Working · FCI-IGP · Breed suitability test
Working lines and show lines
Working and show lines are not separate breeds. They are populations shaped by different records within the same written Dobermann standard. One population is selected with attention to behaviour, trainability and working results. The other is selected more heavily through conformation grading and show results. The labels describe selection pressure, not a guaranteed personality, size or ability in every individual dog.
The useful comparison is therefore documentary. A working-oriented record may include the BH/VT, IGP levels, a character result from the breed suitability test, and health certificates. A show-oriented record may centre on conformation grading, show titles and any health documents required by its club. These records explain the route taken, but they do not replace assessment of the individual dog.
The written rules also connect the populations. The breed suitability test has conformation, health and character requirements, while the working trial divides performance into tracking, obedience and protection. Reading those records together gives a clearer picture than using the words working line or show line as simple labels. The guide below separates the standard, the tests and the breeding decisions.
One standard, two selection pressures
A Dobermann remains subject to the breed standard even when selection has a different emphasis. Medium size is desirable, and a deviation of more than 2 cm is disqualifying. Natural ears and tail fit the FCI-based route, while cropping and docking are described differently in the AKC standard. These are standard and registry distinctions, not proof that one population is more correct than the other.
The records associated with each route show the practical difference. Working-oriented selection gives more weight to a passed companion dog test, IGP level sheets and the breed suitability result. Show-oriented selection gives more weight to conformation grading and show ratings. The table separates those records, while the dog still has to be judged against the applicable written rules rather than against a population label.
Temperament and drive as written in the standard
Temperament is not recorded as a vague claim that a dog is energetic or impressive. The breed suitability test places the dog in controlled situations involving people, noise, visual signals, isolation and a suited assailant. The result records whether the dog is Fit for Breeding 1A, Fit for Breeding 1B, Deferred or Unfit for Breeding. This makes character a formal breeding record.
Drive also needs context. A dog may show willingness to track, obey and engage during an IGP trial, but a trial score is not a complete description of life at home. The regulations examine specific tasks under specified conditions. Conformation records answer different questions about structure and presentation. Neither type of record should be stretched into a promise about every behaviour outside the tested setting.
| Feature | Working line population | Show and conformation population |
|---|---|---|
| What is selected on | A passed companion dog test, IGP trial levels and a breed suitability result | A conformation grading and show ratings |
| The record produced | BH/VT, IGP 1 to 3 level sheets, a ZTP character grading, hip and vWD certificates | Show titles, a conformation grading, and health certificates where the club requires them |
| Route to breeding permission | The Dobermann-Verein breed suitability test, with hip and vWD floors and a minimum conformation grading | Registry grading rules; in FCI countries with a working trial the standard still requires the trial route |
| Size pressure | Medium size is desirable in the standard, and a deviation of more than 2 cm is disqualifying | The same written rule applies, while deliberately breeding oversized, giant or king Dobermans is listed by the DPCA as a red flag |
| Ears and tail | Left natural under the FCI standard; since 01.08.2016 cropped dogs do not receive breeding permission under the international standard | The same FCI rule, while the AKC standard still describes ears normally cropped and a tail docked at approximately the second joint |
| Where the divergence is documented | FCI-IGP regulations and the Dobermann-Verein breed suitability regulations | The registry standards and their grading rules |
What the working trial actually tests
The working route begins with the BH/VT, a companion dog test that includes behaviour assessment and is a prerequisite for each IGP level. IGP 1, IGP 2 and IGP 3 then test three phases: A tracking, B obedience and C protection. Each phase is marked out of 100 points, with at least 70 required in every phase for the level.
The levels increase the demands in a defined order. IGP 1 uses a handler-laid track of about 300 paces and one obedience blind. IGP 2 uses about 400 paces laid by a stranger and four blinds. IGP 3 uses about 600 paces, about 60 minutes of ageing and six blinds. Level sheets therefore show performance under the rules, not simply a claim that a dog has high drive.
