PlaneShift
Fan Area => The Hydlaa Plaza => Topic started by: Eurac on May 01, 2008, 02:31:47 pm
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I am thinking of getting a family dog and wondered if any of you have Dobermans, they are the only dogs I am drawn to, not because they are a "MANS DOG", but because the ones I have met have always been the nicest dogs around.
This would be my first dog and would like some feedback about them, good or bad.
Just thought I would ask on these forums.
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Eurac,
I think any dog can be trained to be a loving 'family pet'. Asking about Dobermans in general like this does not mean that you will get the same out of your pet. I have a Shetland Sheep Dog who was supposed to get to 15 pounds. Full grown he is 35 pounds. Yet he is smart and does as he is told. I even trained him to know sign lauguage of which is useful now as he is going deaf. Training and caring for your pet makes all the difference.
Yet I do know someone who has a Doberman and he is very sweet, a little aggressive, but they are working on it being that he is just about a year old. Though if you have small children a large dog might not be the right choice. Again the way you handle the dog makes all the difference.
Any other questions, please ask me. This is my most favorite topic. I love animals.
Best Regards,
Mathy
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Why a "MANS DOG"? Because of it's size? If you want a man's dog you need to look at the background and personality of a dog. The personality will partly be decided by the way you treat your dog. Jack Russell Terriers, German Shepherds, Pointers are dogs with strong characters.
Buying a puppy and raising it the way you want would be the easiest way to decide how you want your dog to be. A Doberman would be a good choice nonetheless since it is a lively breed, but be sure you teach him who's the boss around the house.
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If you buy a puppy..save yourself a LOT of trouble and be sure its house trained first.
Also keep in mind puppies are very active and require lots of attention and like to chew on things ;)
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OMGAWD...how did i miss this thread?
Definitely get a puppy, they are adorable, snuggly, wonderful, snuggly, adorable....snuggly...erm, yeah.
I personally am a lab person, though they can be a bit hyper. I have a golden lab (golden retriever/yellow lab mix), and shes always had the calm temperament of a golden retriever. I have friends who have doberman's and they are cute as can be. Kinda hyper too, but im sure thats just because they are lazy and didnt train them well.
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They are active, need attention and chew on things, sounds like you Izzabella. He he!
Seriously we need all the advice we can get, i am reading the posts with great intrest, keep 'em coming dog owners.
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It is unlikely you will get a puppy that is house trained. That is the beginning of your relationship with the dog anyway. It is good to show him gently that you are the boss.
Always be kind and loving, never hit him, ever!!!
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I have a Shetland Sheep Dog who was supposed to get to 15 pounds. Full grown he is 35 pounds. Yet he is smart and does as he is told.
I love shelties! I had a couple of them growing up, and both were over-sized. The second I believe was about 30 lbs. Very smart, very sweet dogs. The best part is that they are reserved and don't like people that they don't know. It's fun to watch your dog come up and sniff your friend and then back off when your friend tries to pet her.
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Not to off topic Eurac, but....
Rayken, you should see my dog. He is a beautiful Blue Merle. He is sweet, kind, and loving and mostly what I love is his loyalty. Though sad as it may be, he is getting old now.
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Get a cat! Dobermans are not my favorite breed since one once popped a plastic ball I had in one bite when I was 4 or 5. The poor dog bit more than he could chew since the ball exploded in his mouth but I don't think he was hurt, just a bit startled. Definitely his owner's fault, the idiot. It was a brand new bright yellow ball themed after the smurfs. I kicked it once and it never touched the ground again... It still had that "new ball" smell.
:'(
Anyway... I guess it all depends on how you raise your dog. Space is super important too. I think that it's not enough to like dogs to have one, you should really LOVE them, but that applies to any animal you may want to have.
Oh, and if you need help with your dog, this (http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips/) will come in handy. He the man.
And, not that anybody asked, but... my favorite dog is the smooth fox terrier. I mean, aren't they cute or what?!
