Do you have or personally know any Dobermanns?

Question

We are planning to get a Dobermann puppy but want to know people's experience with Dobermanns as adults temperament-wise.

Answer 1

Dobermans are great dogs!!! Very intelligent and very willing to learn. They WANT to learn and please you!!! They have tremendous strength,, very protective of their home & human family. PLEASE do not tie/leave the Dobie outside they want to be where ever you are.Their nick-names are the velcro dogs since they are like a shadow and will follow you all day, everyday when you are in sight. There are quite a few people that don't trust Dobermans & think they are vicious, this is only a myth!!! As long as they are trained & loved, they are one of the BEST!!! You will NOT go wrong!!! Some people also seem to think they are NOT a good dog to be around children.....I 'm here to tell you that a pup growing up around a child will LOVE that child and protect them to the end!!! You may have trouble correcting that child. lol Dobies are very affectionate,devoted & loyal and their grooming is very minimal. They do need lots of exercise and can be very stubborn or head strong so they need an owner that will be devoted and presistant at teaching them. I have and do own Dobermans and they have been raised around my children & grandchildren, NEVER was there a problem!! They are my favorite breed. Good luck with the puppy & you'll NEVER regret it!!!!

Answer 2

I've seen both sides of the temperaments. A family we've been friends with for years has 2 of them ever since I can remember. They were brought up with their kid and their 2 tiny Yorkies, which played with them! They are great dogs, but VERY protective of the family. Overall though I think it depends on the way that they are brought up. My bf wants to get a Doberman after college and we have 2 Yorkies under 5 lbs, and I am very comfortable with the idea. I think that it is better to have the dog after you've had kids so it can be totally raised with the kids and they get used everyone. I also think that their temperament is sometimes reflected in the way they are treated, disciplined, and taken care of. They are gorgeous dogs! Good luck!

Answer 3

When I was growing up we had 3 dobermans, one was the dog we got as a puppy from a breeder, the second was our dog's puppy and the third was a rescue dog we adopted.

They were all lovely lovable dogs. Paris was the oldest, she was the ringleader and looked out for the other dogs. She was very affectionate and would spend all day getting patted if she could. She was also very clever - she worked out how to open the back door by herself (unfortunately didn't work out how to close it!).

If people came to visit they would run up and check them out and bark, but they were really happy to see the people and would lick them when they got out of the car, whether they knew them or not. They weren't just one person dogs, they loved everyone. Even Amber, who was our rescue dog, she was very timid when we first got her but after some time in the house and seeing how the other dogs were so comfortable with us, she soon learnt she had nothing to fear and came out of her shell.

They were all wonderful dogs, very clever, affectionate and good-tempered. They never bit. I think if you socialise them well and make sure they have lots of human contact they won't have a bad bone in their body. They usually get the bad reputation because they have been taught to be guard dogs, but if you bring them up as part of the family they are lovely fun dogs to have. I recommend them 100%.

Answer 4

Yes, they can be like over sized babies. They can also be cautious and guarded with toys, food, people etc.

You should be getting a puppy from someone who is breeding for a friendly dog. The breeder will know which pup is most likely to have the best temperament. The pup should be handled from an early age, socialized with lots of people and other dogs and most important - taken to a positive reinforment training class.

Answer 5

We have had Dobermans for 20 years and I would advise to read up and get as much info as poss b4 you get one.
They are superb dogs and I wouldn't have any other breed however they are very strong willed and usually will only obey one strong adult personality.
They are loyal and excellent with children.
Like all dogs it is only the owner that make them bad.
Start as you mean to go on and have a routine and good standard rules so as not to confuse him.
Good luck and many happy years

Answer 6

I have a doberman mix, and she's just the sweetest and most obedient dog I've ever owned. She barks at people she doesn't know at night, but during the day just loves everyone. My kids were playing "doctor" with her yesterday, and were messing with her face and belly and she just laid down and pretended she was still sleeping. My husband and his parents always had dobermans when he was growing up, and they said theirs were always like this too. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

I have worked as a certified veterinary technician for many years and the Doberman is one of my most favorite breeds to work on. Despite their reputation, I have very rarely met an aggressive one. Most of the time they're just big teddy bears.

I will warn that they may cost a lot in vet bills. I would get pet insurance as soon as you get your puppy and maintain it throughout its life. One company that i recommend to my clients is Pet's Best, but there are many pet insurers out there. I would recommend to stay away from VPI.
Some of the issues I have seen most common with these guys is cranial cruciate ruptures (torn ligament in the knee- just like human athletes), GDV (this is an emergency situation where the stomach twists on itself requiring emergency surgery- Entirely preventable by having your dogs stomach tacked to the body wall during its spay/neuter), and when they get older this is one of the most common breeds to get osteosarcoma or cancer of the bone.

Hope this helps and enjoy your new puppy when you get it!

Answer 8

In any given situation, focus on what you do want your dog to do instead of on whatever he’s doing wrong. Learn how to train your dog https://tr.im/p7n73

For example, suppose that on many evenings, your young dog gets busy looking for trouble just as you’re digesting your dinner. He grabs a boot from the mat by the front door and gallops through the house with it. You yell at him and take it away. He grabs its mate. You yell and take it away. He heads for the kitchen and starts checking out the counters in case something tasty’s been left behind. You chase him away. And on and on, until you’ve lost your temper and torn out clumps of hair you can ill afford to lose.

Answer 9

I knew a family that owned two dobermans when I lived in Texas; they were great dogs. They were very protective of the family, but once they saw that you were welcome in the house, then they were very obedient and affectionate, without being overwhelming. They were very good about letting their owners know when someone was around, but were well-trained and were not at all vicious.

Answer 10

I grew up with a girl whose mother bred Dobermans. The adults were very laid back. They tended to be one-person dogs, meaning that they would have one person that they preferred far more than any others. She had them very well trained, so they were well-behaved.