It all depends- what are you looking for in a dobe? I think there are more than a few apt. dobes on here.... basically my dobe and I live on the 1st floor of my house... which is about 1400 sq (the bottom) I have 3 empty Br's upstairs and a game room and i think i go up there once a month!! so yeah.. we're pretty happy downstairs in our 1400 sq ft!

 

yeah i think my lace is about 700sqft and we do fine, it just means more walks...not a bad thing really, she can do zoomies in the hallway, my apt is basicallt the upstairs of an old brick century home, 3 bedrooms...one a kitchen one a living room one a bedroom, and a bathroom and a hall, thats it.

 

my first dobe (Faber)was raised in a small duplex...you MUST be serious about getting him daily exercise, other then that the aprt. should be fine....he'll be stuck to you in the house anyway.
-our daughter came after Faber was about 1...he loved her but got a little to excited sometimes, she's now 2.5 and is doing fine with supervision around our 3.5 month old (Shiloh) pup....with supervision as always. They are a loving, gentle breed...but still strong and most problems are likely to arrive just from being to excited, jumping up, lack of training/supervision.
-with dedication and having the time by working part time, and your daughter in school at thru some of the time...really you should do wonderfull.

 

I keep reading about how dobies are very energetic. What does that mean exactly? Are they a nevous jumpy energetic like a dalmation where they never settle down? I'm concerned about my daughter accidently getting hurt.

 

no...they'll settle down..as a matter of fact as long as they can touch you they'll lay around and cuddle. BUT they have to burn their energy or they get destructive...walks, dog parks (after shots...or whenever is appropriate..ask your vet), play time. If you don't like to be active...then you need to have space so they can safely be active...they enjoy running, etc.
Basically to have 1 in a apartment means that YOU are going to have to be active...get him out and burn energy....where as someone with a nice fenced in yard can go out and play or watch them play with another dog or their child or etc. and not require as much work from the owner. -Apartment life can be done and done comfortably but it requires that the owner be an active person more than any other thing.
they are a working breed and very inteligent and it shows...just like if you were caged up with no mind stimulation and no exercise ....you would break down...so will a dobe.
They MUST have regular excercise, interaction with their owner, socialization, mind stimulation and love. Right now my 3.5 mo. old is just content laying here on the couch under a cover because my wife and I are in here right next to him....but he got exercise today.
They will follow you around, always have to touch you, learn quick, need exercise, and be your shadow and best friend, they're sweet, goofy, energetic yet can just lay around and cuddle, fun loving, and smart. I'll quit now so others can give opionions. Sorry...just been there and know how it went. -Sometimes they do "zoomies" where they'll sprint around the house....so accidently knocking her over or something is a possibility...but I suppose thats with any dog that isn't a carpet.

 

They are a pretty high energy and high drive breed. The drives vary so I'd be very honest with your breeder and not get a high drive pup if you decide to go with a dobe pup. You are not going to be able to jog with a young pup, in fact I would not be doing that until the growth plates are closed at 18 months. Most dobe pups are going to need free running and play daily or they are going to be difficult to live with. If you go with a puppy, I'd get a female.

You might be better off looking into a older rescue.

 

doberman puppies are go go go... and very inquisitive which can be worse than the go go go. As robinb mentioned, you won't be able to jog the puppy really until at least 18 months old to let the growth plates close. That leave limited option living in an apartment for energy burning exercise. Not to mention not being able to take the puppy to dog parks until all shots are finished (and its not recommended to take the puppy to a dog park anyway). The puppy will get the zoomies inside - guaranteed. These are those mad fits of running around like a blown up balloon that you just let go of. You would want your young child out of the way of a zoomy puppy. But, it can be done!

 

I'm a very active person. Thats one of the reasons I want a dobie. My husbands a truck driver so I want a protective jogging companion.

 

i drive otr....a dobe if anything will in the least provide a good "visual deterent" and an "alarm dog" (bark at unusual things)...I understand your situation....
-you must also want a shadow in the house, a big strong teddy bear, etc.
-i say if your willing to dedicate the time and effort....go for it.
find a good breeder.

