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At a local dog park a person was sharing their experiences with a family doberman. They said their dog had problems with bumps, hair loss, and dry skin, kinda of like what my dog has a minor problem with. They told me that the solution for this was adding fish oil to the dogs diet. So they starting to use fish oil tablets (supplements from like wal-mart). Is this really a good idea and would it help with the skin and coat.

I don't have a Dobe... I have Shiba Inus and have been a big fan of DermCaps for years. They are a fish oil supplement that comes in either liquid form or capsule. I buy the capsules and puncture one end and squirt it right on the dog's food. I have a female Shiba that has allergies and I believe the DermCaps have helped to prevent hot spots and such. You can find DermCaps online at JBPet Wholesale or Dr's Foster & Smith.
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

IMO, fish oil is good for various reasons BUT the first thing to do with a Doberman that is having skin problems is to check it's thyroid. Hypothyroidism is common in Dobermans and certainly goes hand in hand along with skin problems.

Additionally, the skin problems might be a reaction to a poor diet or a shampoo that doesn't agree with the dog.

I was feeding him Iams and he continually got bumps and light hair loss. I switched him to Canidae and it cleared up. However from time to time he gets real dry skin and his hair looks coarse. That's why i wondered if fish oil supplements would be safe or even beneficial.

>>I was feeding him Iams and he continually got bumps and light hair loss. I switched him to Canidae and it cleared up. However from time to time he gets real dry skin and his hair looks coarse. That's why i wondered if fish oil supplements would be safe or even beneficial.

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There are genetic skin problems in some Dobe bloodlines, related to the dog's color. But at his age, there are natural coat changes happening, too. Dogs go through about three coats by the time they get the mature coat. A veterinary dermatology specialist is the best one to examine the dog in person, do any indicated testing, and recommend a diet that will address any genetic problem the dog has.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

First off, a Raw diet is best for them. Research that...

Also, are you bathing him too often? They rarely needs baths, it gets rid of their natural protective oils their skin and fur produces.

I add in a gel tablet of Salmon Oil and a table spoon of Herring Oil to his dinner every day. His coat is perfect. Gets compliments all the time.

I maybe give him a bath once a month depending on what he gets into. So giving him fish oil would help his coat then?

Once a month is too much. Yes, Salmon and/or Herring Oil is great for the coat.

I disagree about once a month being too often for a Doberman. I don't know if your dog has a yard or not to get them dirty, but if they do, I know how much they love to get dirty!

I would look into a couple of things: A diet change and shampoo change. If those don't help then I'd go to the fish oil.
When looking for a good qualty dry food look for something that list a meat as its first ingredient instead of a corn or grain. Also, make sure you're using an oatmeal shampoo.

My miniature pinscher was having similar problems and I actually ended up getting a special shampoo from the vet that cleared everything right up!

Canidae is certainly a better food than Iams - you made a good choice there.

I can't recall if you said what colour your Doberman is?

He is Black and Tan. I do have a second question. When he was younger he had a skin infection and the hair on this rear legs and chest thinned out. Now the hair on his chest is growing back but there is a lot of tan hair growing in as well as black. What is the deal with this?