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 are beautiful dogs, even more so since tail docking was banned (they look so much more balanced with a tail imo).

The health problems would put me off though.

Keeping the tail doesn't actually do them any favours, LakieLady, as they are strong dogs and often suffer painful damage by bashing their tails hard against walls and objects. It's messy and very unpleasant for the dog.

Cropping the ears is a different matter, however both docking and cropping are banned in the UK and many other countries now so shouldn't be an issue.

“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.”

They were not bred to be aggressive against strangers, they were bred to be willing to use force when required, that is very different to just being aggressive to strangers.

I can't stress enough the difference between being bred for protection and bred for aggressive tendencies. Possibly someone who pays creedance to their local "stereotypes" won't have the range of experience to identify the difference.

Dobermans are used extensively in the police force and armed forces. Quite simply put because the qualities the breed has been created for are loyalty, protection and intelligence.

It's true that large dogs with strong jaws have the potential to cause damage, but sadly also true that it's more common for people to undertrain and poorly socialise small breeds because they underestimate the consequences. All dogs should be trained well.

I view dog-owners who think their dog could never turn, who think it's solely bad dog-owners and not the dog, as ignorant. ANY dog can turn. You'll blame him being ill. Or a child accidentally stood on his tail. Or something. And this is why I will never trust them to care for my child. NOT WORTH THE RISK.
Plus the hygiene concerns. Bleurgh.

To be fair to Cecily - although she sounds very judgemental - she sounds like she is from the states and I think they have a different view of dobies there - they are bred differently. if I recall from my research the European dobies have much calmer temperaments that the US counterparts.
We went on hols to France last year where certain breeds of dogs have to be muzzled in public - dobies do not. In contrast in the states i believe sometimes you are unable to live in certain places if you have one. I only have experience of European dobies and so I can't really comment on those in the US. In the UK i have never met a dobie owner who bought them for the image - over here they can't be cropped and docked so they don't look aggressive enough to look like a hard mans dog.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/archie-lee-aged-one-savaged-to-death-by-a-rottweiler-1-2485413

www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/apr/30/1

It's never worth it, imo. I won't be risking my kids, anyway. With any dog. I don't understand this British love of dogs, at all.

JPTB well don't go near any cows - more people are trampled by cows than dogs - or let your kids get in a car or bus or cross the road because all of those things are more likely to kill them than a dog.

I had a male dobie 5 years ago and he was an amazing dog, loving,loyal and totally obedient. He was definitely a velcro dog and followed us everywhere, and loved nothing more than a cuddle. He was harder work as a younger dog up until 18 months old, he was quite dominant and a sex pest! So we had him done. That completely transformed him. we had him snipped but after that was a dream family member. He did need lots of exercise and we had to be firm with him intially when we trained him. He was delighted when we brought our newborn daughter home and nominated himself as her 2nd mummy. He would rock her rocker with his chin, she loved it! We lost him aged 5.5 to DCM sadly and we were both so devastated that we have been unablessed to think of getting another dog but if we ever do, it would definitely be a Dobe. They are wonderful dogs and a great family pet.

JPTB please keep your children away from my puppy

metro.co.uk/2017/07/24/mum-reveals-moment-she-discovered-son-4-killed-the-family-puppy-6801386/

Used to like them but wouldn't touch with a barge pole now I have had close associations with three of them. Shame as they are lovely looking dogs.
Very unsound and extremely needy to the point where its cruel to leave them. Two of the three I knew/know had wobblers and the third has another genetic unsoundness.

That dogsbite site is a) scaremongering anti-dog tosh and b) American. American dog breeds are not quite the same as British or European breeds. Dobermans haven't been routinely used as guard dogs for decades here. I believe that they still are in America. The American doberman breed standard calls for a bigger dog too.

In the UK, the most likely dogs to bite are dachshunds, Jack Russells and chihuahuas. Dobermans are nowhere on the list and Staffs are only about eighth.

Labradors are responsible for the largest number of dog bites, but their popularity affects the stats.

A large proportion of the people injured by dogs are trying to separate fighting dogs. The safest way to approach this problem is to throw water at the dogs or even better, spray them with a hosepipe. You can do this from a distance and it's surprisingly effective.

Small im guessing that site doesn't allow for the numbers of each type of dog. So there are lots of staffs yet they are only 8th. Skews the results.

Sorry x post.

The stats aren't from that site, they're British ones that I've heard and read (work with animals). Going by the Labrador stat, someone has used estimates of numbers to come up with that top three.

Thanks small

The AKC don't call for a larger size standard than European measurements. They're size and weight standards are very much in line with the FCI standards.

*their

Over in America they are often used as therapy dogs and assistance dogs for children. I would love one but don't have the space.

WTF is wrong with some dog owners and their dim incapability of understanding the potential danger of some dog breeds???!! Well, that dimness must be in part responsible for the fact that some dangerous dog breeds still proliferate and the "accidents" that follow.
It's not about a dogs looks - it's about it's potential to kill that makes normal people ( with instincts intact ) uneasy around some dogs. I'd rather take 5 bites from a Chihuahua than one from a Doberman. BB gun can shoot, so can a rifle...
And what exactly is the point of repeatedly harping on about how " I'm yet to see a nasty dobbie". Get out more - they exist. My neighbour has one - aggressive, barking, gnarling creature. Even some owners here admit to having their hands rather full with this breed.
I'm glad for your lovely, calm pets ( long it may last) but do not call other posters ignorant when we are all intelligent enough to make our own conclusions from factual information and past experience.

I truly don't understand it either, willsa. I knew someone would say cars kill more than dogs. Uhuh. Doesn't mean I am going to add unnecessary risks for my children (or myself).
And yes absolutely - ALL dogs bite, but the difference is some will kill as they are powerful, and some will only (lol, only!) maim. I keep my kids away from all dogs. When they are teens, they can choose for themselves if they wish to be around dogs, and by then hopefully be big enough to fend one off. Though there is a teen on this list: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/smiling-faces-children-mauled-death-8664766.

Avoiding one particular aggressive dog is sensible.
Demonising a breed or not ever allowing your child to encounter a dog under any circumstances is not helpful, sensible or appropriate.

And what exactly is the point of repeatedly harping on about how " I'm yet to see a nasty dobbie". Get out more - they exist. My neighbour has one - aggressive, barking, gnarling creature. Even some owners here admit to having their hands rather full with this breed Not everyone can own a doberman, they are strong dogs and need a lot, clearly your neighbors and those people you know should never have owned a doberman, and gone for a easier breed. I would say you need to be experienced and well prepared, have enough space and time to have one. aggressive, barking, gnarling creature I feel sad for that dog, this is not how I know doberman and I have had loads in the family.

Vet here too. Gsds, dobbies, rotties all fab. Spaniels never to be trusted