CactusGirl

I haven't, but my parents had our male in a condo for awhile. It was definitely hard work and required making sure that he was walked twice a day, every day plus playing, obedience, and other activities to make sure he was tired. On the weekends, they ran him really well in a football field by playing fetch, training, and just running around with him. It worked, partially because they were on the first floor, but they needed to be very diligent.

The other thing to consider, though, is that many times Dobes are not allowed in apartments. Even those that are "pet-friendly" have a dangerous dog list and generally dobes are on them. This is usually because their insurance won't insure them with those breeds on the property (heck, my homeowner's insurance has the same clause) but it does make it more difficult if you have to move for any reason.

Burns

I know, I felt horrible I often wonder what ended up happening to him, since I think he would've been a really nice dog in a different home where someone didn't have a job and could work on his separation anxiety and there were no cats.

I kept telling myself that everything happens for a reason, and that we got Red instead who I wouldn't trade for the world, but it still breaks my heart when I think about it.

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Gorrmae's Fantasy Red XIII CD RE CGC TDI
DOB 2/17/07, red/rust, male neutered Doberman

Dave_L

Dobes are good in apartments.
I went from a 2 bedroom to a 1 bedroom a couple months ago and Lexi doesn't mind.

Will just require lots of walking and stimulation.
Generally I do a 30 min walk in the morning, 1 hour when I get home from work, and another 30mins before bedtime. I have her find sticks to tug with as we walk.

I will also play some tug inside. Or have her fetch random items that I hide around the house.

In the winter on the weekends I try to have her at the off leash park for at least an hour and a half (both Saturday and Sunday if weather permits) so she can get in some solid running.
In the summer I have been there for 2-3 hours.

Anyways, basically apartment life is fine, just takes a little more work because there's no backyard convinience.

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brw1982

Yep. Tali had just turned 2 when I got her as a rehome dog from Ali, from whom I also bought my first pup Fiona. She was a bit too much to handle for her first home and wasn't really working out as they'd hoped so she was returned at a year old and then Ali had her for a year. She was polite, well mannered adult who knew all the basics of training and I was fortunate to have known her entire pedigree and have all the background on health/longevity.

She had no problems fitting in and you'd never know there was a time she wasn't my dog. She made it clear early on that she loved me and intended for me to be her person. She's a great dog and I wouldn't give her up for the world.

And I had plans to add a puppy when Fiona was 2-3 years old but Tali took care of that! LOL I think a lot of times the older dogs get passed-by because puppies are so cute and some people do have this belief that an older dog might be damaged in some way or might not bond to them, but that's not been my experience at all. It was a relief to not have to deal with many of the puppy stages with Tali! Don't get me wrong, I like cleaning up puppy pee as much as the next guy , but you know, I was okay skipping it this time. LOL

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Old Drum's Crimson Crisp, "Fiona"
Old Drum's Fiery Rumors of Taliesin, "Tali"

ZeldaRules

I completely understand as I have been there. There was one pretty shepherd girl I took to foster and she immediately became my shadow. I got her straight from the shelter and she had clear abandonment issues. The dog was so sweet but clinged to me like it was her job. She was perfect in the house with me but when I was at work she desperately tried breaking out of my apartment. She actually chewed a hole through the side of an airline crate and got out. She destroyed two metal crates. She then tried busting out of the window(I was on the 3rd floor) and scratched up the walls in her attempt. Obviously I could not keep a dog like that in my apartment. I honestly don't know what ended up happening to her. The rescue never put her on their website and I never saw an email about any adoption. She might have been euthanized unfortunately because lack of resources/ foster homes to deal.


It angers and depresses me to the core thinking about the irresponsible breeder and owner that failed her.

Rouleaux

I bought a Celica (coup of course) exactly 1 year prior to Rou. When he was itsy-bitsy I would crate him, but as he got bigger and I could no longer crate in in the small crate that fit in the back seat of my car, I just let him have the back seat. He just sleeps. It is just me and him in the car.

It has a sun roof so I can't wait for him to be big enough to stick his head out. I love the car so it isn't going anywhere for a long time. My SO drives an Impreza so if we need to transport him for long durations we take that car... sometimes.

I live at home and his primary spot is my room. Enough room to get up stretch and prance around... not by any means cramped. We have a nice sized backyard and plenty of trails in the area, the dog park and pet shops, etc. Never a dull moment for my boy.

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CybrSlydr

I really want to thank you all for all this great information - I feel much better making an informed decision.

I'm not going to make one now as I'm also on a GSD forum asking them the same questions.

If you have anything else to add, please do so!

