Doberdor: everything you should know about this mixed breed

Do you love large breeds? If so, you will love the Doberman and Labrador mix.

This mixed breed dog is also known under the names of the Doberdor and Libra man.

In particular, these dogs breeds are thought to be trusting, loyal, and an excellent watchdog.

But, if you're interested in getting one of these dogs for your home, there are more traits you should know before buying. To help you, we will explore the Doberman lab mix temperament, size, feeding requirements, maintenance, and more in this article.

Parent breeds

To fully understand the unique lab Doberman mix, we have to look at the history of its parent breeds first! It's no guarantee that the doberdor will inherit an exact split of personalities and identities, but they will have some traits from each parent.

Doberman Pinscher

Its Doberman parent first came into existence in 1880 by Karl Friedrich Louis Doberman in Germany. Karl, at the time, was a tax collector in Germany who ran a dog pound in a German town called Apolda. The reason he had a dog pound was because he wanted to have a guard dog or two to help him with his tax collecting.

Due to this requirement, the purebred Doberman pinscher came into existence. However, it's not known exactly what breeds it was bred with. It's believed that the dog was bred with the Rottweiler, Black and Tan Terriers, Weimaraner, and more breeds to form the Doberman. 

The Doberman breed has become renowned for its loyalty, alertness, and fearless nature from this combination alone. It's also a sleek, powerful, tall, and excellent guard dog standing at around 24-28inches/61-71cm and weighing between 27-40kg/59-88lbs.

Purebred Labrador Retriever

The other parent of a Doberman and lab mix is the Labrador Retriever. Now the history of the Labrador parent also dates back to the 1830s. These dog breeds first came into existence by settlers from Newfoundland, Canada. It's believed that these settlers brought these dogs on ships from Canada to England. 

Following this, the dog was then bred further to serve the purpose of a hunting dog for the British. Today Labrador Retrievers are renowned for being large breed dogs with loving personalities.

They tend to have an even-tempered personality and bond well with children, humans, and other animals. They're also incredibly athletic, lack fear, and require a bit of obedience training to handle their energetic nature. 

The purebred labrador retriever can grow up to 22- 24 inches/55-62cm in height and can weigh between 25-36kg/55lbs-80lbs.

Well, now you have a better idea about the parents of the Doberman lab mix dog. Are you ready to learn about this epic breed?

The personality of the Doberdor

No doubt, personality can be a significant factor in buying a dog and bringing one into your home.

When it comes to the Doberman lab mix, they have a unique personality that is not for everyone. The Doberdor is often described as a loyal dog to its owner, acting as an excellent guard dog when required.

Like their Doberman pinscher and labrador parents, they're very intelligent, making them easy to train.

Are Doberman Lab mixes aggressive?

Looking at their Pinscher and Labrador Retriever parents, you might be anxious if these mixed breed dogs are aggressive. After all, both parents were initially bred back in the 1800s to be excellent guard dogs! However, regarding aggression, it can be difficult to tell.

Some Doberman labrador mix dogs are aggressive and would not be suited to even be around children. However, others are great playmates towards young children and family members. Usually, the friendly and sociable ones have undergone obedience training and socialization from an early age. 

If you do have kids, though, and plan on bringing one into your home, always teach children how to handle them properly for the safety of other dogs and children.

How big will a Doberman Lab mix get?

Similar to its purebred parent breeds, a Doberdor will be a large dog.

On average, this dog breed will weigh between 60-100lbs/27-45kg and grow up to 24-28inches/61-71cm in height. It's not always guaranteed that these designer dogs will fall into this range; they sometimes are just outside this bracket.

Most of the time, though, the Doberdor will have a lab like build with long legs and a slim face like their Doberman Pinscher parent.

Appearance of the Doberdor

If you're planning on buying a Doberman lab mix, then you'll be spoilt for choice as they come in a range of different coat colors. You can find them with a fawn, red, blue or black color.

They also sometimes have distinct markings on their chest, muzzle, neck, above their eyes, paws, and tail tip. Their ears also tend to belong, floppy and pendant shaped. The muzzle of a doberdor is short and broad. They also have round brown eyes too.

Their puppy coat can be short like its Doberman parents, or heavy and dense like its Labrador Retriever parent.

Grooming requirements

If you get a Doberdor that inherits a sleek, short, and low shedding coat from its Doberment parent, you won't need to groom it that frequently. Perhaps only brush its coat once a week and wash it every 6-8 weeks.

On the contrary, if the Doberdor has more of a coat like a lab parent, you have to brush it 2-3 times a week using a pin and slicker brush. 

Alongside this, you should aim to wash it a few times a month as most likely it will have oily skin like its parent. Moreover, you should also brush your teeth daily to prevent gum diseases. As well as trimming their nails and ear cleaning every 4-6 weeks to reduce the risk of infection.

Energy requirements

The Doberdor is quite an active dog and ideally needs 2-3 long walks a day, adding up to 1.5 hours in total. Unfortunately, if you have a small home i.e. an apartment, this is not the ideal breed to own. 

You should only get a Doberdor if you have a home with a backyard, as they need plenty of space to run around and stretch their life.

Plus, the Doberman lab mix puppy or adult loves to fetch and retrieve toys; therefore, they need space to play in their downtime.

Training

If you plan on owning a Doberdor you must conduct the necessary training, including early socialization from a young age. These large dogs can be highly sensitive, and they have an incredibly protective nature; therefore, you must work on their manners from an early age.

If you do this right, they should be ok with other children and animals in your home.

Health problems

On average, a Doberdor can live up to 10-14 years, if looked after well. Part of the reason for this life span is that Doberman Pinschers don't see even 10 years. It's so rare that even the Doberman Pinscher Club of America provides them with a Longevity Certificate for those who live to at least 10 years old. 

On the contrary, Labradors can live up to 14 years, hence why the life expectancy of a Doberdor falls into this bracket.

However, just like other dogs, they can experience some health problems. The common health problems in this crossbreed are:

• Hip dysplasia
• Wobblers syndrome
• Elbow dysplasia
• Acute ear infections
• Partial allergies

It's not always guaranteed that a Doberdor will experience these health problems, but to rule them out, it's always good to take them for a health check-up by a vet twice a year.

How much do Doberman lab puppies cost?

If you're looking to buy a lab Doberman mix puppy, you might need a bit of saving as they can cost between $800-$1200. The price is so high for a Doberdor puppy because the breeders spend a lot of time on high-quality breeding and strive their hardest to make sure they're healthy and energetic dogs. Do note that this price might vary based on the location you're in and the breeder's reputation.

On the contrary, if you're looking to adopt one of these large dog breeds for a shelter, then it might be a bit difficult. Part of the reason for this is because they're a mixed breed.

However, you can try searching for the Doberman Pinscher and Labrador Retriever rescue groups, as they sometimes can have these crossbreeds.

Conclusion

Overall, this energetic dog is a great designer breed to own if you have a big home.

The Doberdor loves to expel lots of energy running around in a backyard and on 2-3 runs/walks a day. Note that it could be quite protective acting as a guard dog or less aggressive and more reserved depending on its genetics.

If you plan on getting a Doberdor you must socialize it from an early age to avoid it being hostile towards others.