Head – ADPEF

1899 “A”

Head: Top of head must be flat or may be slightly arched, but the forehead must be broad; stretched long, the head must go over into a not too pointy muzzle. Cheeks must be flat but very muscular. Dog of about 58 centimeters (22.83 inches) height at the shoulder should measure 41 cm (16.14 inches) around the forehead. The length of the head, from the occiput to the tip of the nose should be 25-26 cm (9.84 to 10.23 inches).

Teeth: Jaws of equal length. Teeth must be very powerful, well developed and tightly closed. Overbite is disapproved.

Lips: Lying close, not drooping.

Ears: Well cropped, not too short and not too pointed.

Eyes: Dark brown, medium size with intelligent good natured but energetic expression.

1901 “B”

Head: Top of head must be flat or may be slightly arched, but the forehead must be broad; stretched long, the head must go over into a not too pointy muzzle. Cheeks must be flat but very muscular. A dog of about 50 centimeters (19.68 inches) height at the shoulder should measure about 41 cm (16.14 inches) around the forehead. The length of the head, from the occiput to the tip of the nose should be 25-26 cm (9.84 to 10.23 inches).

Teeth must be very powerful, well developed and tightly closed. Lips lying close, not drooping. Eyes dark brown, of medium size with an intelligent, good natured and energetic expression.

Ears: Well cropped, not too short and not too pointed.

Circa 1901 “C”

Head: Not too long and not too small in the forehead. A dog of 58 centimeters (22.83 inches) shoulder length should have a circumference of 40 cms (15.74 inches) around the forehead and a length of 24-26 cms (9.44 to 10.23 inches) measured from the occiput to the tip of nose. Teeth must be very powerful, well developed and tightly closed. Lips lying closely not drooping.

Eyes: Dark brown, of medium size with intelligent and good natured expression. With brown and blue dogs lighter colored eyes should not be considered a fault.

Ears: Well cropped, not too short, not too pointed.

Please note the second paragraph where it says shoulder length. I check this many times but it is what it says and I am wondering if it is a typo and could mean shoulder height.

1920:

Note: The German standard also used by the DPCA.

Head: Dimensions must be in proper proportion to the body. It must be long and “dry” and when seen from the side, in its shape reminds one of a blunt wedge. Top of head flat as possible. Line of the forehead extending with a slight depression to the ridge of the nose. Cheeks flat. Ridge of nose straight or slightly curved. Jaws full and powerful. Lips lying close to jaw.

Faults: Strong ramshead, too strongly projected arch and too plainly visible occipital bone. Too much offset of forehead. Heavy cheeks, too short or pointed jaws and greyhound-like shape of head. Jaws must not be sunken in front of the eyes.

Eyes: Well closed, dark and medium size, with shrewd, energetic expression.

Faults: Too large, too small, prominent or light eyes.

Ears: Well placed. Of medium length and clipped to a point.

Faults: Ears placed too low, too high, or badly carried.

Teeth: Strongly developed. The incisors of the lower jaw must touch the inner surface of the upper incisors.

Faults: Undershot or overshot. Incisors out of line. Poor black brown teeth.

1925

Source: The 1929 edition of William Sidney Schmidt’s The Doberman Pinscher published in the U.S. The DPCA did not incorporate this standard in America, but relied on the 1920 modified German standard until it wrote its own standard in 1935.

Head: The form of the head resembles the shape of a blunt wedge. It is drawn and dry, the forehead seen from the side or front as flat as possible. Cheeks flat but muscular. The forehead turns with a slight offset to the bridge of the nose. The line of the forehead as parallel as possible with the bridge of the nose or extending with a slight depression to same. Bridge of nose straight or slightly curved.

Jaws full and powerful, well defined out under the eyes, and when seen from the front blunted and not broad or flat, and when seen from the side wedge-shaped but not heavy or comered. However, when seen from the front and side the jaws should appear not pointy or powerless. Lips lying close the jaw but a slight curve in the mouth is not faulty.

The teeth are normal and powerful. The eyes are medium size with an intelligent and energetic expression. In black dog the eyes are always dark and the nose black. Brown and blue dogs carry lighter eyes and nose, however, here also we have to strive for dark eyes and dark nose. Ears placed high and trimmed.

1935

Adopted by the DPCA and approved by the AKC in August 1935. The first standard written by the DPCA.

Head: Long and clean cut, resembling a blunt wedge. Top of skull flat, with slight stop; topline of the muzzle as nearly parallel as possible with top of skull. Cheeks flat; well filled under the eyes. Jaws full and powerful. Lips cleanly fitted to the jaw.

Faults: Ramshead, too great width between ears, occipital bone too prominent, rounded scull or rounded head. Prominent growth above the eyes, hollowness under the eyes, dish faced, too short or snipy muzzle. Heavy cheeks. Lippiness.

Eyes: Dark and of medium size, almond shaped, with vigorous and alert expression. In reds, slightly lighter eye permissible.

Faults: Light eyes (sulfur color) Too small or too large. Of sinister expression.

Teeth: Strongly developed and snow white. Scissors bite, i.e. with upper edge of lower incisors, which should be as nearly upright as possible touching the inner surface of the upper incisors.

Faults: Missing, poor black brown teeth; Undershot or overshot. Absence of scissors bite.