Thor_Red

I can highly recommend HMDD in Columbus. I adopted 2 adult dobes from them in 2008. They are very good in matching the right dog with the right home. I'm not sure on their policy if you live in an apartment, but I would talk to them and at least go meet their dogs at the monthly event they hold. I adopted Thor when he was 2 1/2 years old. He is extremely bonded with me. And has since his adoption 4 years ago been trained and certified as my service dog. He does require a fair amount of exercise, or he WILL try to tap dance on my head however. I have a fenced in yard so luckily he gets to run and play with the other dogs in my household since I can not run with him myself. And I also (just recently) started using the flirt pole. I also adopted a 6 years old female 4 years ago. Cleo bonded with my husband. He is an over the road truck driver and she often accompanies him. From what my husband tells me, whenever she is with him, he will know if anybody gets too close to his truck. I also got a puppy a few months ago. I love the puppy and enjoy seeing him grow up literally in front of my eyes, but he is a lot of work.
Btw, my husband is retired army. We were stationed at Ft. Polk for a little while ourselves. I wonder if Rick and Sams Tattoo Parlor with the adjacent bar is still around. When we were there in 1992 it was THE hangout in "town".

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PJH

I think if you are going with a puppy it is so important to research parents to get a feel for what type of drive the dog may have and the temperament it will possess. My experience with Dobes has been that they are all SO different. My first years ago was very laid back in the house, content to just snuggle on the couch and really didn't demand my attention and time. Stryker, my current boy can be a very demanding dog. He HAS to be exercised and have lots of mental stimulation throughout the day or he will literally drive you insane. He has a ton of drive and really wants to work! He is far and away the smartest dog I have ever had. Dobies like him can drive people crazy if they do not have an outlet for their energy and a way to be stimulated mentally. Just something to ponder as you continue your search! Best of luck.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

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Rouleaux

See, it all depends.

Rou can entertain himself given the right toy... Would he much rather me play with him- of course! But... when I am cleaning or doing laundry he is perfectly content staying out of the way. He was always like that.

He would go over, wrestle, then back off and watch the rest of the play ensue. Lover not a fighter... He is a "show me the money" kind of boy... just like his mama! And if he wants something done "right" well he has to do it himself... like me... again. Sooo my dog!

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Toby'shuman

Personally speaking, there isn't enough money in the bank or tea in china that would convince me to have a GSD.
Every time I see them I get a headache from their incessant yapping.

I know there are many folk on this site who own GSD's as well as Dobes and I do not doubt their dogs do not/are not allowed to bark incessantly. However, in 52 years of life the ones I have met both in the UK and here in Spain at Shows, Working Dog trials and in general have barked, barked, barked till it makes ones ears bleed.

Give me a Dobe any day of the week, at least they bark for a reason, not simply to hear the sound of their own voice.

Guys I grant you this may be down to a training issue or the dogs being highly strung but that high pitched yappy bark is sooooo dammmmn annoying. Which by the way the majority of GSD owners just don't seem to try to stop, either because they switch off from it, or as is the case here they think it sounds 'macho'. Grrrrrrr!

River

Everyone else here has given some great responses. I have a similar injury- shattered tib/ broken fib on my right leg and ankle, and a year and a half out am just starting to run on it a little bit. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do distance running again, I've lost a lot of movement in the ankle joint. Probably, that's permanent, but we'll see. For that past year and a half, I had to find alternate exercises for my Dobe.

Turns out long walks are great, he already had excellent off leash recall so I went to a 30 foot line and a flexi-lead to give him some running space in the large fields near my house. I mix in obedience training in the walks to help tire him out. I also got him started in K9 Nosework, which it turns out you can do in your house, in a boot and on crutches. It exhausted him.

Griffin was the best dog to have with an injury, seriously. Dobermans are so perceptive, so in-tune with their people, that he can tell when I'm having a bad pain day and he dials himself back a bit. He'd spend hours lying next to me, bringing toys and demanding ear rubs. I also taught him how to retrieve items, like the tv remote and his tug toys. Griff was a rescue, he came from the shelter and I adopted him at 3. I had no trouble getting him to bond with me, and having an older dog who came already housebroken was a good thing.

They do need a lot of training and exercise, but you should manage just fine with your leg. It's a wonderful breed, I think you'll be real happy with a Dobe.

CybrSlydr

It's really great to hear someone else with a similar injury. Thank you River. My issue the doctors said, is that when they repaired it, the space they had to leave was very narrow. As such, any high impact activity for a prolonged period would literally pound the graft into pieces. That's why I'm hesitant to do any sort of running or the like. Which is why I'm concerned about this breed of dog.

