Any Doberman Owners Out There?

[Teacher1958]

Hi,

In my spare time I am an auxiliary police officer for the city in which I live. The other day I heard about a dog in our shelter and went to see him. He's a Doberman Pinscher mix and is just adorable! He has a really sweet personality and loves everyone he meets. My son is leaving for college in August, and I think a dog would be a nice addition to our family. We do have a rather neurotic cat, so I am kind of worried about how that would affect her, but I am going to talk to the vet. I am wondering if anyone here has a Doberman and what your experience has been.

Thanks for any information.

Brenda

[2kids4me]

I dont have a doberman but do have some advice as I work at a rescue facility and with vets (I'm an Animal Health tech).

It isnt the breed that creates the issues - its temperment and how they have been handled, also dogs may be wonderful with kids and people but aggressive to other pets. certainly breed does play a role - working breeds need exercise and a job, certain breeds require grooming.

I rescued a heeler cross lab - listens to all family members, never been aggressive to a person. BUT she is a dominant female who marks territory and will challenge other females, and she would chase down and kill a cat if she was ever off lead. Yet this same dog just helped me with newborn kittens - cleaning them and lovin them up. Babies it seems, are fine - adult cats are not. She was found with 8 pups so I suppose it is maternal instinct.

The point is that you will have to see how this dog behaves around cats in general. I have seen lots of dobermans live placidly with cats, others would not tolerate a cat. You also have to consider the cat - has the cat ever been exposed to a dog before? If not, the first thing that will happen is behavior change in the cat and/or cat scratch injuries ot the eyes of the dog, bite wounds etc. The first reaction of a dog being bit by a cat is aggression to the cat.

See if you can walk the dog past cats in kennels - watch the reaction, walk him in unfamiliar territory - see how he reacts to noise, traffic etc.

Find out why he was surrendered.

If you do take him, then begin obedience with him, all members of the family work with him.

I am sure it is an adorbale loving dog - but your first responsibility is to the pet you already have. If the cat is "neurotic" (your words), think of his world coming completely apart, a big dog moving in....what can happen (and I have seen it)...is the resident pet (dog or cat) bolts out the door at first opportunity...sometimes gone for hours/days, some never found. This may sound harsh but it is the talk we give potential owners in rescue. They are coming in with the right idea - give a pet a home. But what good does it do if another pet becomes the "victim" of their desire to adopt. Any new pet has to fit into the existing home. We have a 5 day foster period, the adoption is not final til we see it will work.

Just some things to consider.

Sandy

and.... see if they have notice any separation anxiety, destructive chewing or barking - all things to consider as pets with these "issues" are in "high maintenance" pets that require patience and training. Dogs with separation anxiety should not go to a home where they are alone all day. They need a home where they can gradually be worked up to staying alone for short periods alone , then longer and longer...can take months

[Teacher1958]

Sandy,

I am so glad that you wrote. You brought up a number of things that I hadn't thought about. I forgot to mention that the dog is a puppy. I'm not good at figuring out the age of a dog, but I am guessing that it is 2-3 months old. Someone dumped it deep in the woods of the metropark in our city. He looks very healthy and seems extremely happy.

I really like the idea of letting the dog see some cats. Fortunately, we live in a very populated suburban area, and there is a PetSmart near us where there are always cats up for adoption. I will take the dog there first and let him see the cats. We're lucky that we have three levels in our house. The cat's main litter box is in the basement near the furnace. She also eats in that room away from the litter box. I think I will put up a baby gate so the cat can crawl under it to her own area where the dog will not be permitted to go. We also plan to buy a crate for the dog, one large one for the house and a smaller one for my car.

Thankfully, I am a teacher and just started my summer vacation so I will have a lot of time to spend with the dog. I am also going to sign up the dog for obedience training. I don't know if I will have someone come to the house or if I will take the dog to a class. I checked out one trainer, and it was $500.00 for six home sessions, which seemed outrageous. What is your opinion on this? Would you recommend a class or home training? I want to train the dog using mostly reinforcement rather than punishment. We are thinking of getting an invisible fence, and I also need to know if those are reliable because the closest major street is extremely busy.

Thanks for your help.

Brenda

[Guest j_mommy]

We've had dobby's ever since I can remember! They have always been great dogs, but as with any breed it depends on how you handle them.

Get them very used to diffrent people, have people over to your house ect.

They are a great "gentle giant" breed....if I didn't live in an apartment I would have one of my own!

[2kids4me]

I recommend the classes because you are exposing the dog to other dogs, they are social creatures and the more exposure and "playtime" they have with other dogs, the better balanced they are emotionally.

Especially with puppies - positive reinforcement is the way to go. You are the teacher and they are blank slates. Our dog was an adult rescue and freaked when a leash and collar were used, we switched to a gentle leader and after a minor freak out with that...we have a dog who sits, heels, comes, fetches and will drop something if I say 'leave it"....

Also the dogs nature is considered - you need very little correction and more encouragement with a submissive or less dominant dog....but with a dominant dog (like ours) you must establish yourself as a leader right away. This is not done with "pinning" the dog or being aggressive. It is firm leadership and letting the dog know - you choose the route, that when you stop they must stop.

Much like a teacher in a class - you encourage the students who are shy but are firm and clear with expectations with those who are disruptive.

Sandy

[2kids4me]

The cat's main litter box is in the basement near the furnace

umm, just a heads up, we see litter avoidance issues with this scenario - simlpy because - when a cat is using the box and the furnace happens to kick on when they are in there - it frightens most cats...if it happens enough - suddenly you have this cat who is not using the litterbox. The cat associates the noise with using the litter....thus they make a connection and decide that using litterbox = scary noise.

Sandy