sctsbride09, Please Talk to Me About Dobermanns!

[hot.soup]

My neighbor had one when I was a child, and I've always loved the breed. I think they are just gorgeous creatures, and my neighbor's dog was wonderfully smart and very obedient.

You mentioned in the "What's your favorite breed of dog and why" thread that you didn't think they were such a great idea for first time dog owners. I really have my heart set on a doberman, and as I'll be a first time dog owner, your comment really got me thinking about my ability to handle one. ( I have read elsewhere that they can be a headstrong breed, esp. in the early years.)

My FI and I are willing to put in the work and time to be good and consistent dog owners, but as a dobermann owner do you have any further advice for me? Warnings? Should I be looking at chihuahuas instead?

 

[sctsbride09]

Hi hot.soup! I would never want to scare a person away from owning this particular breed, I just wanted to drive the point home that they are not for the faint hearted, heehee. If you are new to dogs, I would just be very sure to do your homework on them to be sure they suit your lifestyle. As for ability to handle one, one needs to have a strong "pack leader" type mentality to handle these dogs. They are extremely strong, so you must be sure that he/she is completely under your control. I would suggest puppy socialization classes and basic training courses at the very least for a dobie.
Since dobies are working breed, they do very well having a very strict schedule (like most dogs) and having daily training sessions, play times and walks/runs. If you and your Fi are active people, they are great. They are not the type of dog that is content to lay around snoozing all day, if you shirk on their playtime, they will get into trouble. I would not suggest this dog as an outdoor dog, as they really thrive from being a "family dog", and they have very short coats as well.
Dobermanns can be wonderful with children, IF they are properly socialized when they are young. Unfortunately as I stated in the other thread, dobies also have a relatively short lifespan of around 9-11 years, as well as a slew of genetic problems they can have if you arent careful where you get your dog. For this reason I would suggest a dobie sanctuary or a very reputable breeder. Dobies are apt to have such problems as Von willebrands disease (blood clotting disorder), skin problems (easily solved with diet though), heart issues, and Wobbler syndrome (CVI). Going through a reputable breeder for a puppy or a sanctuary for an adult would be the best way to avoid such problems, dont.buy.from.backyard.breeders. They do not care about preservation of the breed, and are far more likely to have puppies with health problems. Sanctuaries are wonderful too, because the people that work there can steer you towards a personality that suits you, either one is a good option, just be sure to do your homework, especially if you got the breeder route.

Enough of the cautionaries right? On to the fun..Dobies are so sweet and goofy, our girl makes us laugh everyday. She is so affectionate and smart. She understands over 200 words (yes Im lame Ive counted), and she is blast to play hide and seek with, haha. She runs like a horse which is amusing in itself, and she gets excited like a kid when she gets her christmas toys. She is sweet to her chi mix brother and all the other tiny dogs that our friends bring over. She has NO IDEA how big she is, and it shows in some of her amusing antics. I have had many dogs, but to me dobies are just so special. So full of personality. Sorry, this last bit turned into a bit of a love fest for my dog, I just love her to bits. If you have any other questions that I can be of help with, I would be more than happy to help. Also, you may want to start lurking a dobie forum if you want to learn more about them, alot of the show owners hang around them, and can be a wealth of information.

 

[Imdanny]

They're part Greyhound (see: link). They need to run. And when I mean run I mean imagine a ten acre field and a dog running at the speed of a blur in big circles. They're highly intelligent (it's not just a myth) and they needs loads of human interaction/ runs/ walks/ training/ game playing. They're magnificent animals but from my experience I'd say they're at or near the top of the scale in terms of needing to not be a beginning dog owner. Mine needed more than I could give him six ways to Sunday and I had to find a home for him with my mother's best friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doberman_Pinscher

 

[Imdanny]

Since dobies are working breed, they do very well having a very strict schedule (like most dogs) and having daily training sessions, play times and walks/runs. If you and your Fi are active people, they are great. They are not the type of dog that is content to lay around snoozing all day, if you shirk on their playtime, they will get into trouble.

This.

 

[Imdanny]

Something else you might want to know is that mine lived like a prince, had no health problems, and still only lived 11 years (the Wikipeida link says on average they live 10-14 years).

I'm not trying to dissuade you, OP! I'm just saying that you're wise to research this before jumping in, like I did.

 

[sctsbride09]

On running- Imdanny is absolutely correct about their need to run. Any greyhound owner can tell you about something called the "zoomies" when they run at top speed in circles til they tire themselves out. Dobermanns are also prone to doing this, just not as much. We have a large backyard, but I still take her to a 50 acre off leash dog park/training area near us to let her really stretch her legs a few times a month.

Something else I forgot to address in your question, the bit about dobies being headstrong for the first few years. This is 100% true, but its not just for a few years. Its because they are so damn smart. Consistency is a must with these dogs, and they will test you, but as long as you remain consistent they will thrive. They are a pain in the ass in the first couple years in all honesty, and they seem to be everlasting puppies, kind of like boxers except less jumpy. One more thing that is very important- dobies are extremely sensitive. A stern voice is all that is needed for correction, any type of physical correction is likely to lead to problems. NEVER spank a dobie, not saying you would, just something that should be warned against. I personally do not believe in physical punishment of animals or choke chains, or anything like that, but thats another thread all together.

 

[Imdanny]

Yes, I never touched mine to discipline him (I hadn't even thought of it until you said that).

You want to know how smart they are, OP?

