Doberman help

[keddre]

My girlfriend was looking to get a dog so we did research together. We established that she wanted a SMALL and LOW-ENERGY dog (sorry for the all caps but these were her words and her deciding factors.) Not being able to decide on a dog, she decides to sign up for a dog sitting app and she dog sits (good idea and I was proud of her,) so she changed to medium energy and got it down to Jack Russel or beagle. Now our non-SPCA shelters have a ton of these dogs, so I think we are all straight. We hit the shelters, find a dog named "Sebastian" that she fell in love with and decided she would adopt when she gets back from Christmas vacation. Fast forward to Christmas and we split ways (she goes to her family and I go with mine,) where she suddenly comes back with a Doberman and GSD mix. Throwing all the research we did aside, she gets a large and high-energy dog even though she doesn't have a back yard and will only be able to walk it twice a day. Being suddenly stubborn, she is refusing to give it up so now I have to work around it.

This is where I need your help, what can I do to help this dog meet its energy needs in these circumstances. Semi-luckily I'll have a house with a decently sized yard in June so it's not all lost, but we still need to meet its needs until then. I'm thinking that maybe I can teach it fetch and tug-of-war to keep it entertained for a while but I feel that may not be enough for a doberman. I was thinking a little indoor agility course since she has a big basement but she doesn't like it because it "treats the dog like a circus act," so now I'm thinking a small flyball course since that also doesn't need a lot of space, just a long strip.

If you own a doberman, GSD, or other high-energy dog, what job do you give it to help meet its energy requirements? Second Question: frisbee at a park would be excellent, but what keeps your dog from just running off? What can I do to make it so that he can run far and fast off-leash but still come back to me?

Edit: flyball is out, it's not until you set it up that you realize how far apart those hurdles are

 

[Centurio]

Needs at least a 225 gallon tank.

 

[KMench]

My parents own a Doberman and we own a German Shepard. The Shepard is actually pretty laid back and lazy. Guarding is his job, and he does it well. The Doberman my parents own on the other hand is a bit crazy. Are there any dog parks near you where you could take her to run off-leash? It’s also good socialization for them at the parks.

 

[keddre]

The Shepard is actually pretty laid back and lazy. Guarding is his job, and he does it well

See, I hope the dog takes more of the GSD then the doberman but I'm going to plan for the worst case scenario.

Are there any dog parks near you where you could take her to run off-leash?

Yes but I've never been personally. I would love to take him there for a couple hours daily, but I want to make sure it is overly attached to both of us before hand. Last thing I want is for it to run off

Edit: thinking about it, there is an abandoned middle school by my mom's house where they rebuilt it somewhere else. It has a huge open field where I used to play backyard football but now no one goes there. That would be an excellent place, but the running off fear is still there

 

[dansreef]

Well... this is a tough one. I was married to a woman that had to have "her own" dogs. She had border collies ...so I totally understand the need to keep them occupied and burn off energy. I have had labs, GSDs, and Dobermans. I now have a Chihuahua jack Russell mix. Without taking high energy dogs for walks in a park and playing ball and fetch... it is tough to manage their energy....and all dogs are different. The key for us was to have a dog crate...and use it. If we weren't home...the dogs were in their crate. Get one big enough so that the dog can stand up, turn around and lie back down. Don't put food or water in it. Use the crate as a tool to keep the dog quiet... and build a routine... when you leave... they are in the crate sleeping.

As for other activities.... like I said above... every dog is different. Long walks help... IF you can afford it... there are dog day camps you can use. They can be pricey. But used a couple days a week may be manageable. They can then socialize and burn off a lot of energy.

I hope this helps.

 

[Ubans13]

First off how old of a dog? Second have either of you had dogs in the past?

The first thing you need to work on are the basics. Like sit, stay and heal! Which will actually make the dog work and tire him out and also bond him with the both of you. Second the dog being new will try to find its place in the order of who is boss. So to take care of this you never want the dog in front of you on a walk. Either the dog should be beside or behind. Make sure you walk through a door before he does. A walk should not really be play time in the beginning. This will make him work and use his brain. You want him to sit when you stop or come to a corner. He shouldn’t stop to really sniff things. If your walking his attention should be on you. Can do this with small treats. Other things to get his brain working would be to drop some food on the floor and get him to just leave it alone. If he doesn’t touch the food reward him with something else other then what has been put on the floor. Now once you have had him working it would be proper to reward with some tug of war or ball playing. Now tug of war could also be seen from his eyes as a dominance thing so do not let him win all the time!

