[princess j]

Hi there. I wanted to get some advice on Dobermans before I decided on getting one. We have a 5 pound chihuahua and a 15 pound cat. How are dobermans with other animals? We would definitely get it as a puppy, and seriously socialize it.
What is their overall temperment? What is the difference between male/female as far as temperment? Can they be destructive?
We live on 4 1/2 acres and will give it plenty of exercise. It will be outside during the day and in the house at night.
I know that all animals have health concerns, what are the primary health concerns of the dobie?
Most importantly, we want our dog to get along with our other animals. If there is even a slight doubt of their behavior around them, we may have to consider another breed. And I know that all dogs are different but would welcome anyone else's experience with a multi-animal family.

 

[Chaz]

If you have a male Chihuahua, you would want to get a female Doberman.

Dobermans are usually smart enough to see other animals in the household as family, and get along well enough.

 

[robinb]

I've had 4 dobe boys since 73, all but my current boy, who is in the breed ring, were neutered. I've always had cats and never had a problem, all my dobes came as 8-10 week old puppies. Neutered or intact many male Dobes are aggresive to other males, so if your little dog is a male, neutered or not, don't get a dobe male. Dobes are high energy and yes they could be destructive. Dobe puppies always need supervision when in the house and not crated. Also you will need good fences. They are a house dog and need to be part of the family. If you get a puppy, do lots of socialization, enroll in obedience, buy lots of safe toys. Some say that girls are easier others love the boys. I've just had the boys, so someone else will have to chime in on the girls! Buy from a good breeder.

Best of luck and ask all the questions you can think of.

Robin

 

[Patches Mom]

You may consider another breed speaking from this point of view I have a 14 month old male neutered Dobie boy and a 18 month old Miniature Long haired Dachshund. The Dobe does not intentionally hurt the Doxie but he plays rough with her I cannot let them out together with out me watching then he sometimes smacks her with his big ole paw,runs over her, she gets very mad at him goes after him he just looks at her like right.When in the house she will go under the couch to get away from him when he gets too rough.At times when I cannot be outside with them I have a 30ft cable I tie the Dobe up to so the Doxie can get away from him other wise I think he would run her all over the yard high prey drive. They say he will not get his brain until 2-4 years old so I hope he will settle down some but not sure if I can ever trust them both loose in the backyard together.
I do not mean to tell you not to get a Dobe but the females might not be so rambunctious. Good Luck in your quest.
Patches Mom

 

[sizzur]

I have a female dobe pup right now and she likes to play a little rough with other dogs and puppies. Most older dogs that I have encountered find her very bratty and get annoyed with her. Hopefully as I'm takin obedience classes, that might calm her down a bit. Dobes need to be with their family whenever they can, so if you're indoors, they will want to be there with you. Like RobinB said, buy from a reputable breeder as this ensures sound temperament, so you will have a good idea of what you're getting. I'm no dobe expert, but I hope I helped a little bit with my short experience.

 

[princess j]

The chi that I have is female. I have been doing some research on Dobermans, and from what I have read, females are less rambuntious (sp) than males and that males feel the "need" to be macho. My concern is one that a couple of you have brought up, and that is rough play. My chi has the attitude of a pitbull, and can herself play a bit rough, but as I said she is only 5 pounds, (alhtough she doesn't realize that)which she is still a puppy herself at 8 months old, and if the dobie starts to play a bit rough, she might get hurt. I definitely intend to socialize the dog and get obedience training for it. As far as it being outside, we do not have a fence around our yard, but we had thought about building a large pen (REALLY large) for the dog when it is outside. My boyfriend works from home and does travel for business about 1-2 weeks per month, so when he is out of town on business, I would keep the dobie in the pen while I am at work, and bring it in when I were to get home. Would a large pen be better for a dobie, or a dog run? I would think a pen would give it more freedom.
Thanks for all of the input! I helps so much in my decision!:biggrin55

 

[Kratty]

Based on your description of your environment, it can work. We brought both our females in as puppies with 3 existing cats. It can take some time to teach them not to play the chase game with them, but its teachable. My two females do a great imitation of the WWE on many occassions, so I really thing its a dobie thing.

You do need to research on their daily activity requirements and some kind of training is a must with these guys. I think this is a big cause of doberman being rehomed because their owners were not capable of filling these needs. These are very active dogs.

My favorite quote I heard about dobermans,"You don't need to know everything about a doberman before you get one, but you need to be willing to learn."

Welcome to Dobermantalk

 

[Julie W]

I've always had a mix of dobermans, italian greyhounds, whippets, cats, and birds and I've never had a problem. As some have already said male dobes can often have aggression towards other male dogs though. You just need to be aware that dobermans do require much more time and attention than other breeds, as well as training. They are a high energy breed and do best with a LOT of exercise and not being left alone too often. The "outside during the day and inside at night" statement gives an image of a dog without enough training, interaction, and exercise time. As long as you are aware of and can meet their needs there isn't a better dog out there.