Ears: Cropped to a point and carried erect. If uncropped, ears should be set high, not too far apart and of medium size, drooping forward close to cheek. The top line of folded ear being slightly above the level of the skull.

Faults: Ears badly carried or placed too low.

1942

Head: Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge, both frontal and profile view. The upper line tapers down from the top of the forehead to the tip of the nose. The lower line tapers down from the lower front part of the muzzle to the neck. Average length of head, ten to eleven inches for dogs, and nine to ten inches for bitches, measured from the occiput to the tip of the nose, length of head being at least double the width. When seen from the front , the head widens gradually towards the forehead in a practically unbroken line. Top of head flat, turning with a slight depression to the nose, with nose line extending as nearly parallel as possible to the forehead. A slight downward curve near the tip of the nose permissible. Cheeks are as flat as possible, but muscular. Lips lying close to jaws and not drooping. A slight curve on the underside of the mouth is permissible. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes. Nose solid black in black dogs, dark brown in brown ones, dark gray in blue ones.

Faults: Not wedge-shaped, head too thin or too long, or too short, skull too wide, coarse, arched or not flat. Prominent occipital bone. Roman nose and dish-faced heads. Bridge of nose too narrow. Too much offset on forehead, heavy cheeks, sunken jaws in front of the eyes, drooping lips, pointy or powerless jaws, and multicolored nose.

Eyes: Iris of solid color, ranging from medium brown to black, almond shaped, with medium size with vigorous energetic expression. In reds or blues, eyes should blend with the color of coat.

Faults: Too small, too large, too round and too prominent, set to close together, shade lighter than medium brown. Slit eyes and glass eyes.

Teeth: Strongly developed and snow white. Lower incisor as nearly upright as possible and touching the inside of the upper incisors.

Faults: Any missing fangs, incisors, molars, two or more premolars; distemper teeth; undershot or overshot exceeding one quarter inch.

Ears: Well trimmed and carried erect. In all states where ear trimming is prohibited or where dogs with cropped ears cannot be shown, the above requirements are waived.

Faults: Ears place too low or too high.

Note: Faults that are in italics are major faults evidencing degeneration of the breed.

1948

Head: (Shape, eyes, teeth, ears). Shape: Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge, both frontal and profile view. When seen from the front, the head widens gradually toward the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line. Top of skull flat, turning with a slight stop to the bridge of the muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to the topline of the skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Lips lying close to jaws, and not drooping. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes. Nose, solid black in black dogs, dark brown in brown ones, dark gray in blue ones. Faults: Head out of balance with proportion to body. Ram’s, dishfaced, cheeky or snipy heads. Eyes: Almond-shaped, not round, moderately deep set, not prominent, with vigorous, energetic expression. Iris of uniform color, ranging from medium to the darkest brown in black dogs, the darker shade being more desirable. In reads or blues, the color of the iris should blend with that of the markings, but not be a lighter hue than that of the markings. Faults: Slit eyes. Glassy eyes. Teeth: Strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching the inside of upper incisors–a true scissors bite. Forty two (22 in lower jaw, 20 in upper jaw). Distemper teeth should not be penalized. Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch.

Ears: Well trimmed and carried erect. (In all states where ear trimming is prohibited, or where dogs with cropped ears cannot be shown, the foregoing requirements are waived.) The upper attachment of the ear when held erect, should be level with the top of the skull.

1948 had a scale of points. Head: Shape….6, Teeth….5, Eyes….3, Ears….1 totaling 15 points.

1969

Head: Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge in both frontal and profile views. When seen from the front, the head widens gradually toward the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line. Top of skull flat, turning with a slight stop to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to the top line of the skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Lips lying close to the jaw. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes.

Eyes: Almond-shaped, moderately deep set, with vigorous energetic expression. Iris of uniform color, ranging from medium to the darkest brown in black dogs; in reds, blues and fawns the color of the iris blends with that of the markings, the darkest shade being preferable in every case.

Teeth: Strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors–a true scissors bite. 42 correctly placed teeth, 22 in the lower, 20 in the upper jaw. Distemper teeth shall not be penalized. Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth.

Ears: Normally cropped and carried erect. The upper attachment of the ear, when carried erect, is on the level with the top of the skull.

At the end of the standard for faults, this verbiage was added: Faults: The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extend of the deviation.

1982/1990

Adopted by the DPCA and approved by the AKC on February 6, 1982, Reformatted November 6, 1990.

Source: American Kennel club. (Note: 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.)

Head: Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge in both frontal and profile views. When seen from the front, the head widens gradually toward the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line. Eyes Almond-shaped, moderately deep set, with vigorous energetic expression. Iris of uniform color, ranging from medium to the darkest brown in black dogs; in reds, blues and fawns the color of the iris blends with that of the markings, the darkest shade being preferable in every case. Ears Normally cropped and carried erect. The upper attachment of the ear, when carried erect, is on the level with the top of the skull.

Top of skull flat, turning with a slight stop to the bridge of the muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to the top of the top line of the skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Nose: Solid black on black dogs, dark brown on red ones, dark gray on blue ones, dark tan on fawns. Lips lying close to the jaws. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes.

Teeth: Strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors–a true scissors bite. 42 correctly placed teeth, 22in lower, 20 in upper jaw. Distemper teeth should not be penalized. Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth.

Disqualifications: This was added to the end of the standard. 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.