Hi,

Hope some of the doberman owners on this site can cheer me up and make me see that there is light at the end of the tunnel because our dog - now eight months - is driving me insane.

Today took him to park with kids - firstly he lurched behind me wanting to run off and nearly dislocated my shoulder (still painfull 8 hours later) and strangled himself, then when sitting at a picnic bench he decided he wanted to sit on top of the picnic table, he then paniced and nearly knocked me out by jumping on top of me (this all happened in a few seconds before having chance to real him in on lead), then when sitting on bench waiting for kids to finish lollyices he decided he wanted to sit on bench as well and before could pull him off he got his two toes stuck down the gap in the bench - well as you can imagine he screamed and screamed as i tried to get them out - had visions of having to get fire brigade to cut bench - but he managed to pull them out and now has a broken claw. By time walked round park etc having him on a tight lead so he couldn't cause more problems by jumping on someone and got home was exhausted.

Plus he is still biting at 8 months - this is worse with the kids as they are not strong enough to push him off as he is now 36kg. when i say biting i mean he puts his mouth around arm and applies slight pressure, but still hurts, or he will will try and get a piece of clothing in his mouth if walking in garden and sometime he misses and gets us.

How can I stop him doing this to us - we have constantly not encouraged this behaviour and have always told him off for doing it.

He does not act this badly with my husband - one word from him or a smack on his backside and he behaves and looks like butter would melt - but he is not there most of the day and we are - it must be something to do with him being more imposing or tone/harshness of voice or something.

I am at wits end - thinking that the dog is brain damaged or something - as won't learn that no means no. Hoping that it can not get worse and that this stage will pass eventually.

Karen.

Hi
I cant help with your problems though im sure people will soon be leaving lots of help . I can say that we had a dog when younger and he listened to my dad and never to my mother . You have to let him know that when your husband is not there you are boss , then kids and lastly him .
I think trying the nilif programme will help . Basically nothing in life is free , before you give him his food make sure he sits , before you go walking make sure he sits before leaving the house , Never let him go through doorways before you or narrow spaces , always get him to sit and go through first and then tell him to come . When he jumps up at the children they need to turn away from him without making a fuss. When he is calm they can then tell him tosit and stroke him. I think it would be wise to try getting him sorted wth your self whilst keeping the dog at a distance from the children until he is sorted.
If all else fails Professional training would be adivsed .
Does anyone here think the water squirter method would help when he grabs them?
Good luck to you

HI Karen -Nope he's not brain damaged -this is how they are !!-There is light at the end of the tunnel ( honest ;) ) but you have to be strong !
I have always said that from about 6 months to about 15 months was the hardest time for me ( I know it does seem a long time doesn't it !)
Mine is the same -one word from hubby and butter wouldn't melt -me, I have to be a fever pitch
murph was never really mouthy with us so I can't offer any 'real time ' advice there ,but instead of 'no' ( because that does seem to be the word that doesn't sink in :rolleyes: )maybe another word when he grabs --'off' or ' leave' or 'howmanytimesamIgoingtohavetotellyounottobitemysleeve' :D
But honestly they do settle ,we can see it now with Murphy , he still has his things that we are working on but he's not half as hard work as he was,just stay strong :D
Repeat after me --I can do this ,the dobe will not win ,
Good luck
Liz :)

Hi Karen,
Your in luck, the biggest success story on this board was not only with Dobermann but the owner was trained by a Dobe specialist if you go to the ‘General ‘ thread, then click 15 at the bottom right and read the locked post called;

Help with a Dog Trainer - Bromley Kent…Daren .01.03.03 11:57 GMT

I used the same trainer and had the same excellent results, he is the only one in UK using education and drive stimulation techniques, my dog is so much happier now and our life is a sort of new heaven.
If you email me privatly I will pass his contact, just click my name.

Hi Karen, was interesting to read your post I own a 13 week old Dobie. I must say Im not looking forward to his adolescence. He is naughty enough now without his hormones raging through his body making him even worse. I sympathise with you but know that he will settle down eventually. My partner had 2 Dobies before Sydney and he has survived them and finally had two well behaved dogs at the end (so he tells me).

The perfect puppy does go into the behaviour problems that the adolescent pup foes through. There advice is to repeat the lessons from the start as though he was 8 weeks. When biting squeal as though hurt (Im sure that wont be to hard by the sounds of it) and ignore him. Perhaps you could take him to some obedience classes so that he learns that you are in charge as well as hubby.

