Dog breed suggestions / Doberman experience?

My English Shepherd is everything you described. He watches over my small flock and puts them up in their run if asked. He has an incredible sense of what is balanced behavior and what is not. He watches my every move, but retreats and lays down when I don't need him to be in my space. He is guardian of our small acerage, very territorial about things or animals that shouldn't be here. The breed has an incredible urge to please his master, and guard what is his masters property, animal or family. He is never hyper, but has stamina for anything asked of him. He rides out with me on horseback, or when i go for a walk or hike in the woods. He never takes off, despite the fact he is still intact.






I can't say enough about this breed, especially if you have acreage and animals to look after, and a family to need watching over.

Good Luck!
MB
 
Dobermans are great dogs. I love how brave they are. Have you looked at the Doberman Club of America? I know that breed clubs have a rescue site, and the Dobie club has one as well, you could check there for a young Dobe in need.
 
I've read this whole thread because I've been owned by Dobies for more than 25 years now. They are great schutzhund dogs and I love to compete in schutzhund, so I've always had Dobies and GSDs. The only Dobie I've ever had that had health issues was our rescue girl. She has so many fatty tumors that we finally gave up having them removed--seemed like she was always healing up from yet another surgery and what kind of a life is that?!? She had more than 50 of them removed, but then, we don't know her breeding so she could be from somebody's backyard litter.

Our other Dobies all come from working lines and have strong prey drive. They are opinionated and dislike it when the kids don't follow the house rules, which is why I don't recommend them for households with very small children. They are couch potatoes when not working and if you have a problem with dogs on your bed, this breed is not for you. I STILL sleep on a king mattress so there is enough space for ME on the bed when the dogs take to sprawling. (Oh, and they steal the covers, too!) Outdoors they are strong, active dogs who thrive on exercise. They need enough space for that exercise and someone committed enough to see to it that they get the opportunity to work that big brain of theirs. Over the years all of the dogs have been healthy with no allergies or ailments...right up to the last week of their lives. The cardiomyopathy seemed to develop overnight and they were gone in days--without pain, without lingering, without responding to any treatment we tried.

They are loving, often attaching to one person, whom they follow from room to room all day long. They are friendly with the rest of the family but each one always seems to pick "their" person and remains loyal to that person to the last breath.

Each of my Dobies has been majorly expensive BUT came with all the testing that was available at the time and I believe that is why we've always had such good luck with each of our puppies. I've got a thing for black and rust, so that is the only color dog we've ever had.

Hope this is helpful.


Rusty
 
Mela - your pup is GORGEOUS. I've never heard of the breed but he sounds like the dream dog for a small farm, one that would suit my needs if I didn't just get a pup the other day.

Peaches - I did. Unfortunately, all rescue dogs that were young or puppies were outrageously expensive, and they require to be within a certain amount of miles of the rescue center + a fenced yard, both of which put me out. So sad that the worked in such a way when there are so may great homes out there.

Rusty - that was a major help. I'm about to make a new post, but I did just get a pup a few days ago, more rescue from a hoarding/poor care situation than anything else. She follows me around, is a couch potato when she's not playing, and gets as close to me as she can in the bed at night. She has wormed her way into my heart and there's no getting her out! She's good with other dogs, the cats, and has shown no intent to do anything to the birds (no hedgehog interaction yet). As I write this, she's sprawled out on the couch with her head on my arm. I think being owned by a dobie is going to be a one of a kind experience. I can only hope that she lives a long, full, healthy life but I know that things can happen.
 
Would you mind telling me what breed tou went with and how it worked out? I was thinking about adopting a dobie too and we also have cats and chickens.
 

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