Doberman Image. A Good Or A Bad Thing?

[watson123]

Interesting thread! For me it depends on the person, if the person is creeping me out or is on the property, I am not going to say he is a cuddle bug, now if I'm out in public I usually try to talk about positive things about about the breed (but I also say that the a doberman isn't for everyone) I have met several people who are interested in getting a doberman I tell them about the breed, tell them that they should get on doberman chat, and usually tell them names of good reputable breeders (some of you are on here).

 

[jmorposmo]

I think I feel both ways about it - When I'm home alone with the kids and some random shows up for whatever reason - I am glad that people are inherently scared of them if they don't know them. But I also sometimes don't like that people think he is going to eat my kids or whoever just because he is a Doberman. Our vet is in love with Max, she told my husband the other day that she would never have recommended a Dobe in a house with kids, but since meeting Max she could see how it could work in the right house. IDK, I like both sides, its a tough one :/

 

[lelasmom2002]

Great topic.

Whole part of the appeal to the breed was protection, what I found most interesting when doing my research BEFORE deciding on a breed, was how intelligent and loyal this breed is. How they pick up well with training. How this would be the best breed for my son to grow up with. The doberman isn't a very popular breed in my part of NC. Where I'm from it's all about pit bulls and we had one when out daughter was born. He was a great dog, unfortunately he was stolen from our back yard when we weren't home.

Anyway, even with all the reading up I did on the breed I still wasn't prepared for all the things I am learning. But I don't regret my decision a bit. I mean how could I when I have to look at this face:

 

[FredC]

What surprised me most was the demographic that seems mostly attracted to Dobermans.. Of course I don't know of any specific study but IMO it seems they are primarily owned and handled by (for lack of a better term) mature women.. I suppose this might not have always been true but certainly with the rise in popularity of the APBT but I have read that the APBT outnumbers the second most popular breed (Golden Retriever) 7 to 1 (USA). Now what makes this statistic surprising is with numbers like that how the hell is the pit bull so misunderstood. It would seem every other house had at least two.. Which is no surprise since they literally are a dime a dozen..

End off topic post...

 

[Gelcoater]

What surprised me most was the demographic that seems mostly attracted to Dobermans.. Of course I don't know of any specific study but IMO it seems they are primarily owned and handled by (for lack of a better term) mature women..

Well?
The first Doberman I ever met was owned by a woman who was a year or two older than my mom.
That dog was highly trained,off lead walks with no corrections needed,stuck on her like glue,performed the bark and hold on a threatening man(her soon to be ex husband)etc.The epitome of perfect Doberman.

 

[iceman]

And temperaments will follow til they are nothing more than a lab in a dobe suit!!! Soft look soft temperament They go hand in hand.

I wouldn't bet on that myself...The look will be deceiving..

with or without C/D, a dog with the correct temperament will act the same BUT i have a feeling this might contribute against the breed reputation..

Cropped & docked dogs have the intimidating looks for strangers so they approach them with caution..

uncropped.undocked dogs will not have this look, and this WILL fool strangers into thinking they are OK to be approached like an other breed such as a lab!!

and BANG goes the reputation out the window!!! (again)

 

[FredC]

I wouldn't bet on that myself...The look will be deceiving..

I would agree with this on your side of the pond however in the USA breeders are already watering down the Doberman and have been since the early eighties.. When that dumb ass sued McDonalds for burning himself with a hot cup of coffee and won a million dollar settlement..

In the US it's no lie a burglar can sue you and win if your dog bites him in the process of a home invasion.

Same can be said about a beware if dog sign.. As far as the courts are concerned a "Beware of The Dog" sign is an admission of knowingly and purposely harboring a viscous dog and land your butt in jail and or levied heavy fines if your dog bites another human being. Having such a sign almost certainly assures a guilty verdict.. This is why bite sports are not a popular dog sport in the US, and club dues are generally crazy expensive.. Simple supply and demand mathematics. No doubt the Doberman would only get softer then ever here after a cd ban

 

[scottr3]

I would agree with this on your side of the pond however in the USA breeders are already watering down the Doberman and have been since the early eighties.. When that dumb ass sued McDonalds for burning himself with a hot cup of coffee and won a million dollar settlement..

I remember reading the original two page article in The Wall Street Journal about this case. McDonalds lost for their arrogance as much as anything.

At the time coffee was served much hotter than it is today and both the cups and lids were flimsier.

