Doberman Pinscher

biffo22

Hey guys just wondering if any of ye out there own one of these dogs???
would they make good family pets or are they more suited to guard dogs??
any help most greetful!!!

cowzerp

i only know 1 of them and he's very placid and a good pet-just because a dog is a good guard does not make it a bad pet..

PetrovthePrat

My partners parents have one. She's lovely,very placid,maybe too placid. Refused to acknowledge our mutt when they met.

fatmammycat

I had one for years. Male, very mild mannered, a little aloof with strangers. Excellent watch dog, sharp and alert, but not vicious in any way. They can be a bit sensitive to cold and are not-in my opinion- out door dogs. They don't shed a lot, are super clean, very intelligent and easy to train, even a bit goofy, but -again I can only go by my own fellow- very much a one person dog. My dog was mine, where I went he went, and he wouldn't be overly bothered about anyone else in the family.
I did a lot of socialising with him as a young dog because I didn't get him as a pup and the people who owned him before me neglected him terribly, but he was so quick to learn and so eager to please it was a pleasure to watch him come out of his shell.
I would HIGHLY recommend them as a pet, indeed I will probably get one again in the future, but when I do I will stipulate that I want one with full tail and uncut ears as they really look lovely like that and I am against unnecesssary amputations.

jen_23

Hi Biffo,

To be honest I think any dog would make a good family pet as long as it has the right environent and is socialized and trained well.
I have seen several restricted breed dogs such as GSDs and rottweilers make the most loyal and friendly family pets.
And beieve me the GSD would alert you to a bufglar but would probably go away with him if he had a sausage

So if you have the space, patience and time go for it! Just remember to research the breed and breeders before hand

gypsygirl

I have a 7 yr old male dobbie (Nigel) and he's a lovely placid dog, really dumb in some ways and sooo smart in others, very good guard dog but always waits to see how my german shepherd (Molly) reacts and then backs her up, Lol. He's around kiddies all the time and is so gentle with them, if you spend quality time with them they are a fantastic breed, gentle, intelligent, loyal and really easy to train as they are so eager to learn, love the attention and lots of it and love to be cuddled by their family. I've had four of them and every one was a joy to own. Dobbies are naturally wary around strangers, not in an aggressive way, but just sussing them out quietly. If we invite a person Nige doesn't know into our home, Nigel kinda hangs back watching for a few minutes before coming forward for a sniff and then a pat from the person, however when a friend arrives, Nige is right in there, like wheres me cuddles. Dobbies take their cue from their master, usually they only have one master, but will take direction from any known authority figure, including kids, (my dobbie takes orders from my 5 yr old niece to sit and leave food until she gives him the nod to eat). I would recommend a dobbie, provided you are prepared to put the work in they are a fantastic dog, just make sure the dog knows the pecking order in the household. Above all, enjoy your dobbie, a truly noble breed and the bigger part of your family he is, the more you'll enjoy being a dobie owner.:)

DD67

I have had two dobbies and both passed away at 6 years old, the first was a heart condition which the vet said was common among dobbies and the second developed a condition called wobblers syndrome which effects the vertebra and died during surgery. Both dogs while alive were loyal companions, great guard dogs and great with people, mind you the male one could be aggressive towards other male dogs.

Having two dobbies die so young put me off getting another as i cound`nt go through the heart ache again. My vet said the breeding pool for dobbies in Ireland was so small at the time that he was encountering alot of genetic problems with dobermans and there needed to be new foreign blood lines introduced to strenghten the breed in Ireland. Thats my experience with dobermans, when we decided recently to get another dog we went for a Weineranmer.

gypsygirl

Aw Jeez DD67, thats heartbreaking, its awful to lose them so young, I'm not quite sure what to say, I lost a beautiful male dobbie at 15 months and it took me ages to come to terms with it, the lad I have now is 7 and a total twit but sooo lovable, we got a baby rottie recently and he loves her, playing with her (Ella) keeps him fit and her active, we also have a 12 yr old German Shepherd/Dobbie mix called Molly who calls the shots and keeps everything in check.

biffo22

Thanks for all the info guys/gals:D and sorry to hear bout yer losses:(just wondering how much should i expect to pay for a gud doberman pup??and what should i be on the look out for wen buying one??thanks in advance:D