 

I'm not a breeder but have owned the breed for over 35 years. Without suger-coating, most good breeder's will be hesitant in selling a first time owner a pup without a fenced yard. If you go below the radar to a not so great breeder they either won't care or won't have a clue re what a suitable puppy would be for your situation. I really think you need someplace with a good fence to take the puppy at least daily to play and burn the energy off. By play I mean you taking toys and playing with the puppy. Also all dobe puppies need obedience classes.

 

I will have to disagree slightly here. while I understand and applaud breeders who would be more hesitant in selling a first time dog owner without a fenced yard and only an apt, it does not mean that the dog owner would be a poor one. besides, I know of many people with dogs with big houses and gardens/fenced yards, but take their dogs out only once a day for a short 5min walk, IF AT ALL!!

I think the OP already coming on this forum indicates sincerity on her part in learning as much about dobes as poss, and very possibly she wants and will do the best for her new dobe. so with that, I am confident she would be a responsible dobe owner, potty training the pup as soon as possible, and also giving the dobe sufficient exercise.


I live in a 800sqf WALK-UP apartment (on the 4th storey!!), so it really was a @*(*&^%! to potty train my pup as I had to walk down and up 4 flights of stairs about 10 times a day. those were the days. now that he is potty trained, I still go out for walks with him 4-5 times a day, even if they are 5-10minute walks.

as for space in the apt, it depends on the layout. there are very few walls in my apt so there is actually surprisingly a lot of space for moonshine to run around and play with his toys. also, think about where youw ould put the crate for your dobe in the future. I also hope you that you know not to leave your daughter and the dobe alone without your supervision, at least not in the first few months (if at all!!)

now, that said, I find that living in an apt with my dobe actually made the both of us (and my guy) much, much fitter. we walk up and down the stairs just to go potty, and we also have some offleash run in the fenced park just opposite my place for about 15-20mins a day. you should consider that too - do you have a park nearby for your dobe to run offleash? it would help immensely. I don't let him offleash at the park everyday, but try to as much as possible.

having a fenced yard is not the end-all solution for dogs. I find that if I do not 'play' (throw ball, etc) with moonshine when let offleash in the park, he would DO NOTHING and stand there motionless looking at me! you have to be playing with them in the yard, in the garden, or park, in order for your dog to have the exercise that is needed.

a responsible dobe owner is just that, apartment or not!!

good luck!

 

I got Dozer when I lived in a ~660 sq ft. 1br flat with my girflriend at the time. We both worked part time and were students but had opposite schedules so someone was usually at home. It worked out pretty well. Now I live alone in a ~1000 sq ft. house with fenced in yard which is nice because I don't like to give my neighbors a show when i let Dozer out in the mornings. He just does his business and as I'm making coffee he'll knock on the door knob to let me know that he wants in. Either way with proper mental and physical stimulus you'll be fine

 

and on my second dobe in a family full of dogs....never gone to "obedience class"...tho i can see were it would be recomendable along with a preference for a fenced yard...and the statement about breeders prefering a fenced yard I also would tend to agree with....but they also would LOVE a good home with someone there all the time even as much....a fenced yard is no good for a dobe if there isn't companionship. They NEED to be inside with their people as much as they need exercise. If he will be with you inside and excercized....you'll be fine. just watch for zoomies. ha! (they're actually funny)

 

with enuff exercise, this is what you get.

 

Lived in a 400 sq foot studio apartment with my first Dobie Pitas. You must be seriously commited to 2 hours of exercise per day. Once the dog is full grown. If you can commit to that and just know that the days you don't the dog's going to zoom around like a rocket, you should be fine. Have you considered a rescue? There are so many good Dobies that are a year old and need permenant homes.

Another thing to consider...if the dog does not get the excercise it needs, there is the greater possibility for aggression and destructive behaviors.

 

oops i forgot to add i didnt have a puppy i had a 18month puppy.

