Living with a doberman?

[Melamaphine]

I'm hoping I can get some honest accounts from forum members here who have experience of owning a dobermann.

I can't get another dog right now because we're still working our collie through her nervous and FA issues, but I am giving serious thought to getting a dog to keep her company permanently when she is more stable as she loves other dogs. I'm really keen on getting a dobermann, I've fallen in love with a couple that we regularly meet and Simba adores.

To explain my situation, the two of us live with our rescue collie girl, Simba. We both work, but she gets walked before we leave in the morning and I go home at lunchtime to let her out. She happily settles for the about 4 hours at a time, and gets a good walk and play, with some reward-based training each evening (and PLENTY of cuddles). At weekends we take her for much longer walks (generally a few miles through countryside) and we do lots of playing and training.

There are a number of other dogs that we have regular contact with, my family cocker spaniel Molly, a 7 year old staffy bitch and a young large crossbreed (rotty/ridgeback/staffy) and two male dachshunds. It would be vital that another dog got on with them all.

When I took Simba in I was hoping I could rehabilitate her and build her confidence up enough to do agility and more advanced obedience, while this might still happen it looks unlikely - so when I get another dog I would like to be able to do these things, hence a dobe appeals.

My main issue is, having always had collies, spaniels etc - how much of a change in tact would I need? I'm not a forceful person with my dogs, I train them with trust and patience and I'm first to admit I'm a bit soft at times.:o But, with the dogs I've had this is what has helped them get better.

I don't want one to 'look hard', that's really not my thing, however I do live on the edge of a city and it wouldn't be the worst thing to have a dog that I could walk at night and feel a little safer than I do with a fluffy collie.

I've read everything I can find about them, but I always think first hand accounts are the most insightful. Please help! Could a dobermann work for us?

[Monkey]

Well dobies usually don't like to be left home alone so I would say that work on that DIRECTLY if you get a dobie pup. I have meet all sorts of dobies, hyper, calmer, medium. So it depends a bit what speed you want of them. They do need to run however, I had an intact male that at the age of six he was still good with other dogs DESPITE abuse that I could let in a perfectly strange young male in the house and he would be so nice to them. I love dobies, but I prefer rotts cause they are easier to turn off. A dobie if he hasnt got enough exercise WILL bug you about it. And usually they whine too, they have a little nose sound they do where they almost sound like a teapot. But as long as they are socialzed and well exercised its easy. You might have to increase the exercise time. My dobie was out 30 min in the morning, 2 hours when I woke up (I was working night, those 30 min was his evening walk), and then another 45 minutes prior to work. Then in between, play and cuddles. Im gonna post a few pictures of what he did to get attention. and he was a fairly big boy... *lol* I judt gotta dig em up... They are extrem lapdogs!!

Here is the photos:

This is what he did to get attention, he put his head on my mouse arm and pressed down.
http://www.dogforum.org/gallery/data/500/medium/nik2.jpg

This is the same move, but to the extrem.
http://www.dogforum.org/gallery/data/500/medium/niko3.jpg

Here is when I still refused to take him out...
Then he crawled up in the chair behind me and went to sleep so I sat on the edge of it.
http://www.dogforum.org/gallery/data/500/medium/sniko1.jpg

So they can be VERY opiniated ;)

[Melamaphine]

He's so gorgeous Monkey! I'm in love, I absolutely adore them. I like Rotties but I think they're just too chunky for me, I like the elegance of a dobe.

That goes along with a lot of what I've read about them. Simba's quite low energy for a collie, she gets about 2 - 3 miles walk when I get home off leash, but she doesn't run around much just likes to trot along beside me. However, the option is there to run around like a loony if the dog wants to.

I used to have a high energy springer spaniel and he'd run for hours and play with his toys, which I was expecting when I got Simba! I'm quite active so the exercise thing isn't much of a problem, we're trying to train Simba to run along beside a bike but she won't have any of it (yet).

The being left at home alone, would it help that he/she would be with Simba and not completely alone?

