many people who are new to Dobermans don’t know the existence of the white Doberman (or cream-colored Doberman) and are often confused or surprised at the breed they see when they first meet one.
These dogs are often called “albino Dobermans” because they have very light skin.
White Doberman Color
There is controversy surrounding the white Doberman. many believe it’s unprofessional to breed this Doberman color for health reasons. So, I decided to do some research on the white Doberman and dive in.
This section contains information about the albinos, their history, genetics and health issues, as well as costs.
Judy Doniere, a member of the DPCA, breed enthusiast, and breeder was the one who raised the alarm about the white Doberman trend. She worked hard to raise awareness and preserve the standard.
White Albino Doberman Pinscher
The DPCA began its investigation into the white Doberman with a conversation with the breeder and recording/photographing his white dogs.
Bill Garnett was an AKC judge, Breeder and Exhibitor Education. He believed they were purebred and noted their good conformation.
However, he also observed that they had sensitivity to light and depth perception issues.
The majority of the DPCA Board of Directors believed that the issue of whites was not worth addressing.
After many years of research and much encouragement from a few concerned members, the DPCA decided to stop supporting/ignoring the white/albino.
The DPCA requested that restrictions be placed on breeding white Doberman. The first attempt to limit breeding/registration of albino Doberman was in 1994; the AKC refused to restrict registration of the whites.
Although the AKC was not willing to block registration of any Sheba-related white or dog, it agreed with the DPCA to declare that the Sheba breed was too risky for the breed’s reputation as well as its overall disposition.
The AKC began tracking all Sheba-originating dogs in June 1994. Although the first Doberman white was born in Tennessee, they were not registered.
According to the official record, Virginia, a pet-line breeder, was the first person to register and breed albinos.
Padula’s queen Sheba, registration number WE166747) was incorrectly called a white bitch in 1974. She was the first albino Doberman registered.
She was the only albino known at that time, and no other lines have ever produced albinos.
After her sister had bred Tarzan to him, she was bred Tarzan to her black dog to produce albinos. They produced two litters with whites.
1996, hairs taken from Sheba were submitted to a DVM geneticist. He wrote a letter to explain his evaluation of the sample. “Dear Mrs. Doniere”
Concerning the question of “White Dobermans”, although I have only one white Doberman to work with,
This individual has been compared to samples from other breeds that we accept as “normal” white, such as Samoyeds and great Pyreneses, Kuvasoks, Bichon Frises and American Eskimo dogs.
While it’s true that not all breeds of dogs are “all” white, all the coats were white in the sample.
The “white” Doberman’s coats are different from other breeds because they have different parameters such as the size, shape, and number of pigmentgranules.
These dogs are, in other words, not “normal” whites as we have been led to believe.
Albino vs. White Dobermans
We need to first discuss what these dogs are and aren’t. Professionals are still arguing about whether these dogs can be considered albinos. Here’s what we know so far.
White Dobermans have a light cream color and white markings. They have pink lips, noses, rims, and eyes with blue eyes.
These dogs aren’t albinos as they still have some pigmentation. Blue eyes can only be achieved with some pigmentation. A complete lack of pigment would cause eyes to appear pink.
The fact that white Dobermans can be considered “tyrosinase positive Albinoids” is widely accepted ( source Wikipedia ). This is an albino type, but it’s not the one you and I think of.
You might get some stares from people who are familiar with the Doberman world if you refer to these dogs simply as “albino”.
Because many Doberman professionals believe you are referring to the traditional full albino, which these dogs don’t.
If you really want to be precise, you could call them “tyrosinase positive albinoids,” but it’s easier to refer to them simply as “white Dobermans” (or “cream Dobermans”) for the purposes of this article.
Due to the traditional genetic mutation which causes albinos in animals, it is genetically possible to have full-albino Dobermans. However, a true “full albino” Doberman has not been found.
It is easy to tell the difference, as a true albino Doberman will have pink eyes because there is no pigment. A white Doberman will have blue eyes (i.e. Some pigment is present.
The rare White Doberman : Health, Price, and Controversy
History
Padula’s Queen Sheba, also known as “Sheba”, was the first Doberman of white to be registered with American Kennel Club (AKC). Both her parents were black and rust-colored on November 10, 1976.
It is interesting to note that her pedigree bears the words “first white Doberman not laid to sleep” written on them.
This suggests that other white Dobermans were born before her. This mystery remains unsolved, but there are some references to a “light-colored Doberman” in literature dating back at least to the 1930s.
Initial doubts arose about Sheba’s purebred Doberman Pinscher. After the owner provided sufficient evidence to support the claim, Padula’s Queen Sheba became an AKC registered Doberman Pinscher in 1978.
Sheba was later bred together with her son, and the son was bred along with his sisters in an effort to preserve this genetic trait. All known Doberman Pinschers of white color have descend from Sheba.
NOTE
An interesting first-hand account of how the white Doberman first became known to exist to the DPCA is available on the DPCA ALBINO DOBERMAN history PAGE.
Genetics
Dogs have a mix of black and red pigments (Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin). Each dog’s genetic makeup will determine the amount of each pigment in their hair and how it is diluted.
All the colors we’re used to seeing in the Doberman Pinscher, such as black (Isabella), red (Isabella), and blue (Blue).
Now it is known that the white Doberman is actually the result of a recessive gene. This hides the final color that would otherwise have been produced by normal genetic processes ( source).
This gene is a mutation of the SLC45A2 genes. The source gene has a significant portion of its genetic code missing.
Although the result is fairly typical of albinism, it is not yet known what the correct term is. In other animals, this same mutation has been shown to cause OCA4 (or Oculocutaneous albinism type 4).
