doberman question?

Question

if I wanted to adopt a large doberman as a watchdog for my home, would it be possible to trust him around my kids and my small dog, and find one that is trained already?

Answer 1

I have dobermans and if they are raised around children they are fine. Check with your local Doberman Rescue (go to www.dpca.org/rescue and on the left side scroll down to You Want A Dog). It is possible to find dobermans that are trained in basic manners. You don't need to train a dobe to be a "watchdog" because that is already bred into them - that's what they were bred for. They are fiercely devoted to their families and want to be with you constantly (the dobe community says "Owning a dobe means never going to the bathroom alone again.) However, the doberman is strong willed and you must be in charge and be the "leader of the pack." Obedience training and lots of time to exercise is a must, as a bored dobe is a destructive dobe. They are definitely a house dog as they do not have the coat to keep them protected from the elements. As to the small dog, is it a male or a female? Dobes can play pretty rough and if it's a male, I wouldn't advise it as 2 males generally do not get along well at all. If you are set on a dobe, your best bet is to take your children and go to your closest rescue so a dobe with the proper temperament can be matched with your needs and wants. Go browse around the DPCA website - there is a ton of great information there that will help you make a decision that is right for you and your family. Good luck!

Answer 2

I have owned Dobermans for 17 years and I am a dog trianer.
Dobermans can be great dogs but not in every home situation.
Depending on how old your kids are and how much timeyou are willing to put into training with a dog a doberman might not be for you.
You can get them already trained but dobies are like two year old kids they test to see where their boundries are and if you are not up to making sure they know you are in charge they will. They will often not take direction from children well and many time do not listen to them and consider them to be lesser pack members.
It can be a huge problem. If you are not willing or do not have the time and desire to train with a dog get something other than a dobe.
Any dog will make a good watch dog.
Dobes are high maintainence dogs that require alot of exercise. They can do fine with other dogs but same sex aggression is a problem. Most wil not tolerate another dog of the same sex in the house hold. Some do but over all I never recommed to my clients that they have another dog of the same sex.
Do some serious reading and sutdy and go visit a breeder or rescue before you go out and get one. As it may not be the best fit for you household.

Answer 3

Doberman or not any dog will defend it's humans, home and itself. If you're looking to train your dog for security you need to look for a dog with a high play drive.

Dogs see everything as a game and the result the reward. If you get a shy/anxious dog it will be more unlikely to take the training. An overly aggressive dog may harm your children (and you're not looking for aggressivness!!). You just want a responsive dogs.

K-9 police dogs are trained this way - high play drives, as are search and rescue, drug dogs, etc.

Again... dobermans are wonderful dogs - but any dog will defend its home, its humans and itself (Though protection and security is what the dobi was bred for).

I wouldn't recommend getting a dog that is trained already because those dogs usually have a lot of "baggage". You're going to want to get a puppy so it is raised around your children and YOUR rules.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Where do some people here get their info from? Exploding skulls? Alpha male is the dog? WOW. If you want to get any dog and you want REAL protection make sure that whatever dog you choose has the right temperament for the job. There are a few breeds left out there, but, you need to make sure, most important of all, that the dog is 100% stable. Nerves have to be there 100% or you are asking for trouble. A neurotic dog or a dog that is not there mentally or has dominance issues in the house, is not the best thing to have around. Check and recheck any prospect you want until you are 1000% satisfied with a decision you can live with.

Answer 5

First off I think dobe's are beautiful dogs....but I do believe there are better options for what you have mentioned. In my experience dobe's are very loyal, but tend to pick a human they are fiercly devoted to,and can be almost possessive, which can cause many problems, even injury to small children. Second If adoption a dobe I would do this only if you can find a local society dealing with only dobe's. These dogs do tend to have an inherited problem with their brain continuing to grow after the skull is fully formed, which can cause unpredicted behavior such as violence and attacks. They may also have seizures due to the pressure exerted on the brain when it grows too large for the skull. If I might suggest a very loyal breed that has proven a great family member is the lab. Mine is very loyal even as an alpha male. They make wonderful guard dogs. Mine spent the first 5 years of my sons life between the baby and the front door. they are best buddies and he still checks on him constantly in the night. Labs are also known to hate smoke which is always a plus considering the devistation and injuries a home fire could cause. a great mix breed is lab sheppard. In my opinion they are one of the top mixed breeds around. Good luck in your search.

Answer 6

Never trust any dog completely around children or children around a dog. A protection dog with small children is not anything I would recommend unless they were raised together and trained together. Just my opinion.

Answer 7

Why a doberman? why not some other dog? what if it does,t preform the way you wish, they have schools for them everywhere,
have you had a dobie before?

Answer 8

Better to train one around your kids, that way they know who is who, and what not to do.