 Higgins with the lads Zeus and Apollo |
Disgraceful Doberman propaganda, no doubt penned by Odhinn.
Dobies as “evil” is pretty passe.
Pitbulls are the newest issue.
Private Dobermann on the Phil Silvers Show was both family friendly and a fearsome looking warrior in a gasmask.
When I was in high school I baby-sat for two small children that had two Doberman’s in the home. They stared at me the whole evening and I was starting to freak out but they didn’t bark or move and I never thought to converse with them. I was frozen and so were they.
Dogs are dogs. Left to themselves, they revert to nature and sometimes nature isn’t very pretty. I see dogs that aren’t socialized and have never had to wear a leash. Seeing a vet isn’t a happy time for the ones that have rarely been schooled or handled. Many dog owners are not smart enough to handle them, especially the smarter dogs such as Border Collies, Standard Poodles, and some hybrids.
My business partner had two Dobies that were well socialized. I did find that the best response on meeting them the first time was to given them attention. And they remember the attention that they are given during that first meeting. So subsequent meeting yes they get a bit hyper. As in they want to greet you, and they want you to pet them. You can quickly become part of their “pack”.
Unfortunately the dogs had to be put down due to health reasons, possibly due to that crap dog food that was coming from China.
Your voice with perhaps a hand clap to get their attention should be enough.
When your dog is smiling (wrinkling their noses to expose their teeth while practically wriggling out of their skin with delight that you finally got back from the ten minute trip to the store) don't laugh when it makes them sneeze. It offends their dignity.
They lap up the water in the bowl and bring the leftovers to You.
After You change clothes They climb up in Your lap and take a nap.
Higgins with the lads Zeus and Apollo |
I had a dobie, a great dog.
I had a 26-lb. Sheltie who I walked with a leash, on the bayou behind the house, every day.
One day I saw a Doberman running toward us. I looked at my dog and said, “Well, Kinsey, I think that we are both dead!”
When the Doberman got close the Sheltie went into her “I’m-insane-and-I’m-going-to-kill-you” routine, barking and running around in circles!
The Doberman took off running away from us and I just about died laughing!
We have two. My son tells me they were created by crossing Rottweilers with Greyhounds. Sounds about right. They love to run and have that “fifth gait” that they can open up. Fastest dogs I have ever seen. They do seem to have “dry skin” or eczema or something. Sensitive digestion as well. I do think it makes them a bit more alert. We give them Omega 3 supplements and one needs probiotic and a touch of Metamucil as well. They do love people and make friends with folks we introduce them to quickly and remember who is “on the list” quite well. A dog’s primary sense is probably smell unlike ours which is clearly vision. It can lead to interesting observations. They know when friends are in the driveway long before they can get to the door. It is akin to seeing around corners.
Like all dogs they respect the “pack organization”. If their behavior begins to be something you don’t want if you stand over them and speak sternly they get it right away. You are the Alpha Dog. You have to remember that. It is fun sometimes to watch my wife with them as she barely outweighs them but she is the primary source of their “sugar” as my asthma goes into overdrive if I get too intimate with them. She will stand over them and make them sit and then make eye contact and give them a 4 word lecture they don’t forget. They love her.
Dogs are amazing. Spend enough time with them and you begin to prefer them to people!
My wife had a female doberman when we met. The tail was cropped but the ears were natural. If you sat down by her, she like to crawl onto (vs. into) your lap, lean against your chest and put her head on your shoulder - then she let out a big happy sigh. The only mean acting Dobeys I have been around were trained as tools vs. pets.
When i lived in SoCal, i raised 3 Dobermans. One of them grew to ‘overstandard’ size, but that is just the breed, just as humans growing to 7 feet tall.they were not ‘working dogs’, although that is how they are categorized as a breed. They were the babies of the family.
Socialize your Doberman? oh my yes. Start training as soon as you bring the little one home? The dog will start learning with you, or all of you, as soon as it comes home. It is the pack thing. It’s how they learn social behavior.
Dobermans might just like one of you, more than the others, but will not ‘hate’ that person. If one comes to your side, and is paying attention to your hand, they have a habit of walking with you, TENDERLY, holding your hand in it’s mouth. The first time that happened to me, was during the time the movie ‘the doberman gang’ was playing.
Always know this, if you talk to your dog, in a voice tone, HIGHER than your normal voice, the dog will think you’ve turned into a nutless Bruce jenner, and will ignore you.
always, for a tone of authority, lower your voice. The dog in the pack with the lower tones are the authority in the pack.
Dobermans are very curious dogs. If you watch closely, they have eyebrow motions, and could be considered a human trait. One of mine, so i thought, did that ‘Spockian’ eyebrow thing, when it was confused.
They are a ‘sight’ dog. sure they have nasal senses better than us, but they are better at running something down.
Dobermans have been used by the USMC for front line dogs in the pacific theater in WW2.
They are beautiful dogs, who can win your heart, if you let them.