[Monkey]

well if you are used to that energy level, then it wont be a problem. Your dobie will be a happy dobie. :D

Well I would say make sure that you have 1 month or 2 with him home before you/and/or hubby goes back to work. Maybe if you take a month each so it's two.. where you practice the home alone thing. Caue seriously they are a PAIN. Mine could never be alone despite avid training so we ha to work shifts. He tore up EVERYTHING. Of course he was 6 when I got him and he had gone through 11 homes and severe abuse and that was his ONLY downside. But he ate the front door almost to the point where he ate THROUGH it. He peed, he tore up the walls, the floor you name it.. after 6 months of intensive training we gave up. So... train carefully!!! A friend of mine however had Tasha's best friend Donna, she was perfect home alone, she couldn't bother less so I would say ask for the calm dobie?? if your getting a pup that is. I would say aim for working, confident lines. My dobie was a little I dont know, funky??? meanwhile Donna, she held her head high and she walked like she was a royalty, mine thought he was the jester. If that explains the difference in attitude? do I make ay sence?? lol

[Melamaphine]

Yes that makes sense, lol.

There are three dobes that we regularly see, an absolutely HUGE black/tan male called Max - Simba is totally in love with him, it's ridiculous. As soon as she sees him, her tail goes up and she prances up to him then rubs up against him all goofy. he's a lovely lad, just trots along with his dad and is very calm so it's one like him I'd be after. The other two, one is liver and crazy, and the other is a female who is obsessed with her ball, both lovely though.

I was unsure about the way to go if we decide to get one. I've always liked to rescue unwanted dogs but I do wonder with such a new breed to me if it might be wise to get a puppy? Simba's had so many issues I would have to be so careful, I still don't know whether we'd want a dog or a bitch

[bunnyphone]

we're trying to train Simba to run along beside a bike but she won't have any of it (yet).

Are you trying with her on or off the lead? Off lead (somewhere like the park) is easier at first, until she gets used to the bike and that it's not going to eat her, and she'll naturally want to follow you.

[Monkey]

Yes that makes sense, lol.

There are three dobes that we regularly see, an absolutely HUGE black/tan male called Max - Simba is totally in love with him, it's ridiculous. As soon as she sees him, her tail goes up and she prances up to him then rubs up against him all goofy. he's a lovely lad, just trots along with his dad and is very calm so it's one like him I'd be after. The other two, one is liver and crazy, and the other is a female who is obsessed with her ball, both lovely though.

I was unsure about the way to go if we decide to get one. I've always liked to rescue unwanted dogs but I do wonder with such a new breed to me if it might be wise to get a puppy? Simba's had so many issues I would have to be so careful, I still don't know whether we'd want a dog or a bitch

well, depends on when you will get it HOW simba is..

However IF you get a pup (which I would prolly recomend if you want to compete, alternative to elaborated tests with the rescue dog since there are good rescue too, however the chance might be that you find something that will disqualify him later like reaction to shot, which they are not suposed to have and that can be hard to test) make sure you train it away from simba so simba's behavior dont effect the pup AT ALL. Cause the pup might become like simba and then you have two nutters :p

[Melamaphine]

Are you trying with her on or off the lead? Off lead (somewhere like the park) is easier at first, until she gets used to the bike and that it's not going to eat her, and she'll naturally want to follow you.

Well what we've been attempting is for my OH to ride the bike slowly along, I've got hold of her and I try to run alongside with her to start with to show her what I want. I've also tried getting him to call her name while he's riding along on the bike. She'll run so far, but she's petrified of the bike if it gets too close.

make sure you train it away from simba so simba's behavior dont effect the pup AT ALL. Cause the pup might become like simba and then you have two nutters :p

That is EXACTLY what I'm afraid of!!

I really want another doggy as a friend for her, she loves other dogs so much it hurts me to see her so sad when Molly goes away with my parents. This is why i'm planning in advance, it's such a gamble introducing a large breed with a nervous, FA dog! I need to get her sorted before I attempt it.

