can doberman pinchers be lovable and protective?

Question

are dobermans really as mean as portrayed or does it really depend on the owner. would like to know more about the breed from owners,and if they can be good with a child.

Answer 1

i got my first doberman in1977 and fell in love with the breed. i have never been with out at least 2 of them since. they are with out a doubt the most miss understood dog in the world. my 4 year old grandson and the dog i have now are like 2 little kids not a boy and a dog.they are every thing you would ask for if you could have one custom made. smart, loyal, loving ,devoted, playful,they will actually talk to you and tilt their heads when you talk back to them they understand anything you say. they are so easy to train all they want to do is please you.Yogi the dog i have now sleeps in bed with me and my husband under the covers. yes this is the mean dog you see in the movies. i have worked with animals all my life and am a rvt( vet tech) for 22 years and in all that time i have seen only 2 mean dobies. they like people. with the selective breeding that has been done over the last 50 years they are very stable dogs,but ! what they were first intended for is still there if you need them to protect you he will give his life to save you.they are a very formidable dog but only when he needs to be.

Answer 2

Well I own 3 dobermanns. I will never own another breed. They are definetly working dogs that need a firm and STRONG owner and I don't mean physically, they love challenge and to use their minds. For anyone who says that they are not lovable has definetly never owned one!!! Mine could be working one minute and lounging on the couch the next. As long as your children know how to treat dogs they do very well with children. I have owned dobes for the last 13 years and I have a 13 year old son. He was taught from a very young age how to treat dogs. They are to be respected and they will in turn respect him. I do suggest that if you get one, take some time picking he/she out. Also these are not outside dogs. They thrive on being with their owners, as all dogs do. But dobes have to have that contact. If you do your research you'll hear alot that they are velcro dogs. Plan to never be able to do anything by yourself again. They follow you from the moment you wake in the morning and until you they think that you're finally asleep at night. Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

Most of the "bad" things you have seen or heard about Dobermans is untrue. Because the breed is often depicted in TV and movies as an aggressive guard dog, people just assume that all Dobermans have those charicterists. The main reason a Doberman is good for protection is because a lot of people are afraid of them, not because they are really dangerous. Like ANY breed, a Doberman will usually protect its home, but they are not naturally viscous of aggressive. From the time you put your new Doberman in the car with you and head home, its personality begins to change and adapt to its new situation. Some Dobermans are quiet and reserved for a few days in their new home while they patiently wait to see what the routine is going to be. Others become boisterous and excitable now that they have a family all to themselves. And then there are those who really change very little and seem to just go with the flow. If your Doberman seems reserved or shy or uncertain, make sure it has a crate that is in a room or location in your home that is quiet and private. Introduce the dog to its crate by giving it a treat and talking calmly then praising it when it goes inside the crate. For the first few times of introducing it to its crate, you might not bother shutting the door. You want your new dog’s initial exposure to its crate to be a positive one. If your dog is boisterous and overly excited, do the same thing by introducing it to its crate and have it go in and out several times—each time offering it a treat and moderate praise. And don’t be overly concerned if once in its crate, it lets you know in no uncertain terms that it doesn’t like it there. Dobermans are nick-named "Velcro-dogs" because they tend to stick to their people. Some Dobermans start to show this tendency within minutes of meeting their new owners, others take several days or weeks. Regardless of how much or how little your dog seems to enjoy your company at first, your dog needs plenty of contact with you to become a happy, well-adjusted member of your family. Take time to play with and train your Doberman, to go for walks, and to sit in quiet companionship. While you may have a hard time imagining that your boisterous new Doberman would enjoy curling up with you to watch a movie and share a bowl of popcorn, a good workout can transform him into a calm companion, at least for a few hours.

Answer 4

ANY extremely protective dog can be very loving. I have a Chihuahuah that only weighs 4 1/2 lbs but she is meaner than snot to everyone I know except my family. She tried to take down my Pug who weighs 25 lbs. It is really funny. But she means business. If you buy a dog that is from a really protective breed as a puppy, they learn to love you and your immediate surrounding people. If you have a certain set of friends that are around all the time, chances are that the puppy will accept those people mentally as "family" and there fore will be nice to those people. They can be taught to accept other people like a girlfriend or a new wife but that takes time.

Answer 5

I have a doberman who loves everyone he meets, but is very aggressive towards all other dogs. He absolutely loves my 4 year old, but I would never leave any dog alone with a child, no matter how lovable they are.

Answer 6

In my opinion, Doberman pinchers are not lovable.

Answer 7

it depends on the owner, but they are an agressive dog yes. they may be lovable but I wouldnt put it with a child! Go with something more like a rotweiler or boxer, they tend to be more level headed, but still protective!

Answer 8

Yes they can! Some friends of ours in Alabama have a dobermann since before their 2 youngest kids were born and the dog got along well with them just fine.

Answer 9

It depends on the breeding and how they are raised. Most dobies are wonderful dogs, loving and protective. As with any big dog, I would never leave them alone with a small child.

Answer 10

if they are brought up from puppy-hood as loving dags, then yes. and if they are socialized with children and people from an early age, as well as treated with respect, they should be fine