Storm was born on 12 December, 1949, at the Ranch Dobe kennels in Van Nuys, California.

He was one of thirteen puppies whelped by his mother, Champion Maedel von Randahof, who died shortly after giving birth.

At the age of three months he was sold by his original owners, Mr and Mrs Brint Edwards to Len Carey, an advertising executive for Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn in New York.

Carey had a standing order with the Edwards for the next male Doberman with conformation show potential.

Mrs Carey returned to the car to find a drunken man had shoved his fist through the gap in the window and was waving his hand around Storm's nose.

[1] The family moved out of the city in 1951 to Cos Cob, Connecticut, 30 miles (48 km) from New York.

Storm shared the bed of Jeff Carey, Len's son, and ate eggs, biscuits and canned beef for his meals.

[1] Storm was entered into his first adult show at the age of sixteen months at the Yonkers Kennel Club.

[3] Len Carey claims that Storm knew how he had performed by the photographers after the event, "He knows what a flashbulb is.

"[1] Although when a paper crown was placed on his head by a photographer, he knocked it to the floor, chewed on it and then buried it.

[2] During the Best in Show round, Storm stood dead still for thirteen minutes while judge Joseph P. Sims reviewed the other competitors, a Dachshund, a Poodle, a Brussels Griffon, a Welsh Terrier and an English Setter.

"[1] Peter Knoop was Storm's handler during the event, it was the thirteenth occasion he had led a dog to Best in Show.