Posts Tagged ‘puppy’
Training and Obedience
The Doberman takes to training, even as a very tiny puppy, magnificently. This highly intelligent breed actually seems to be capable of “sensing” and feeling what his master is thinking and what he wants the Doberman to do.
The Doberman is as close to being”human” as any breed of canine. They have the desire to please and comply with the requests of their master.
Because of these wonderful traits and their intelligence, they are trained very easily and quickly and retain the lessons very easily. They can be very “testing” at times, but with patience and guidance, they are remarkable in their ability to learn and anticipate the situation. Basic Obedience training is imperative for the Doberman.
This is a breed that must be under control—both physically and mentally—because their traits as a breed all combine to produce a fast, athletic dog that has a large jaw filled with large teeth.
If the Doberman is not trained, respected and properly disciplined—they have the capability of doing great harm to someone, even a family member. It is no different than a child that must be raised with rules and respect for the adults (parents).
The Doberman must love and respect the family as the authority in his life, and this must start at a young age in puppyhood to guide and gently mold the young Doberman into a welcome member within the family and into the greater realm of the community.
Dobermans are unsurpassed in their ability to learn, respond, protect and be a loving, fun companion—but they must be trained to temper and control their temperament traits to produce the “ultimate pet and companion.”
Here are some fabulous sites for information on *TRAINING*. Please spend some time to understand the Doberman and why training is a requirement for a happy, responsive and in control companion.
Competition obedience training articles
submitted by
Theresa Mullen
DPCA Public Education Committee
Growth and Development
NEWBORN TO SIX WEEKS
The NEWBORN Doberman puppy weighs, on average, between 10ozs. and 20ozs. They, like other canids, are born with their eyes shut and their ears tightly creased and basically closed. They nurse constantly, usually every 1 to 2 hours—taking in small amounts— which helps to sustain their metabolism and their growth. They grow rapidly, gaining steadily throughout the puppy stage, which is considered the first 12 months of their life. The Doberman is born with a tail and dew-claws on the inside of each front leg. Occasionally they also appear on the inside of the hind legs. At about 3 to 5 days, the tails are docked and the dewclaws removed by a Veterinarian. The tail is docked at about the second or third joint—the skin in cut, the bony vertebrae of the tail cut and the skin is stitched to close the wound. The same is done with the dewclaws. They are snipped off and the small little wound closed with a stitch or tail and dewclaws can be glued with surgical glue used by the Veterinarian. The puppy is usually introduced to solid food at around age four weeks. At this time they have their small “baby” teeth and are able to stand and “lap” and chew soft food. At about 6 weeks, they are eating fully on their own and can be fully weaned away from their mother. At six weeks, most puppies weight around 8 to 12 pounds, and start to really grow taller and heavier.
SEVEN WEEKS TO SEVEN MONTHS
At about 6 to 7 weeks the first vaccinations are given. These usually include DHPP, which are all the major infectious diseases that affect puppies and also PARVO which is a deadly disease of dogs, but especially of the young . It is highly contagious, as are Distemper and the others, and can quickly kill young pups through dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea. The 7 week old puppy is eating on his own about four meals, now. And he continues to grow and develop. Between 7 and 12 weeks—the Dobermans ears are cropped. This is an operation done by the Veterinarian that removes a large portion of the outside of the ear. The Veterinarian removes the outside part of the ear, and does this in a slightly curving line from the base of the ear, near the head and up to the tip of the ear. The ears are sutured and either tapped over the head and covered with gauze, or are taped and glued to a wedge of foam, or a Styrofoam cup, or some other manner to keep the ears upright to allow for healing of the edges. The ears heal and after about 10 days, the sutures are removed and the ear can then be rolled and taped to train the ear to stand erect, rather than flopping down at the side of the head. It is important that the ears are taped properly and for the length of time that it takes to make sure they will continue to stand properly. The breeder is invaluable for this task and they should be able to help directly, or locate another person or breeder that can assist. Please look under the “EARS” Section of this site for more information about ears. Please follow the VACCINATION protocol that your Veterinarian suggests as these diseases can be deadly.