An older woman bought a cup at a drive through window, stopped the car and put the cup between her legs and tried to add sugar. The cup collapsed and her thighs were scalded from the very hot coffee.

She originally asked McDonalds to cover the cost of her medical expenses. They refused because, well, coffee is supposed to be hot.

The case went to court and they lost. McDonalds appealed and they lost again. I think the case went to trial a third time and each time they lost the settlement got bigger.

In the final case the woman won $2.1 million dollars, the equivalent of two days of McDonalds coffee sales.

I didn't feel sorry for McDonalds any longer.

In the US it's no lie a burglar can sue you and win if your dog bites him in the process of a home invasion.

I searched Google for cases of a home invader suing an owner for a dog bite. It very well may have happened but, generally, the dog would be hailed as a hero. During my search I found thus humorous article about an invader attacking the dog and biting the home owner.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20130102/NEWS/130109928

 

[FredC]

I actually drew that example from another case where the invader cut himself on the glass he broke while breaking and entering. Upon his release from jail or prison ( I don't recall which) he sued the home owner for nerve damage the glass caused and he did indeed win.. If these things are even a remote possibility I have little doubt a dog bite is not out of the realm if reality..

 

[scottr3]

VonDoom I certainly believe there are a lot if silly court cases in the States but, I also think they're over reported. It takes a lot more effort to find more common sense stories like this one ....

Intruder Sent to Hospital in Pit Bull Attack May Face Charges
A pit bull attack in Seattle has taken a bite out of crime. Actually, a whole lot of bites. A pack of pit bulls mauled a would-be burglar so badly from head to toe, he couldn't stand and had to be carted away on a dolly.

To add insult to injury, the intrudermay face charges of criminal trespassing.

The pit bull attack broke out when a 21-year-old man recently scaled a 10-foot fence to steal from two cars parked in a homeowner's back yard, Seattle's KIRO-TV reports. Neighbors told KIRO the intruder, whose name was not released, hopped the fence with his pants down.

Too bad the wannabe bandit didn't know the homeowner had let the dogs out.

Four pit bulls attacked the intruder, snarling and ferociously biting him all over his arms, ears, face, and legs, police told Seattle's KOMO-TV.

The homeowner heard the commotion and called his dogs off. The intruder was so severely hurt he was unable to walk, so the homeowner used a handcart to wheel him into the street.

A passerby called 911. Medics took the intruder to a hospital.

After the intruder recovers, he may face a charge of criminal trespass, police said. To prove trespass, prosecutors must show the intruder knew he was entering someone else's property without permission. Because the intruder allegedly scaled a tall fence, that seems to suggest he knew he was trespassing.

And though it's possible the intruder may bite back by suing the homeowner for the pit bull attack, that dog likely won't hunt. Courts generally don't hold homeowners liable for dog attacks when the injured party fails to act like a reasonable person under similar circumstances. Scaling a fence to commit a crime is arguably not how a reasonable person would act.

http://blogs.findlaw.com/legally_we...ital-in-pit-bull-attack-may-face-charges.html

 

[FredC]

Win or lose it still costs money to defend a frivolous lawsuit. And they happen daily here in the USA and the bad guys even win from time to time.. Winning or losing in court is more often then not a case of who has the most money, better lawyer and these court cases are rarely if ever won based on right and/or wrong. A good lawyer can cut your bread vertically and convince a jury that you are actually getting more for your money simply cause the pieces look bigger. The point is that these things do happen and it is fact why we have softer dogs.

For example, if a person climbs over a fence and is bitten by a dog on the other side, a jury could decide not to hold the dog owner liable if they believed that a normal reasonable person would not have climbed over the wall in the first place. To use another example, if the owner puts up a "Beware of Dog" sign, and a person ignores this sign and gets bitten by the dog, the owner might not be responsible for that person's injury. If the animal owner is claiming either "assumption of risk" or "contributory negligence," however, the owner has the burden of convincing the jury of these arguments.

the first bold line indicates a it's viable to believe you as a home can lose such a case and cost thousands if not tens of thousands to defend win or lose.. The second part I bolded indicates to me at least the article is flawed because it's very common knowledge a beware of dog sign only proves beyond a reasonable doubt that as the home and dog owner you are aware of your dogs potentially vicious tendencies, in most cases making you liable for damages.

