Doberman Question I get Asked A lot!!!! Awnsered in my Opinion
Life span = 9-12 years is usual, I have seen Dobermans that have lived until 16 years old that were in my care.
To crop or Not = Cropping a puppy Doberman ears in a personal choice. Cropping the ear doesn't have any positive reasons except for their appearance. Today there is no reason to crop the ears except vanity. I hear all the time "I want my dogs ears cropped so it will look like a Doberman." It is true that a non cropped Dobe looks sweeter and not as alert as the cropped. Honestly I prefer them cropped myself, there's something to be said about a majestic, proud Doberman standing alert with ears held high and erect, but cropping the ears can be a lot of work. It also is stressful on the puppy and costly. Finding a good veterinarian to do the cropping is getting harder and harder to find. If you choose to crop your puppies ears make sure you take proper care of them. Nothing makes me angrier than someone who puts a puppy through an operation then never to follow through with the ear taping. Ear cropping can be a long drawn out thing not every puppy's ears stand quickly. You have to be willing to go the distance. If you choose not to crop your puppy, you have decided that the sweeter, happy go lucky look is for you. Not cropping your puppy's ears is safer for your puppy. Any time there is a surgical procedure you risk your puppy's life no matter how small that risk may be there still is a risk.
Feeding a puppy
Feeding a puppy is very important. You should always feed a Doberman puppy "puppy food" for at least 1 1/2 years. I have heard many stories about Veterinarians taking puppies off puppy food and I don't agree with them. NO, I'm not a vet but this makes no sense to me. Proper nutrition is very important in a growing Dobe and the best way you can achieve that is feeding a high nutrition puppy formula food.
``= Yes, I do feed my dogs scraps of food. In fact I feed them almost everything except chocolate, grapes and onions which can be very harmful to a dog, but this question should phrased a different way SHOULD you feed scrap. I would say in most cases NO. Feeding goodies from the table increases bad manners while you are eating and only make the dog long for better tasting food other than the boring dry kibble you are giving him. Those are the two main reason why you shouldn't give scraps. I don't believe giving scraps is bad for their health, it all depends on what you are giving them. There is many healthy foods that they are sure to love that can be good for them too,but know that once you start the habit of giving them yummy people food the spell can almost never be broken. Doberman are notorious for stealing food and begging with lots of drool. So be smart make your decision fast whether you will be a goodie giver or not.
Here are some Puppy/Dog food brands I suggest in order of my favorite to least.
*1-Natures Variety's "Prairie" - www.naturesvariety.com - This is an EXCELLENT dog food for Puppies and adult. This is all natural, no preservatives, totally made for what a dog should eat. It comes in dry and frozen patties that get feed together to make your dogs food complete. I use this and recommend it highly. It is however not cheap.
*2-Solid Gold's - Hundnflocken- - www.solidgoldhealth.com - I suggest this as a great food for the puppy stage through adulthood. It comes in a few varieties, Wolf Cub, I believe is the puppy formula and when your puppy turns into an adult the adult brand is also excellent.
*3-Wellness Puppy/Dog food- http://www.omhpet.com/ Very expensive but one of the best, Adult food is great too.
*4-Chicken Soup for the Puppy/Dog soul- http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/formulasnew.html - mid priced and very, very good!
Pro Plan, Large Breed Puppy/Adult- http://www.purina.com/intl/default.asp
Natural Choice/Nutro products- www.nutroproducts.com/default.asp - This is a good puppy/dog food and is better than many retail brands.
Purina One-Large breed- http://www.purina.com/intl/default.asp This is an adequate Puppy/dog food. You can buy this most grocery stores. It isn't the best but the cost is right. Better than most store brands
Iams Puppy large breed or smart puppy - Lower in Price, able to get in food store and adequate nutrition, better than most store brands.
Are Dobermans an outside pet= Well, I never really understood the reason why someone would want a dog only to keep it outside but I'm keeping my personal thoughts out of this and just giving you what I believe is the facts. NO Dobermans should not be kept outside. Why? That's easy they don't have the protective fur and fat to take the elements. Now if you live somewhere that is 50-70 year round and you have the proper housing I'm sure your Doberman will survive. I say survive because that is all it would do is survive. Dobermans NEED human attention. They need their family to hug, love and train them. Doberman do not make very good pets when they are separate from the people that are supposed to love them. They need attention, but the love they give back is more than most people can imagine you can get from a dog. I would suggest if you want an outside dog please find another breed.
I was told not to give my Doberman toys is that correct?
