help define: proper care, conditioning, training

**dobermansrule** · 07-01-2008, 02:58 PM

read an interesting email thread through Cyberdobes. Was actually a happy ending - the Cyberdobes thread was a brag. But reading deeper, it turns out it is a dog from my breeder (different litter than mine) that the breeder placed into a novice show home. it seems over an 8 month period, the dog deteriorated - loss of weight, muscle, etc. The breeder was tipped by someone about the conidition of the dog and she relinquished ownership back to her and co-owned by another breeder. So the dog ended up in the hands of an experienced breeder/hander and he is now winning in conformation..

anyway, from the website of the current co-owner, regarding the original novice show home owners:

"This "show home" ended up being inexperienced in the proper care, conditioning and training of a Doberman"

It struck me as pretty drastic for a breeder to demand a dog be returned. She says there was no intentitonal mistreatmnet, just an inexperienced "novice" home.

So, for the benefit of all us "novices" or newbies, how do the experienced DT members define the "proper care, conditioning, and training of a Doberman"?

I didn't think it was rocket science, but this particular novice home must have really botched it. Appreciate your feedback, as we are a novice show home, but we think we know how to care for, conidition and train a doberman, but we would sure like to be enlightened if we too are just not getting it.

Murreydobe · 07-01-2008, 03:26 PM

I'm not on Cyberdobes, way too many agendas going on within that list for me..a pity, it was a GREAT list in the beginning.

Anyway, this brag was posted on another email list that I do subscribe to..it was mentioned the dog has gained 25 lbs. since he's been placed in his new home.

So right off the top I'd say the "proper care, training and conditioning of a doberman" begins with FEEDING THEM! And you're right, that ain't rocket science!

I don't blame the breeder for removing the dog from the home if this is true..however, I do blame the breeder for even allowing the situation to deteriorate to this degree. Keeping track of what's going on with your puppies is a "must do", and requesting pictures periodically isn't an unreasonable request. I did that with Razzle's breeder without even being asked to do so, and this was on top of the feedback she was getting about the condition of the puppy she placed with me through our common handler, friends, etc.

tosca · 07-01-2008, 06:28 PM

While it isn't rocket science, it does require some education on the part of the breeder to help the novice owner understand what proper care and conditioning mean. I asked a client to road-work their dog once; they did - at a gallop. To me, 'road-work' meant trotting; shame on me for not fully explaining what I meant. Breeders have a duty to mentor their puppy buyers and help educate; sounds like this breeder may've missed - or, not knowing the situation - maybe the puppy buyer wasn't receptive?

**dobermansrule** · 07-01-2008, 06:40 PM

good comments.

I know we got some general guidance from the breeder, some general guidance from the handler, but mostly, we are figuring it out as we go along....

gee, feed him a good food, he looks good. Feed him enough, he gains weight. ooo - we exercise we build muscles. ahhhh - he is an attention and affection sponge we can use that to our advantage and establish a bond and train..

anyway... I don't know the original owners' side of the story, but if the dog gained 25 lbs in five months he was underfed. Some people are just very anal about feeding the recommended amounts on the food bag without using their eyes to see if is right or not for their dog, I mean its basic feed X + see ribs = not enough = feed more + see fatness = feeding too much...

But some specific guidance on specific ways to exercise for show dog conditioning needs to be given. I had a thread here on DT a while back about this and got some good input.

**velmadobe** · 07-01-2008, 09:42 PM

I don't know anything about the situation other than reading it on the lists - but IMHO putting 25 pounds on over a 5 month period is not what I would expect from a "skinny" underfed dog........... I would expect the 25 pounds to go on in under 2 months if it was truly an underweight dog. I don't know how old he was when he was turned back over to the breeder, but if he was a young dog not full grown, then I would expect some weight gain even if he was not skinny.

I guess I'm just skeptical until I know the whole story.

Puppies get skinny sometimes, it can happen very fast and the owner does not even realize it. I've seen some fairly skinny growing puppies whose owners were good people.......... just had a puppy out grow what they were feeding and they needed someone to point it out to them. Or they were a picky eater and the novice owner was having a hard time figuring out how to get the dog to eat enough............not uncommon in young adolescent dogs - especially intact males.