This large, handsome Doberboy, named after a Ukrainian city, came to us from a home where he lived inside and had exposure to cats, small dogs, and a six-year-old child.
He got along well all around and was doing fine, but one day the child, who is autistic, startled him, and in his surprise he snapped at the boy. Understandably, this made grandma (it was her dog) anxious, and even though the dog and child had played peacefully together right along, she didn’t want to risk the child surprising him another time, so she decided to surrender him.
At his former home, he was free in the house night and day, so when he was in a kennel run at the vet’s, he barked at anyone in proximity. Once he was out of the kennel run, he was a pussycat. Carol said he was totally cooperative for her, both in the SUV and putting him into his run, but once inside his run he started to bark at her. As soon as she showed him a leash, he stopped barking and she put the leash on him and walked him outside. She put him in the field, and one of the volunteers walked up to the fence. Once again he barked, and once again, as soon as the volunteer went inside the fence and sat down, Dnipro was licking his face, overjoyed to see him and to have some attention.
In just a couple of days We‘re already seeing improvements, with less barking as he learns the routine and knows what’s happening. His former owner confirmed that he always barks at strangers (good dog), and he would settle down once he knew people after introductions (good dog again). Carol sums her assessment up with these words:
“So, big, handsome 94-pounder here that is truly a teddy bear if he is not behind a barrier or a fence." I concur.
His former mom says that he has had basic obedience training and obeys a variety of commands, he loves to fetch, and he loves to suck on his blanket. Go figure. (He also loves to play chase with water from a hose, happily getting soaked in the process!) She says his activity level is moderate, and says that
“He has always lived inside, and I think that would just kill him to not be able to stay inside.” He also loves to chase bubbles and will run and try to catch and burst them. It‘s pretty cute.
Volunteer comments:
“Dnipro is a really good looking, large male. He is still acclimating and is a bit wary of newcomers. He tends to bark in a way that comes across as intimidating (partly due to his size). However, I was able to enter his run with no issue. He barked as I approached, then backed away to the far corner as I opened the gate. As soon as I sat down, it was like someone turned on a light switch. He came right over and was giving me kisses on my face within 30 seconds (in other words, once trust was established). It’s clear he wants to please.”
“What a beautiful Dober! I had the pleasure of taking Dnipro for a nice walk around the DRT grounds. He is a gentle giant on a leash. He never pulled more than just enough to keep a light tension as we wandered around. Every once in a while I’d stop, and he’d come to me and look up with those big eyes, whereupon I’d bend down for a closer look and a gentle kiss.”
By all accounts, at the core of this fellow’s character is a deep desire to be loved and nurtured by his humans. His initial hesitancy, his preference to not be caged or restrained, and his false bravado all disappear when he knows a human is not a threat. If this fellow seems like a fit for your family and circumstances, if you’re not put off by his initial assertiveness, make an appointment to meet him once your application is approved, and come see for yourself what he’s like. I doubt you’ll be going home without him, if you do.