At about 12 weeks of age, the Doberman starts the teething phase of its life. This continues for the next 3 months as the baby teeth fall out and the new permanent ones come in. Often you will find teeth on the floor. More often the puppy will just swallow them. Don’t be alarmed, as this is normal. During this time the puppy can have swollen, bleeding gums and want to chew everything it can. This is the time to provide real bones, rawhides, pig ears and other safe things for the puppy to chew on. Also, large stuffy toys that they can bite down on and help some of those teeth come through are helpful—BUT DO SO UNDER YOUR SUPERVISION!! Puppies at this age chew and swallow anything and everything that they can fit into their mouth. BEWARE!!! Nylon bones, safe bones, big rawhides and such are safe as long as they are large and the puppy cannot swallow them.
This is a very CRITICAL time with swallowing things and many puppies end up with blockages and require surgery. COMMON SENSE is necessary when dealing with puppies. At about 12 weeks, the puppy can usually be put on a feeding schedule of three feedings instead of four. By 5 to 6 months, the puppy will more than likely be eating twice a day, with maybe a snack of a couple biscuits in-between the two meals. You will need to observe the puppy’s weight and body condition. The puppy should be neither too thin or too fat. You should be able to “feel” his ribs when you push in on the sides.
At six months, the Doberman puppy has all their permanent teeth, or nearly so. The ears should be standing, or if the crop is very long, still being taped. And this is also the time that the puppy should be either neutered, if a male—or spayed if a female. This operation can be done sooner at the advice of your Veterinarian and ALL PET PUPPIES SHOULD BE SPAY/NEUTERED. There are NO EXCEPTIONS. There is no need to keep intact Dobermans, or any dog, unless you are a reputable breeder of the highest caliber that is breeding the top animals of the breed for improvement. The vaccinations are complete by this age, and the puppy is old enough to start Obedience Classes or training to insure the puppy will be a good member of our society and an asset to its owner and family. A six month old puppy is about half to 3/4 the height that it will eventually be. It is difficult to give exact numbers here, but a six month old is looking very much like an adult, but slightly smaller.
SEVEN MONTHS TO ONE YEAR OLD
This time period is one of continued growth and maturing for the puppy. The females are usually close to being done growing height wise. They will continue to fill out and mature over the next year. The males will continue to grow and mature over the next year and may even put on a slight amount of height, until they reach their adult maximum. Remember the ideal height for males is 27 1/2 at the wither and 25 1/2 at the wither for females. The wither is the highest point of the Dobermans back, just behind the neck and before the back. The measurement is taken from the wither to the ground. The weight’s for both males and females will increase over the next year—very slightly for the females and more for the males. At 12 months, a Doberman is considered an adult, as most upward growth is finished. The filling out and maturing will continue for more than a year. A male is not considered at his prime until about age 3 + years and a female at about age 2 to 3 years.
ONE YEAR OLD THROUGH ADULT AGE SIX YEARS OLD
The Dobermans lifespan is about 9.6 years, on average. The adult phase of their life is from one year old until the dog reaches about 7. During this mature phase the Doberman is at it’s peak and prime. These years are when the Doberman is most active, and is doing most of the family activities, show events such as Obedience and Agility and just enjoying life with his people. The training and Obedience is done and life is good. Puppyhood is over and you can trust the Doberman more as that tendency to chew and destroy with his mouth because of teething is over. This is a great time for both Doberman and his family.
