House of Black 

House of Black is built around one goal: producing Dobermans that are beautiful, capable, mentally sound, and most importantly given the best possible chance at long, healthy lives with the people who love them. Our dogs are bred to be more than one thing. We compete in conformation across multiple venues, including AKC, UKC, and IABCA, while also developing dogs for personal protection and scenario based protection work. We value correct structure and breed type, but we believe the Doberman should retain the intelligence, confidence, trainability, athleticism, and working ability that made this breed what it is. For me, however, health and longevity are deeply personal. I got my first Doberman when I was only a teenager. I loved that dog immensely, and before he was even two years old, I held him in my arms as he died from health problems. That traumatic experience never left me. It is a major reason I eventually became so invested in understanding pedigrees, inherited disease, longevity, and the decisions breeders make generations before a puppy is ever born. Dobermans today face significant health challenges, including serious hereditary cardiac disease, and there is no breeding program capable of promising that a dog will never develop this disease.  What I can promise is that health will never be an afterthought here. I have dedicated myself to studying pedigrees and the health and longevity behind the dogs I breed, using available health testing and making thoughtful pairings with the future of the breed in mind so that future generations can also love these beautiful dogs. I don’t simply want to produce dogs that win in a ring, perform in protection work, or look impressive standing beside their owners. I want to produce Dobermans that have the opportunity to grow old beside them and give those once in a lifetime connections.

Every breeding represents another generation and another opportunity to make thoughtful choices for this breed. I cannot eliminate every health problem from the Doberman, and I will never pretend that I can. What I can do is continue learning, testing, researching, documenting, and making the best decisions I can with the information available to me. House of Black exists because I know exactly what it feels like to lose a Doberman far too young. My goal is to do everything within my power as a breeder to give the families who trust me a different story.