Reactive puppy

[Juliaa]

Alright, so I have a euro dobie puppy. His name is Tito, he was a surprise for me brought back from Slovakia by my boyfriend. Since my Doberman passed away a year and a half ago and I’m obsessed with the breed, he thought it would be a nice surprise, which it was!! But oh my goodness is this puppy a handful and not as I quite imagined behaviour wise. He came home at 4 months old, he’s from a reputable breeder, we have paperwork etc.. before pick up, the breeder would send my boyfriend videos of her socializing Tito with kids, people etc.. when my boyfriend picked him up he spent just over a week with him in Slovakia before he flew back home to me. He had Tito socializing with all his family there, their kids, going on walks, hanging out at cafes outside, going on trains, he was just hanging out totally fine. Now since being at his new forever home in Canada, (going on 1 month) he’s been different. He was fine the first week meeting my parents and friends approaching them fine and calm and hanging out napping on everyone. 1 week later, anyone comes over and we greet them outside (on leash) he barks insanely, nipped a little at my mom, very unsure and just acting outrageous. After about 5 minutes or so of this unusual behaviour he acts alright and doesn’t act strange. He has done this to a few of my friends now, which they don’t approach them or pet him, they just stay back and wait for when he settles a little and we chat and ignore him until he acts right. It’s hard to enjoy walks because he reacts to most people and dogs. Some people he doesn’t care about and moves on. Car rides are a nightmare atm, he’s fine with the cars but goes mental seeing people IN the cars. It just does not seem like normal behaviour to me especially from a puppy that’s been socialized and was fine. He’s still young, most puppies want to meet and play. It upsets me as I want him to have fun and live his best life. We have hired a well known experienced training academy in the area that will figure out what his triggers are and why, he will be working on socialization, environmental/mental stimulation and more. We also have a 5 year old boxer that Tito was very ferocious to when he first got here so we let him sit in his crate and watch the boxer to realize he wasn’t a threat and happy to meet him. After he stopped barking we let him out on a leash to meet the boxer and he made a little nip, we corrected it and they’ve been best friends but that’s just with our dog. He also has woken up out of naps screaming like he’s being hurt, or snaps, (no one touching him or bugging him) then acts strange for about 5-10 minutes, then acts normal and playful. It has lessened over a few weeks so far. Has anyone else experienced this kind of behaviour with a puppy this young? He is the worst nut case land shark with his teething/puppy stage, that’s understandable and we’re working with him, but as the other things mentioned, I just don’t get it. I’ve had dogs my entire life since I was born my parents always had pitbulls and Dobermans, but this is the first I’ve experienced this kind of behaviour.

 

[Cferg]

What was your pup parents and
grand parents like? That’s usually the indicator of what kind of dog you got in front of you.

 

[Juliaa]

Honestly, I don’t know.. I have to figure out the family tree document but for the parents I see dad is pride of Russia, champion status for many things, mom is Italian, it says both are suitable for breeding.. do you think it would be worth me having my boyfriend reach out to the breeder to ask what his parents’ temperaments are like? Thank you for replying by the way!

 

[Ddski5]

No disrespect intended here but what kind of an owner are you with Tito?
- do you demand obedience/discipline
- are you more passive and let Tito do his thing?
- how much training do you do with Tito on a weekly/daily basis?
- do you crate train and make Tito take naps during the day or does Tito kinda have his own schedule?
- is there a difference on how your boyfriend and you handle Tito?
- your other Dobermans were NA…in comparison, they were more docile than Tito at this age?

 

[Ravenbird]

He also has woken up out of naps screaming like he’s being hurt, or snaps, (no one touching him or bugging him) then acts strange for about 5-10 minutes, then acts normal and playful

^^^ this would concern me more than anything, as it doesn't have anything to do with reactivity to his environment. Do a search on Rage Syndrome and see if sounds like his behavior.

I'm not one to pass behavior off as being a physical/mental problem, but that one symptom is concerning, so a vet opinion might be worth the time. Also thyroid being off is not uncommon in this breed and can cause behavior problems.