 

[GennyB]

Since my dogs do a lot of "meet the breed" days at the dog museum I get a bunch of different reactions. The two most common are the ones that say "Oh, a dobie, I LOVE them!" to the ones that walk around the corner grab their kids and say "WOW! They let a dog like that in here?" Needless to say, I have some interesting discussions.
I just tell them that I am not here to "sell you the breed" I am here to introduce the true doberman, not the Hollywood version. I explain that the breed is not for everyone but a well trained and properly socialized doberman is hard to beat as a loyal, protective companion.

 

[Gelcoater]

Win or lose it still costs money to defend a frivolous lawsuit. And they happen daily here in the USA and the bad guys even win from time to time.. Winning or losing in court is more often then not a case of who has the most money, better lawyer and these court cases are rarely if ever won based on right and/or wrong. A good lawyer can cut your bread vertically and convince a jury that you are actually getting more for your money simply cause the pieces look bigger. The point is that these things do happen and it is fact why we have softer dogs.


the first bold line indicates a it's viable to believe you as a home can lose such a case and cost thousands if not tens of thousands to defend win or lose.. The second part I bolded indicates to me at least the article is flawed because it's very common knowledge a beware of dog sign only proves beyond a reasonable doubt that as the home and dog owner you are aware of your dogs potentially vicious tendencies, in most cases making you liable for damages.

Crap.Now I gotta go repaint my sign.

 

[Dobs4ever]

BUT i have a feeling this might contribute against the breed reputation..

uncropped.undocked dogs will not have this look, and this WILL fool strangers into thinking they are OK to be approached like an other breed such as a lab!!

I certainly agree with the above. It is misleading to try to hide the dogs identity and certainly the Doberman is defined (breed type) by those ears that give the look of eagles. By not recognizing them for what they are someone will get hurt.

Honesty is always the best policy and I hope the green party is started so much of this mess has to retract their stupidity just as they are seeing now on the docking ban in Scotland.

But trust me 20 years after the ban which is driven mostly by the AR whackos and bleeding hearts the dogs will have to be softer temperament to match their new softer look. They go hand in hand. Their objective is to destroy the purebred dogs and the dog fancy.

 

[shadash]

To all my neighbors Daisy (our dog) is just that "a daisy". This is the way I'd like to have them all think of her.

To anyone I don't know that walks to the door or is attempting to break in at night watch out! I like how a Doberman bark instantly solves problems.

 

[Dobs4ever]

I am here to introduce the true doberman, not the Hollywood version. I explain that the breed is not for everyone but a well trained and properly socialized doberman is hard to beat as a loyal, protective companion.

Love the "true Doberman not the Hollywood version!!! Well stated.

 

[FredC]

Love the "true Doberman not the Hollywood version!!! Well stated.

Yeah but don't we all secretly admire the Hollydobe?

 

[Dobs4ever]

Yeah but don't we all secretly admire the Hollydobe?

VonDoom

Of course but we are not the whimps afraid of our own shadow!!! and I will add the Hollywood Dobe is A PART of our dogs - they are true Dobermans!!! That also gets a lot of folks into trouble when they try to make them a lab in a Dobe suit......JMHO

 

[Gelcoater]

Love the "true Doberman not the Hollywood version!!! Well stated.

Time for me to play devils advocate here a little.
I would absolutely agree Hollywood has helped to give the breed a bad image.I would also point out its a matter of interpretation.
I'll call out the Doberman Gang here.
Even as a kid I didn't see them as the bad guys of the film.They're dogs.They were trained to do a job,they did as trained.It has been years,decades actually since I saw that film but remember the only guy that got bit(maybe I don't remember it as well as some?) was the security guard that went for his gun.The dog bit his wrist and in Hollywood flair the guy falls over and lays down like he died?
To me,the villains in that film were they guys that trained dogs to rob a bank.The dogs were simply a tool to do a job,Dobermans do their jobs especially well I'm sure we can all agree.
Interpretation,in the eye of the beholder.Nothings changed much,today many perceive guns as evil bad things.They're a tool.Used correctly and with responsibility they are just a tool.Used by villains or mentally ill they're viewed by the not too perceptive as something that needs to be banned,just like some breeds of dog are
It's not the tools fault it was used for the wrong reasons,be it a dog,a gun,a knife,a hammer,a screwdriver,a baseball bat,a truck,......just a tool.

 

[FredC]

we could go one step further and reference Zeus and Apollo from Magnum PI.. That pair never did anything malicious that i remember but they just oozed Bad Ass.. I loved how they never fully trusted Magnum.. i recall an episode where they cornered Magnum in the main house and wouldn't let him out.. Lol reminds me of the Sign "You Might Get In But You Wont Get Out!!"