed on this question of gait.” Interesting heh? This is a very interesting report if any of you have this magazine.
I will try to find more discussion if there was any printed. I would like to
find out who else was on this committee. I cannot find it as of now and I
will have to stop for a bit. I am missing a November 1964 issue of Doberman News which could have the minutes of the General meeting in it. The December 1964 has the minutes of the Executive meeting in it but no mention of the other members of the Standard Committee, just the above report written by the Chair-person.

 

1982/1990

Note: Adopted by the DPCA and approved by the AKC on February 6, 1982. Reformatted November 6, 1990. The only change in 1982 to the standard approved in 1969 was the addition of a disqualifying fault for dogs “Not of an allowed color.” The standard was reformatted only and no descriptions were changed in 1990.

 

Gait: Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting, there is a strong rear-action drive. Each rear leg moves in line with the foreleg on the same side. Rear and front legs should be thrown neither in or out. Back remains strong and firm. when moving at a fast trot, a properly built dog will single track.

FAULTS The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

DISQUALIFICATIONS  Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch, undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth. Dogs not of an allowed color.

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