In a nutshell: A dog with a wicked sense of humour.

Known as: Dobermann Pinscher or Dobie

Description: Medium-sized with a well-set body, muscular and elegant. They have a proud carriage and a bold and alert temperament. They are compact and tough and, owing to their build, capable of great speed. Their gait is light and elastic. Their eyes show intelligence and firmness of character. They are loyal and obedient.

Temperament: Dobies are constantly being bred for a better temperament than years gone by. They are strong-willed and assertive so firm but sympathetic handling is required. They like to think 'they know best' and can be very stubborn!

Advantages for Agility:

• They have speed.
• They are very agile for their size
• They are keen and willing to play. From what I've seen, the bitches are generally keener than the dogs.

Disadvantages for Agility:

• Due to their size, their momentum slows them down on corners
• Their stride can take them over contacts
• They seem to have a problem negotiating the dogwalk. One day they can do it, the next day they can't/won't
• Some seem to have a built-in desire to do 'man work' on the way round the course (translation: chew your arm)

Rating out of 10: 8/10 They are great fun to work - keen and intelligent - but they can be naughty with it. If you have a 'problem', each time you figure out how out how to sort it, they come up with something new for you. They like to work problems out for themselves. (Clicker training can be excellent with them.) You cannot force a Dobie to do something it doesn't want to do!

Examples of dogs that have done well in agility: Charway the Fantasy won out of Elementary in 1994. Waveney won out of starters in 2002. Gerry Eckersley had one many years ago which got in to Seniors. Although not a popular breed for agility, there have been several Dobies who have won out of Starters.

What's it like to live with as a pet?: They have an adaptable outlook on life. They will play with and guard the family. They like you to chauffer them around in their car. They will let you sit on their chairs, and will greet strangers with caution when invited into their homes. They are affectionate and loyal towards their family.

Would you buy another one for agility? Yes, I would like to get another in future. They are hard work but fun loving. It can take them years to mature and 'get things right,' but when that happens, it's an achievement which gives you great pleasure.