My dobermann will be 4 on Feb 16th.  He is a nightmare he continually whines, doesn't really relax and sleep very much (but he never has).  I am at work from 6am - 9am and he is at home with my husband and he is no bother.  He starts as soon as I get in!  My husband and boys say he is worse when I am about.  If I go out in the evening, my son says he will lay down and won't even ask to go out in the garden, but as soon as I come in he starts.  Last night he was moaning and they were all trying to watch football on the television, in the end I went up to bed and he came up with me.  I have tried lots of different things with him, I tell him to stay downstairs when I go up to make the beds etc., but he sits at the bottom of the stairs looking up and every couple of minutes you hear him sigh, just to let me know he is there!  I must admit sometimes he drives me mad, but I don't know how to stop this!

We have a Dobe bitch, so I do sympathise. They are THE velcro dog and that's why they are not for everyone. When I am at work, OH is home with her and the Whippet(who thinks he's a Dobe) all day and all they do is sleep. But as soon as I walk in the door, she's awake and wanting all the attention. The only way I can get any peace is when OH has given them a good walk that day for 1 to 2 hours off lead in the woods hunting, which is every day really. Then he feeds them, then throws a few more logs on the woodburner and even then, she refuses to settle completely for the evening and will occationally pester me. The best thing we did though, was buy the Whippet, Rubin. The tough little fella has taken a lot of her needyness away and has made it possible for me to have some quiet time. After tea, they play and play in the front room and so, away from me in the snug. Rubin has saved the day I think and I do believe that dobes need other dogs to feel that they are in a pack and that they do not have to be the pack leader, protector,watcher, etc. She is so much more relaxed now in all situations and is happy to chill at last while Rubin dashes about. It was a big decsion to bring in another dog and I took my time choosing the breed as I knew we didn't want another dobe and it has worked for us. You do have a dobe lad though, so you would need a bitch this time if you were to do the same. Oh, and brainwork, they need brainwork. OH takes her out in the car even if it's only to town and if he goes out for a couple of days camping in the van on his own, she goes with him, as his co-pilot and security guard in the passenger seat. You can't do to much with them and even the simplists of tasks, but different to routine, feeds their brain. I Hope this helps as we've tried all.

Ah bless him, you are his one and only, did you not read up on their breed characteristics before you got him. :-D Or did you hope hubby would become his piece of velcro? :-)

I must admit it would drive me absolutely potty, I think spiritulist has hit the nail on the head, with getting her Whippet, how do you fancy getting a female Dobe, to take his full attention from you?

I have a colleague who has a Dobe and a GSD, yes, two breeds that are one man dogs :-) but believe it or not they are not clingy they work very well with each other. It will probably be the only thing that will help, though I know you have to be careful on whether another dog would be accepted, which is why I mentioned the female Dobe.

I'm not experienced in living with Dobermann's at all though, but wondered whether the seperation anxiety techniques may help at all, if you do a search you may pick up some tips, though I guess it is more of a character trait.

You will have to just accept he loves you, which is a good thing. I almost feel like giving him a hug, it must be hard to be so dedicated to someone.  Though I would probably feel like escaping through the bedroom window for some peace. :-)

Oh I do hug him and kiss him and cuddle him, I love him dearly.  I feed him, walk him, play games with him, I do everything for him.  We did have a dobe before, but we didn't have children then and he was totally different, still pretty velcro type, but didn't do all the whining.  The thing with this one is I am sure it would help if my husband were to feed him his morning feed and then he wouldn't be so reliant on me coming in.  It is weird though, if myself and husband come into the house together, he will make more fuss of my husband than me.  I really do feel with him, he feels he looks after me!!  I don't really want another dog, even though the thought has entered my head.

It may help if hubby feeds him, but in the case of my brothers GSD's although they live with him and his now family, way back whilst he worked they came to me from pups for training and show work and spent the day with my girl and even today they are my dogs and will always choose me above my brother or his wife. Once these type of dogs attache themselves to a particular family member it is near on impossible to break. They give their heart, and although will protect and obey commands from others they don't often change their allegencies. :-)