Posted on 06/18/2015 8:00:40 PM PDT by Altariel
In family movies featuring dogs, Doberman Pinschers are often cast as the baddies. Why not? After all, they’re large with mask-like features, and if they’ve had their ears cropped, they can look a little frightening. In real life, Dobermans are often employed in police and security industries because of their intelligence, readiness to work and their inherent strength. This dichotomy has led to wild public misconception about the breed – and their role in family life.
Ready to separate the facts from the fiction about Dobermans? Here are the myths you may have heard, and the truth behind them.
Myth: Dobermans cannot be trained until they are 6 months old.
Reality: Any owner who doesn’t start training as soon as they bring a new pet into their life is inviting a world of terrifying behaviours into their home. Larger breeds mature at a slower rate than smaller ones, but any dog that is ready to leave its mother is ready to be trained. Indeed, the puppy’s mother has been working on training since birth. (And Dobermans are actually a medium breed.)
Your young puppy may take awhile to grasp your meanings, but you should always start training as early as you can (with any dog, not just Dobermans). If you take your dog to group training sessions, they might request a certain maturity level, or age – but you certainly shouldn’t put off home training while you wait. House training, name response, and jumping rules should be at the top of your list, even if you wait until class to tackle the sit command.
Myth: Training Dobermans is frightfully difficult.
Reality: Training any dog can be difficult if you are inexperienced. Dobermans are no harder to train than any other breed given ideal circumstances. In fact, because Dobermans have been bred as work dogs, they’re actually quite inclined to training. They love the idea of having a job, whether it’s guarding a warehouse, or fetching your slippers.
Dobermans, like children, love to be lavished with one on one attention – especially if it’s constructive. As long as you have not left training too late, you and your Doberman should have a fabulous time in training. If you are having a tough time training your dog, regardless of the breed, you should consider the other factors that may be influencing this (such as lack of attention or exercise, or stressful stimuli in the training environment).
Myth: Dobermans are hyper.
Reality: Most Dobermans are spirited, happy and playful. Without training, they can certainly be mischievous, but, Dobermans are not exceedingly hyper. There are, however, factors that can make them seem constantly excited.
Dobermans love to socialise and play, which means that they’re eager to see you. If they don’t see enough of you, they’ll get even more excited. Diet also plays a factor in the behaviour of your dog. But, one of the main reasons Dobermans may demonstrate hyper behaviour is that they simply aren’t getting the space and exercise that they need. As a large work breed, Dobermans need plenty of space to run around, lots of structured exercise, and a fair amount of sleep. If you ignore these factors, or make it difficult for your Doberman to move around, then they’ll appear hyper.
Myth: Dobermans come in small, large and extra large varieties.
Reality: There are Doberman Pinschers, and there are Miniature Pinschers; not Dobermans and their “mini-me’s”. The smaller breed has actually been around a lot longer than Doberman Pinschers have. But, despite the resemblance in markings, these are different breeds, and they have different personalities and health care concerns.
More importantly though are the fallacies surrounding “King” or “Warlock” Dobermans. There’s simply no such thing. There are certainly breeding lines that produce larger dogs, but there are no registered super breeds. Unfortunately, the idea that bigger Dobermans are better pets or guard dogs has led to a lot of heartache. The bigger a Doberman is bred, the more likely it will develop health issues and complications.
Myth: Dobermans should be isolated from anyone besides family for best protection.
Reality: Dobermans are naturally protective animals. There’s nothing they love more than their pack, which includes other dogs in the home and their human members. It’s an inherent trait, and it hardly needs to be nurtured. Of course, it can’t be ignored either, if only because your Doberman won’t let you.
This is one breed of dog that should be well socialised with everyone it comes into contact with – and opportunities should be made for just that. Dobermans love to meet new people, and tend to endear themselves to them. Isolating a Doberman is tantamount to starving it. As long as you continue to shower your Doberman with attention, he will always protect you because that’s what he wants to do.
Myth: Dobermans turn on their owners.
Reality: Dogs have teeth. If you abuse a dog, they will use their teeth. Dobermans are no different from any other breed in that respect, though their size and strength may provide them with an advantage. No dog that has been raised in a loving, healthy environment will turn on its owners unless given a compelling reason. And most Dobermans would rather sulk in the corner than harm their owners.
Bringing a Doberman into Your Family
All in, Dobermans make excellent family pets, simply because they want so badly to be a part of your family. They want to play games, and they want to protect you from anything evil. They do extremely well in larger families and homes with spacious gardens. If you’re considering Doberman adoption, here are just a few tips to consider:
Look for breeders who keep the puppies inside the house after birth; the pups are usually better socialised.
Don’t consider any breeders that advertise larger lines as better lines.
Do not wait to train your new Doberman; start as soon as you can.
Lavish your puppy with attention, but remain firm with your boundaries. Dobermans are clever – and playful – which requires attention.
