just some questions

[garterman07]

hi i have to start this with bad news... my poor cat tigger is 17 im only 17 and i have never lived a single day with out my cat tigger and i mean that literally. =( my tigger cat is dieing and only has a weekish to live ='( and when he goes =;( i am considering a dog. but the dog i was is the doberman its strong, sleak, attractive, tough, and protective. but is it the dog for me?

is it able to go on car rides all the time?
hang out with me and my friends?
just go for random walks or biking sessions?
and how is the barking? cause i live in an apartment and im graduating this year (high school) but i gotta know if hes a barker...cause i can;t have him if he is... =(

[Rich S]

Sorry to hear about your cat.

Is a Doberman right for you? I think your best bet is to hang out on the board for a bit and see what people say about Dobermans. Ask lots of questions. And take your time making the decision.

Most Dobermans love car rides.

Dobes are extremely social, so he/she would be more than willing to hang out with you and your friends.

Dobermans need lots of exercise. Walks and running along side a bike would be great.

My guy Magnum only barks to warn us of people walking up to the house. If you live in an apartment, he/she may bark if people knock on your door.

[jelly8bean]

All dogs are different, especially about barking. So I would say that depends on your dobie. My older, smaller female dobie barks tons.. and big dog barking too. My rottie and my baby blue dobie hardly bark at all. Dobies are very social and people oriented (velcro dogs) as well as athletic. My worry about this combo is that you are living in an apartment. This is not a good environment for a high energy, large dog. I got my first dobie from a young couple who wanted the look, but lived in a condo. They loved him, but were unable to keep up with the level of activity required (he ran beside their car on back roads to try to get enough exercise), and he was just too big for the apartment. Research your breeds and perhaps there is another that might suit your situation better. (Very sorry about the Cat - they take little pieces of your heart when they go).

[garterman07]

ive been reading alot about this breed, and all the general information from books and websites points to it to be the dog for me. im looking for a dog i can take with me on most events (durable) i need a dog that can also protect me i live in an area with heavy wildlife (on a bike trail) theres tons of deer small bear, coyotes. i need a dog that can keep me ocupied cause i always need something to do even if its just walking to a friends house, i also need loyalty im so attached to my cat. and i need that friendship with an animal, cause i am going through a rough time my mom just got diagnosed with breast cancer and im working on graduating, and work every now and again and i need a good friend. and i love the fact thats hes inteligent...i can;t stand stupid dogs

but now i found a forum so i can ask the more specific questions

[jelly8bean]

It can work.. but you need to be dedicated to make it happen in an apartment. First make sure your place doesn't have rules that would be difficult.. ie some apartments allow dogs, but nothing over 40 lbs. Second.. check out local rescue situations, a more mature dog may be better for you since a puppy would take lots of time and training. I got my Sara dog at 13 months and Indigo at 22 months, both rescues. Both needed work on house training! But both would have been ready to go with you on all these activities - a new puppy would take time to grow. Don't expect the dog to protect you from wild animals.. this is just not going to happen, you need to protect your dog from them (bear and coyote will kill). Do get into training classes right away, so that your new friend will understand what you want. Training also helps with the bond with your dog since you spend time trying to figure each other out. Read up and learn alot before you make the commitment.. cause it is for life.

[garterman07]

my cat died ='( today at 17 and a half years old, 2 months younger than me and im only 17... ='( :(:(:( and i want a doberman puppy more than any thing now, i need that companionship only a loyal pet can give me my cat tigger used to wait at the top of the stairs for me when i came home from school and work and we would go watch tv, get something to eat, or just go take a nap. he would be there for me when i came home from biking or walking... and right now i just need a friend my cat was more than a pet he was a family member, and i need that again and out of 150 dog breeds i have been examining, i have settled on the doberman pinscher =)

[lab1dobie]

Our experiences with dobes are these:

1. Yes, the love to ride. Your car is their car.
2. They love to be with the crowd. Ours love to be the center of attention at the
firehouse with us and the EMS and police officers that visit. They love company at
home too so they can be part of the party.
3. Walks at the dog park or through the neighborhood. Romping on the agility field at
our trainer's place is good exercise.
4. They usually bark at the sound of something unfamiliar. We lived in a townhouse and
our neighbors liked it because they knew to check things out, especially at night.

Above all, attend training classes with your dobe. It will do you both good and you will be a better and more responsible owner.

[Mandy F]

Sorry to hear about your cat.

Take your time on deciding if you really want a dobe. Just as any pet they can be a lot of work. It sounds like every thing your looking for in a dog, as Doberman can offer.

When are you thinking of getting one?

[garterman07]

hopefully around christmas. my birthday is new years eve and thats just about the time i will have money for him too. theres a training class near my home that i am going to attend with my puppy a couple of myh friends went there and they tell me its a good facility. i have a question when looking for information on the doberman i came across alot of sites and books that refered to them as being able to track. what does it mean by tracking like blood hound tracking? or something else?

[jelly8bean]

Do think about adopting a rescue dobie.. they can be very grateful and loving and you will be able to enjoy them instantly. You have checked out all the apartment rules right? Tracking is a very specific training that you can move up to. Here is a website with additional information about that..
http://www.grcv.org.au/training/tracking.htm
As this site says,all dog can track by scent.. I can tell you bloodhounds just happen to be very very good at it. They are kind of designed for it. However I would think you might look into agility after some basic training. It is competitive and great exercise and can be very fun. I'm working on my basic training with my 2 year old rescue to be able to move up to agility classes next year. First I want to have my basic skills - sit/down/stays - leave it and recall very good and I would like a nice loose leash walk. All these things take time, then I want to make the move to agility! Check this one out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OweIbSkr_E

[Jusa]

I'm not trying to rain on your parade but you might want to check with your apartment manager, or look for a place that will accept Dobermans. I'm in the Navy and we just moved from CA to WA and ALOT of places won't accept Dobermans, Rottwilers, or Pitbulls. Even the ones that say yes to dogs usually say no to these breeds because the media has portrayed them as high risk. My dog is 80 lbs and he's not even 7 months old yet. Dobermans are great dogs and i love mine to death but he does make moving around hard. It's probably best to wait till you can rent a house with a fenced in yard. Also make sure to save up for the "Ear Crop" if you want that look. it's about another $500.00 and you do that when your dog is 8-10 weeks old. Dobermans constantly want to be with their humans and will get really depressed if you are gone for too long. This is all just ment to help, not try to convince you not to get a Doberman. They are great dogs but they are alot bigger commitment than a lab.

[Arritt315]

X2 on Dobes being social. I read alot of stuff about them before I decided on my girl and so much of what I read said the breed was "aloof" or "distant" with strangers. Not so with mine! I have to keep an eye on her when company is over so she doesn't lick them to death!

My female doesn't really bark that much, even with our male Dachshund (who does bark, ALOT) there to spur her on sometimes.

Do your homework about the breed and always remember they are a commitment and you'll be fine.

[Kimbertalkls]

I must agree with checking on your apartment regulations. Then if you can have a doberman I would suggest a rescue adult that is quiet and housebroken. A puppy being crate trained can disrupt apartment life but an adult that is not a barker and does not have seperation issues would be a good choice financially and for many other reasons. She is any local dog parks have dobermans going there regularly or see if a local rescue has a meet and greet at any petstores. Also, besides more expense in feeding, you have vet care and licenses that cats may not require. Anne