[Grammazona13]

If you get a doberman chances are you will be in love! I have had 3 and they have been great. Currently I have rescued one taking "the last walk" as they say at the Humane Society. She was neglected totally from puppy til 10 months when we got her. She has a lot of issues with trust and socialization of course. She didn't even have a clue what a toy, ball or lease was when we got her in October last year. Now she's traveling with us in a motorhome. I was afraid of anxiety attacks and that she would tear up stuff. She has immediately adjusted and is the best traveler. We leave her alone up to 4-5 hours at times and she just sleeps. She is truely are traveling dog. When I get home I'll foster another dog for awhile. I have done this and she enjoys having some one to chase around. So yes, by all means get a dobe. A puppy of course will require a lot of love and training. Training with love and being soft is the way to go for sure. Good luck.

[Monkey]

Well what we've been attempting is for my OH to ride the bike slowly along, I've got hold of her and I try to run alongside with her to start with to show her what I want. I've also tried getting him to call her name while he's riding along on the bike. She'll run so far, but she's petrified of the bike if it gets too close.



That is EXACTLY what I'm afraid of!!

I really want another doggy as a friend for her, she loves other dogs so much it hurts me to see her so sad when Molly goes away with my parents. This is why i'm planning in advance, it's such a gamble introducing a large breed with a nervous, FA dog! I need to get her sorted before I attempt it.


Agreed!!

Grammazona, you need to show uspcitures :D :D

[Melamaphine]

Yes Grammazona, pictures are a must!

So far nothing said has put me off a dobe, only made me think more and more that I could live with one.

I just need to convince OH that he really wants one, he's set on a basset hound but I don't think that a basset will quite meet my agility requirements!

[dogstar31]

We have a 3 year old Dobi, we socialize socialize and socialized somemore LOL with her
we got her when she was 8weeks old, took her to puppy playgroups, puppy kindergarden, puppy training, and them an adult class.
She is GREAT with our chihuha, cats and us. She can be werid around kids so we keep a close eye on her when they are around or she is on a leash, even though she has been around them since an 8week old pup. She will chase a kid if it runs.....

She is very smart and was easy to train, but I had LOTS of time for her, I was able to bring her to my work during the day and to the horse stable in the evenings where she was around kids, people, horses, cats dogs everyday, I was always training her in some sort of way there to. Now I work from home and she is with me 24/7 and she comes with me when we go into town :)

We do have people that board horses at our house and they know her well, she still blows a barking, growling freaking out fit when they come over and they just say hey girl and walk by then she calms down and is good. But when she gets in crazy dobi bark mode she is VERY had to stop.

One thing that is kind of hard is horse shows everyone brings there dogs,they are either tied or running lose and the people and kids have fun with them, with our dobie she couldnt be offleash or even tied since people just cant come up to her she will get a little agressive and doesnt like strange people coming up to her fast or with out a 5 minute getting to know her period. I would love to bring her like the other dgos but we just cant take the chance of something happening and at a horse show you cant watch her 24/7 and make sure no-one goes near her, its strange because we socialzed more than people can even belive.

She doesnt like being alone she would rather come with me and sit in the car all day than sit in the house.

My 4 pound chihuha is the boss of her, and its pretty cute.

Even as a tiny pup when she was left alone in the house or car she NEVER EVER chewed anything!! She was very well behaved.

We do have to be a little carefull if we take her to public places like lakes, parks etc... if she does see a person running she will chase them and bark and scare the crap out of them..... she doesnt hurt the person she just scares them, not good though. That has been something we were never able to train out of her even after 3 years of trying, so now we are just very carefull.

I personally feel that if you want to own this breed, you need to have LOTS AND LOTS of time for socialziation when they are young and even as adults. My girl is alot of work, you ALWAYS have to keep one eye open and on her when you are in public. But we live on a huge private acerage its perfect for her, when we lived in the city with her it was alot more difficult.

Oh and she is VERY high energy we go quading, running, and horse riding almost daily for long periods of time and she is NEVER ever tired haha.

She is a GREAT guard dog, people think twice before they open the gate and walk in our yard, with a snarling, barking dobi in there face. She is very very protective of our place.

hope this helps. This is just my experince with our dobie.

Oh and it took us over a year or so to find her, and another year of research before that about that learning about her breed. We are so happy we took that time researching her breed, because that has helped alot

Heres a pic of me and our dobi

http://www.mcbluestarstables.com/spangenew4.jpg