Personality quirks

8052 Views 36 Replies 23 Participants Last post by Iceyrider, Feb 8, 2014

Ellie's mom

Discussion Starter · Sep 16, 2006 (Edited)

Hello...I'm new here.

I have a 11 weeks old blue dobie puppy, Ellie. She is my second Doberman. My first I had to put down two months ago at 14.

I was hoping some of you would share with me some Doberman personality quirks.

See...I've grown up with mostly GDS's with a Sheltie, Great Pyr. and a Lab thrown in. When I had my first Dobie, Allie, she had a very different personality and habits than my other dogs. I attributed this to her being "Allie" not Doberman characteristics. I did a lot of looking online, but I couldn't find anything more than the standard info...velcro, sensitive, protective, etc.

Now I have my second dobie, and already I'm seeing some of the personality quirks that I thought were unique to Aliie.

For example, they both play different than my other dogs. They typically don't play bow. They play what we call the "sneak up game" They start by standing about 10 ft or so away from the other dog. They put their head down, ears out (both natural) and walk very slowly towards the other dog. Once they are w/in a couple feet, they pounce, initiating the play. They play for a few minutes then run away and repeat.

Also, both back up and sit on things. Allie used to always back up sit her butt on the couch, with her feet still being on the floor. The puppy is obviously too small to do that, but she will back up to sit on my feet, or my other dog (very materal GSD).

The other breeds I've had, I've been able to trace the personality differences to what they were bred for. My sheltie barked at anything that moved, that's how they herd. Great Pyr can not go into the back yard w/o making a full lap barking, she's protecting her "herd". But with the Dobie I can't trace these quirks back to their purpose, human protection.

Okay, one last thing. They both seems to look out the corner of their eyes more, so you can see the white. Instead of turning their head, they'll just move their eyes. I've never had any of my GSD's do this. We always just called it horsey eyes.

Do any of your Dobies have the same quirks as mine do? Are there any other ones you've noticed that are unique to the breed.

Sorry to be so wordy, but I just found this forum, and I was excited. I'm hoping I'm not crazy and imagining these shared traits. I feel like I'm losing it sometimes, *lol*. I call up my mom...."she plays sneak up, just like Allie"

Thanks!

See less See more

1 - 20 of 37 Posts

PeeWeesMama

· #2 · Sep 16, 2006

For example, they both play different than my other dogs. They typically don't play bow. They play what we call the "sneak up game" They start by standing about 10 ft or so away from the other dog. They put their head down, ears out (both natural) and walk very slowly towards the other dog. Once they are w/in a couple feet, they pounce, initiating the play. They play for a few minutes then run away and repeat.

That is stalking!!! Dobes (most) have high prey drive. All of mine have done that as well as "sitting" on the couch.

I have never had any other breed than the Dobe LOL

Lexus

· #3 · Sep 16, 2006

Stalking is SUCH a dobie thing!!!! Lexus does it, it's histarical, she'll even step backwards a step or two ever so slowly if she feels her "prey" is onto her! Or pause with a hind foot in the air, I love it!

TracyJo

· #4 · Sep 16, 2006

Nope, you're not crazy, at least not where your Doberkid is concerned

Chi stalks any and everything and has since I got her as a very young pup. She also sits on things, mostly me. What kills me most about Chi (and it's either a Dobe or a dominance thing, possibly a bit of both) is that she has absolutely no reguard for personal space. Most dogs won't step on you if you're in their way - she won't hesitate to literally walk on you. And, her nose is almost always poking someone - armpits and hineys are her favorite places to poke. She's a hoot!

alienex

· #5 · Sep 16, 2006

Duke stalks too

brumwolf

· #6 · Sep 16, 2006

Ahh dobie personalities, you are not crazy i can tell you all of those that you mentioned show up really strong in one or more of my gang,Amber is the one for stalking she can be like statue when she spots a rabbit in the field,and Chelsie is the eye dog, i just say she is too lazy to move her head,And Tia can reverse acroos a room to put her butt on someone's lap or the sofa.

Hero's Mom

· #7 · Sep 16, 2006

Your not crazy thats a Doberman for you. Hero cracks me up when she stalks the other dogs.It's like the other dogs can't see and she gets right down and starts stalking. Goofy Girl, Hero!!!

Good luck with your baby!!!! She has a very cute name.

Welcome to the forum!!! This forum is great!!!

Chaz

· #8 · Sep 16, 2006

Mensa is the first Dobie I've had who does the "sneak up game" and she does it constantly. She's always stalking my other dogs, but she seems to have a favorite "target". She stalks past Hanna and Toby (both Labradors) to pounce on Katie, who is a Dobie crossed with some sort of Big Mutt.

Here are some pics I took a while back of the "Stalk" in progress:

http://www.dobermantalk.com/showthread.php?t=1960

All four of the Dobermans I've had have done the Horsey Eyes. It never occured to me this is a Dobie Thing until you mentioned it but none of my other dogs have done it.

Lexus

· #9 · Sep 16, 2006

TracyJo said:
Nope, you're not crazy, at least not where your Doberkid is concerned
Chi stalks any and everything and has since I got her as a very young pup. She also sits on things, mostly me. What kills me most about Chi (and it's either a Dobe or a dominance thing, possibly a bit of both) is that she has absolutely no reguard for personal space. Most dogs won't step on you if you're in their way - she won't hesitate to literally walk on you. And, her nose is almost always poking someone - armpits and hineys are her favorite places to poke. She's a hoot!

Muahah! Lex is the same way!! I've decided she actually thinks her nose ends at her eyeballs! That extra foot of snout just doesn't exist! Everything she does, she pushes that snout into!!