The next best thing is the crate. It is not cruel. Its a home. Should not be used for punishment!!!!! Once trained they will run to a crate willing and be happy to be in it. Eventually you can get away with no crate but till you know your new dog don’t risk it.

I have had a many big dogs and what some would consider to be feared dogs. Currently have a Pit. All comes to training and time you wanna put in like your reef!

 

[KJoFan]

You said you have a dog park nearby? Those typically are all enclosed, so running off shouldn't be an issue. At worst, you'd be chasing it around the enclosed space when it's time to go home. :)

So, if it's a real dog park you should consider it as an option to run off some energy and socialize the dog which is also important.

 

[keddre]

First off how old of a dog? Second have either of you had dogs in the past?

Somewhere between 3-4 months. No but I'm a volunteer dog walker at SPCA which shows me how little walking actually contributes.

The first thing you need to work on are the basics. Like sit, stay and heal! Which will actually make the dog work and tire him out and also bond him with the both of you. Second the dog being new will try to find its place in the order of who is boss. So to take care of this you never want the dog in front of you on a walk. Either the dog should be beside or behind. Make sure you walk through a door before he does. A walk should not really be play time in the beginning. This will make him work and use his brain. You want him to sit when you stop or come to a corner. He shouldn’t stop to really sniff things. If your walking his attention should be on you. Can do this with small treats. Other things to get his brain working would be to drop some food on the floor and get him to just leave it alone. If he doesn’t touch the food reward him with something else other then what has been put on the floor.

Lol, all good advice but did you read the book "Cesar's Way" by Cesar Millan, I promise you you sounded just like him

The next best thing is the crate. It is not cruel. Its a home.

Gotcha

Should not be used for punishment!!!!!

Thanks for this heads up though

Those typically are all enclosed, so running off shouldn't be an issue

Aww, I've never been there before so I don't know how they are set up. KMench's question reminded me there is an open field not too far from the house that would be perfect for frisbee and flyball though.

 

[AdamNC]

Long walks, never let him win in a tug of war and never give them an inch. I’ve had my Dobie for about 8 years now and they need to be put in their place once in a while. Just remember that you or your GF is the Alpha and make sure he understands that.

A lot of dogs are food motivated and being that Dobies and Shepherds are a working class dogs, they love to work for treats. Just remember a tired dog is a good dog lol. Meaning you need to find ways to keep his mind active when he appears bored. Daily obedience trading is the best thing to do. Doesn’t have to be a long one, about 10-15 mins a day suffices.

On the plus side, Dobies make excellent family dogs as well as guard dogs. I can and do trust him to play with my 5 year old. Just while out in public keep him short leashed until you can evaluate his temper with strangers.

 

[Chef Tommy]

I had a Doberman for 12 years! Thanks for the post and bringing back some great memories! He just loved long walks and eventually just stayed by me with no leash. I think it was walking him with one of those extendable leashes he learned to stay with me because I would shorten it up if he tried to run to others walking. He ended up becoming pretty laid back as I understand they take to their owners personality. Enjoy him. Great site of reefers helping reefers with other stuff!

 

[Davy Jones]

Bred doberman for part of my life and have owned 5 of them. Have one right now and a boxer/pitty mix.

For a doberman, they require MENTAL stimulation as well as physical. They also will "Imprint" on either you or your significant other. They WILL pick their person and will absolutely favor that person and listen to them better. It is a bit frustrating at times but it is what it is. Ours loves walks, will go on runs but not as huge a fan of that. Fetch is good, especially if they enjoy running up and down stairs. Thats one thing we do during the winter up here in minnesota, fetch up and downstairs, hide and seek, find it games. Dobermans can be your best friend but it is true what people say about them being velcro dogs, they will want to be by their person 100% of the time. They are great watchdogs and awesome family pets.

 

[WWIII]

I have 2 dobermans, they are great and loyal dogs, but yes they do have a lot of energy! They are also extremely smart dogs and can seem to get depressed and cause "trouble" if not exercised both physically and mentally. The biggest thing that helps mine is a change of scenery. Whether a walk, a trip to the park, or even just a ride in the car, they really enjoy looking at different scenery and it definetely takes their energy level down a lot!