If you’re often away from home, or you don’t have enough space, consider another breed.
Prepare to have Dobermans for the rest of your life; they’ll grow on you instantly.
42 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2014. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 64% (27) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population.
Together, pit bulls (27) and rottweilers (4), the second most lethal dog breed, accounted for 74% of the total recorded deaths in 2014. This same combination also accounted for 74% of all fatal attacks during the 10-year period of 2005 to 2014.
http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-study-dog-attacks-and-maimings-merritt-clifton.php
I do not have time right now to address this incredible and sudden non sequitur.
Perhaps later.
You have definitely experienced them.
:)
Statistics about Doberman attacks have nothing to do with Doberman’s.
Ohhhhh..kay
Almost all “Doberman attacks” are done in defense of their owners.
Can’t see one bit of down side to that.
And Dogsbite.org is run by a liberal, ambulance chasing lawyer with “stats” that are questionable, at best.
Have a nice day.
I got things to do and people to be.
“Almost all “Doberman attacks” are done in defense of their owners.”
Proof please.
Meh. Statistics... You can make them say anything you want to - It's about breed popularity, and what people are using for guard dogs.
My dogs have always tended to be Malamute/Wolf crossed, or Malamute/Wolf/G.Shepherd... 125 lb or so. Such a dog is in a whole nuther category from a mere Pitbull or Rot... Normal dogs simply would not survive a melee between sled dogs, or even the environment they live in. A Malamute is readily able to tear a man to pieces, and a pack pf them is a terrifying thing if they are under threat.
But the kind of people that would have such a dog are few by comparison, and generally well able to handle them... So statistically, Malamute/Wolf crossed dogs aren't even on the radar.
Dear salamander,
thank you!
(Walking all 3 of them on a nice SoCal day, cleared many a sidewalk! hahahahaha)
MADE ME LAUGH!
A dog is just a dog; some bigger, some smaller.
Some easier to train, some a little tougher.
All dogs are naturally (bred into them for the last 40 thousand years) loving and lovable human companions.
That said; any dog will protect it’s self from mistreatment or harm, just like any human would.
Some are bred to be great hunters, some are bred to be great herder’s, some are bred to be great guards, and some are bred just to be lap dogs.
Any dog is only going to be as good or evil as it’s owner.
GOT THAT RIGHT!
What you call a PIT BULL is just a mongrel BULL DOG; their instinct is to grab hold and hold on until the target stops moving.
I have what you call a PIT BULL as one of my pack, Billy is a sweetheart who’s greatest ambition in life is to convince me he is a lap dog.
Me, or anybody else who he thinks he can get away with it.
I didn’t call anything a pit bull.
What, precisely, do you hope to accomplish by regurgitating that roundly discredited, candy assed, Fascist, liberal crapaganda into my lap?
Do you imagine that you will somehow dissuade me from owning Dobes?
Never. Happen.
Do you think to shake a a little bogeyman gris gris at me and make me faint of heart, like others who swallow that idiocy?
Never. Happen.
Perhaps you simply seek to make me as afraid of “big scary dogs” as you are.
Never. Ever. Happen.
“Proof please”
I got yer proof, swingin’.
Sadly, they have *all three* breeds/crosses on multiple “top 10 dangerous dog” lists.
How did Americans become such p*ssies?
Best dogs, *ever*.
[What’s that old saying about being right over the target if you’re drawing a lot of flak?]
;D
“Pibble”
;D
In all of “statistically recorded” time, *9* Dobermanns have killed people.
[and they still hold the #15 spot for AKC registrations/popularity]
But an article on “Top 10 most dangerous breeds” clarifies this:
http://puppytoob.com/dog-breeds/the-10-most-dangerous-dog-breeds-based-on-biting-statistics/5/
I am totally down with them ripping into anyone who hurts their person.
I wish they had included the brave Dobes who killed the enemy in WWII.
Much bigger head count, there.
“I didn’t call anything a pit bull.”
81 posted on 6/19/2015, 1:08:54 PM by AppyPappy
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You might want to schedule a check up, “Pappy”.
Those are facts. They are not my words
Don’t blame me because I told you the truth.
You pasted a link from a BS, liberal lawyer’s website.
I pity you if that is what passes for “truth” in your world.
So I gave you that “proof” you wanted for Dobes.
No comment for that or did it screw up your propaganda fest and you’d rather just ignore it?
You know how “we” always say that liberals want us all disarmed so that they can eventually rule us?
I now strongly believe that *everyone* who has a grudge against ‘protective dog breeds’ is of the same malevolent intent.
Sneaking, evil creeps who would eagerly do us harm, if not for the good dogs who stand between us and them.
Maybe the thought of a Dobe or a “Pitbull” protecting some little kid really infuriates you.
I know my ‘creepy uncle’ -hated- my Dobes.
And we are done.
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