 

I agree with what others have said, on a more mature rescue dog.

Look, I know there are myths and horror stories out there about rescue animals, but a good reputable rescue will be able to tell you who the dog is, what their quirks are, which dog is a good "fit" for your family.

Getting a puppy, besides being a TON of work, is a crapshoot. Regardless of how great the breeder is or is not, you still cannot know who that pup will grow up to be. Of course, you have a great deal of influence in how you raise him/her, but the pup is still going to be an individual, no matter what.

A two year old or so from a rescue will likely need some settling in time and some more obedience training, depending on how long they've been in foster care and what the foster parent has done with them, but lordy, it will still be so much easier and more enjoyable.

Prob already housebroken, ready to soak up love--will bond like superglue to you and be full of gratitude, and will be old enough to immediately start a conditioning program to get ready to jog with you.

Some things to ponder!

Edit: Just to add, you will probably have to do some major convincing to get a fence waiver from a good rescue, so if you decide to go that route, just a heads-up on that.

 

I agree that lots of it is how the pup is raised, but good and experienced breeder's can for the most part identify the high drive pups in the litter and place those in suitable homes. I'd also look at the parents of the litter, as the top working or performance dogs often are a little higher drive and thus tougher to live with unless managed properly. The bottom line is the good breeder's will be honest with you as they want their pups to suceed. The byb and other's are just interested in cashing the check.

 

I live in an 1100 square foot 2-story townhouse, and am a renter. We had to be very conscientious about finding safe places for Tucker to exercise, but have yet to have a problem. Once he was older, we found a fully fenced small dog park, and take him there for at least an hour every day.

It takes a little more thought, but we haven't had a problem, and our guy isn't quite 7 months old yet.

As far as accidental injuries, I suppose it's possible. Tucker runs around the house like a knucklehead first thing in the morning. I could see him knocking a small person over...but it also depends on the temperament of your dog.

 

i'd ditto what everyone else is saying but from my experience i would have found it a lot more difficult to toilet train Bruce if i lived in an apartment. and that would be the case with any puppy whether a doberman or not. i would keep an open mind about a rescue dog if it were me. good luck, keep us posted on what you decide!

 

I think a rescue would be a great idea. I own a small 1300sqft house with my brother with a very small (soon to be fenced) yard. We are both students working part time. I think as long as you can supply an ample amount of time for mental and physical stimulation you can own any dog in any environment. Rescues might be a little uneasy letting you adopt with no fenced in yard, but if you can show them that you really want to be the best you can they should have no problem with you adopting. I think an adult doberman would probably suit your lifestyle better too since you have a small child and do work part time. It would also be a good idea to get your child socialized around dogs more before you do consider adopting (maybe make it like a game for her, watch videos, read, meet dogs etc.) just to see how she behaves with them-- even if she would never be left alone with the dober. Best of luck!

 

Thirty years ago, we brought home our first dobie as an 8 week old puppy to a small 2-bedroom apartment. Fortunately, the building adjoined acres and acres of open land so he could be walked off leash about 45 minutes a day, with lots of hiking on the weekends. He did just fine, though we did have to provide him with lots and lots and lots and lots of toys to chew on! We also postponed his potty training until he was about 5 months old (leaving him in a safe room with papers in corner) because we had to be gone at work longer than we felt he could wait. When we had to move, however, we ended up having to rent a small house because we couldn't find an apartment that would accept dobermans--so that's another thing to think about.

 

I got my puppy 3 weeks ago. He was 7 months old. He is my first Dobe, first " big " dog as an adult. I have a 10 year old son and 13 year old daughter. Honestly, if my kids had been five, I would have been worried about their safety around the dog.

My dog is the sweetest dog in the world, very affectionate, but oh, so strong and not delicate at all. He bumps into you, steps on your toes, hits your face with his and so forth. Last week, he accidentally hit my lip with his head and made me bleed. He's done it to my son too. My son is pretty tough be he was almost crying. You wouldn't believe how hard his head is ! My puppy is a male, I don't know, maybe females are more careful around people. I'm sure he'll improve with time though.

