[Alisa C]

Hello everyone!
Just wanted to introduce myself as i recently joined doberman club

I guess I’m here to break all stereotypes and/or break myself lol. I’m a crazy cat lady who never had a dog before, lives in apartment and owns a doberman now. With the covid and midlife? (I’m 28) crisis i decided that i probably want to have a dog.. so i started researching breeds and realized I don’t like any dogs except for dobermans, egyptian pharaoh hounds and weimaraners, the choice stopped at dobermans since my boyfriend grew up with a couple of them and they were easiest to get along with cats (that’s what internet told me). So i start looking up info on them aaaand 6 months later I started reaching out to breeders to only find out that the wait lists are super long and at some point i figured a unicorn would be easier to get lol.

While i was chasing the idea that i need a puppy and need it now, my beloved cat passed away.. I’ve had him for 7 years since i adopted him at age of 5yo. My world just exploded..For those who has cats know what a special connection you can have with those furry a**holes, and we’ve been through a lot together so it hit me very hard..(until we meet again Shady)
So while i was going through my world ending i never stopped looking for a puppy, i guess continuing doing what i did for 6 months kind of made me sane ish. I almost gave up because I didn’t want to wait (unless backyard breeders), but i found a puppy that i actually liked a lot. I messaged the breeder who almost seemed like a scammer (sorry Anna) and a week later i welcomed 8 week old Crowley.

Now a month later this not as furry as cats a**hole becoming a part of my family.
So he is 14 weeks old now, we did the cropping at 12weeks as the breeder didn’t want to, he got his ears posted for the first time now. We still can’t go outside until the end of February, we get fresh patch grass for him to get used to going potty outside. He’s on dry plus wet food as a topper (Nutri source large breed puppy food and life extension wet food) 3.5 cups a day, he gets apples and blueberries (very little) as treats plus dog treats and chews, we also brush teeth and do training at home and will do puppy school soon, we go to all dog friendly stores to socialize, we met kids and cats and get along with both great!

To everyone who finished reading my “short introduction” life story : “wow, you’re patient lol” Please tell me if i do anything wrong or i should do more of something! All criticism is welcome, and please comment on his food (it was what the breeder was feeding him with, and i checked the ingridients and so far I’m ok with them, but I’m no expert)

and here are some recent pictures of Crowley

 

[melbrod]

NO, your story is not too long--and you remembered to include PICTURES! You're starting off on the right foot.

Your pup is mighty cute. And it looks like you found a nice cropper. I would stop using the bridge between his ears though--see how it is pulling them in slightly? Or if you want to use one (some do, I don't) move it down even lower so it is practically touching the top of his head, and make sure it is somewhat loose.

And I personally would phase out the wet food. I've heard it's harder to keep teeth in good shape if you feed a lot of canned food (which is apparently a myth? You're just supposed to brush their teeth regularly), but to me it just seems all around harder (and maybe more expensive?) to use canned.

So anyway---
WELCOME to DT from Colorado.
Right off the top of my mind, I can think of at least two crazy cat ladies here, so you'll be able to talk cats as well as dogs.

Way back when, I lived in an apartment with my first dobe puppy. We both worked (the DH and I) and we had to be gone from the apartment for a little longer than we liked (fortunately our shifts overlapped so it only for about 5-6 hours instead of the 10 it would have been otherwise) We ended up fixing up a place in the kitchen to keep him out of trouble (we had never heard of a crate) and went the paper training route. As he got older, he was able to wait longer and could manage without the paper, but it took a lot longer to train him.

I've never heard of using a grass patch; you'll have to keep us up-to-date with how well it works. I'm thinking that teaching him a word that tells him when to go (and by extension, where) as he gets older might help you make the transition to outside also?

Anyway, welcome to DT again. There are lots of new puppies here at the moment--hence lots of threads about the problems (and triumphs) of puppy raising. I hope you stick around and join in the fun.

 

[Alisa C]

NO, your story is not too long--and you remembered to include PICTURES! You're starting off on the right foot.

Your pup is mighty cute. And it looks like you found a nice cropper. I would stop using the bridge between his ears though--see how it is pulling them in slightly? Or if you want to use one (some do, I don't) move it down even lower so it is practically touching the top of his head, and make sure it is somewhat loose.

And I personally would phase out the wet food. I've heard it's harder to keep teeth in good shape if you feed a lot of canned food (which is apparently a myth? You're just supposed to brush their teeth regularly), but to me it just seems all around harder (and maybe more expensive?) to use canned.

So anyway---
WELCOME to DT from Colorado.
Right off the top of my mind, I can think of at least two crazy cat ladies here, so you'll be able to talk cats as well as dogs.

Way back when, I lived in an apartment with my first dobe puppy. We both worked (the DH and I) and we had to be gone from the apartment for a little longer than we liked (fortunately our shifts overlapped so it only for about 5-6 hours instead of the 10 it would have been otherwise) We ended up fixing up a place in the kitchen to keep him out of trouble (we had never heard of a crate) and went the paper training route. As he got older, he was able to wait longer and could manage without the paper, but it took a lot longer to train him.

I've never heard of using a grass patch; you'll have to keep us up-to-date with how well it works. I'm thinking that teaching him a word that tells him when to go (and by extension, where) as he gets older might help you make the transition to outside also?

Anyway, welcome to DT again. There are lots of new puppies here at the moment--hence lots of threads about the problems (and triumphs) of puppy raising. I hope you stick around and join in the fun.

