Doberman - Is it a good dog to get?

[sunflower71]

We are getting a dog and have decided on a doberman.
I want a bitch other have would prefer a dog,
Anyone have any pro's and cons and experience.
We would like to get from young we have a garden, other half has a unit on a farm so it wont be cooped up during the day, eventually we might leave at home but have an outside covered up area.
any tips would be appreciated

[lankeela]

Make sure the dog comes from a reputable breeder who has done all the necessary health checks, hips, von Willebrands, wobbler syndrome. This is one breed where you certainly get what you pay for!

They need to be given firm boundaries from an early age or else they can become dominant, bitches slightly less so than dogs.

Do not over exercise as a puppy, as they need time to grow into their bodies. Join a dog training class for socialisation as they can be very protective of their owners.

Try looking on http://www.champdogs.co.uk for breeders, and visit several before making up your mind.

Please make sure this is the breed for you by visiting breeders and seeing how you get on with their dogs, as this is a breed that is very difficult to rehome - believe it or not they would rather stay with a 'bad' owner than be rehomed to new owners. They take a lot of settling in.

[lankeela]

When you get to the champdogs site, click on Guided Search, then Working Group, then Dobermanns, then breeders. This gives a list of breeders with the counties they live in.

[divegirl]

Hi, I had a Doby years ago, he was adopted from Doberman Rescue and he was one of the best dogs I have ever owned. If you want a dog that fills a big part of your life...then this is definately a breed to consider. Because he was a rescue dog he did come with some problems....we were his third home, but once he had settled in he was a dream to train and loyal beyond anything I have ever known. I say go for it!!!

Lisa x

[saxy_jag]

All the above. I've never owned one, but have met a few, and lovely dogs they have all been. A little daft as youngsters, but they've been properly trained and cared for and have been friendly, gentle family pets, excellent with children. There's one exercises on our field at the same time as we go out, and he's one of the few dogs that my girl will actually play with.

[greenrook]

We took on a 17-month-old Dobermann girl years ago from the dog rescue people, when the the breed was getting a bad press. We knew little about dogs, let alone Dobermanns, but fell in love with this bouncing exuberant creature and took her home. I always thought she was a bit dim, having heard and read so much about trained Dobermanns, but what can you do about 6 stone of muscle that thinks it's a lapdog and acts accordingly? She liked everyone on sight, and people instinctively liked her - people in my local pub knew her name when they didn't know mine. But she reserved her special love for her family, even our cats, which was reciprocated, oddly enough, (I think they knew her for what she was), and above all else small children. She was never ill, except when she was bitten by an adder on the dunes. A dozen dogs died that Spring from adder bites, but she survived that too. She died aged 13, a good age for a Dobermann they tell me, quietly in her sleep,with her head against her radiator, her favourite position. She was still beautiful, even in death. I never knew a better, gentler or more steadfast person, on 4 legs or 2. I hope you're as lucky.

[divegirl]

awww greenrook....What a lovely description of you so obviously much loved dog.

Lisa x

[doglady2]

Hi all the above as said before..what a lovely breed of dog this is alongside Rotties................but i have to say I am a GSD owner and always will be.However i have friends who have dobes and also show them and they are beautifull,friendly and VERY SMART.
I am BIG believer of a dog is mostly what you you put into it and if it is properly trained and socialized....then you will have a wonderfull companion and friend who will give its life for you.......i know our GSD's would of.
A big part of the training is getting it used to other people and dogs,i used to sit outside supermarkets.........obviously when it was old enough and not too scared of noise etc........and puppies and babies are a huge crowd puller.It did my girls a power of good....and also it did alot for the breed.
I used to work them in Search and Rescue and i used to give talks on the work we did with the police,the talks were usually for the W.I and i fondly remember one very elderly lady who was sat on the front row shaking with fear because of the dog i had with me.
I straight away went and sat with her ,with my girl.who straight away gave this little lady her paw.......she just melted.The dog stayed with her the rest of the talk and she was smileing all the time she had her with her.
Best of luck with finding a good breeder and having fun..........yrs of fun, with your new member of your familly.Regards.

[beryllium]

Hi sunflower71,
We rescued our Dobermann from this rescue centre. Reading the stories of people who buy dogs and then discard them is heart breaking. Dylan, our doby, is 15mnths and was a yr old when we came and got him. He is my 3rd doby. They are an incredible breed. They need lots of attention and lots of exercise, super intelligent, lol and very strong willed. and....yep, gotta agree with greenrook on the lapdog front, they really are very fast at getting on your lap and laying down in a small ball on you like they've been there all the time :-) amazing what they can do with their long legs.
Here is the site I was refering to and there is one darling Doby on there too.....

http://www.freewebs.com/manytearsrescue/dogslo okingforhomes.htm

With The Kindest of Wishes

B. :-)