1899–A
This standard doesn’t have a section devoted to temperament but they do cover this in the General Appearance section.
A well built and muscular dog, not plump and massive and not like a greyhound. His appearance must denotes quickness, strength and endurance. Temperament lively and ardent. He is courageous and will not run away from anything. Devoted to master and in defending him shows the courage of a lion. He gets along with other dogs; not vicious or disloyal; faithful and watchful and a superior destroyer of animals of prey.
1901–B
Characteristics: Watchful, loyal and devoted, intelligent and not vicious, however, nevertheless sharp; working equally well on water and on land; superior destroyer of animals of prey.
In this standard temperament is also addressed in the general appearance section which says: Temperament lively and ardent. He is courageous and will not run away from anything. Devoted to master and in defending him shows the courage of a lion. He gets along with other dogs; not vicious or disloyal; faithful and watchful and a superior destroyer of animals of prey. His eyes show intelligence and resolution.
1901–C
Characteristics: Ideal police dog. Watchful, loyal, devoted, intelligent; working equally well on water and on land; superior destroyer of animals of prey. good companion on the hunt. Good protector of his master; gets along with other dogs, however, when attacked, shows no fear.
Temperament is also mentioned in the General Appearance section which says: His temperament is lively and ardent. His eyes show intelligence and resolution.
1920
Qualities: Pleasant in manner and character. Faithful, fearless, attentive and a reliable watch dog. Sure defender of his master, distrustful towards strangers, possessing conspicuous power of comprehension and great capability of training. In consequence of his characteristics, physical beauty and attractive size, an ideal house dog escort.
Temperament is also mentioned in the General Appearance section which says: Temperament lively and ardent, the eye expressing intelligence and resolution.
1925
Qualities: The Doberman pinscher is a loyal, fearless, courageous and extremely watchful dog who possesses very much a natural sharpness and high intelligence. Despite his fiery temperament he is very obedient and easily trained. He has a most excellent sense of smell, is of great endurance and the ideal of a house dog, companion and protector.
Faults: A shy, cowardly and nervous character.
Temperament characteristics are talked about in the General Appearance section in this standard too: Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage and great nobility, manifesting by its bearing a wide-awake vivacious personality. Temperament energetic, watchful, determined and alert; loyal and obedient, fearless and aggressive.
1935
Conformation and General Appearance: Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage and great nobility, manifesting by its bearing a wide-awake vivacious personality. Temperament energetic, watchful, determined and alert; loyal and obedient, fearless and aggressive.
Faults: Failure to manifest any of the temperament characteristics.
SCALE OF POINTS
Temperament, expression and nobility……………………8
1942
Conformation and General Appearance: Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament. Energetic, watchful, determined, and alert, fearless, loyal and obedient.
Faults: Lack of nobility and temperament.. Shyness.Viciousness
1948
Conformation and General Appearance: Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament. Energetic, watchful,determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient.
Disqualifying Faults: Shyness, viciousness.
Shyness: A dog shall be judge fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; it shy from sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree. Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack, the judge or its handler is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness.
SCALE OF POINTS
Temperament, expression and nobility……………………8
1969
Conformation and General Appearance: Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament. Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient.
The judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Doberman.
Shyness: A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree.
Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack either the judge or its handler, is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness.
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.)
Temperament: Energetic, watchful, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient. The judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Doberman.
Shyness: A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shys at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree.
Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack either the judge or its handler, is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness.
In this standard too the temperament characteristics are talked about in the General Appearance section which says: Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament. Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient.
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.
This is what our history of the standards say about the Doberman Pinscher temperament and character. Most all of the standards mention these important traits in two places. Our present standard mentions temperament in two places. To me by doing this, it tells us that the temperament of our breed is paramount.