Sydney trapped his foot in the car leaver when I was trying to get him out and his yelled as if I was killing him. I thought Id hurt him really bad but he was fine. It is really scary when they yowl like that, people must think you are being really horrid to them.

Hopefully Sydney will continue to respect me as I am the main one who trains feeds plays etc with him. Perhaps in a few months it shall be I who is tearing my hair out and posting here looking for advice. You can console me and tell me that things will get better.

Best of luck and trust things will get better.

This I am afraid is typical adolescent dobe behaviour, and there was one owner in particular whose dog has the nick name of Mockodile (cross of Monkey and Crockodile!), who was in your boat about a year ago!

The grabbing problem I had with a bitch that I had back at 8 1/2 months, and she too was not easily put off, and any physical restraint made her want to do it all the more thinking it was part of the game! I used a water spray. Set a plant spray or clean empty Frontline bottle on the squiort setting, and squirt dead in the face. this will ahve a momentary shock valuye stopping them in their tracks for a second. You then give the command no. More than likely he will try it again almost immiediately, so soak again, and again. As soon as there is a moments obedience, or simply stopping because of the shock PRAISE good dog. As soon as he goes to do it again, squirt, command, praise!

It works on my freinds young dobe when I bring him round here and he objects to being behind the baby gate and belows and jumps at it!

Do not allow the kids to use the water spray as a game or way of teasing, and never laugh. It will work if your timing is correct. Use it to interupt the behaviour, give command and praise!

Good luck!

Hi Karen - Just to add what Barbara has said, Beth with the Mockodile was in the same boat and I know that he is alot better know -they do come out of it. And I'm sure Christine ( Kerioak ) will also have some top tips for you
Liz

Yapyap--does an alarm go off in your house everytime the word Doberman springs up here ???

I understand this site is an information and educational site Steve, in that context I have difficulty in understanding your personal comments to me, especialy as I directed the poster to the greatest succes on champdogs, which happens to be a Dobermann. I don't know you, what dog you have, or even care but if admin tells us that we are not permitted to comment on breeds of our choseing then I will not mention them but as far as I know there no censorship on breed names at the moment. The poster might find my information very usefull or of no use, it is the posters decision and theirs alone.
Thank you for your time to read this.

Yapyap
you're very welcome :)

Be assured your dog is pretty normal, but I wonder too if there are a few clues from your post as to why he is slow to stop the mouthing etc.

You mention pushing him off, or the kids trying to, and really this will make it all the more exciting - he may not even have a clue he is not supposed to do this and that when the kids push him off, it is all one big game

I would have a family discussion and agree to be consistent in training him, also do a search on the mouthing or pup biting posts and consider going back to basics. Its very important the children are taught to not windhim up and play should be controlled as all interactions relate. By controlled, I mean teach him to "give", to "leave", to "sit" etc, so that even if you are having a huge tuggy game, he will let go at the instant you say "Give".

Treat yourself to a copy of "The Perfect Puppy" too, as that goes into all sorts including dealing with adolescents. Its a great commonsense book.

Good luck.

Hi Karen

I have contacted you privately with a couple of suggestions

Christine

Hi everyone.

Feeling better today but this is the third time I have tried to post a reply tonight. The computer keeps disconnecting or something. I type a different reply every time and they get shorter and shorter. Here goes again.

Lyndsey - thanks for that. we have ready the book you suggested and several others (when I say we I mean me). He is obedient and can do all the usual in varying degrees. We go to an obedience club and we both love it. he doesn't bite me there.

I agree we do need to agree a punishment for his grabbing us and stick to it. Me and hubby disagree on the punishment ( same with the kids punishment). He is a dog handler and he corrects his dog in what i think are harsh ways and he does same to harry . Obviously though it must work because the dog does not grab his nearly so much and if he does he leaves immediately. Me he says am to soft and this is probably correct - what with harry being so big - I just say no, ignore or slap his backside if I have to or put him out in kitchen to cool off.

Liz - looking forward to harry being 15months and hope its the same for us as you.

Yap Yap - sorry but me personally don't agree with e-collars although again me and hubby disagree as he says he knows very nasty working dogs that would benefit from being zapped it done by someone who knows what they are doing to correct over agressive behaviour.

Thanks for replies - i will keep going until next time have a bad day with him.

Bye.
Karen.