The breed suitability test
The ZTP is the Dobermann-Verein assessment used to decide breeding suitability. Its minimum age is 15 months. Before the practical work, the required pedigree, hip assessment, parental assessments and ZTP reports, vWD certificate, proof of a passed BH and club cards are checked. Hip status must be HD 1 or HD 2, also expressed as HD A or HD B, and affected vWD dogs cannot enter.
The assessment combines conformation and character. Dogs need at least Very Good for conformation and bitches at least Good. A height deviation up to 2 cm lowers the grading, while a deviation beyond 2 cm disqualifies the dog. Character work includes a group of 8-10 people, sound and visual signals, two shots from a 6 mm pistol, isolation, an attack by a suited person and a retreat of about 50 paces. The result is 1A, 1B, Deferred or Unfit.
- The ZTP minimum age is 15 months.
- Hip entry status is HD 1 or HD 2.
- The conformation floor is Very Good for dogs and Good for bitches.
- A height deviation beyond 2 cm is disqualifying.
- Two shots from a 6 mm pistol are part of the character assessment.
- A DNA identity profile is taken at every ZTP.
| Test | Minimum age | Structure | What a pass records |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH/VT | Set by the national organisation and never under 12 months; published summaries give 15 months | The companion dog test with a behaviour test | The prerequisite for every IGP level |
| IGP 1 | 18 months | Tracking of about 300 paces laid by the handler and aged about 20 minutes, with 3 legs, 2 corners and 2 articles on a 5 metre leash, and 1 obedience blind | A pass in each of the three phases at the first level |
| IGP 2 | 19 months | Tracking of about 400 paces laid by a stranger, and 4 obedience blinds | A pass at the second level; reaching it requires a minimum rating of satisfactory, 70 percent, in each phase of the level below |
| IGP 3 | 20 months | Tracking of about 600 paces laid by a stranger and aged about 60 minutes, and 6 obedience blinds | A pass at the highest level, where the FCI-CACIT is at stake |
| Scoring across all levels | Not applicable | Three phases, A tracking, B obedience and C protection, each scored out of 100 points for 300 in total, with a minimum of 70 points in each phase | Levels must be completed in the order 1-2-3, and equal points are resolved on phase C then phase B |
What clubs do with the results
A club can use the records as gates rather than decoration. The breed suitability route combines health, conformation and character, so a strong result in one area does not erase a failure in another. Since 01.01.2023, both parents must hold a German ZTP. Breed permission continues for the breeding life unless the DV Presidium places a restriction on it.
The administration also controls when and how the result is obtained. Events contain at least 7 and at most 15 dogs, registration is required at least 60 days ahead, and a ZTP cannot take place on the same day as a breed show or an IPO trial. A deferred dog may return after three months, but a second failure ends that attempt. These rules make the result a defined club record.
Why the two populations diverged
Divergence follows the incentives attached to the record. Where working results influence selection, a passed BH/VT, IGP progression and character grading become central evidence. Where exhibition results dominate, conformation grading and show titles carry more selection weight. The same written breed identity can therefore produce visibly different priorities without creating two officially separate breeds.
The split is also shaped by which rules apply to breeding permission. In the documented working route, the Dobermann-Verein test joins health, structure and behaviour. In show-oriented routes, registry grading rules organise the record, while countries with a working-trial requirement retain that route in their standard system. Comparing paperwork is more reliable than assigning fixed traits to every dog in either population.
The breed suitability test in detail
The Zuchttauglichkeitsprufung, the ZTP, is the Dobermann-Verein instrument for deciding which dogs may breed. Its stated purpose is to determine the suitable Dobermann for breeding and to exclude the unsuitable dog. The minimum age is 15 months.
