Dobrin moved with his mother from Lipetsk to Moscow at age 12 in order to have better practice conditions. He has practised ballroom dancing from age 7 to 10 but focused on skating as he saw a better perspective for himself in skating. Dobrin has been practising in the same group with two-time World Champion Irina Slutskaya for many years and admires her for her comeback. He switched coaches in August 2007, leaving long-time coach Zhanna Gromova in Moscow to train with Alexei Mishin in St. Petersburg. Dobrin has a little sister, Maria (born in 2004).