Top FIVE reasons why dobermans are surrendered

If you're ever curious as to why dobermans end up in shelters or rescues, here are the top five reasons why owners are surrendering their dobermans. These are also factors to consider if you are wondering if the doberman is the right breed for you.

Top reasons why dobermans are surrendered

5. The doberman was bred to be a working dog

There have been a lot of cases where families buy a doberman from a breeder, looking to bring home a pet dog, but later realize that these were bred to be working dogs. Working dogs are intense. They have been bred to be extremely protective and need structured training or they will be out of control. Often the families were not prepared to train a dog suited for police work, and the breeder should not have sold it to them. In most cases the breeder will not take responsibility by taking the dog back, especially if it is fixed, as they are unable to breed them. If you find yourself in this situation, you can not give this dog to just anyone. Please go through a rescue that will have the resources to rehome the dog. These dobies can be a liability if placed in the wrong home.

4. The puppy is showing signs of aggression

Puppies are often surrendered because the owner is experiencing reactivity with their new puppy. Puppies go through TWO fear periods. The first fear period occurs when the puppy is 8-11 weeks old. They are often placed in a new home during this age and may show fear of new noises, cars, movement, objects. Owners should take care to not overwhelm a puppy at this stage. This fear period isn't usually anything to be concerned about, just make sure to limit time/exposure to the triggers and always treat and use positive reinforcement during this period.

The second fear period occurs when the puppy is 4 months - 1.5 years old. Because dobermans are a large breed dog, their fear period is often seen as aggression. This is especially true when the dobermans are at a size where owners can no longer pick up their dog or it is getting too big to control on leash. If your puppy is lunging and barking at other dogs or people, or chasing prey animals like chickens or cats, or is being mouthy to people, please understand that the puppy is NOT aggressive. However, the behavior does need to be resolved so that it doesn't go ignored during this crucial developmental time. If you do not do anything to resolve the issue, the dog's reactions during their fear period will become a learned habit and can evolve into aggression when the puppy becomes an adult. If you are struggling to help your puppy understand that they do not need to be reactive towards scary things, please receive help from a professional trainer. Often a professional trainer will help you understand why the dog is behaving a certain way and will give you the tools you need to become a leader for your puppy.

3. The doberman bit someone

Dobermans were bred to be protective. That is a double edged sword as this is also one of the main reasons why people want a doberman. Although most just want the look of a scary guard dog and not to take on the liability of a dog that may actually bite someone. Because dobies were bred to be wary of strangers, they do have an innate protective personality, so the liability of owning a doberman is absolutely going to be much higher. We do get a lot of dobermans that have been surrendered because of their bite history, however the surrounding circumstances often vary and the bite intensity as well. Often dobermans are rehomed because they nipped someone rather than a full on attack that results in stitches...although I won't lie, that does happen as well, although more seldom as those dogs generally end up being put down.

The majority of the bites are due to boundaries being crossed. Examples: child steps on dog/tries to ride the dog/pokes the dog, adult surprises a sleeping dog, adult meeting dog for the first time and approaches with a hug and gets in the dog's face, someone tries to take a bone away from the dog, dog was in pain and nipped the person petting it.

The other main reason why we see dogs being surrendered due to their bite history is because the dog was displaying its protective instincts and nipped strangers or visitors. It is important to do slow introductions to visitors and understand that you can't really have unannounced visitors walk right in. You also should not have the doberman off leash, roaming the yard when your mail is delivered, or when neighbors stop by.

2. Owners are moving/Financial reasons

The second most common reason why dobermans are surrendered is because the owner's living environment has changed. It can be difficult to find an apartment that accepts dobermans. In addition, military bases may prohibit dobermans and some home owners insurance will not cover owners with a doberman on the property. In other circumstances, families undergo financial hardships and can no longer afford to keep a dog with medical expenses or afford professional training for the dog. If you foresee yourself moving, these are some things to consider before getting a doberman.

1. The dog needs more training and attention than the owner can provide

This is the NUMBER ONE reason why dobermans are surrendered. Dobermans need A LOT of training, mental, and physical stimulation. This is NOT the type of dog that wants to stay in a yard all day and lounge around. This dog will not be happy with a walk or two around the block. This dog wants a job, hates being bored, and will find ways to relieve that boredom...of which I can assure you, you won't be happy with. Despite being extremely intelligent, the doberman will not be able to train itself, so you will need to put in the blood, sweat, and tears to earn your place as leader. This dog will test you. This dog will push your boundaries, question your ability as a handler, and will rule the entire household if you do not set those boundaries and spend the time training. If you don't have the time to train a dog, you might want to consider a different breed that will require less work.