 

[LapDog]

I have a female doberman and a male lab mix, 2 cats(my dogs only chased the cats when they use to run away....Now my dobe will lick the cats ears and go up to sniff them), and a bird. I know many members here have a chihuahua along with their dobermans...I myself have dog sat a chihuahua and my dogs got along fine with him. In my opinion since you will be getting a puppy and raising her around the family and other animals. you REALLY HAVE TO SOCIALIZE your dobie with whatever you want her to get use to and get along with a socialized doberman is a confident, outgoing, and friendly (like any dog) but you can never have too much socializing!

Dobermans are super smart and need to be challenged with positive obedience training and mental and physical exercise. RIGHT from when you pretty much start training right away to make sure she turns into the calm outgoing and ideal dog you are looking for. Not only do they need to learn obedience but a big part of having a dobe puppy or any breed that will grow quite strong is MANNERS. no jumping up on you...etc.

The only thing I wonder is although that is a great chunk of land you have for your dogs...I would never leave them outside for long periods. A doberman is a family dog and needs to interact with and loves being at the side of their owners. But leaving them outside during the day Im afraid would cause them to be bored and become destructive or something else that may cause harm.

but other than that you really have to socialize. Your dobermans confidence needs to grow with her and we here all know they grow fast! and so they can never get enough car rides, going to parks, meeting kids, playing with other friendly dogs, elderly, people who look or act different, sounds, environments, indoors/outdoor places, machines, people in uniforms. etc.
I just think that is SO important especially alot while they are young cause when they grow up you will realize alot of people will be scared of a dobe and be less welcoming to go and socialize with your dobe. that or they will...but with this hesitation distant approach that makes any dog nervous

 

[princess j]

We would absolutely socialize the dog. As with our chihuahua, just about anytime we go anywhere, she is with us. And as I had said in my last post, my boyfriend works from home, and does travel sometimes for work. When he is home, the dog would be in the house with him. Also when he is home, throughout the day he interacts with our chi such as taking her outside and playing fetch with her, taking her for a walk, things like that. During the time we are both not working, we'll go to the lake with her, go on hikes, walks, over to see family/friends. We will be doing the same things with the dobie. When I say my boyfriend goes out of town 1-2 weeks a month, it may be a couple of days here and there which could amount to 1-2 weeks a month. Therefore, the dog would not be outside during the day that often, only if the boyfriend is out of town. We don't want to get a dog just for the sake of having one or just to thorw it outside and allow it no interaction. We want a dog to make it a part of our family and to keep it socially and physically active, as we are socially and physically active ourselves.

 

[Murreydobe]

What is their overall temperment? What is the difference between male/female as far as temperment? Can they be destructive?

I know that all animals have health concerns, what are the primary health concerns of the dobie?
.

Dobermans are highly intelligent dogs with a fair amount of dominant behavior. They don't suffer fools well. They pretty much demand owners with well developed leadership and training skills. Failing to provide strong leadership and training can result in really unfortunate situations wher the dog takes control of the house, and can even become aggressive.

This is NOT a particularly healthy breed. Some of the diseases can be managed-hypothyroidism and vWD (a blood clotting disorder). They're also prone to some very serious diseases that can shorten lifespan considerably-liver issues, Dilated cardiomyopathy, CVI, cancer.

Buying from a responsible breeder can maximize your chances of obtaining a healthy dog that will live the average lifespan-but there is no adequate pre breeding screening for a lot of these serious diseases..so you pretty much pays your money and takes your chances...50% of all dobermans will develop DCM, for example-that's a progressive heart disease that's always fatal.

 

[PeeWeesMama]

While keeping a dog outside may sound like a good idea, fresh air, being able to run etc....they will become bored and may bark and dig and try to figure out how to escape. I don't know how your neighborhood is set up but the barking could be a problem. I would worry for their safety (being outside), someone could harm them or steal them or they could injure themselves. Dobe's are sensitive to heat and cold and some HATE rain LOL.....just some things to consider

edit to add: I do understand that being outside, would be only while you were away and not an 24 hour everyday thing I am just paranoid when it comes to my guy's

 

[katahdin]

As far as it being outside, we do not have a fence around our yard, but we had thought about building a large pen (REALLY large) for the dog when it is outside. My boyfriend works from home and does travel for business about 1-2 weeks per month, so when he is out of town on business, I would keep the dobie in the pen while I am at work, and bring it in when I were to get home. Would a large pen be better for a dobie, or a dog run? I would think a pen would give it more freedom.

I am not sure what fence size would be best, but it is critical that you do have a fenced area for a dobe. Our property is ~10 acres and our dobe can cover the entire property in minutes. Unlike our labrador, the doberman has no concept of property lines and if there is a squirrel or rabbit that he feels the need to chase, the fence is the only thing that keeps him in the same zip code.