SEVEN YEARS AND OLDER
At seven years old, the Doberman is considered a senior or a Veteran, according to the Show language. They are beginning or already have slowed down. Maybe they are showing signs of some arthritis or muscular aches & pains. For many, the spirit is willing, but the body is not able. This is a slowing down period for many Dobermans. They may need a different diet, and the medical needs will probably change. Heart problems and Cancer are major concerns. Don’t forget to check the Medical Information on our site to stay informed of the problems associated specifically to Dobermans. Teeth can also be a problem as the Doberman ages. Be aware of your Senior and check them every day for lumps, bumps and anything that looks different. Observation at ALL life stages is important, but because of age being a factor for so many problems showing up in the Doberman, it is good to pay close attention to the skin, joints, teeth and activity level. Many Doberman start to gain weight as their activity level slows. Be aware that a Doberman in proper weight is the best condition for his overall health.
submitted by
Theresa Mullen
DPCA Public Education Committee
Want a Dobe Puppy?
SO, YOU WANT A DOBERMAN PUPPY?
We thank you for your questions about Doberman Pinchers, and applaud you for not just rushing out, and buying on impulse.
You are right to question the different breeds of dogs, and how they might fit into your house, family, and life style.
Do you live in town? Or the country? What is your lifestyle, and how will a large, energetic dog fit into that. Dobermans are not known for tolerating temperature extremes. They are considered to be, basically, an indoor pet. It can be good to speak with your neighbors before you acquire your new dog. Sometimes fears can be put to rest by discussing this with them first, rather than springing a surprise on them.
Most of the Dobermans I’ve known were bundles of happy, exuberant joy. I think Dobermans need to be a part of the family, and don’t much like to be left behind….just how much on the go are you? could you take the dog with you, on errands? on vacations? will you be able to handle a dog with this much high energy?
Do you have a fenced yard, or an enclosure? Who will take care of the dogs needs? Will you be working outside of your home? And if so – what will you do with a large dog while you are at work? Many breeders are reluctant to sell or place a Doberman into a home with no fenced yard. Mistakes can and do happen, and many dogs are *still* killed yearly, by automobiles. An enclosed, fenced area where the dog can eliminate is better than a loose dog that could rack up hefty veterinarian bills if run over. To lose your Doberman, to a preventable accident, would be heartbreaking, for the owners, and the breeders. If you are a working parent, who will take care of the Doberman, give her exercise, and take her out to potty during the day? Who will be in charge of walking her in the A.M. rush? Late at night before bed? Who will give her that much needed daily exercise?
Puppy, Or Older Dog?
It’s my experience, that many parents want a dog to “teach responsibility” to the child. But most children learn by watching, by example – not by being told to do things. Which, again, shifts the responsibility of care back onto a parent’s shoulders. If you’re a single parent? This can become more of a burden than one remembers – especially if you’re considering a puppy! I think we all forget just how much work that new puppy can be!
If there are children in the home, maybe an older Doberman would work better than a young puppy. Not every dog of every breed is going to come out in a cookie cutter mold, personality- wise. A puppy might grow up to be very protective, so that if you have visitors, your Doberman might need to be monitored. When you take in an older Doberman, you have a better idea of what the individual dog is going to be tolerant of, and usually know in advance, what she doesn’t find acceptable. You’ll have more of a
finished product, so to speak.
Do you have a dog trainer already lined up, to help you with problems, and training classes for your Doberman Pinscher?
Because walking nicely on the leash is fairly dependent on how well the dog is trained to walk on leash. Generally, a well trained dog is a joy to live with, and many behavioral problems are solved, simply by thoroughly obedience training your Doberman. You’ll want to have spent time watching different classes, and observing different techniques, talking to different instructors prior to bringing your new dog home. This is an area where compare and shop is key, not money wise, but quality wise.
Do you have children?
I think the ages of your children could be a very important factor in this decision…. How old are they? Puppies and babies are not really a good combination. I know some folks have warm glowing visions of them growing up together, but really its more frequently a case of the blind leading the blind, and can have some problematic consequences. Again, a Doberman Pinscher is a high energy animal.
There are some medical conditions that can arise in Dobermans…. Some of those may come on as they get older. Are you aware of what these might be? Please do explore our web sites for more information on this, as
well other Doberman related issues.
submitted by
Suzanne McDonald