Paperwork is checked before the dog is assessed. Original documents required on the day are the pedigree, the hip assessment including the assessments of the parents and their ZTP reports, the vWD certificate, proof of a passed BH, and the DV or IDC member club card for owner and handler. Only dogs graded HD 1 or HD 2, meaning HD A or HD B, may be entered, and only verifiable clear or carrier dogs for vWD, never affected ones. Dogs imported from America with American parents additionally need a cardio assessment and a blood analysis.
Conformation is graded with a floor. A minimum of Very Good is required for dogs and Good for bitches. Height deviations up to 2 cm reduce the grading, deviations of more than 2 cm lead to breed disqualification, and dentition faults including overshot, undershot, pincer bite and a dental undercount make a dog unsuitable for breeding.
Character is graded as Fit for Breeding 1A, Fit for Breeding 1B, Deferred or Unfit for Breeding. A deferred dog may be re-tested only after three months, and a second failure ends the attempt. The conduct is specified in the regulations: a group of 8-10 people, a shaker and an umbrella as acoustic and optical signals, two shots from a 6 mm pistol with gun-shy dogs unsuitable, isolation of approximately 5 minutes, a frontal attack by a suited assailant who may threaten with a stick but never strike, and a retreat of approximately 50 paces.
Administration is fixed as well. At least 7 and at most 15 dogs per event, registration at least 60 days ahead, and no ZTP on the same day as a breed show or an IPO trial. Since 01.03.2011 a blood sample is taken at every ZTP for a DNA identity profile, and a mismatch voids the result. Since 01.01.2023 both parents must hold a German ZTP. Breed permission lasts for the breeding life unless the DV Presidium restricts it.
Frequently asked questions
What does European working lines mean in the regulations?
It is a practical description of a population selected through records such as the BH/VT, IGP levels and the Dobermann-Verein breed suitability result. It is not a separate breed category. The term points to the selection route and paperwork, while the applicable written standard and club regulations determine what is actually required.
What is the minimum age for each IGP level?
The minimum age is 18 months for IGP 1, 19 months for IGP 2 and 20 months for IGP 3. The BH/VT comes first and cannot be held under 12 months, with published summaries giving 15 months. The IGP levels must be completed in order from 1 through 3.
What does a character grading of 1A record?
A grading of Fit for Breeding 1A records that the dog passed the character part of the breed suitability assessment at the highest listed fit-for-breeding grade. It follows controlled checks involving people, signals, isolation, gunshots, a suited assailant and a retreat. It is a breeding record, not a complete description of temperament.
How many points is each IGP phase worth?
Tracking, obedience and protection are each worth 100 points. Together they make 300 points for an IGP level. A dog must receive at least 70 points in each phase. The total therefore cannot compensate for falling below the minimum in one phase, and equal totals are resolved first through phase C and then phase B.
Does a show dog also need a working trial?
That depends on the applicable registry and country rules. The documented comparison states that, in FCI countries where a working trial is required, the standard still uses the working-trial route even for a show-oriented dog. Show titles and conformation grading do not automatically replace a required working qualification.
The European Dobermann Reference presents working and show lines as different selection records within one breed framework. Read the pedigree, health documents, conformation result, character grading and trial sheets together, then check the applicable regulations. This version was reviewed on September 6, 2026.
How this guide is built
Every figure on this site was checked against a named public source before publication. Breed measurements, colours, dentition, faults and disqualifications come from the FCI Standard N143 of 17 December 2015, the AKC standard approved 6 February 1982 and reformatted 6 November 1990, and The Kennel Club standard updated 1 August 2025. Disease prevalence and screening ages come from peer-reviewed veterinary papers and from university veterinary hospital material. Working trial structure comes from the FCI-IGP regulations effective 1 January 2025, and breeding permission rules from the Dobermann-Verein breed suitability test regulations. Feeding portions come from a published dry food feeding chart, and the bloat management figures from the Purdue research. Anything that could not be confirmed to a primary source is marked as an estimate in the note attached to its source, and the families of sources used are listed on the about page. Last reviewed: September 6, 2026.