They can be trained to do almost anything a dog can be trained to do. They will play fetch, heel, come, etc... but it does take some time to get this all accomplished! Their puppy phase can last a while, for mine it was almost a year and a half to get them to listen and know when playtime was and when it was time to listen. Every dog is different of course!

I would not take the dog off leash unless the area is fenced in properly and if there are other dogs around, you know how the dog will react. Socialization is very important for this breed, especially at an early age. I took mine to obedience classes, home depot, and the pet store (sometimes). Pet store can kinda be a cluster.

For now I would suggest socialization on a leash, car rides, and obedience classes. Also off leash in the proper fenced in areas and only if alone, or you arw comfortable with how the dog acts around others! They are big dogs and no one wants them getting themselves in trouble around others, even if they are just playing. Getting them to listen takes lots of practice, time and rewards!

Good luck! :-)

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

My wife wanted a Doberman but we couldn’t have one due to its size. So I got her two little miniature pinschers. They are very energetic. My wife and I usually get a hot cup of coffee and walk them on the beach (4-5 miles) early in the morning. They get plenty of exercise which leads to a long nice nap for the rest of the day. We do this 2/3 times a week. When we don’t have the time, we take them to a secluded park and they run off the leash for 30 mins.

Take it on long walks and if he looks cramped and eager to go out take him/her out for a quick 15 mins. Sometimes all they want is to be outside for a quick min and that’s all.

 

[jenjen]

I have a medium sized high energy dog who was not properly socialized as a puppy and came to us with both people and dog reactivity. It took 2 years to get where we could comfortably have her anywhere there might be a dog and I still never have her off leash except in the yard.

A dither stick works really well to work out energy in a small space, and tug is excellent. Dogs can get really excited playing and I would suggest with these types of games (especially if playing inside!) to establish clear rules. My dog is much stronger than me and likes to play hard, so I taught her early on that I'm a big wimp! When she gets too excited I exclaim 'ouch' high pitched. She stops in her tracks and will resume play much more gently! She also knows she can play harder with my husband than with me. 'All done' instantly ends every game. I don't think of it as 'alpha', just good manners. I expect the same respect from my children. :)

Chewing is actually really good exercise for a dog. A stuffed Kong or a marrow bone can work out a surprising amount of energy.

And don't underestimate mental stimulation. Training things like wait, find it, crawl, look along with standard obedience is mentally good for a dog and will tire them out. Think of training like a play session. Have lots of treats and reward success. My dog loves it! My favorite command I've taught is gentle. If I offer a treat or a toy and say gentle she takes it SO softly! A useful thing when a kid wants to give her a cookie. And find it is a great distraction tool for excited times like when people are coming or going from the house - gives the dog a job during hectic times.

My last suggestion is puzzle toys. We have this puzzle that has a drawer to pull out, a door to tip open and a few other things. You put treats in it then leave the dog to figure out how to get them. Another excellent way to tire out an excited dog!

Good luck and have fun!

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Do you have a treadmill? Or can get a cheap one? We have a mastiff/GSD mix that we have to trained to walk on the treadmill.

 

[Waters]

I didn't read all the responses but we cannot let our Doberman run without being leashed or in a fenced in dog park (more because of people's fear of Doberman's than anything). When we are at home, we just use a dog run with a 25-50' leash that she can run around with. Ideally a dog park would work, but again, people are very weird with their dogs around Doberman's (at least that is what I have experienced).

 

[4FordFamily]

As far as running away, practicing with the pup off leash (and far from real danger) leave leash on ground for fast retrieval if needed.

Pups by nature stick by their family. If always leashes as a pup, as adults if they get off leash “FREEDOM!!” and they may bolt. If it’s no big deal and standard operating procedure and you both trust each other, you’ll thank yourself later.

Two walks per day will likely suffice for a Doberman mix. Challenging them mentally is important as both GSD and Doberman are quite intelligent. Find the dog a “job”. Toys that require lots of effort can work well.

 

[ReeferBob]

I don't think I would ever own a Doberman. I had a lab VERY briefly and it was a HUGE mistake with a seriously high energy dog. We gave it back to the shelter. So that is that but I will go another route for my advice.

She has already chosen a dog over you. Dump her. It only gets worse from here. Anyone that would get a dog without the blessing of their significant other has no place in anyone decent's life. There is still time to do the right thing. It will be WAY cheaper to get out now rather than 10 years down the road. And NO, I am NOT kidding.

 

[Waters]

My last dog was a Husky......my Doberman seems too calm and relaxed after that dog lol.