Hello from Barrie Ontario Canada

OK, I'm going to say it again here. A doberman is NOT a starter breed, and it is certainly NOT the breed for a novice dog owner. Frankly from your post, I think you are in love with the fantasy of the doberman and not dealing with the reality. AT A MINIMUM, they are a HUGE expense upfront and for the rest of their lives. They require LOTS more daily exercise and training than other dogs. When they don't have that in correct amounts, they are destructive. They can be dangerous to you and others. They are a physical and legal liability. They are extremely physically powerful and they make decisions on their own without your permission. Serious decisions. This is a working dog and a guardian breed and you must fully understand what that means as far as their natural instincts go, because you will not erase that through training. And if you are unable to deal with having a dobie with serious health problems then you should not own a dog...any dog...but certainly not a dobie because when they require care, you're facing some very expensive veterinary costs and treatments.

In short, you will need to commit to raising a doberman in the same way you would commit to raising a child. And that means for better or for worse, you take full responsibility, pay all expenses, meet all health needs, provide total love, attention and training and never, ever give them up because you get tired of the overwhelming drain on your time and wallet. This is a member of your family, period. They are a huge investment, not an accessory.

The ONLY time to own a doberman is when you are mature enough to care MORE about the doberman's life than what you think a doberman can or will do for YOU. JMHO.

You were smart to ask...but experienced dobie owners would be doing you and the dog a disservice if you are not told the whole truth. I would highly recommend against a dobie in your case for a number of reasons, but mainly because this is a highly transitional phase of your life when things change rapidly. Dobies need stability, not for a few months at a time, but for their lifetime. If you cannot absolutely commit to that type of total investment, then it's not even the right time to think of being a dobie owner.

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