Outside of a medical problem, what @Ddski5 mentions is very helpful info for raising a puppy of high drive. And what @Cferg said about pedigree. Pride of Russia is known for high numbers of puppies, Italian dogs I'm not too familiar with, they have both show & working lines. Absolutely correct him for barking or lunging at people and dogs while on your walk, let him know you have boundaries that he is not allowed to cross. Try very hard to catch and redirect him for staring at any person or dog. Breaking his eye contact before he explodes will prevent him from that self-rewarding barking. Work a lot on obedience at home and in a group class if you can so he can learn how to listen to you with other dogs/people in the class as distractions. How old is he right now? We fondly (hahaha) call 6 - 18 months the Doberteens, which can be pretty challenging.

 

[Juliaa]

Okay so, yes we demand obedience we do not let him sleep with us on the couch, he fought us wanting the couch but he understands now that’s our spot, not his, we make him sit before eating (also touching him everywhere while eating etc) so no food aggression. We always keep a close eye on him, can’t trust the bugger lol. He does not do what he wants when he wants and we have a couple of baby gates in the house to stop him from accessing rooms such as the living room when we’re not there.. before work I do take him on 1-2 walks while also working with his commands, him and the other dog play, I throw the ball for him. He sleeps in his crate on the main floor every night (not with us) and we also put him in there for when he needs a nap since he can’t realize when he actually needs one lol. He’ll fall asleep right away. I’d say we’re both in tune with how to handle/deal with Tito. My last Doberman I had I actually got him when he was 1, so I’m not sure how he was at this age, he had been rehomed twice, I was his last and he was the most amazing loving dog I could ever ask for. He was also American… so there’s a difference there I’m sure..

 

[Ravenbird]

It sounds like you are doing everything right. If he's just a tough dog, you will get through this period, he will learn how to adjust himself to this new life with you and the rules you set. These hard dogs make the very best companions after you get over the hump. Mine is about 2/3 euro and I was totally taken by surprise at how different she was than the two Dobes I had previously. Seriously never thought a Doberman could behave the way she did.

Know that you aren't alone, there's several of us here that have gone through this with our puppies and we're here to help. Or at least offer our understanding of being in your shoes!

 

[Juliaa]

Your message means so much. We really are trying out best and working hard, my boyfriend went through too much bringing him here to surprise me for it to become a disaster. We don’t have kids or want kids and we’re both active we love going on walks hikes adventures with our dogs, I want to mold this puppy into a well behaved dog so I can bring him everywhere and do the most with him like I did with my last boy. This puppy is SO bad lol of course there’s things we need professional help for which is why I’ve hired a very experienced trainer who trains service dogs and has helped change many other dogs from being euthanized. I’m hoping this really helps Tito before he becomes older and they can correct him properly instead of my thinking I am but I’m not. You know? He starts November 1st, he turns 6 months November 5th. I was so upset thinking I hope having a euro dobie isn’t a huge mistake .. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one and you’re right!! Some of the worst puppies become the best dogs ever!!

 

[Juliaa]

this would concern me more than anything, as it doesn't have anything to do with reactivity to his environment. Do a search on Rage Syndrome and see if sounds like his behavior.

Yes, actually Google brought me to Rage syndrome when I was looking up reasons for such behaviour.. because on the weekend I rented out this cool place for an hour for the dogs, a two acre fully fenced in nature spot so they could run wild and practice recall, they had a blast. On the ride home Tito was tired and going to nap but would come to, and snap at our boxer aggressively a couple of times. Really pissed me off. As soon as we got home I fed him lunch and put him in the crate and he fell asleep right away for 2.5 hours. Clearly he was cranky and tired but that is unacceptable behaviour. He was completely fine after his nap, in fact he was almost a pleasure because he was tired all night from his day adventure..

 

[Juliaa]

How old is he right now? We fondly (hahaha) call 6 - 18 months the Doberteens, which can be pretty challenging.

He will be 5 months on October 5th!!

 

[Ddski5]

He is a very handsome Doberman.

Well…the trainer may figure him out but I believe the big catalyst will be you spending a lot of time with him training and establishing you are the leader that he looks up to and trust. Training training training and don’t give in. Maintain and expect boundaries and discipline.

My first Doberman was a hard ass and very independent- acted as if he didn’t need us at all. My second Doberman looks to please and seeks guidance and acceptance- extremely easy.

