Considering rescuing a Dobe. We are in FLorida. We have 2 dogs, never owned a Dobe. The shelter was very upfront and warned us about future homeowners insurance and hoa difficulties.
Anyone have difficulties?
Our current home is good to go they only exclude pitt and rotties. Of course we would move in the future. We just want to really think this through.
I can tell you she is a beautiful girl, and we would be thrilled to adopt her. We adopt for life. They say she has had surgery for wobblers disease.
Open to your advice. Thank you.

Private rentals are much easier to deal with, with regards to that annoying breed list. Call your renter's insurance company and ask if they recommend extra insurance.

Good luck to you. I know I had issues with Geico not allowing dobes on Home owners insurance in Colorado.

How old is she? Wobblers is a pretty debilitating disease.

I live in Florida, have had Dobermans for 30+ years, own my home and have Allstate. They have never asked maybe because I have had them since 1975.

Chiming in to say, as a renter on a budget, I never had issues but planned WELL in advanced when it was time to move. I went through private landlords and offered a canine resume upfront (bio, training, titles, vaccinations, etc). State Farm homeowners insurance also covers dobies and there were quite a few renter insurance carriers that are doable.

As a "restricted breed" owner, I recommend saving quite a bit of money so you have something to offer in the way of pet rent/pet deposit for future moves. One of the primary reasons I went to a school in this state as opposed to another was how difficult it was to find affordable accommodations with a doberman elsewhere. Many open rentals were through companies with strict insurance policies and breed restrictions.

It's not just Florida that has a bad dog list which almost always includes Dobes and ditto for HOA's.

I've rented in some very sketchy areas in three different states because of this and all were private rentals.

The most recent move I made (almost 18 years ago now) one of my co-workers actually bought a house for me to rent. I don't remember who her insurer is but they don't ask about breeds of dogs (she has bull mastiff's and they are often on lists for don't rent and don't insure).

For the record, even the sometimes very sketchy areas where I rented I didn't have problems because of the Dobes and their (unwarranted) reputations.

dobebug

Feeling this. My current dobie-friendly place is in a sketchy part of town but people acted like I was waving a pistol when walking the baby. Even my uncropped fosters get folks crossing the street.

My "friendly" insurance agent told me to register any dog as a mixed breed. Which is even easier to do with a rescue, you technically don't know if the dog is a pure bread.

No problem with insurance in Peoria, IL when I had my house but when I moved into an apartment in Delaware they originally said NO to Dobermans but since Bacchus also doubled as my service dog they had no choice but to allow him in. Of course I had to tell them "contact your legal department".

Yeah, that can backfire on you though. If your dog is obviously a purebred of a breed that is on a company's restricted list, you can lose your policy.

And my rescued GSD looks enough like a GSD for both the AKC and UKC to list her as a GSD....

I know that florida can be difficult for insurance due to all the companies that pulled out after the hurricanes several years back. Look for companies that don't have a doggie black list. Farmers, State Farm are both good for dogs. Last I heard, Nationwide would insure black listed breeds IF they had a CGC title.

I don't know much about HOA restrictions down there - we live in an HOA neighborhood in PA, but there are no restrictions on breed of dogs..... our township has a restriction on the number of dogs you can have - 5 is the max. I have heard that some of the big gated communities in Florida restrict breeds. My sister lives in one in Venice and I've visited with one of my Dobermans.... not sure if they are restricted or not.

Have (just left) lived in FL with Dobies for many years. Have always rented, would have preferred to own - different topic, different day...

Getting home owners ins in FL can be difficult depending on your specific conditions for many reasons other than dogs just due to location and housing type. Due to hurricane costs causing so many insurers to fold up shop in FL the choices are limited, then you throw in are you near a beach, is it a mobile/modular home, etc. - then dog breeds.

That said - some of the folks have offered good suggestions if you find yourself renting - private landlords, save up plenty for deposits, your own policy to cover the dog. I have done all of those things and while it usually took a little time to find the right place I always found a place and kept my babies. Sometimes the rental house was not in a great neighborhood. When I was in Tallahassee (plenty of not great areas) I was bordering on a REALLY SKETCHY area, just like the other Tally poster, people avoided my house and yard and me like I was exuding evil.

It can be done with planning and work.

As for wobblers - if you take on that challenge be prepared for the commitment and bless you for taking in that pup.