Mine could do commands- sit, lie down, get up, sit, lie down, get up, etc.- while I was literally whispering the commands.

They are very sensitive.

 

[JewelFreak]

I adore Dobies! Would love to have one. Your comment about their being headstrong is typical of working breeds -- they need a certain amount of independence to do the job they were meant for without having to be directed every step of the way. Intelligence is part of that too. (Having had Siberians for a hundred years, I sure do know what you mean about a blur zooming in circles! Regular cuckoo attacks involve running the Iditarod 20 times around the house if not the outside.) All working dogs need a confident pack leader -- dealing well with them is MUCH easier if you understand wolf behavior & use that to communicate with them. They do not react well to forceful training, being independent & smart enough to know WHY they do what they do: you have to convince them there's another way.

Friends of ours had a dobie who could have written Einstein's Theory, I swear. He was SO smart & darling. One Christmas when I walked in their door, Mark ran to the tree, picked up the wrapped present underneath it that was labeled for him, and pranced over to hand it to me. His mama said in a normal conversational tone, "Mark! You can't open that till Christmas morning. Put it back under the tree." Immediately he did! I was so jazzed watching him.

They're so beautiful -- love to watch them move; it's a poem of pure form & strength & grace.

--- Laurie

 

[partgypsy]

It's interesting hearing about the behavior of running in circles. We have a rescue dog, and one of the not so endearing things he does is that, towards evening he will go on a tear, running back and forth between a couple rooms, just acting nuts, sometimes barking. He gets daily walks (plus we have a backyard). Now that he's 3 he doesn't do it every day but still will get a hair in his butt and do this. I wonder if that means he may be part doberman?

 

[Demon]

It's interesting hearing about the behavior of running in circles. We have a rescue dog, and one of the not so endearing things he does is that, towards evening he will go on a tear, running back and forth between a couple rooms, just acting nuts, sometimes barking. He gets daily walks (plus we have a backyard). Now that he's 3 he doesn't do it every day but still will get a hair in his butt and do this. I wonder if that means he may be part doberman?

Maybe part doberman, but our boxer races around the backyard like a gazelle on speed every now and then. So not just a doberman thing.

They are very smart. Our doberman was out in our (fenced) front yard one day when I went across the street and into a back yard to visit a neighbor. Now Greta could have easily jumped the fence, but instead she opened the gate (it was just one of those latches that you lift up to open the gate) and came across to find me. So I took her home, put her in the house, shut the screen door and went back across the street. A minute later, there she was again. I was suprised she didn't figure out how to turn the knob on the front door and come over a 3rd time, lol. Luckily we were on a very, very, low traffic side street.

 

[hot.soup]

Thanks for all of the responses guys!

We are still in the midst of doing our research; you guys have given us a lot of info to mull over.

How do you maintain pack leader status with your dobermans?

How much exercise do you give your dobermans daily?

My FI and I work slightly different shifts, so our dog would be left at home alone ~5 or 6 hours a day. Would you foresee any problems with this?

 

[Demon]

Thanks for all of the responses guys!

We are still in the midst of doing our research; you guys have given us a lot of info to mull over.

How do you maintain pack leader status with your dobermans?

How much exercise do you give your dobermans daily?

My FI and I work slightly different shifts, so our dog would be left at home alone ~5 or 6 hours a day. Would you foresee any problems with this?

Pack status was never an issue with my Dobie. Not even when my daughter was little. No problems in that area at all. (And I am a pushover for the dogs). Now my Boxer thinks she's more dominant than I am. Only dog I've ever had that does/did.

My Dobie was home alone all day with no problem, and she was walked every evening that we could.

 

[sctsbride09]

The pack leader thing has never been an issue with our girl, she is very well trained, so that has alot to do with it, as well as the fact that both DH and I are experienced pet owners. As long as you train your dog well, and keep up on training, you should be fine.

I walk Harlow 2 times a day for at least a mile and a half each time, and I play with her throughout the day (Im at home in the day). It depends how high strung your particular dobie is. At the least, its only fair to walk them once a day, and give them lots of play time in your backyard.

Dobies are just fine on their own for a few hours, but be aware how smart they are , and how bored they get. Example, when Harlow was a baby (3 months?) we left the house for oh, around 30 minutes. We came home to our entire carpet ripped up in our hallway. Another time, also when she was a puppy, she destuffed 4 down pillows all over the house. That was LOADS of fun to clean. The point Im trying to make is, get him/her nice and tired before you leave them alone, or crate train them. Make sure to get the xlarge crate though (if you go that route) because they grow so fast.


I think its wonderful you and your FI are doing so much research before getting a dobie, pets are a huge (and expensive) responsibility, and it would be nice to see more people take it seriously.

If you do get a dobie, make sure to come back and share pictures!!

 

[sctsbride09]

After I wrote the bit about Harlows naughty doings as a puppy, DH and I had a stroll down memory lane, and (his memory is better than mine sometimes) he recalls that Harlow was 6 months old at the carpet incident and 7 months at the pillow incident. Most of the other bratty things that she did was during that stage as well. By the time was she was 1 and a half, she had mostly settled down into the temperament she has today. She can still get bratty though, she just doesnt destroy things anymore.

 

[Imdanny]

I'll just add one thing. If I had it to do over again, I would have instructed the breeder to not cut the ears and tail. I've come to the conclusion it's not necessary and also my dog's ears failed to set and flopped over the rest of his life. My mother told me she wouldn't have done it and when I think about it I wish I had listened. Minor thing, just my opinion, just thought I'd mention it.