A Doberman who carries one copy of the mutant gene is considered a “carrier”. If they have two, they will be considered affected by the mutation and will be white or cream in color.
To put it another way, you need two copies of the mutated gene to make this Doberman color possible. You can easily test your Doberman’s DNA for the mutant gene using a simple kit.
This means that if you breed two SLC45A2 carriers, the offspring will be 25% white or cream colored ( source ).
Researchers believe this mutation occurred at least five generations before Sheba, since her parents were carriers. This gene mutation was likely passed down from one common ancestor.
White Doberman Puppy Prices
As with any item on the free market, the price of these dogs has less to do what they “should” be sold for and more with what the breeder thinks they can get the dogs for.
This is why you will likely see a wide range of prices for these dogs. In preparation for this article I reached out multiple white Doberman owners and breeders.
Here’s the data I gathered on the average price of these dogs.
White Doberman Puppy Prices
Minimum Price
$800
Maximum Price
$2500
Average Price
$1600
Note: These are the prices that owners actually paid for white Dobermans. These amounts have been rounded up to the nearest hundred dollars.
Remember that there are many factors that can influence the price of a white Doberman pup, such as location, title, registration status with kennel clubs, ears cropped, and kennel club membership status.
A young white Doberman puppy poses for his owner.
Many people believe these puppies should not be more expensive than a typical Doberman. Breeders may still consider these dogs rare, and will charge more for them.
They are less common than the other colors, but there are many breeders who specialize in them. A buyer will be able to find multiple sources for these dogs if they put enough effort.
Health Concerns
White Dobermans have additional health issues. Some health issues may arise due to the low levels of pigment in white Dobermans.
Sunburn– White Dobermans can get sunburned due to their low pigment. Dog-friendly sunblock is recommended for extended exposure to direct sunlight, especially on the nose. You may also need to limit your time outside in the sun.
Tumors One study found a significant increase of skin cancers in white Doberman pinschers compared to standard colors. In the study, 12 out of 20 White Dobermans had skin tumors. This was in contrast to 1 in 20 standard-color Dobermans.
In this study, each white Doberman aged 5 or more had at least one cancer. These tumors can be either cancerous or benign, and most of them are likely to be.
Vision The absence of pigment in the iris (the colored part of the eyes) of white Dobermans means that more light can pass directly to their retina.
The dog will often squint when exposed to bright light. While some owners opt to purchase tinted goggles that are dog-specific, others say it is unnecessary.
Other Concerns– White Dobermans can also be affected by the same health problems as any other Doberman. These include gastric dilatation, volvulus syndrome (GDV, bloat),
Hip dysplasia (DCM), chronic activate hepatitis(CAH), von Willebrand’s disease (vWD), cervical verbral instability (Wobbler Syndrome), progressive renal atrophy (PRA), hypothyroidism and osteosarcoma.
White Doberman owners are likely to have a greater commitment to their dogs’ welfare and require more time and attention.
You should consider factors such as the time spent in direct sunlight, sunscreen, and any other concerns. A DNA test is the best way to find out about your dog’s overall health.
This is an easy process you can do by yourself. You can find out what your dog can expect in the future when it comes to their health. It’s so frustrating to watch the years pass by without knowing what lies ahead. You can find my guide to health testing your Dobermans here.
Inbreeding of White Doberman
Inbreeding within white Doberman lines is a major concern. It is well known that the American Kennel Club (AKC), first white Doberman registered with them, was later bred by her to her son.
Her son was then bred directly to her sisters. All known white Dobermans today are thought to descend from these first few.
The main concern is not always with the initial breeding that produced the white Doberman.
Many are concerned about the possibility of inbreeding in recent generations. This article will discuss more about the controversy. It is believed that inbreeding can be extensive by unscrupulous breeders who want to produce whiter Dobermans.
This is possible in certain circumstances. However, backyard breeders can also inbreed standard-colored Dobermans for other reasons or simply because they don’t know the lineage.
A White Doberman relaxes outside while cuddling with his owner.
Life Expectancy of White Doberman
10 – 13 Years
There have not been any studies or large data collections that offer insight into the longevity and health of white Dobermans compared to other colors.
This topic is best covered in the current study, “A Partial genetic Deletion of SLC45A2 causes Oculocutaneous Albinism In Doberman Pinscher Dogs”,
which shows a higher incidence of potentially cancerous skin tumors in white Dobermans (12% of 20 white Dobermans developed these tumours, whereas only 1/20 of standard-color Dobermans experienced them).
It is worth noting that 20 Dobermans are a very small sample.
The current life expectancy of the white Doberman is 10 to 13 years, or the same as that for standard-colored Dobermans. However, no studies have shown an increase in mortality rate or a shorter lifespan.
TIP: For a catalog of all the available Doberman colors and types, see my article All the colors and types of the Doberman Pinscher.
DPCA and White Dobermans
The Doberman Pinscher Club of America is a member club of American Kennel Club (AKC). This is the AKC’s only Doberman-specific club.
The DPCA made it clear that they do not support the breeding of white Dobermans.
The dog is considered unacceptable because of their photosensitivity (or photophobia) and their health issues. They will not promote the breeding of their breed since their mission is to preserve the integrity, health and function the breed.
The DPCA changed its breed standard for Doberman Pinschers in 1982 to allow four colors. These include black, red and blue Dobermans, as well as fawn Dobermans that have rust-colored markings.
According to the breed standard, a white patch on the chest is permissible, but not more than 1/2 inch.
Disqualifying Fault: Dogs of a prohibited color.” You can find the complete breed standard here.
This means that any dog with more than half an inch of white on their chest will be disqualified from conformation shows. The rules also state that dogs of any prohibited color will be disqualified.
The white Doberman will therefore not be eligible to compete in breed conf