Jason Morgan 
Dogs are known to be one of the best companions of humans. They can become faithful members, loyal friends, a guardian, and a playmate of your family. But every dog has different characteristics and temperaments. Therefore, knowing the most common traits in a given breed before getting a new puppy is an excellent first step.
Similarly, when it comes to getting a Doberman pinscher, you need to consider a few key factors like their size, health, temperaments, and so on. You must be wondering, is it a good idea to get a Doberman? Can Dobermans be a good family dog? These are some common questions that pop up in the mind of a person planning to get a Dobie. Don’t Worry. We are here for your rescue. Read on to know more about this.
Know More About Doberman
Dobermans are first bred in the late 18th century to work as guard dogs. Dobermans are energetic dogs of large size. They are a very loyal and loving dog breed. Below we have given some more details about Dobermans.
Size
The Doberman is a medium-large breed dog with 24 to 28 inches of height, weighing around 60 to 100 pounds. Male Dobermans are bigger as compared to female Dobermans. Dobermans also have very sleek and muscular physic.
Life Expectancy
The average life span of a Doberman is 10 to 13 years. However, with proper care, you can increase the longevity of a Doberman. You need to provide them with adequate exercise healthy diet, and do regular medical checks to keep an eye on their health.
Grooming needs
As you have planned to add Doberman to your family, you must wonder about their grooming needs. Dobermans are not that difficult to deal with, unlike any other dog breed. They are an extremely nice breed to take care of, especially when it comes to grooming. Dobermans are considered to be low-maintenance dogs.
As Dobie’s parents, you need to give them an occasional bath and gently wipe down the inside of their ears with a soft cloth to protect against things like mites or infections. You need to trim their nails and brush their teeth regularly. Dobermans don’t shed much, so you don’t need to worry about this; a daily go-over brush or grooming mitt can do your work.
Health Issues
More or less, Dobermans are very healthy dogs, but they are prone to certain diseases such as enlarged heart, hip dysplasia, bloat, hypothyroidism, and Willebrand’s Disease. To keep your Dobie healthy, you should get them regularly checked and buy them from a reputed breeder.
Training
It’s very easy to train a Doberman; their highly intelligent nature makes the training process much more manageable. However, early socialization and basic training are very important. You can start with basic training; once the Doberman has learned to respond to these commands, you can teach him other fun tricks.
Exercise
Dobermans are an active dog breed and have a high energy level. They need at least 2 hours of exercise daily. If they don’t get proper exercise or mental stimulation, they will start acting out and can tear or chew things. Letting them adequate exercise keeps them occupied and can pique his mental curiosity. You can take him for a morning or evening walk or jogging.
Is Doberman a good family dog?
Before adding them to your family, you need to be aware of certain things about Dobermans. A Doberman is among the 14 breeds that are often found on the insurance black list because of their strong drive to protect his master, family members, and himself, and to do so; he may attack. So, if you have kids or babies and want to add a Doberman to your family, it is advisable to buy or adopt that Doberman that can be raised alongside the children so he will begin to consider them as a part of his pack and he will not hurt them. Let’s look at a few reasons why Dobermans can make the best family dog-
Reasons why a Doberman pinscher can make the best family dog?
Dobermans are considered a people-oriented breed and are very affectionate and sweet with other people. If you raise and train them properly, they are very good with kids and stay loyal to their owners. And with early socialization, they can make excellent family pets.
- Dobermans are highly energetic and playful
- Family dogs and an affectionate companion
- Very obedient and devoted
- Easy to train
- Protective and an excellent guard dog
- Medium-large dogs
- Dobermans are highly loyal to their family and owner
Dobermans in a Family
Dobermans can socialize with others easily. They can adapt to a variety of situations. Dobermans are known as velcro dogs; they are pack animals and love the feeling of belonging to a family unit or group. They don’t like to be away from the group. The well-trained and pure breed Doberman Pinscher can make a fantastic family dog since it is an affectionate, sweet, playful, and amazing guard dog. But you must ensure that your Dobermans are well trained and socialized.