(http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/8131/foxterriersmoothjt1.jpg)
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Eurac,
I have a story to tell you. Being that most people at work know about my great success I have had with my dog, they come to me for advice. This lady knocks on the door to my office and I tell her to come in and she is in tears. I have her take the seat in front of my desk and close the door. She tells me she was walking her Boxer and it was attacked by another dog and was killed. She tells me this dog was her husband’s favorite dog ever. So we talked about getting another puppy when the time is right, and only then.
Months later she comes into my office and I ask her to sit. She tells me they have been looking for a dog for awhile and found one. She told me even though she bought another Boxer, this one is nothing like the other one. Even though they got another dog of the same breed, this one was nothing like the first. She was greatly saddened by this.
I have found that no matter what all the breeders, websites, and the people we know virtual or not, each dog has its own personality just like we do. This is just something for you to think about when you search for your puppy.
Might I suggest a dog from the pound? I have been told a rescued is forever grateful for being rescued. Maybe there is a rescue club for Dobermans in your area. This way if it does not work out you can return it and know it will be safe until someone else wants him. I helped a lady at work with a Golden she did not want and the rescue club promised me they would not destroy her and they did not. They found this dog a good home instead. I was glad.
btw, adorable dog Dajoli. Give him a long pet from Mathy please.
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Oh, no, that's not my dog. It's a wiki pic. :P But that's the dog I want, hehe. Hold the snow but keep the fleas frozen.
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All I have to say is type cairn terrier into google image search and you'll have my opinion of what dog you should get :thumbup:
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Yes! Very cute Taneben :)
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Doberman? I think those are illegal in my country because of their highly aggressive nature. So no, I don't have one ;)
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o.0 First picture in google:
(http://www.ferraralaw.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/doberman.jpeg)
But I think Mathy said it already, how ya treat ya pet it's how it's gonna love ya ;)
I myself prefer ninja kittenz (http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/ninjacatizfl128392937250156250.jpg)
they know what is justice (http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/ninjakittenz4justice.jpg?w=500&h=560)
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That's a Doberman? Looks more like a Rotweiler... But then again, I know nothing about dogs. :-[
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That's a rottweiler, and no thomphoenix the doberman breed is not illegal in the Netherlands, they just have a bad rep is all.
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Dobermans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doberman) are slimer than rottweilers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rottweiler) but they have similar hair patterns.
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Thats a Dobi he's just smiling :D
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Ah, of course. I was confused with rottweilers. Thanks Jekkar :)
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(http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/cute-puppy-pictures-outside-needs-hug.jpg)
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OHHH!! Rescue a dog! They need love!
/me really shouldnt really be allowed to post in this thread, seeing as puppies make her go all to pieces :oops:
p.s. I just remembered this other family i used to babysit for had a doberman and it was very nippy...not nice. Probably one of the only dogs that has ever freaked me out...ever! But then again...this puppy is the cutest thing ever....
(http://www.puppysites.com/deluxe/k-ninedobie.jpg)
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Ohhhh! Anumesa, its your fault.
My wife is going bananas over your last pic.
I'm still not convinced we can cope with such a big dog, but I do love em!
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Eurac,
Try a Border Collie
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bordercollie.htm
Smart dogs that do not get to big.
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I have a yorkie...
(http://www.ultimate-yorkie.com/Yorkie%20smile.jpg)
Perhaps the largest and strongest one I've ever seen... and I'm thankful hes not 100 lbs :P
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Hehe. I think Eurac made up his mind after his first post. He's getting a dobbie, he is... ::)
Is the House of Games taking bets on it?
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Rottweiler here. I have met quite many dobermans thought and those have been nice. btw this is my first dog if that helps anything
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I have a yorkie...
http://www.ultimate-yorkie.com/Yorkie%20smile.jpg
Perhaps the largest and strongest one I've ever seen... and I'm thankful hes not 100 lbs :P
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=twOD0sc1fVI
Video of the yorkie I had not long ago, sadly passed away recently.
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Eurac make sure you do more homework before you get any dog. It is a big responsibility.
/me wanted a Great Dane, but alas I am just to small for such a big dog.