First Doberman, Ragnar, ripped our living room apart. He was a rehome to me at 4months. He was a monster at a young age and many many times my wife asked me what had I gotten us in to. He was so independent and did not look to please or ask for guidance of any sort. Very very reactive to people and other animals. I trained with him everyday after work- everyday for 15months. I think by creating a structured routine of what was expected and who I was, a trainer, a leader, rewarder, giver, etc…Ragnar grew to respect and look up to me. For months it felt as if nothing I did helped. He was very difficult and many times I felt as if all my time was being wasted and then one day around 15months it just clicked. He accepted me and all the training we had done the past year finally came together. He listened and reacted to me without question/hesitancy. My dream Doberman came to fruition.

He did not act the same way with my wife and children because they did not establish the bond I had through daily training. I think he cared for them and looked out for them but he snubbed them quickly if I was in the room and immediately came to me.

I think hard dogs can be so damn difficult because they are soo independent, they don’t feel like they need you and can do everything on their own. That’s why they are so reactive, because that’s all they know how to do- just react. They really need us to be in charge of any given questionable situation. If they know we are in charge and can handle the strange noise, strange dog, strange person- then they will not react because they trust us as the leader to make the decision of yay/nay.

You are also going through the toughest time- finishing teething and going through Doberteens.

I also think his first four months was very busy…being in Slovakia, going with your boyfriend and then flying home to you can be pretty adventurous and maybe stressful to a young pup.

-Be calm, consistent, persistent, establish discipline and boundaries…
-Spend a shitload of time with him and create that strong bond that he looks up to and respects.

 

[Juliaa]

What a great response and story about your dobe!! I am looking forward to the trainer figuring out certain things I probably can’t, they did make it clear that when Tito is with us we must work with him consistently everyday the same way they have so he can respect us the same so we can all keep up on his progress. Which we are more than willing to do. They will show us the correct way to handle and work with him so he can look up to us for proper guidance and listen to us. Honestly I feel the same about thinking it’s a waste of time will he ever get it, what did we get ourselves into. My boyfriend said our lives have been flipped upside down and it’s his own fault for it. I said no don’t say that, he’s just a lot more work and we’re going to try everything we can to help him become a pleasant dog to be with. We’re both extremely stressed out everyday since. But we don’t yell at him or hit him, we speak firm, redirect him.. even if it’s a thousand times… exhausting is an understatement lol. I’ll take a deep breath in my vehicle before coming in the house sometimes even to get ready. My last dobe was my ride or die. I received compliments constantly on him, he would listen to me over anyone else. Even if he was getting love and pets from someone else, always looked to me for anything. He was very easy for me to work with I got lucky with him, such a privilege owning him I’m glad he was rehomed and ended up with me lol. Hopefully we can get Tito on track. I can tell he’s definitely extremely intelligent, I’ve been working with him on “stay” and “leave it” .. he’s making progress. I feel these things are more important than shaking paw commands right now. Im glad I joined this community everyone seems so helpful and friendly

 

[Kswoodssue]

^^^ this would concern me more than anything, as it doesn't have anything to do with reactivity to his environment. Do a search on Rage Syndrome and see if sounds like his behavior.

I'm not one to pass behavior off as being a physical/mental problem, but that one symptom is concerning, so a vet opinion might be worth the time. Also thyroid being off is not uncommon in this breed and can cause behavior problems.

Outside of a medical problem, what @Ddski5 mentions is very helpful info for raising a puppy of high drive. And what @Cferg said about pedigree. Pride of Russia is known for high numbers of puppies, Italian dogs I'm not too familiar with, they have both show & working lines. Absolutely correct him for barking or lunging at people and dogs while on your walk, let him know you have boundaries that he is not allowed to cross. Try very hard to catch and redirect him for staring at any person or dog. Breaking his eye contact before he explodes will prevent him from that self-rewarding barking. Work a lot on obedience at home and in a group class if you can so he can learn how to listen to you with other dogs/people in the class as distractions. How old is he right now? We fondly (hahaha) call 6 - 18 months the Doberteens, which can be pretty challenging.

Agree. Awakening like that is my number one concern here too.