Dobermans with Kids
Dobermans are constantly placed in the top 20 list of most popular dog breeds in America. Dobermans easily and quickly get along with children and are superb family dogs. Dobies are very good at being gentle and tolerant towards young kids and babies. If the Doberman is socialized properly, they can be great with kids. There are a few reasons given below, based on which Doberman are considered as the suitable breed to get with kids.
- Dobermans are family-oriented or a people-oriented dog breed and love to be around people. Though they may take some time to trust unfamiliar people, they love to be around people once they establish a bond.
- Dobermans will treat kids with affection and respect. They just need some time to get to know the family members first.
- The energy level of Dobermans is very high, and they behave more energetically around young kids. But it would be best if you never let your Doberman play with kids unsupervised.
- Dobermans can be patient dogs; they are smart enough to understand that the kids’ rough play is not a challenge, and they often do not mind the chaotic mess.
- They are very protective. Dobermans are bred initially to work as personal protection dogs; they have an instinct to protect their owner.
Dobermans with Other Types of Animals
If you have a Dobie puppy, you must know that they can easily get along with another animal. However, if you are introducing a new and small pet to your young or adult Doberman, it might create some problems. You can’t leave these two of your pets alone; you must keep an eye on them.
Dogs: Doberman gets along easily with other dogs of the opposite sex. For example, if you have two female Dobermans, or if you have one male and one female Doberman, they can get along easily, but if you have two male Dobermans or any other breeds, it is difficult for them to stay calm.
Cats: Both dogs and cats are natural predators, and this is the vital reason why Dobermans don’t get along with cats easily. But with some time and training, Doberman can stay harmoniously with a cat within the same residents.
Other animals: Dobermans struggle to get along with smaller furry friends. You need to provide training and socialize them with other pets from a young age to solve this issue.
It is advisable to start the socialization training of a Dobermans as early as possible. The early they will learn the socialization techniques, the better it is for you and your pets.
What to consider before getting a Doberman
As you have decided to get a Doberman, here are some other things that you might want to consider
If you Have Kids
You must postpone your plans to get Doberman if you have babies or young kids. Dobermans are very energetic dogs that might frighten or even harm your kid. And negative interaction with children could result in the Dobie puppy spending more time in isolation. If you are not providing socialization and training to your Dobie puppy, it may create behavioral problems in the future. Hence it is essential to train your Dobie well.
Most importantly, even if your Dobie is well trained, never leave your Dobie and your kids alone unsupervised. It is possible that children do not understand the boundaries, and your Dobie may misinterpret their actions if they interrupt the dog while he is eating, pull him on the tail, or otherwise disturb him.
If you Have a Busy Schedule
Doberman loves to be around their owner and doesn’t like to be away from their pack. They need a lot of attention, guidance, and love. So, if you have a busy schedule and there is no one to look after your Doberman. Then it is advisable not to get a Doberman now; wait until your schedule allows you to give your puppy the required attention and love.
If You Live in an Apartment
Having a Doberman won’t be that difficult if you live in an apartment. They could adjust to apartment living as long as you provide enough time to exercise. But you must ensure that your lifestyle can accommodate multiple dog walks or daily trips to the dog park before bringing home a Doberman.
See Also: Why Dobermans Can Make Great Apartment Dogs
Bottom Line
Dobermans are large breed dogs, one of the best choices to be kept as family dogs. But you need to consider certain things and make extra efforts to make them comfortable in your house. Once they are comfortable, there won’t be many difficulties.
FAQs
Do Dobermans make good family dogs?
A well-trained Doberman can be an excellent family dog. Dobermans are very affectionate, loving, and protective dogs. They easily get along with kids and other family members.
Can Dobermans be aggressive?
Dobermans are initially bred to function as guards and police dogs. Thus, they can be aggressive and intimidating, especially to strangers. But with proper socialization and obedience training, you can control their aggression.
Are Doberman dogs good with other Dogs? Dobermans get along with opposite-sex dogs easily. However, they don’t get along that quickly with same-sex dogs.