WHAT? Who ever told someone that must be insane or definitely doesn't know Dobermans. Doberman's LOVE to chew. In fact that may be one of the biggest problems with Dobes. I suggest you buy tons of toys and find out which ones your puppy like and buy more. The more things your Dobe has to occupy it's self with is less time it will be eating your couch, woodwork, clothing, table, rare oriental rugs you get my drift. Dobes chew once in awhile you'll find an excellent puppy that doesn't chew and you thank your lucky stars.
Do I crate train my Doberman puppy or not=
Dogs usually end up loving their crates. Sometimes getting to like it is a lot of work. I suggest using a crate at least when your puppy is young. I hear very often that it is cruel to put puppies in crates. No it's not! It is more cruel to come home from work and see you couch chewed to bits and then scream,hit or end up giving away your puppy because he did something that was natural to him. If your puppy was in his crate sleeping or chewing on one of his toys that could have been all avoided. Crate training help potty train your puppy and gives him a quiet place to go if you have a crazy, hectic house with children and other pets. There are a few things that you need to know about crate training; never use it as a form of punishment and know when you take your puppy or dog out of his crate he is going to be more energetic than if he was loose in your house all day. ( not chewing your home to bits is lowers his activity level) You will need to spend time with your puppy giving him attention and also it is time to go outside and work off some of that pent up energy he has been storing until you came home. Crate training is also good for those who don't work. It is nice to make the puppy take naps. If you need to do errands, the puppy just needs a break from too much playing with children or other dogs or you just want to take a break from watching the puppy like a hawk. Crate training can work for the good but you have to do it properly, over use of the crate can be cruel and make your puppy and untrained problem dog. You must use the crate and training to ensure a well behaved dog.
Is a Doberman vicious=
NO! Dobermans will only be vicious if not properly trained or if they are provoked by a stranger or their property is threatened. Dobermans are watch dogs, they protect the things they love: their home, car, family. It is your job as an owner to properly socialize your Dobe. Dobermans that are separated from the rest of society with become even more protective and could be very aggressive to others that aren't in their family. The best thing to do with you puppy is take them places and let people pet them. You will find a Dobe that is friendly and outgoing is the best pet in the world. Your Doberman doesn't have to appear mean to be protective that is a natural instinct that will show up if necessary.
I don't have a lot of time but I want to get a Doberman puppy should I?
No. Buying a Doberman puppy is the next best thing to having a child. If you are not dedicated to properly spending enough time playing with, training and caring for your Dobe you will not see the true benefits to owning a Doberman. The first year of your Dobermans life is the most crucial. Training is a very big part of the time. Now Doberman are very intelligent and learn VERY quickly, but if you don't do any training they will only learn bad things they have thought themselves. It's your job to reinforce the learning of the right way to behave. NO becomes your favorite word, but you should make sure you also you equal or more amounts of praise. Doberman love to please you and they seems to learn even more quickly if there is lots of positive praise. Usually the sound of your voice is teach a puppy right from wrong. The best advise I think I can give in any training is be CONSISTANT! If he isn't allowed on the couch one time then he is never allowed on. Don't sometimes give him a goodie from the table and then other times don't start from day one with what you want him to learn and stick to it. Don't fall for the "oh I'm so cute just let me up on the couch one time" bit, it will only confuse and make training longer and harder.
Are Doberman dirty dogs?
NO, most of the time you will never see any hair from you Dobe any where. They do shed but it is so short that the only way you will see it is if it brushes up against you or you have white furniture they lay next to. You should also groom you dobe at least a few time a week. Brushing cuts down on the need for a bath and excess hair around your house not to mention make their coat shinny and healthy. I do not suggest bathing your Doberman a lot in fact very rarely is a better practice. Bathing ruins the natural luster of the coat and leads to dandruff. I wipe mine off daily with a wet cloth and brush frequently to keep dirt down. Doberman are a very clean dog unless they went out rolling in dirt you most likely wont have a problem. When you do bath them make sure the shampoo is gentle and follow it up with a conditioning rinse. You will need to have your Dobes nails clipped , I suggest once a week or at the absolute least once a month. It is easy to keep up if it is once a week. Brushing their teeth is always a good idea to keep their pearly whites, pearly white. If you don't brush make sure you get dental bone or someother dental product meant for keeping their teeth healthy. Keep their ear nice and clean with a cotton ball and ear cleanser that you can buy at any pet store.
To Spay or Not to Spay, that is the question
I think spaying or neutoring should not take place until after the dog is 1 year of age or until 1 heat cycle. The closer the dog is to fully grown the better when fixing our pet.
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