So in my opinion, if you are going to get a Dobe, you will need constant supervision. You know your daughter - is she a tough little girl or more fragile ? You need to take that into consideration too.

I think an adult female dog would probably be more suited to your situation.

In any case, I wish you good luck finding the right dog for you.

 

I live in a little 2 bedroom apartment with a blue and gold macaw, a cat, 2 kids and a husband, not to mention Sage.... While our apartment is small we do pretty good, my daughters room is the cats "safe place" where Sage can't go, and the bird lives in the kitchen so she is part of all the action.

I don't think that I would try this with a puppy but with an "adult" (do they ever really grow up?) it seems to be working very well. All the advice you have gotten on this is great, and I agree with all of it. Just make sure that you give lots of mental stimulation as well as the physical (tired can come from more than source).

One thing you don't have to worry about with a dobe in a small apartment is that they don't clear the coffee table with their tail every other day. lol

 

I'm worried about getting a rescue because I don't know the situations it's been in. I'm afraid one day it would just snap. I wouldn't be if I didn't have my daughter, but with her around its a different story.
Now that I've been reading these posts maybe I should wait another year that way I can teach her how to act around and train a larger dog.

 

Dogs don't just "Snap" and no dog is predisposed to human aggression. Dogs are one of the few creatures on this earth that will continue to forgive, forgive, forgive for what a human or humans may have done to them in the past. Rescuing is a great option and as long as you are a cautious, assertive and knowledgeable owner you won't have a problem. Every dog my family has owned has been from a rescue of some sort. All of our Pit Bulls/Amstaffs were rescues. The first we had lived to be 17 and not once during those 17 years did he show an ounce of aggression. My parents currently have a 11 year old female amstaff (rescued at 6 months) and a soon to be 2 year old Amstaff also a rescue at 6 months. They most recently rescued a 4 1/2 month old Boston Terrier.

Socialize, socialize, socialize and no dog is beyond rehabilitation if you have the time and the patience.

 

I live in a 1-bedroom apartment, and have TWO dobes!

It worked out fine for us, but I make sure they get a lot of exercise - we're talking about daily off-leash runs. Granted, Ilsa is 6.5 and Ronin is 4.5, so they're not puppies or adolescents.

Where there's a will, there's a way. You just have to be serious about it.

 

I think it truly depends on the person and their dedication to the dog. However, as a breeder I would most likely not sell a puppy to you for numerous reasons and the apt would only be one reason. Not being a previous Doberman owner, having a young child AND no fenced yard would all combine together to be too many risk factors for me.

That said, if you are determined to get a Doberman, I'm sure you will find one. As someone else said, try not to get a high drive puppy. I would aslo recommend a bitch for your first Doberman as you would be more likely to need a dog park for exercise and males are notoriously male on male aggressive at maturity.

 

I really don't get the male on male aggression thing. I do understand that Dobermans are one of a few breeds that if not socialized properly will have a problem with other male dogs. I've had Pit Bulls my entire life and they too are supposed to be "same sex" aggressive but not once in my 25 years have we experienced anything close. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I'm sure it does but if you are socializing your dog like a good dog owner should other dog aggression shouldn't be a huge issue regardless of sex. I know there are people here that have even tempered males so are they members of the minority and just got lucky? Or is it a testament to their pups socialization from an early age. I personally subscribe to the latter.

 

I live in an apartment, we havent had any problems with that. But the difference is that my girlfriend works in the morning until 2pm, then i leave for work at 330pm and come home at 11pm. So he has someone with him at all times, i think thats why we were so successful with duncan. He gets lots of excersize everyday and at night when i get home we go for a two-3 mile walk/jog/run/play depending how i feel that particular night. So even though he lives in an apartment all his energy gets spent and hes happy so im happy! I hope this helps!

 

I've had large dogs before. I grew up with boxers and a lab/pit mix.

But, I do understand robinb's concern.