To really want a Doberman?

[ProgBannar]

Beautiful dogs, elegant, protective, intelligent - despite their rep I am obsessed with them and want one desperately.

I have owned German shepherds and Rottweilers in the past so I'm used to "strong willed dogs" but even so, everyone looks at me like I'm nuts when I say I want a Doberman! AIBU?

“They were originally bred to be aggressive”

They really weren’t, aggression is not what you want from a protection dog.

They were basically bred to be bodyguards, a bodyguard that’s off being aggressive because it doesn’t like something isn’t doing a great job of guarding you, is it?

Yes, @Louislovesmud, they were originally bred for protection, and a large part of that entails aggression: www.dogtemperament.com/doberman-pinscher-temperament/

Yes, modern breeders might work to stamp out this original trait, but why risk it? Why not just get a lab or a golden, or something that was NOT originally bred for aggression?

I would not let my child play in a home that contained a Doberman.

Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans: again, I'm not originally from the UK and these dogs might have a different stereotype here, but their image where I come from is anything but "elegant." These are the kinds of dogs that show up again and again in articles and news and warnings of the kind of animal that appeals to the sort of person who wants to cultivate a "tough guy" image by having a macho type of dog. Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible breeders who DO breed for the original aggressive traits to cater to this faction of the population, so you really don't know what you are going to get. The aggressive traits are NOT universally stamped out.

Actually, tabulahrasa, "protection" dogs of a sort WERE bred to be aggressive toward people they don't know. If you were the type of person, in the time when this breed was being developed, who needed protection, you WOULD want your dog to be aggressive toward strangers. You wouldn't breed for easy-going, tail-wagging, friendly-unless-severely-provoked traits.

We had a Doberman. You could take food from her whilst she was eating. The most dangerous thing about her was her wagging tail. As with others, she was well trained and exercised a lot. Lovely dog.

My childhood dog was a Dobermann. She was so lovely. Very loyal and protective but played with other dogs too

“Actually, tabulahrasa, "protection" dogs of a sort WERE bred to be aggressive toward people they don't know.”

They weren’t... aloofness is not aggression.

Aggression as a trait is not the opposite of friendly. Aggression is always unwanted in any guarding/protection breed because it’s not trainable, an aggressive dog has its own agenda and that’s incompatible with actually using it to do a job.

Go for it! They are no more dangerous than any other dog. Mine is a doberman cross german shepherd. 8 years old on wednesday. Soft as butter, daft, dozy, loud bark which is good! He is fantastic with my 3 1/2 year old daughter, we brush him, she puta his food out for him, wipes his feet when he comes in wet from a walk. Never had any problems.
Ignore those who say they wouldn’t want to go to a house with one. Idiots. We had 3 paramedics in the house 2 years ago when he daughter had a febrile convulsion and conan (the dog) just ignored them and went in the garden with no fuss. Then they spent 15 mins having cuddles with him after they had sorred my daughter out.

My brother in law had a girl dobie called tarquin she was the loveliest dog with gentle nature.

Friends of mine years ago had a doberman and they wanted it for the stereotypical image. They had trained it to not only be permanently aggressive to "stangers" (anyone who wasn't them) but also to be silent.
It would never growl or bark. It had permanently aggressive body language and would eventually decide to go bite if the person had been in it's presence (20 meter range) for too long.

People up the road had a rottweiler and rottie doberman cross. Both were the softest things in creation. They would both pelt across their yard to greet anyone passing and try to barge each other off the gate they were leaning on to hog the attention. The cross would bounce around like Muffin the Mule whenever it got excited. Both loved everyone and were overall quite gentle despite the exuberance.

I have a few friends who have had dobermans and they have all been very gentle , well behaved dogs .

Those of you banging on about aggressive likely to attack dobermanns-what the hell? Do you actually know any? The ones I’ve known have been totally soppy. My big issue would be the health problems. My mate’s boy died, problems related to wobblers. The neighbour’s American dobe was soppy, affectionate, huge thing.

The most aggressive dog I’ve known (to other dogs, never humans) was a springer spaniel and a lab, which attacked my dog every single time. The most attacks due to how many are bred is labs.

Lovely dogs, but please don't crop their ears and tails, and don't buy from a breeder who does. Cruel and unnecessary.

Banned in the U.K. unless you can persuade a vet it’s a working dog, highly unlikely with a family pet. I think ear cropping is outright banned. If you saw the state of some spaniel tails who aren’t docked and the multiple operations they’ve had due to persistent injuries, I think you might re-consider.

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/technology/science/tribute-to-adored-tot-kamillah-killed-by-rottweiler/news-story/f7c5ea0cdf00bab5ad5d36b26248bccc

www.thenewsminute.com/article/60-year-old-woman-mauled-death-rottweiler-dogs-kerala-75968

edition.channel5belize.com/archives/163323

I hope that those of you who wouldn't have your child in a house with a doberman have a blanket dog rule? Or are you the judgemental type based on what a dog looks like & what the media tries to tell you?

ANY dog can be aggressive. And any dog can cause damage. I have had more injuries requiring medical treatment from JRT than i have bigger dogs...and i take on 'problem' foster dogs, usually of the bull breed flavour. A dog's breed plays a relatively small part in their overall behaviour; it comes down to the upbringing & life experiences. So if you have an irresponsible owner with a little pom, and think it's okay to let your kid play round there, but judge a responsible dob owner? More fool you.

Aggression is NOT a desired trait in a protection dog.

