Any Doberman owners out there!

[Eurac]

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.

[Mathy Stockington]

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

[Jekkar]

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.

[Izzabella]

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

[Anumesa]

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.

[Eurac]

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.

[Mathy Stockington]

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!!!

[Rayken]

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.

[Mathy Stockington]

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.

[Dajoji]

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 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?!

[Mathy Stockington]

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.

[Dajoji]

Oh, no, that's not my dog. It's a wiki pic. But that's the dog I want, hehe. Hold the snow but keep the fleas frozen.

[Taneben]

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 

[Eurac]

Yes! Very cute Taneben

[ThomPhoenix]

Doberman? I think those are illegal in my country because of their highly aggressive nature. So no, I don't have one