 

[JanS]

One thing I do know is the Pride of Russia in an extremely high drive working dog so your pup is most likely going to need some high drive exercises to keep him satisfied.

Dobermann Brat.Ru - Index

www.dobermann-brat.ru

 

[Juliaa]

One thing I do know is the Pride of Russia in an extremely high drive working dog so your pup is most likely going to need some high drive exercises to keep him satisfied.

Dobermann Brat.Ru - Index

www.dobermann-brat.ru

Honestly, I don’t know.. I have to figure out the family tree document but for the parents I see dad is pride of Russia, champion status for many things, mom is Italian, it says both are suitable for breeding.. do you think it would be worth me having my boyfriend reach out to the breeder to ask what his parents’ temperaments are like? Thank you for replying by the way!

For his Italian mom on the paperwork it says “NIKITA DI BAIA NERA” (kennel?) I know he was a surprise for me and I didn’t get to pick him myself but I feel like a fool not knowing exactly how understand fully. I need to look into it big time. Doesn’t help the papers are in Italian and I had to translate it to English lol.

 

[JanS]

For his Italian mom on the paperwork it says “NIKITA DI BAIA NERA” (kennel?)

Looks like perhaps another working dog.

Nikita Di Baia Nera

female, 2016 (Beau x Cassandracaia)

doberbase.ru

I know he was a surprise for me and I didn’t get to pick him myself but I feel like a fool not knowing exactly how understand fully.

Don't ever feel like a fool for that. I've had Dobermans for quite a few years so some of the names start getting pretty familiar.

 

[Juliaa]

Looks like perhaps another working dog.

Nikita Di Baia Nera

female, 2016 (Beau x Cassandracaia)

doberbase.ru

Don't ever feel like a fool for that. I've had Dobermans for quite a few years so some of the names start getting pretty familiar.

Okay yes when I clicked on that the other names that come up are on the paper. Working line you say? Thanks you so much for your knowledge lol

 

[JanS]

Working line you say?

I'm not entirely sure with her but I know the sires side is.

 

[Kaiser2016]

So many yikes! All my Dober Donkey memories are flooding into my brain!

My boyfriend said our lives have been flipped upside down and it’s his own fault for it.

It is good that we have established this because there are much bigger battles coming. It was years that my hb and I went back and forth on whose fault it was when it was clearly his and he just wouldn’t admit it!

We’re both extremely stressed out everyday since.

Been there, done that

I’ll take a deep breath in my vehicle before coming in the house sometimes even to get ready

Yes, I too dreaded coming home to the little terrorist, but with all the great advice you’re getting, you will get him sorted out! It will be hard, for sure, and I dare not look at how many working lines went into adorable little Tito. I have always said that Kaiser is lucky that his good looks bought him so much forgiveness over the years

 

[Dasz88]

Hang in there, dobermama! You got this! If your dog is a working line, high drive dog, that explains a lot of his behaviors. I don't have a lot of advice, but I know how it feels!

If I add one thing, I wonder if he is not being fully challenged? It sounds like you are doing a great job exercusung and training him... for a regular dog. But, speaking from experience as a high drive dog owner, Gilly becomes a holy terror when not fully worked. And his threshold is a LOT higher than a regular pet. We walk or run at least a couple miles a day. But, that doesn't really fully engage him. He still does group obedience classes, does search and rescue training 1-2x/week, and on our off days, I still have to prepare " search problems" for him, that engage his brain and nose. I also take him "out in public" for training in high distraction places at least once a week. In other words-- he is THE MOST EXTRA dog lol! When I am sick or God forbid can't work him, I have about 24 hours before he grows horns and turns into a hyper destructive doberdemon lol!

However, his drive has made him an amazing search and rescue prospect for a very intensive program. I have seen this little nut do some really amazing things. And he is more than my pet, him and I are becoming true partners. And, because of him, I have an opportunity to do some really meaningful and impactful work that a human could never do.

Anyways, I know this is a long post, but I see some similarities in our dogs, and I just wanted to give you hope and commiserate on that high drive life!! I think your boy could end up amazing; it just might take a lot more effort than a companion dog!

Edit to add: the only thing that gives me pause is that stress on waking up- I'm sure you'll monitor and get that checked out, but keep us posted on that!