CKC Standard – Eyes
Eyes almond-shaped, not round, moderately deep set, not prominent, with vigorous, energetic expression. Iris of uniform colour, ranging from medium to darkest brown in black dogs, the darker shade being the more desirable. In reds, blues and fawns, the colour of the iris should blend with that of the markings.
Discussion
The eyes give the Doberman his expression, which depicts intelligence and fearlessness. The dark, almond-shaped eye is neither malevolent nor soft. Round eyes can create a softer, more gentle appearance than desired in the Doberman. The Doberman is a protection dog and should have eyes that convey alertness, determination, watchfulness, and an unmistakable fearlessness. Similarly, light eyes and bird-of-prey eyes are deviations from the standard.
Although we allow less, our goal should be as Greunig advised.
“The basic color of the eye should be dark: from deep brown to black in the blacks and conforming to hair color in the browns.”
This would properly permit a much lighter eye in the blues (and fawns). Philipp Greunig wrote the book The Dobermann Pinscher in 1934. Herr Greunig was a breeder and Dobermann fancier from Germany. His work has been the foundation of all breeders’ libraries since the book was published in 1939.