Tamena

· #10 · Sep 16, 2006

Tucker stalks me all the time...and the cats occasionally. Then all heck breaks loose and it's PLAY TIME and idiot dobe goes crashing through the house at full speed

Tuck also has a hair fetish.
He's not a crotch hound thank God! But he insists on stiffing whomever's head that happens to walk in the door. He will not leave you alone till he's allowed to stick his nose in your hair and snuffle a bit. He never makes a mess, no snotty dog nose...just snuffles till he figures out you're OK and then he'll leave you alone. Heaven help the people that won't let him do this..he's relentless till he gets his sniff in LOL
It's pretty unnerving for people that don't know him very well trust me LOL
Our friends that are here a lot now walk in the door and bend down to get snuffled...then go on their merry way. It really is funny cause he has them all so well trained now :muha:

He also sits on us, if there's 3 sqare inches of couch showing you can bet there's going to be a doberbutt in the middle of it.

I had no idea dobes had personalities like they do when we got Tucker. I wanted a big dog with a big bark, something guard/protection like and maybe a bit intimidating to strangers...
we got that and a whole lot more.
I was such a pain in the butt when he first got here...poor doberkim got pestered a million times with stupid questions :jonkel:
he's really vocal...is this normal?
he purrs??? wtf is up with that?
pogosticking??

Found out he's a normal dobe. I love dobes! :3dbiggrin

See less See more

DaKari

· #11 · Sep 16, 2006

Tamena said:
he's really vocal...is this normal?

It is in my household, Da'Kari is sooo very vocal, she can make some really weird sounds and definitely does the chewbaca talk.

Sooz

· #12 · Sep 16, 2006

Hmmm....is Chewbacca talk anything like Scooby Doo talk?

Tamena

· #13 · Sep 16, 2006

DaKari said:
It is in my household, Da'Kari is sooo very vocal, she can make some really weird sounds and definitely does the chewbaca talk.

LOL!
we get that here too
moans and groans, 4 distinct grumblies:
1 - the in the mouth sorta muttering and talking to himself or whomever is close by...he's just adding his two cents
2 - one that comes from the front of his chest, a bit of an "I'm not real happy with what you're doing but I'll let you do it for now"
3 - the deepest darkest pit of his being full on "I'm going to do some serious damage to you in about 3 seconds - back off NOW" growl
4- purring - I swear he purrs. It's a sound that seems to come from up at the top of his ribs and is kinda a humming/purring noise. Usually heard when he's laying on someone and being content and cuddley

then there's the moans and groans. We have actually caught him Moo'ing a few times. It's really funny

PeeWeesMama

· #14 · Sep 16, 2006

Then there are the clacks...

DaKari

· #15 · Sep 16, 2006

Oh yes can't forget the clacks, the clacks are done when she wants something really really bad, like when she ate the butter and wanted more, so proud of her self for that hunt and letting us know that it was delicioius.

The "chewbacca" talk is the cutest and funniest, it sounds like she is talking in a weird language. I have only heard Nash do it a few times while he is in his crate, he does it very low but it sounds adorable, like he is talking to himself about the world inside his crate.

Da''Kari moans and groans and is constantly verbalizing. If she wants to go out she is verbal about it, whine, moan, bark, etc. If she wants some of what we are eating or wants to climb in our lap, she verbalizes it, well it is just pretty much constant.

Since she is my first Dobe it was really surprising when she started it, we cracked up, but now it is just part of her.

See less See more

PeeWeesMama

· #16 · Sep 16, 2006

When people would ask me about owning a Dobe, I strongly caution them as to how vocal they are, extremely vocal. They don't just bark...they "talk" to you, and they get mad when you don't understand!!!

I really don't consider them quirks per say, since I have never owned anything but a Dobe it's normal for me. I don't know if I could ever own anything but a Dobe, my Mom has Doxie's those little buggers drive me nuts!!!

Ellie's mom

Discussion Starter · #17 · Sep 17, 2006

Thanks everyone for their replies!

Good to know I'm not crazy, in this respect at least!

Funny I never thought of it as stalking, my first had no prey drive (maybe cause she was raised w/ cats?), but now that you say it, that's definately what it is. Thanks for the pics Chaz, that's the definately the "sneak up game"! The funniest thing is my dobe taught my mom's Great Pyr stalking, now it's the only way she will play!

I posted pics of all my babies (didn't want the others to feel left out *lol*) in my gallery.

Thanks again!

Gracie's_Mom

· #18 · Sep 17, 2006

Tracy, don't worry. Gracie will walk on my and give me the nose too. She will put her nose anywhere she can. She really likes to put it in butts. It very nice when we have company over that's the first thing she does. Lol. Gracie doesn't really "stalk" unless it is a bird or some kind of little animal she wants to catch. But when there is another dog she will run up to them and do her bow and then she jumps on thier back. Every single time. If the other dog jumps on her back she will stop playing. When ever we tell her to sit, she will try to sit on our feet. She if we keep backing up she will too. Lol.

TracyJo

· #19 · Sep 17, 2006

Love the pics!!! Heidi and the kitten are just too adorable! And Ellie is a doll!

keniesue

· #20 · Sep 17, 2006

Greta stalks the cats. The old Tomcat just looks at her like she's crazy. The others just stalk each other, they don't see the cats as "stalk worthy". All our doberkids chatter and groan at each other and us.

Rita has never seen a butt she didn't sniff -- even when we're in public! She's really out going so people want to pet her and I have to warn them that she sniffs.

1 - 20 of 37 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.