Doberman as a first dog.

[JamieCannister]

I've always been someone who is no fan of dogs (probably dating back to young childhood, being scared by dobermans at a distance (a few doors down had three of them, who looked very intimidating when standing off lead 30 yards away when you're 5 years old!), an old english sheepdog on his hind legs towering over my pram, and a little yapper next door that would bark aggressively at me from two foot away behing a chain link fence multiple times a day for the best part of a decade!)

Saying that I am reasonably comfortable with them, especially well trained larger dogs (I especially dislike small dogs). When I have a bit of confidence it's well trained I am happy enough petting a rottweiler I've just met.

Anyway, I have stumbled upon a couple of youtube channels and I am falling in love with Dobermans. Or at least I am falling in love with very well trained dobermans - I do not like out of control dogs at all!

Aside from the obvious (all dogs need to be very well trained, not least big ones that can cause real harm, it'll need plenty of exercise and attention) what advice would you give someone considering a doberman as a first dog?

Well I wouldn’t. Dobermans can be docile, I’ve known a couple like this, but they can also be unpredictable and highly strung. They are large dogs with a lot of energy , but not a very intelligent breed at all, so they can easily be a real problem. A Doberman injured my mid size dog by barging into him while playing, they don’t always have much sense of adapting to the size or age of other dogs they meet. They are one of the breeds that make me uneasy in dog play situations .
If you want a larger breed as a first dog then temperament is everything -with a large breed you need a dog that will be relaxed, not reactive.
They can also suffer from separation anxiety but as a big dog perceived as threatening and aggressive by people, they aren’t welcome everywhere.
I think they are definitely not the breed for someone inexperienced with dogs.

Not to do it. They are incredibly high energy, high intellect and are liable to run circles around a novice owner. They are stubborn and in the wrong hands go badly wrong.

YouTube is not an accurate representation of what the average owner experiences with dog ownership - let alone a tricky breed.

A quick google would reinforce all these points - never seen anyone recommend a Doberman as first time dog!

No. Absolutely, absolutely not.

Absolutely not. They're very high intelligence, high energy and high needs.

They need someone who knows dogs, and with respect you can't get the kind of experience needed from a few YouTube videos. Especially as someone who until recently hasn't even liked dogs.

You have to understand dog behaviour, you have to know how to train with a firm hand, you have to be able to commit time and energy to their big exercise needs.

There are lots of people with out of control Belgian Malinois at the moment for this reason - they saw a YouTube or tiktok video of an impeccably trained one, thought "cool what a good dog!" and got one with absolutely zero idea how much work goes into getting them that well trained.

If you want a big dog there are far, far easier starter breeds than a Dobe.

As a first dog? I wouldn’t. They are for experienced dog owners and handlers and even then a couple I knew who were this and had two said they found them hard work.

yes I have seen how popular Malinois dogs are currently. People see them in police documentaries and online etc without a clue as to the immense amount of training, stimulation and exercise they need.

Yep, my elderly greyhound got absolutely flattened by one the other day, the owners were completely clueless. Dogs that smart and that headstrong are a full time job to train!

You are "reasonably comfortable" with dogs, and you want to get a dog?

They don't come trained! I don't see any first time owner creating a well trained Doberman without extensive and expensive help.

I wouldn't get a breed that has the potential for becoming a disaster / dangerous as a first time owner.

I believe there is a difference in temperament of male vs female dobermans, but can’t remember which was easier!

My mum had a Doberman x Weimaraner and he was very gentle after the land shark months. That said, he was the reason I finally left home (he destroyed 5 sofas! Though, now I have my own dog, I wonder why this situation happened 5 times?!) ! He wasn’t the smartest dog (Weimaraner part possibly?) and was not as easy to train as my Sheprador. He was a magnificent looking dog and so affectionate.

I wanted a big dog (my first dog) and got recommendations on a range of breeds and crosses from a dog trainer I happen to know. Based on my lifestyle and domestic set up, I chose a German shepherd x Labrador puppy for intelligence, loyalty, playfulness and protection. I’ve spent every day with him since May and he’s 95% puppy perfection.

I’m short and have 2 children who I’m solo parenting after becoming widowed earlier this year (hence the need for a dog!) so bringing up our puppy had to be done right so he won’t overpower me and eat us and our cats. So far, so good, but it’s a huge commitment and a lot of work to have such a big dog (he’s coming up for 8 months and weighs 40kg!).

There is such a lot of variation between dogs of a breed, between the sexes, and even between litter mates. Our pup was one of 12 and they are all very different from each other (but all excellent dogs and gorgeous).

Research, research, research and then take the plunge - getting our dog was one of the best decisions I’ve made, despite the hard work, he’s changed our lives for the better.

This is a joke thread right?

