http://blog.ixti.ru/?p=407

App_Record_Filter_Date.php

<?php // file: library/App/Record/Filter/Date.php

/** Doctrine_Record_Filter */
require_once 'Doctrine/Record/Filter.php';

class App_Record_Filter_Date extends Doctrine_Record_Filter
{
    protected $_format = null;
    protected $_fields = array();


    // Thanks to Dave Small for pointig out problem with YYYY format
    public function __construct($format = 'yyyy-MM-dd')
    {
        $this->_format = $format;
    }


    public function init()
    {
        $table = $this->getTable();
        foreach ($table->getColumns() as $name => $opts) {
            if ('date' === $opts['type']) {
                $fieldName = $table->getFieldName($name);
                $table->removeColumn($name);
                $table->setColumn($name . ' as __' . $fieldName, 'date', $opts['length'], $opts);
                $this->_fields[$fieldName] = '__' . $fieldName;
            }
        }
    }


    public function filterSet(Doctrine_Record $record, $name, $value)
    {
        if ((null !== $value) && isset($this->_fields[$name])) {
            if ($value instanceof Zend_Date) {
                $value = $value->toString($this->_format);
            }
            if (Zend_Date::isDate($value, $this->_format)) {
                $record[$this->_fields[$name]] = $value;
            }
            return $record;
        }
        throw new Doctrine_Record_UnknownPropertyException(sprintf('Unknown record property / related component "%s" on "%s"', $name, get_class($record)));
    }
    

    public function filterGet(Doctrine_Record $record, $name)
    {
        if (isset($this->_fields[$name])) {
            $value = $record[$this->_fields[$name]];
            return ($value && Zend_Date::isDate($value)) ? new Zend_Date($value, $this->_format) : $value;
        }
        throw new Doctrine_Record_UnknownPropertyException(sprintf('Unknown record property / related component "%s" on "%s"', $name, get_class($record)));
    }
}

Person.php

<?php file: models/Person.php

class Person extends Doctrine_Record
{
    public function setTableDefinition()
    {
        $this->hasColumn('birthday', 'date');
    }


    public function setUp()
    {
        $this->unshiftFilter(new App_Record_Filter_Date);
    }
}

test.php

<?php file: test.php

// some init processes:

$person = new Person;
$person->birthday = new Zend_Date;
$person->save();