The Doberman(n) is the only dog bred specifically for personal protection. There are many breeds that do this job well, but they were bred as multi-purpose dogs.  The Doberman(n) was created by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann exclusively to be a human defender.  This means that the original intent of the Doberman(n) was to be a dog that specialized and excelled at only one thing. The original Doberman(n)s were compact muscle bound dogs with very aggressive temperaments, fiercely loyal to only their owners.  They were extremely suspicious of anyone other than its owner.  Many judges and handlers were bitten at shows.  Although there are European breeders who breed primarily for Show Line, in Europe a Doberman(n) litter cannot be registered unless at least one parent has passed certain character test. Thus, European Doberman(n)s of today usually have greater nerve stability when compared to the American Doberman Pinscher.  Modern day Euro-Doberman(n)s are not as suspicious of strangers as in years passed, but they do possess a measured reservation when it comes to unfamiliar people.  After 1949, it was decided that Pinscher (which means Terrier) was no longer appropriate for the breed as it had evolved from the initial vicious traits of “Pinscher type” dogs to a more reserved and attentive character that's makes for a more stable protection dog in todays' society . European breeders simply began calling the breed the Dobermann, spell with two N's.  America maintained Pinscher, continuing with the name Doberman Pinscher.

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The American Doberman Pinscher was bred and cultivated by American fanciers and breeders to which it evolved into a different type of dog in structure and temperament than the original Doberman(n) from Apolda Germany. The American bred Doberman(n) as a generalization has had the working temperament bred out of it.  American breeders focused on refinement and body form more than character.  They selected dogs for their breeding programs that possessed the particular look that they wanted, while ignoring the dogs that were extraordinary in character.  Working ability is not a part of the American AKC standard.  While the AKC Breed Standard states that a Doberman Pinscher should be energetic, watchful, determined, alert, and fearless, they require no tests that will ensure that these qualities are present. Without requirements, working traits began dissolving in the American Doberman Pinscher resulting in a different dog in character from their European counterparts. 

The reduction of working traits simultaneously made the breed more manageable for novice owners which in turn made the breed more popular.  More families felt comfortable having a Doberman(n) in their home.  This was the continuation of a slow but steady trend that began in Europe and continued over the course of decades.  Today in the United States, Doberman(n)s are predominantly kept as family dogs.  Their former accurate reputation for being assertive working dogs has largely disappeared.  The American Doberman Pinscher is now known to be gentle, loving, and sensitive. This gradual evolution of the Doberman(n) has contributed to the development of "softer" American Doberman Pinscher lines that are less likely to be successful working dogs today.

Physically, American bred Doberman Pinschers are more refined and typically smaller overall.  They are shorter at the withers and lighter than the European Dobermann. They are also finer boned. Those physical traits make them less suited for vigorous Working Line activities.