They were and that was one of the main reasons they stopped.
The dogs were too clever to blindly follow orders.
They were big in the military as well but they found that the Dobes grieved too deeply if their handlers were killed to be of much use, afterward.
The final straw was their coat.
They are cold intolerant, unlike the various herding breeds used now.
Now, they are used in personal/home protection capacities more than anything.
Makes sense because that is precisely why they were created, in the first place.
Whether I am awake or asleep, they stay beside and watch over me without ceasing...kinda like slobbery angels.
:)
They can also be very friendly with complete strangers who present no threats to their humans. My first experience with a Dobe was in college in sophomore year. It was a Saturday afternoon in May. I was sitting in my room reading a book when this large male Dobe I’d never met came bounding into the room and started making friends with me as though he were a Lab or Great Dane. Never again have I regarded them as a vicious or threatening breed.
“Whether I am awake or asleep, they stay beside and watch over me without ceasing...kinda like slobbery angels.”
You’re just spreading more pro-doberman propaganda. :)