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Hehe Mathy, anything is too small for that dog :D
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They are called "Gentle Giants" you know Dajoji. I still say rescue a dog. There are millions out here.
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You might want to check petfinder.com I'd say that it would be best to get an adult dog as the personality is already there. That way you know what you are getting. Plus, no housebreaking! :)
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Ah somehow that video touched me Jekkar.
The loss of a pet is kinda like the loss of a family member... but thats another subject. I like small dogs, they're easier to control, and are in my opinion lower upkeep - also they tend to live longer, a large dog (to be healthy) needs like a whole field to run around in to keep in shape, while say a smaller dog just needs a living room or a back yard to run around in. Keeping a dog in good physical condition will keep it healthy and increase its life expectancy.
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Earl does not own a basenji. He would think otherwise if he did. :whistling:
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Eurac make sure you do more homework before you get any dog. It is a big responsibility.
/me wanted a Great Dane, but alas I am just to small for such a big dog.
I agree with that. Also unlike for example tibetinspaniel Rottweiler is REALLY DEMANDING. I also believe doberman is a like and if you take big dog make sure you are willing to spend mero than 20-30 min outside. My rottweiler is small for it kind, but she really needs looooooong walks(several km).
Guess thats that for my "advices" ;)
My small pepper mill is also super energy ::|
I did get good "customer" support thought. I purchased my dog from my cousin. So it is easy to ask something if I need advice/help
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So Eurac, What did you decide to do? Let us know.
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I used to raise Border Collies (and have three), so I would only recommend them if these conditions are met:
1: The owner is smarter than the dog.
That is not a joke. This is the single most important thing. BCs have at least the intelligence of a 2 year old human. You have to be an intelligent person to own one. We have had dogs ruined and brought back to us because the owner was not smart enough. One woman thought her 6 mouth old was going to have to be put down because she was biting, growling, and completely out of control. After the dog came back to us, it only took 15 minutes or less for me to get her completely under control, happy, and obedient. We took her to a new owner and she is now not only a rescue dog, but the best and smartest rescue dog the school had ever seen.
2: The owner must be kind, but stern.
A happy dog is a dog who knows who is in charge. That would be the owner and family. Always use a strong, deep voice when disciplining even a puppy. Don't use a high-pitched or normal tone, and don't yell. Your intention is not to scare the dog, but to establish an "I am King in this house, and I am not talking your guff" attitude. Growl right now. Give a good "Grrrrrr!" from deep in your chest. That is the tone you should use (minis the growl). Your dog should react instantly to that tone. a hanging head or 'sad eyes' is a very good reaction.
3: Discipline!
Do not be afraid to punish your dog. They are not going to hate you. The best way to punish minor infractions is the deep tone. If that fails to inspire the correct behavior, plan B is to tip the dog upside down and hold them good and tight by their throat (but don't choke). while doing this, use your deep voice to tell them that you are the Boss, and they will listen to you. Once the stop struggling and tip their head back, let them up and tell them they are a good dog and pet them all over. Reward is as important as discipline. It will work wonders. It is best to start with a puppy, as they are small and easy to handle, and that is when they learn the ropes the best. Have your kids do it as well under your supervision, as they are also above the family dog in the 'pack'. Yes, the dog sees you as a pack, so treat the dog like it is. A well trained dog does not need treats for obeying, and I would avoid them. They will be happy just to do as you say and get a pat on the head. Our BCs crave being told to do things just to do them. Our female thinks it is the best thing in the world to just be told to pick something up.
4: Room.
If you don't have room for a large or active dog, don't get one. BCs are not city dogs, for instance, unless you have access to a park and can let them run for 20 miles a day.
Follow these rules, and you will have a good dog, whatever kind you choose.
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Thanks for all your advice everyone, I promise to let you know if we get a hairy beast and what it is. My wife still wants a Dobi, I have taken to Collies a little, maybe even a German Shepherd. Might compromise and get a Collie and a kitten, (Rescue Collie). Ah! The wonders of negotiation in married life, He he!
Thanks again everyone.