We see this circumstance over and over again. A good family with young children decides it needs a dog to complete the picture, and what better than a Doberman puppy! So they pick out a beauty and make him part of the family. The thing is, a puppy is a LOT of work and needs time, attention, and consistent training. Families WANT to do the right thing but just don’t realize the investment required. Life is just too hectic with the kids and work and whatever else consumes them, and the dog has to go.
This large, smart, handsome, ready-to-roll puppy is the product of such a circumstance and has come to us as he awaits a home with a family that can invest the time and energy needed to help him mature into the outstanding adult he is bound to be.
His former owners report that he was trained, but it’s not evident yet. (Consistent follow-up work is essential to get the training to “set.”) He loves to play fetch, and his favorite toys are Kong toys. And they conclude by saying that he “has a lot of puppy energy and our family is far too busy (both parents working with two boys ages 9 and 5) to give him the attention and exercise (mental and physical) he deserves.” There you have it. As I said at the beginning, puppies are a lot of work.
Carol says he has a “really sweet personality,” but that “he‘s just a ‘spaz‘ in a sense - does calm down eventually.” We’re talking PUPPY here, folks - LOTS of unfocused energy. She adds that “He does know sit and down, and most times does listen. He wants to play all the time, and if we can‘t catch him, we tell him to sit. He then allows us to put the leash on him and go back to the building." And she concludes with this: “He really is a beautiful specimen of a Dobe though, and he still has some growing to do.”
Observations from our volunteers:
“Since we‘re getting close to football season, I will simply describe Aaran as a first-round draft pick. He looks the way a young male should look. He‘s strong and playful, but he didn’t jump up on me. He loves a walk but has no idea about how to behave on leash, so clearly he is a work in progress there. He was very engaging and friendly when I went into the field with him - lots of play bowing and excitement. He is a talker and doesn’t want to be left alone - he wants to be with you at all times. He’s definitely my kind of Dobe!”
“My first and second meetings with Aaran were as different as night and day. Being a total stranger to him, and his being new to Elijah’s House, he barked up a storm when I approached his run. But Carol was there and took him out without a single sound out of him! Much later in the morning, I had occasion to walk through the playground, and a big Dobe came running up to me like I was his long-lost, best buddy. He was so happy and friendly that I asked Carol who he was. She told me it was Aaran, the dog who barked his head off when I first approached him several hours earlier! This blew me away. After playing with him for a minute or so, I walked to the other side of the playground and he stuck with me like glue. I suspect strangers would think twice about entering Aaran’s home. And that’s one of the reasons we love our Dobers!”
We even have a comment from one of our visitors who spent some time with him:
“Aaran is a handsome, free-spirited Dobe that is a blank slate for a lucky owner. Upon first meeting him, he really didn‘t warm up to me initially but was very engaged with Carol. (She was the one holding the treats!) But by the end of our interaction, he was smiling and rolling over for tummy rubs. He is still very much a puppy despite his size, and has that energy level of a teenager. He was somewhat mouthy and jumpy with me while I played with him, but it was only out of playful excitement. He definitely wants to please and to be a good boy, but he needs a nudge in the direction of what you expect from him; he‘d just thrive if he could put all that energy towards a job of sorts. I wish I had the time to give this young pup what he needs to excel, but I don‘t have the time for a puppy, and it would be unfair to both of us. He is nonetheless a happy, free-spirited, handsome boy with nothing but potential to be a loving, lifelong companion.”
That’s a smart adopter - one who realizes the work required and knew he couldn’t take the time to do right by this fellow, so passed him by. Good for both of them.
There you have it. You’ll not find better raw puppy material than this one. You just have to be able to bring him along properly to maturity in another year or so. If you have the ability and time to do so, then make an appointment to meet him once your application is approved, and come spend some time observing and interacting with him. If you truly can raise this puppy the rest of the way, you’ll have an outstanding companion for life.
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