Thank you so much for your reply!
The vet did the ear posting right after ears were healed (he was in a cone for 10 days right after surgery), as they wrapped them first time with a low bridge Crowley took it off 3 min after we left for home so we came back and got them wrapped this way and he handles it fine, as his ears will fully heal (where stitches were) we will wrap them ourselves for sure!
And about food, do you recommend adding any meat or eggs or anything to the kibble? So far the vet that we have been seeing every month for check up said that whatever we are foing for food keeps his skin, coat and teeth in a great shape, so I’m keeping it for now i guess and will slowly transition to something better?
And about grass patches this is how it looks, we just got a new order today and he already made a mess

It works great for him, he actually eats the grass when it’s fresh! We also crate trained him but didn’t lock him when we’re gone (we work overnight shifts from home, so we’re gone for 4 hours at a time the most), but we keep him in living room freely (i try to keep him away from bedroom and bathroom atm until he is fully trained not to pee next to puppy wipes😭

but the grass patches are great, we started using them right after he arrived from a breeder in Ohio to us in San Antonio TX, and he enjoys them a lot! It’s a little pricy but we are trying to make up for not having a backyard at this point!

 

[princess bella]

He's super cute and going to be so handsome! Welcome to you and Crowley from near LA.

 

[4x4bike ped]

Hi Alisa . Welcome to you and young Crowley from the Pacific NW!

John Lichtwardt
Portland OR

 

[LadyDi]

Welcome from Florida.
Cute little sharkey!

 

[ECIN]

Welcome from Indiana - cute pup ! ENJOY

 

[LadyDi]

I am gonna get one of those grass pads for my husband.
He frequently uses my bushes for his impromptu activity during his yard work.
Turns my favorite plant leaves yellow.
Grand idea!!!!
Ba ha ha ha

 

[db903]

Welcome from Chicago! He's so cute.

I was also using a grass patch inside so I didn't need to go through pee pads the first month and a half we were working on potty training. It was great for what we needed. Now I've fully transitioned it out as he is nearly potty trained.

 

[dobebug]

I don't care what you do with grass patches or pee pads but as another crazy cat lady who has raised every Doberman from the first with cats--he's going to need a cat and pretty soon.

I had thought when I lost my last Doberman in late November of 2019--I thought I was too old and tired to raise another puppy--I thought that for the first 12 hours and then I realized that the youngest cat was trailing me around asking something--I couldn't figure out what. I figured that out the next morning. He was at the window when I left--he was at the window when I came back--when I came in he was looking out the door for...his dog. I put one more day of the cat waiting for me to bring his dog back. Then I went to an Obedience trial with a friend and stopped to watch the baby puppy class they also had and met a breeder friend who was cleaning up with a almost 6 months old Doberman puppy. She got to telling me about the problems she was having with the puppies mother and her other adult bitch because they both want to claim the puppy. I told her that if she needed to farm him out until his actual mother got spayed and lost interest in him I'd take him.

She called me a day later and brought him to me--Joey the loaner--the cat who was missing his dog said "Well, he's the wrong color (his dog was fawn--this puppy was black) but he'll do..."

Of course the first thing the puppy did was chase both the cats--he went back on leash. Clark--has been working on training ever since--a year--Joey the Loaner is 19 months now--as Clark trained my very old Leon would move in and allow Joey to take liberties--nose pokies and ear washing. Clark who is insufferable, now catches Joey when he's trying to sleep--lays on his feet--rubs on his legs and rolls on his head. Joey looks pained and I don't tell him that Clark is marking him as his own.

I figure every cat needs a dog of their own. And maybe every Doberman needs a cat.

dobebug

 

[melbrod]

Joey is 19 months old now?


How did that happen ??

 

[dobebug]

Joey is 19 months old now?


How did that happen ??

In my dreams--actually I think his breeder lost track of time first and I just mindllessly accepted it. I think he's actually right around 15 months (I was only 3 months off).

But even at 15 months I'm amazed at how the time has flown.

But I know any cat lady needs to get a cat for her Doberman. I don't even have to think about that.

dobebug/ABTLH

 

[melbrod]

Even 15 months seems impossible to me--he's still about 8 months old in my mind.

Yup, every doberman needs a cat...
to teach him how to share



Or not...

 

[dobebug]

Even 15 months seems impossible to me--he's still about 8 months old in my mind.

Yup, every doberman needs a cat...
to teach him how to share



Or not...

Mel,

Don't feel bad--I brought Joey in to the clinic for a vaccine one day and the owner who usually is the one who sees all my dogs looked as I came in the door with him and asked who he was--he was on his way to see a client dog in an exam room so I said "Joey" he went on his way and I grabbed the vet who usually sees my cats and asked if she could do a quick rabies vaccine. So she did and asked who he was--remarking that she didn't think I had anything that young. So I explained.

About a month after that I had Joey back in for an annual exam and do a lepto and Dr Ross (the owner) walked by and stopped to pet Joey and asked if this was Burma--I told him no it was Joey--he looked at Joey and asked how old he was. After I told him, a year. He stopped short and said "How old is Burma--told him 7 and a half to which he said--"How did that happen? I always think of him as about 8 months...?"

Dr Ross evidently needs to be introduced when I have a new dog in the house (even if it's only a loaner) otherwise the puppies grow up and while everyone knew Toad he was identifiable because of being fawn but all the rest of the dogs I've had while I've been working there have been black.

And about the sharing business. My dogs have always had to come and get me to roust the cat out of the dog bed in the living room--it's popular in this house because it has sun on parts of it from pretty early in the morning until mid afternoon. And the cats often take over the dog bed and they won't move if the dog asks them too.

So the way it goes is the cats share the dog bed with the dog only if I bodily remove them. That's sharing in this house.

dobebug/ABTLH