What’s a good dog to do? This handsome fellow was surrendered by his well-intended but inexperienced Dober owners because of their complicated home circumstances. Let me explain.
Shortly after they got him, they also adopted two young girls about the age of their son (all pre-teen). The three kids would get to roughhousing, and what would the dog do? He’d jump in and roughhouse too. Not surprisingly, a dog’s way of roughhousing includes play nipping, but that made the girls afraid of him, so then he was relegated to the yard and made to wear a radius shock collar so he would stay within range.
What to do now with no kids to play with? Oh boy! Chickens and ducks and rabbits! Sadly, only temporarily, because the chickens and ducks and rabbits weren’t made to play as rough as the Doberman, and they stopped working. (I had one like that once; he’d take the chicken he’d just run to death to his human and present it as if to say, “This quit working; can you fix it so I can play with it again?”)
To complicate matters, occasionally his collar would come off, and when it did he’d head for the neighbor’s yard where there was a senior Lab. The Lab was too old to play, and they’d end up in a tussle with the Lab’s owner having to step in to separate them. You see where this is going. He was just too much for his owners to handle with their particular circumstances, so he was surrendered to a shelter and thankfully made his was to DRT.
Since arriving here, he’s played very well with one of our other males, so on a sample of one, he seems to be no problem.
From the woman at the shelter:
“I LOVE this boy so much! He is such a love bug! His skin is a bit flaky (going to give him a bath), and he’s a bit underweight. His owners were first-time Dober owners who got him from someone else that could not keep him. I have seen nothing but pure, sweet, Dober behavior from him thus far, and I take time to work with him and love him. His owners did report that he did well at dog day care when they took him, and that he also got along with their other dogs. He returns to me a lot and seems a bit insecure, not knowing exactly what to do. He never showed aggression or reactivity, and he passed all temperament tests, so I don‘t think he will be a problem.”Volunteer comments:
"I have to admit this red boy was my favorite this past weekend. He has that ‘never met a stranger’ personality and will readily share his affection with you. He is a little under weight, which I’m sure Carol will take care of in short order. Once she works her magic, this guy will be one handsome Dobe!”
"He is an absolute ball of energy - super playful and loves to be petted. He can’t get enough of the people around him and will play for days!”
"Atticus would be great at Poker because this guy really knows how to bluff. He has a deep bark and will make sure you hear his concern if he doesn‘t know you. However, he is very quick to gain trust. Within minutes of entering his field by myself with no introduction, Atticus was nudging me to love on him some more. He simply wouldn‘t let his new friend (me) stop petting him. He seems to stay close when walking around the field together but always wants to be slightly in front! His desire to be loyal shines through in his personality! He is a little skinny right now, but when he adds some necessary weight, this guy is gonna be stunning."
"Atticus has the look of a classic Doberman in both body and face. And if he looks this good when very underweight, I can’t wait to see how good he looks when Carol finishes putting weight on him. He has the classic Doberman lean down too. He obviously wanted human contact today – literally, contact – he wanted someone’s hand on him, so he would shadow me or another volunteer as we moved around the small exercise yard and gently ask us to pet him. I feel as though it must have felt comforting for him after all the upsetting changes he‘s gone through. He’s searching for a place to settle and feel safe and wanted. When he finds it, he’s going to be a great companion."
"This is a handsome sweet tempered red male with eyes that look to your heart! He loves to be by your side, and an approving head pat ensures his loyal friendship!” This looks like a great fellow who just needs a home where things are better suited to a dog his size and temperament. If you think your home and experience are a match, make an appointment to meet hin once your application is approved, and come see for yourself what a champ he is.