You always see the media covering incidents with bigger 'scary' dogs - rarely do you see the stories about the 'family' type dog incidents. Can't think why...

I can understand some PP's concerns due to media, films etc, although I do take exception at being labeled as reckless for having a doberman with children in the house. DH and I are good parents and sensible dog owners.

My DD1 was attacked by a neighbours poodle, she was bitten quite badly on the calf, DD2 was bitten by a friends chocolate Labrador when she was on a play date. We don't let her go to her friend house any more due to this. When I was 7 I was bitten by my grandparents Heinz 57. I have met many dobes and haven't come across an aggressive one yet.

Our dobe cross was one of the softest and sweetest dogs I have ever known. The doberman we have now is just the same, but bigger. Neither of our DD's are left alone with her, but we never left them alone with the dogs we had previously either.

Yes, @mustbemad17, I am absolutely "judgmental" when it comes to dogs. I would not allow my child to visit the home of a Doberman, Pit bull, Rottweiler, or similar. This is not simply about "what a dog looks like": you are projecting, and you are personifying animals, and you do not understand the power of instinct bolstered by selective breeding.

I grew up on a horse farm, so I am actually quite well versed in these matters, and I've also been around a lot of dogs and other animals: you sound like a city person who has not been around animals much, except maybe a few household pets. This isn't your fault, but that's what it is.

I am not basing my stance wholly on what the media says. I've known both a Rottweiler and a Doberman who "went mean", and their owners, up to the point the dog inexplicably reacted in an aggressive manner (one to a child, one to its owner) one day, also prattled on about how their dogs were not aggressive, and the breed means nothing. There have been problems in my state with people stealing household pets (cats and friendly family dogs) to use in dog fighting rings as bait: this is very real, and people who breed these types of dog specifically for aggression TODAY still persist, and so you just can't assume that any dog you purchase is the result of several generations of responsible breeders, in any case. I've been in regions in which these types of dogs are disproportionally in evidence: these animals are not kept there as family pets; in those places, they are presented in quite a different way.

Also, read up on the history of the Doberman. They WERE bred for aggression against strangers. A dog who is not able to show aggression to an attacker is not much of a protection at all, and again, read up on the specific origins of the Doberman.

I absolutely judge a person who chooses one of these dogs. Launching rhetorical questions at me about whether or not I judge the dogs "by their appearance" is ridiculous. If there is even the slightest risk that certain dogs may be more prone to aggression (and there are: see the statistics), I won't have my child around them. Why would you risk your child at the expense of wanting to appear non-judgmental about an ANIMAL'S appearance?

Cecily. Someone posted a list of dogs most likely to bite. Wasn't chihuahua top. Would you refuse to let your child go to the home of one of those?
Power of instinct. No dog is selectively bred to attack people or have that instinct.
Dogs don't "go mean". They may be unwell or tormented or in pain. They don't suddenly just attack without warning.

I have a 3 yr old Dobie & like a PP said she is strong willed & physically strong. She’s very well trained though, walks to heel on & off lead. She’s great with other dogs & a real softie at home, a 40kg lap dog. I wouldn’t leave her alone with a child, but then I wouldn’t my spaniel either. Responsible owners invest effort, time & money in their pets.

I have however got a friend who had a chihuahua pts for attacking 2 people & on holiday recently a stray chihuahua went for me.

I do think they can be VERY strong willed. It's about the owner being responsible though isn't it?

When I was a teen, I lived with a family for a while who had a Doberman. It was a magnificent creature. Very good natured, and the family had young children.
I believe Jet/Jed (?) had to be put down in the end, because his back legs went. Not sure if that's common for the breed.

No response to the list above then cecily? You'd have your child around a chi & not be at all judgemental or worried about it? No wonder BSL is alive & well. A chi or other small dog could still do some serious damage...look at the JRT who killed the baby. It baffles me beyond belief still, after all the years dealing with dogs, that people blame the wrong end of the lead. Every time. I could train a lab to attack with absolute ease, but everybody adores them as family pets. At one point in the US they were top of the list as culprits for biting children. Go figure.

Anybody who would leave their child around a dog unsupervised is a moron. Whatever the breed. And you can look into the history of EVERY breed & find traits that have been bred out of them over the years.

Wow, there are some really ignorant comments on here!

Dobes are great dogs - strong willed but very trainable, very loyal and protective and very, very cuddly. Be prepared never to pee alone again! They stick to you like glue.

Like any breed (and owner!) there are bad examples and you will need to health check very carefully and you will need to put a lot of effort into training, socialising, exercising etc., but they are the most rewarding dog ownership experience ever.

And for those who are so scared of them, well of course you should never leave any child alone with any breed of dog, but I can guarantee you that my four year old is much safer playing in our garden than a child in a dog free home. There will be no strangers entering our property with our Doberman around.

I literally can't believe that people would judge Doberman owners in this way. It's pure ignorance. I have three under tens - I researched the breed thoroughly before getting a dobie - we now have two. They have great temperaments, they are from top breeders and are wonderful with children. No one has ever not allowed their kids around here and in fact my dogs have cured a scared child of their fear of dogs because they are so docile. Instead of reading ridiculous websites which are pretty much anti all dogs look at the real stats, talk to vets (there are three that have commented on here) talk to the kennel club. That's what we did and we have two wonderful dogs. All breeds are capable of biting - you get bad dogs like you get bad humans but to judge a whole breed and their owners like this is ridiculous. Thank goodness most people aren't this narrow minded.