my flock guardian

[BluegrassSeramas]

Beautiful dog. We had one when I was a kid...Her name was "Sweetie" and she was HUGE!

 

[tx zookeeper]

Beautiful girls.. really makes me miss my dobes.. One day, I'll have another. I've had 3 in the past.. Baron (black boy), Hunter (red boy) and Gypsy (red girl)

 

[amarook]

Quote:
ok.

I didn't know; I had heard them called that many times before.

I know.. so many people call them that.

I didn't mean to seem snappy. Just trying to set the record straight.

My foster min pin is more of a pain in the butt than my big dogs. Barks more, has accidents in the house.
But I saved her, now I have to be patient till the right home comes along for her.

 

[okiemommy]

okiemommy wrote:

NO SUCH THING AS A MINI DOBIE!

Miniature pinscher, yes, but it is a completely separate breed, and is actually an older breed than Dobermans.

I have 2 dobes, and a foster min pin... I can't stand the min pin.

ok. smile I didn't know; I had heard them called that many times before.

I know.. so many people call them that.

I didn't mean to seem snappy. Just trying to set the record straight.
big_smile

No problem. It happens

Good thing to keep in mind about the min pins. I know different breeds have different personality traits. Almost sounds like the min pin is a dobi on crack lol​

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Are Dobbies good with birds in general or your is trained or/and exeptional ?

I need a guard dog for the house, and if it was good with birds that would be wonderful.

 

[greathorse]

I have a question about Doberman's. What prompted the ear cropping. I am not judging it in any way (we dock our Draft horse tails) I would just like to know the history. And the dog with the natural ears looks real good to me. I understand that if you were to show they would most certainly need to be cropped.

I think Dobes are awesome looking dogs but I also find them a bit intimidating from their appearance.

 

[Lorettawyandotte]

They are not all good with birds...it depends on time, patience, training and your relationship with the dog...prey drive is pretty significant in Dobermans...the four that I have I have raised from puppyhood...three are not good with birds unless closely supervised as in I am with them and they obey voice commands and hand signals...training...if they were alone, they would probably trash the birds...in fact, over the summer the three almost killed one of my Brown Leghorn pullets...I got them off of her before they broke into the body but she had significant damage...feather loss, two deep cuts and a broken wing which I had to amputate...my vet would not touch her...she survived and has started laying...I am very careful with interaction, but my red girl is a gem...

cropping has been the norm with Dobermans since inception...the standard states docked and cropped...there is a movement to ban docking and cropping...if it is done properly and the pups are cared for, it is a simple procedure...they are anesthetized and come right back up after surgery...it is all in the after care...I give pain meds for a few days and anti biotics to prevent infection...cropping is an art form and most vets are not very good at it...it is not taught in vet school as it is considered optional cosmetic surgery...they have to learn on their own if they are ambitious enough...I prefer the cropped Doberman...it is a personal choice that I would like to keep open for me and other fanciers of cropped breeds...

It is a hot topic in some areas and I don't want to bring heat to this forum...cropped is simply what I prefer...and after 25 years with the breed, I have learned how to care for the cropped pup to reduce and irradicate any trauma in the cropping process...

 

[amarook]

I have a question about Doberman's. What prompted the ear cropping. I am not judging it in any way (we dock our Draft horse tails) I would just like to know the history. And the dog with the natural ears looks real good to me. I understand that if you were to show they would most certainly need to be cropped.

I think Dobes are awesome looking dogs but I also find them a bit intimidating from their appearance.

I prefer dobes with the natural look myself.
The natural look matches the personalities better.
(In my opinion.)

They were bred to be a guard dog by a man who was a tax collector. I think that is why they started with the cropping & docking, because it does make them look more intimidating.

But anyone who has lived with a dobe will tell you that they are big cuddly, & quirky goof balls. With protective instincts that will snap on like a light switch. When my dogs hear a sound that is suspicious, it's like another dog is suddenly in the room.

You will never feel safer! Brains and intelligence!​

 

[breezy]

Part of the purpose behind the cropping and docking is to make them look fiercer but the main reason is to protect the dog. Cropping and docking makes them less easy to grab and hold or disable. Reaching down and snapping the tail of a dog may stop it from doing its job just as large floppy ears are an injury risk as well. There are different crops available such as conformation, military ect. The subject is a hot one as was mentioned but it is good to know the history behind the way dogs look or are coated or are altered. The dobies history as a tax collectors dog is also accurate but did you know that the Dobermann is the ONLY working dog bred specifically to also be a companion animal? The dog was developed as the ultimate all purpose dog...guardian,protector,and companion/family pet. They can literally be trained to do anything...as someone who works with dogs for a living I have to say they are simply amazing.

 

[Lorettawyandotte]

I did not like dogs very much until I got my first Doberman...she was to be a guard dog yard dog...the yard part lasted about ten minutes...never heard such a racket coming out of such a small package as she screamed in protest on the end of her tie out...ten minutes and she was inside with us...I had no idea of the intelligence and premeditated mischeif that comes with this breed...that first one was an education...and they teach me something new every day about honor, integrity, loyalty, parenting...the girls I bred over the years wre better mothers than a lot of the humans I know...they are just amazing creatures...I could babble forever but I wont...thanks for all the input and feed back and such...