Hi everyone, i will be looking for a dobe pup next year and have heard so many diffrent breeders say "have a bitch" and then others "have a dog" and i am torn. The pup will be a pet so will be doctored when old enough but would love to know if there is diffrent temperments or attitudes to male or female?
I do really want a dog but have been told that bitches are more laid back and less aggressive. Is this true?
Please help.

Hiya,

I do really want a dog but have been told that bitches are more laid back and less aggressive.

No I don't think that's true at all, I think if you go to a good breeder and bring the pup up the right way with lots of socialisation and training from an early age you'll have a fab dog regardless of sex!  Some people say that the boys can be more affectionate but I really think it's down to the individual dogs temperament. 

I can only emphasise how important it is to go to a good breeder and to socialise from as early as possible with Dobes.  When everything is done right they are a wonderful, loving, loyal, intelligent and funny breed.  Good luck :-)

If you've never had a dobe dont get a dog.....that's how the saying goes ;)

And I'll second that.  My dobe boy was my first dobe - and my first proper dog (after the family spaniel mix years ago) - and I wouldn't recommend a male to a first-timer.  Remy isn't even typical of the breed - dobes as a rule are VERY energetic, whereas Remy is VERY lazy (and no medical problems to blame, he's just idle :D).  He's still been very hard work - like many males he's got a stubborn streak a mile wide, and also like a lot of males he will not live with another male in the house.  Visiting, neutered ones were fine last time I tried but not entire.

My girl is far more typical - she's 6 years old and still a puppy :D Very energetic, always on the go, although she does know when to settle if needs be.  I won't say she's more biddable than Remy, but she wasn't trained or socialised properly before I took her on a year ago so I do have that disadvantage when interacting with her - there are trust issues that we're still working through.

But from what I learned before I got Remy, and since, bitches are a little more biddable.  Males are far more goofy - Remy can be a complete fruit loop if he's having a funny five minutes! :p  Definitely the clown of the two sexes.  I've also read that bitches grow a brain at 2 years, and males at 3 - and that sounds about right to me.  Lazy as he is, Rem did take a long time to mature.

Aggressiveness isn't something that should be present in any dobe - it's all down to the raising.  My girl is fear-aggressive with other dogs, but that's entirely because she wasn't socialised as a pup so she is frightened of them.  Remy was socialised thoroughly from day 1 and is very good with other dogs of either sex, it's only in the house that he gets grumpy with males.  Bottom line is, if you're willing to put the work in then you'll have a lovely dog regardless of sex!

We've had 2 males and a female. We got the first male when the female was 6 and didn't find him any harder work than she had been as a pup. Looking back though I do wonder if it was because we already had an established female who probably kept him in check a lot more than we realised! My current male has been extremely hard work - not agressive at all (fine with other entire males in the house, but I do think he is the exception in that regard) but very full on energy wise, rather stubborn, and with a prey drive through the roof! I do think females in general are more likely to be tolerant of other dogs.

Lots of breeders actually won't let a male Dobermann go to a home that hasn't had a male Dobe before, although it would be catch 22 if they all said that, and people unfortunately would then end up going to someone rather less desirable to get a male if they are that intent on it.

I personally think the more important factor to consider is to be very aware of what lines you are getting your dog from. I would steer clear of the European working lines, especially if it's your first of the breed I love my boy to death of course and wouldn't change him for the world, but I think there are a lot of people here who would agree with me re. European lines :D

Have a read of these past threads:

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/86963.html

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/84423.html

Hi, thanks so much for that its much appreciated. I think i have made my mind up with a bitch now but am finding the whole experiance a struggle. I am torn between brown rust and black rust. I must admit i would prefer one with a docked tail but getting one is a nightmare (legally docked). I know a breeder that will be having a litter next year that will be docked (taking the bitch to ireland) but they will be over £1,000 and will be all german bloodlines and sire and dam are both attack dogs. I dont want to spend this kind of money on a pet even if it has got the best lines in the world. My other problem is i am wanting a puppy 8-12 weeks old so i can start training at a young age so cannot import from a diffrent country.
If anyone can help on this subject i would be grateful.

>will be all german bloodlines and sire and dam are both attack dogs.

From what I've learned this may be a very wellbred litter but are less likely to be temperamentally suited to being a pet dog. They're likely to be much too hot to handle for an ordinary pet owner and would require specialist training.