Doberman Discussions

Alright, what fool thought it was a good idea to leave a Doberman alone in a room full of stuffies and think he'd never be tempted?!?!  There's no way he did that much damage if he had a handler on the end of his leash... someone let him roam like they do for guard dogs and this is the stupid end...
Check out yahoo.news for a slideshow of pics, too..

[linkhttp://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2266241]http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2266241[/link]
 

Cobalt is so handsome, BTW []
 
And yes, I read that story and thought it was rediculous! Obviously that dog was not being watched. If I can call off my Dobe from chasing/terrorizing the cats a WELL TRAINED GUARD DOG should be able to be controlled to not destroy toys that do not belong to him. And to chase the dog around and wrestle him to the ground?? WTF??? How long was the dog left alone with the teddy bears? Of course the dog is going to be blamed in this and not the handler that should have been there with the dog....[8|]

Cobalt is so handsome, BTW

Thanks - I know he looks like a fawn in that pic, but he really is a blue.  The only one in the litter.  2 fawn females, 1 red male, 1 red female, 5 black males, and 1 black female (my baby!)  It was a nice mix.
 
As for the dog loose to guard the stuffies, I just think it's stupid!  I know some guard dogs roam around throughout a building, but COME ON - the room full of stuffies should have had its own post.  I don't blame that dog at all!  Feel sorry for the owner who loaned his Elvis toy to the museum... 

Oh, and here's a pic of one of the fawn females, Lilli...
That's what Gracie's ears would have looked like had I chosen not to have them done...

And a head shot of Cobalt... He looks a little eery in this pic... almost like a ghost or something.  There's no stop on his nose/face from this angle, so he looks weird...  But he's a very good boy!!

Here is a pic of our blue girl, Macy. She has some coat problems but hoping a good diet of Innova and some suppliments will help take care of it. Also gotta get a full thyroid panel done...how is Cobalt's coat?
 
 

So far so good.  But blues are notorious for thinning hair, particularly on their backs.  From what I saw in your posts in a diff thread and the pics, it looks like she's got the pimples and some thinning hair along her back.  Some foods will help and some supplements will help.   
For the pimples/congested hair follicles, wipe her back with Oxy pads.  Seriously - that's what Cobalt's mom does at the suggestion of another blue owner we know.  You may notice more in the winter because if your Dobes are like mine, they wear a coat in the winter and that can rub the hair folicles around.
I know there are a couple of homeopathic things they do, too, and Cobalt is on Innova Evo, so it's doing a load of good for him.  Let me check in w/his mom and a couple of the other blue owners I know to get the specifics (it's been a while and I don't remember what they use to help.)  I do know that the 11yr old is almost bald on his back, and almost always has been.  Keeps hair on his face and tail and down parts of his legs.  She manages to grow an amount of "peach fuzz" certain times of the year.  But keeping the skin clear is the first start.  []

 I forgot to mention again that your new girl is a beauty and I'm super-jealous that you get to enjoy two Dobes right now!!!  [][]
 
Oh, and both Cobalt and Marty (one of the other blues I know) are hypothyroid.  Typically, I've seen blues hold a nice coat until some time after 2yrs old.  If they still have a nice coat after 2-3 years, they seem to keep it all their lives.  (barring illness/environment changes, etc.)  I'll get back to you with the reco's.

Ok, BIG question... how many of you have Dobes who SMILE?!?!
 
Mine finally made a HUGE smile for our trainer this weekend.  I was so excited because we both saw it.  []

Neither of mine do!!!!! And when doing research on the breed it seemed to be fairly common..almost a breed trait

aw! But he looks like he's smiling in your avatar pic!

What a handsome guy!

Oh, but the Dobe smile is different.  Usually, you see it all-too-briefly when a Dobe is excited to see you... He will typically dance around and curl up his upper lip to reveal his teeth in a quick "smile"... I found this link online that shows the smile... they really are hard to catch on camera.
[linkhttp://members.execulink.com/~korevaar/Embersmile.htm]http://members.execulink.com/~korevaar/Embersmile.htm[/link]
 
Understandably, folks who don't recognize the smile are often scared to death when they see it.  As was a new kennel worker I knew who plastered herself against the fence, yelling for help, when a new Dobe smiled at her when she came to retrieve him.  He was just happy to see her!

My boy smiles all the time! Especially when he's really happy and/or excited. Most of the Dobes I know smile, actually....I know about 40 or so and over half of them do it.

Lucky you!!  I LOVE Dobe smiles!  We rarely got to see them in the shelter- most dogs were too stressed out.  Gracie didn't show smiles until last year - and it was for the woman who did cruel "training" on her when I boarded her (for the first and last time.)  [:@]
 
I was so thrilled to see a smile for someone DESERVING of it.  []  

ORIGINAL: Prince_Pride
[] 
I LOVE THIS BREED!!!
Even slightly raising your voice to them is like you are digging their heart out with a spoon. So sensitive and they just want to please - any disappointment towards them makes them want to curl up in a little ball and cry.  I have also heard there are differences between the males and females. 

 
You described Sergeant to a "T".  I can just give him a mean look and he will curl up in a ball and cry.
 
I have been around both females and males.  The females tend to be more independent and think on their own.  Males are more of a "momma's boy" and want or need more attention and affection.  Not all dogs will follow this, but the vast majority do.