Also, my guy does stay outdoors (the entire property is fenced) during the day when the weather is nice and I am not able to bring him to work with me. I find that while he may get exercise chasing squirrels etc, he needs the mental exercise and attention from me far more. An hour of training and playing fetch seem to go alot further than an entire day in the yard unsupervised alone.

Oh, lastly, if you are inside, your doberman will demand that he/she be also. They dont think highly of being left outside without you and they will let you know.

 

[JavasMom]

Just echoing advice already given. Know your breeder - and by that I mean do your homework. Some health issues can be avoided if you are given the paperwork on the health histories of the dam and sire. If the breeder doesn't question you as if they were handing over their first-born and/or if the puppies aren't kept in a clean environment, then consider another breeder. They should also have you sign a contract giving them 'fist dibs' should you find that this isn't the breed for you. A reputable breeder doesn't want their pups ending up in a rescue, shelter, or worse. Once you have that puppy fall asleep in your arms, there is no way you will want to give it up, so please know that it is well worth the months you put in ahead of time investigating a breeder and waiting for his/her next litter. It took a year for us to get our Java.

My 2-yr-old female is well socialized, and if she had her way she'd spend every waking moment in my lap, but as stated above, she does not tolerate fools. If a male insists on trying to sniff her once too often, she will snap the air at him. She is not dog aggressive but will certainly let another dog know when it has crossed the line. Dominance is not the same as aggression. Dobes happen to have 'alpha' temperaments and expect you to be the leader. They also LOVE their humans - they don't get the nickname 'velcro dogs' for nothing!

This is not a cold weather breed. Dobes can't be left outside for long periods during the winter and require a fleece coat when the temps drop. Because they are so social, they may bark if left alone for long periods of time out of doors, just out of boredom. And because they miss you!

The Doberman Pinscher Club of America website is a good resource for anyone considering the breed.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Lori Z]

I had no idea it was 50%. This might seriously change things for me getting a dobe.

...50% of all dobermans will develop DCM, for example-that's a progressive heart disease that's always fatal.

 

[Murreydobe]

I had no idea it was 50%. This might seriously change things for me getting a dobe.

It's something people need to be aware of, and only enter into this breed with full knowledge of what they might be getting into...if you're "in" this breed for any length of time, you WILL have a dog that dies of DCM. If you're lucky, the dog will live a normal lifespan or close to it before it happens..but many don't.

 

[bean]

Where did you get the DCM statistic? That seems exceedingly high! I knew they had health issues, however this is the first I've read this statistic. I'm certainly a dobe newbie, but have read a lot on them. And this doesn't vary even with careful breeding?

Hmmmm... I need to go poke in the health section of the forum and do some browsing.

 

[Murreydobe]

Where did you get the DCM statistic? That seems exceedingly high! I knew they had health issues, however this is the first I've read this statistic. I'm certainly a dobe newbie, but have read a lot on them. And this doesn't vary even with careful breeding?

Hmmmm... I need to go poke in the health section of the forum and do some browsing.

The DCM statistics come right from cardiologists. Some feel that 50% of all males will develop DCM, 30% of all females. Other cardiologists think there's a 50% involvement rate across the board (and the sexes). It should be noted that the statistic has done nothing but increase as times passes and more research is done.

Careful breeding is all well and good, and should always be done. But DCM is frequently a late onset disease-many, many times not only has the dog already been bred, but it has grandpups and even sometimes great grandpups on the ground before they're diagnosed. You can't put the genie back in the bottle.

 

[ps4570]

Just running between meetings. First, welcome to DT from NC! Best of luck with this decision.

We were once considering between a GSD and a Dobe. No breed is free of health considerations. The following is a link to a site I like regarding DCM: http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/ClinStudies/ogrady/holter/holterfaqs.htm

Our Dobe gets along great with our 5lbs. Chi; Chester, and our 13 lb cat. I used to worry about the cat going after Chester, but Chester is definitely the boss. If the dogs are chasing Tancat, it is usually because Chester started it.

A picture is worth a 1000 words. (We do love pictures around here.) These were taken about two months ago.

Darn it Chester, I'm trying to sleep.

For heaven’s sake Chester; enough already!

Lena is currently going through a false pregnancy, her second. It appears she is taking the maternal thing out on Chester. My daughter took some pictures of them last night while Chester was getting a very thorough cleaning. I'll see if we can upload some of those pictures tonight.

Maybe start a new thread...

Phil

 

[Julie W]

I used to be a vet tech for Dr. Gary Wood, our local vetny cardiologist. Back then (over 20 years ago) he stated that the statistics for DCM in dobermans were that 74% of them showed it on autopsy, and 60-something % of those were males. These stats came from a study done by a cardiologist that Gary touted as the foremost doberman heart specialist in the country (can't remember his name). These weren't all necessarily dogs that died of DCM, or even exhibited symptoms of it, these findings were on autopsy of doberman hearts, some had died of other causes.