Do you have children op? Ime experience Doberman’s can be ok pets, but they’re very much one person dogs. They tend to bond with just one person in the family and won’t entertain the thought of interacting with anyone else. If it’s going to be a family dog there are far better breeds

I am not about to jump in... my issue with dogs is more when they are small and yappy, or out of control and I don't know whether I can trust them. I would hope that a dog I owned would be one I would be able to trust (at least after training).

Interesting that one person said they were intelligent, one said the opposite!

To be explicitly clear, were I to get any dog, let alone a potentially large dangerous one, I would want it INCREDIBLY well trained, and I would not jump in without having a plan for exactly how I was going to train it / pay for training etc etc. And I think I would really make the effort to try to identify a really well bred dog even if that meant paying much more.

I suppose I should not be at all surprised at the universally negative comments, and I promise that I am not about to rush in, and were I to ever make the jump I really would be doing it with a lot of forward planning, not with some vague idea that'll it'll all work out so long as I take it for a few training sessions and walk it. I'd want to have confidence that I had the plan in place to become something close to a model owner (ie one who has a model dog), not least because, as I said, I don't like out of control dogs at all.

I've met lots of lovely dobermanns but the breed itself is a bit of a car crash with DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) and I'd avoid for that reason alone.

They're actually very sensitive and that's what makes them difficult for a first time owner, you can't afford to make mistakes in training them in the same way that you can with a lab for example.

Edit: I'd be really surprised if any decent breeder would consider a novice dog owner.

No. Unless you count it as a joke because I'm not serious about getting a dog in the short term, but in the mid-to-long term I am considering it.

Doberman owner here, she’s taken a huge amount of work and training - but she’s adorable and wouldn’t swap her for the world

plus points - docile, cuddly, rarely barks, good with other dogs, very chilled - sleeps all day except for walks, bizarrely does t need much walking / playing (compared to my other dogs she reminds me of a greyhound in that way)

down side - 18months - 3yrs was pretty hellish - I get why they say you need a strong owner, she would just push and push for what she wants, she hunts food and can reach high points in the house, when she was going through her chewing phase lost several pairs of leather shoes and furniture etc, is a Velcro dog to me and my son, she’s unpredictable off lead, I’ll only pet her off on the beach or enclosed fields as she has an amazing sense of smell and loves a chase so can’t trust her off lead.
oh and she doesn’t know her own size and thinks she’s a lapdog!

We have a cat who has a "just push and push" personality.... you are putting me off!

I would like a dog who can be trusted off lead (and I understand that this means a lot of good quality training, and maybe a bit of luck too).

What do you love about them? There must be other breeds that hit the same spot but would be easier for a first time owner?

No. No. No. Absolutely not.

Bonkers. Pipe dream. Get a shitsu

Are you on glue?

We have a Doberman sized dog, took him on as a rescue aged 8 months. I cannot begin to total the household damage that he’s done. Not just shoes and boots, a sofa, beds (not dog beds). He’s big and has separation anxiety. Even at 4 I wouldn’t shut him away because a) he’d howl so loud and long that people in the next row as would call the rspca. b) I’m afraid he’d dig or chew his way out. He also eats a lot of food. Giving a dog this size a decent diet is not cheap. We have smaller dog too and probably pay around £200 a month on dog food, then almost £100 on insurance for them both.

Big dogs are not welcome everywhere. It’s much easier to take a small dog to a dog friendly cafe or pub. When walking him, other owners are often cautious or defensive. When I had a much smaller dog no notice was taken.

We absolutely adore him and it’s been a privilege to see him transform from an abused, neglected bundle of worm filled skin and bones to a big, soppy confident dog loving life.

Will echo that Dobes are wonderful dogs, but I absolutely wouldn’t recommend to a dog novice. They’re working dogs, and if not working they need something to do and to be kept active mentally as well as physically. Usually very trainable, but they can be belligerent fuckers whilst getting there.

Why do you want a dog, if you’re only reasonably comfortable around them? What is it that you want out of a dog, and what is your lifestyle like? Those are the most important criteria when selecting a breed. If you’re looking for a family pet which gets you out of the house for a bit of a walk, there are many far more suitable breeds, it’s not a binary between small and yappy and something like a Dobe.

To be explicitly clear, were I to get any dog, let alone a potentially large dangerous one, I would want it INCREDIBLY well trained, and I would not jump in without having a plan for exactly how I was going to train it / pay for training etc etc. And I think I would really make the effort to try to identify a really well bred dog even if that meant paying much more.

The fact that you don't know how you would train any dog, let alone a Doberman, is precisely why it is a bad idea.

And all dogs are potentially dangerous. I know someone who has permanent facial scaring from a dog that weighed less than 8kg.

Most importantly, a good breeder would not sell a dog like this to a novice owner - which means whatever dog you do get, will almost certainly not be from good stock (which means more likely to have health issues and behavioural problems). The sorts of people breeding the sort of dog you want, just don't sell to any old Sally who walks in off the street and thrusts a bunch of 20s at them.

Honestly OP, get a labrador.