Toby'shuman

There is no hard and fast rule regarding what you have to do to exercise your dog. Heck I couldn't run if my life depended upon it but I can walk, I can play fetch and I can stand and watch my boy have a case of the zoomies and fact is he is more than happy plus tired out when we get home from our walks.
If you are in any doubt see if you can find a few Doberman owners in your area and have a chat with them. Or better still see if a rescue needs a volunteer dog walker.

River

Oh wow, that looks familiar! I'll have to see if I can scan my x-rays and post them up. I have three large screws going into the end of the tibia, that attached that part of the bone back to the rest. I think they expected the smaller fragments to grow in themselves, they just pulled those out and reattached the big chunk. And a plate with screws that runs up half the fib, because I split that one in half, on an angle. Kinda like it was a turkey wishbone.

I don't have grafts, but a year and a half, two surgeries, and a third minor one to take out a screw that was bothering me later, and I can run.... 100 feet. That's an accomplishment. I've lost a lot of the upwards movement in the ankle, and have arthritis in there already. The doc said he expected that. The good news is, I started biking even before I had the boot off (under PT supervision, if I screw up rehab, it'll end my career, so I am a good patient!). Since that's no-impact, it's a great way to stay in shape and work on your ROM. I'm keeping up with it now, just on a stationary bike for now because of ice, but the road bike is getting a workout this spring.

They make some cool stuff for biking with a dog too. This thing is called a Springer and you put a harness on your dog, attach dog to the springer, and bike away. It gives you some comfort room, if your dog pulls to the side or lunges forward, he/she won't pull the bike down. I plan on getting one for my next dog. It's great for anyone who wants to bike with their dog. Griffin, my current Dobe, can't anymore because of Wobblers. However, the next dog will likely be a GSD or Dobe, a young one, from working lines. Let me get the bike warmed up now.

CybrSlydr

Sounds like yours was quite similar to mine - only got my Tib, no Fib so I'm happy about that.

Yeah, I have a lot of loss of ROM of the Dorsal Flexion as well. Plantar is better but still lost a lot of that too. They wouldn't let me walk or do anything with it for over 6 months. Didn't start weight bearing until month 7. Recumbent stationary is my preferred bike.

Lori Z

Personally I can't imagine raising my doberman puppy in an apartment. I did have one young GSD's in an apartment and he was awesome. However I did take him walking, long walks twice a day. My doberman was such an active/slamming puppy...omgosh picturing living with him in an apartment makes me shudder. He is four now and would happily fit into an apartment at this point as long as he got his morning runs, he has totally mellowed. I too agree with a mature dog. I'd spend time with both breeds. I'm a GSD person, I adore the breed and although they bark I've never had one that barked for no reason, now my coonhound, he would bay just to bay it seemed The difference in temperament is great so spend time with each and see what is a good fit for you. I'm wondering if a more medium sized dog would be better getting in and out of choppers and apartment living, a doberman female might be more the size you would want, shepherds do tend to be longer and dobes can curl up in a way I've never seen a shepherd do. However shepherds are better in extreme weather.

ajp240

Lots of good suggestions here I would mirror. I would also add that I take my pup to "day camp" once a week to socialize with other dogs and burn energy. She comes home tired.

I'm in Columbus Ohio and would be glad to send you a list of places we like to go to. I live on the NW side so most are around there. Where are you?

CybrSlydr

I don't know yet. lol I'm looking at apartments. Somewhere centrally located or on the East side is preferred. I lived in Reynoldsburg just north of 70. Now I can afford something... nicer. lol

ajp240

We live in Dublin/Hilliard, but when we moved here lived in Galloway which wasn't so nice, ha! So I understand. What about on the nicer end of Westerville? Pretty convenient and nice. Good luck!

CybrSlydr

Well, I'm trying to find something as close as possible to Port Columbus.

Hank

I live with a GSD and I will just say, they shed. Like crazyy. She goes in my car even once and everything is covered in dog hair. And her owner is a dog groomer and brushes her regularly. That is something you really need to keep in mind. People say they can handle it, but later they didn't realize the handfulls of hair that would be coming off.

And GSDs are soooooo whiney. So not for me.

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CybrSlydr

It's really interesting to me that I posted this same post on a GSD forum and it currently has 6 replies. I really like how open and talkative you are with your experiences and desire to help.

Thanks!

ZeldaRules

I've been a member of that GSD forum since 2008. It totally sucks on multiple levels compared to DT. They have a no breeder "bashing" rule so you don't get the best knowledge and information about certain breeders like here because some members over there are buddy buddy with the bad guys. They have frivolous rules about posting rescue dogs in need, it's nothing like the community feel on DT. It's not nearly as active and passionate as DT is about this breed and the welfare of it. I used to post religiously over there but now just once in a blue moon.

CybrSlydr

I mean, hell, as helpful and informative and nice as you all have been makes me want a Doberman that much more!