How demonstative is your Dobie...

I don't think Dobies ARE the most demonstrative breed.... How you feel about this?


So Grumble (a lady-Errrrr Girl? Dobe) seems to be happy to shovel her nose at me from time to time, and when I get home at night lot's of loooooong tail wagging & looking for petting...

Shandy, my old Gal from the past, she was happy to just be near me... When I moved to another room she would just u and come and settle down where I happend to be.

The swiss shepherd on the other hand will actively seek me out and sit pressed up against my body....

Scruffy lives in my arms, in my bed, in the crook of my legs on my shoulder's if I'm driving....

Dobies? not so much....

 

I wonder if this is just Grumble's way. I would describe most Dobermans I've met or seen as hand sluts.

I used to discourage this in my Doberman, but now I just see it as a confident Dobe that knows he wants the pleasure of physical touch and is assertive enough to try to get it. I'm talking about from strangers and others. With me, if he comes up and goes to demand petting (he doesn't touch me, as he has learned the system) I simply tell him to sit, and upon compliance I release him to come on in and get some. He usually puts his head in my lap. When I'm standing, I do not like him to come nudge my hand or slide under it and pet himself with my hand; but he would if he was allowed.

Not so much with my first Dobe, but the next two I have found want to be in the same room as me. Part of it is they do not want to miss out on any possible activity or fun, I believe; but they do seem to want to be in the same room as their people. Now, Oji will actually go upstairs by himself and lay in his bed sometimes though. This is only when he seems to understand that there is not any fun or activity soon forthcoming.

 

That's surprising! When we're relaxing, Rubie is balled up in whatever crook is available and closest to someone. In fact, the more you ignore her, the harder she tries to get attention. She does not really have the Dobe lean with us but will do it to others if we have people over.

 

So true. Mine watch me like a hawk as they suck up next to me. They seem to always want the physical touch. I have to put them in a down position to keep both their heads out of my lap at once.
Usually any movement from me means they are going to get to go train or exercise.
All I have to do is put on my sunglasses and they are sitting by the front door waiting. They will bring their collars and leashes to me in hopes of an adventure. If they see their life vest or biking vest come out of the bin, I will have 2 spinning Dobermans. They know I will not give any attention to them until they settle and sit. They will go to their positions and wait to be ‘dressed’ for an adventure.
Unfortunately they know me better than I know myself and are quite astute at reading my body language.
I think Dobermans are more clingy, must be right with you than any other breed I have been around.
The exception just may be Ferris the GSD. He stays right by my side when I am at the clinic. He doesn’t necessarily want or need the constant petting but he must be at my side all the time. On weekends when I am working I let him free in the clinic with me while I run tests, update records and whatever else needs to be done. He doesn’t bark at the other animals, doesn’t bother our clinic cat at all. His cat Mia is boarding there as well so I allow him to visit with her in the catlery. They are best buds.
He is just the best GSD I have ever been around! I can’t believe how much hair I have brushed from him though. Wow!!

 

I think that may be a Grumbles thing and probably varies by each dobe's personality. My first dobe girl, Penny, was similar to your little one and content to be around, but not stuck to me and even ignored me.

Jasmine on the other hand:

 

This should be the poster picture of life with Dobermans. The bathroom scene is one many of us experience. So much so that I would LOVE to have a 15’x15’ bathroom even though I know they would still lay right by my feet as I sit on the throne.

 

My bathroom is not large at all (about the size of a small laundry room. Asia problems) and as Jasmine has gotten bigger she has been shifting to the right more and more since the door is there as well as a bit more space and also because to the left of my leg there is just a wall.

 

You've created a monster

 

Isn't it great? Dobes are soooo Velcro to the point of being annoying At least Scruffy and Grumble don't have to compete for you.

Once they realize no fun is coming he is ok to lay near us or in his bed or wherever he is comfortable. I like that he can handle that.

Kaiser does the lean when he gets ear rubs.

 

Bacall is the quintessential leaner on EVERYone!!

 

Ace leans on me sits on me rubs his face all over me and is forever body slamming himself on me if we are laying down. i wonder if he thinks he slams down on me hard enough he can push himself inside my skin to be closer to me hahaha..he is a little eccentric, needy, and way over bearing when it comes to being by me.

 

My boy is definitely velcro. I have two shadows at all time. Out of everyone in the house he follows me everywhere. And if I don’t let him in the bedroom while I do something he is waiting right by the door till I come out. He for sure has the doberman lean down so much that I have started to get him not to do it so much cause he has to be sitting right on my toes and let’s just say I don’t care for his butthole rubbing on my bare feet. Ugh. Lol.

 

You painted quite the picture there

I get Kaiser to sit outside the bathroom and wait for me. When he was under 18 months old he would run off to the kitchen and counter surf or try to see if any of his toys were in the sink. He'd hear the toilet flush and rush back to position like as if I would not have heard his sneaky little feet. For the last several months he just stays put by the door. Pretty amazing little shift he did there.

 

This is exactly what Kodak does too. They are smart and sneaky but all my hounding on him he just stays put now. He doesn’t like to leave the door now till I come back out. He isn’t content until he sees my safe return from the toilet. Lol

 

They are pretty sure that big white chair will suck you into another dimension so they must make sure you stay safe!

 

Jazz was a very independent pup. Liked physical contact, but wasn't pushy with it, but now she is older she makes her wishes known with some eye contact and then will have her face and ears rubbed, down her neck and chest, back, sides and belly. All the time with that look of bliss!

 

Ok so the toilet thing....
Did you fellas get that post of mine?

well, see there I was, standing in front of the loo having a marvelously relaxing pee, and Grumble came in, and shovled her head between my legs for a good look see... Only one problem............. She shoveled her head in just a tad too far, and before I could do anything she............. well............. She got "streamed".....

This tendency to lean. with visitors, has anybody taken notice which way they are leaning? Shandy also had the lean.... After a very long time, and quite by accident, It was apparant that she was actually pushing the visitor / stranger away from me....

Like to hear your thoughts on that.....

Yip Dobies are definately not dumb.... I have this theory that once they know they're onto a good thing they don't want to let it outta sight

 

This fella can share a rather hilarious incident ("Trigger Alert") A few years ago we were fostering an awesome female bully breed. I had her and my daughter with me as we had run to a brewery taproom. At a certain point, I had to relieve myself. So I'm standing there conducting business with my young daughter in one arm and the dog in the stall with us. I guess the pooch had not experienced something like this before and figured: Oh cool. A water fountain. My daughter and I busted up laughing.

Good question regarding the leaning, @Nutz ! I would love to hear lots of us weigh in on that. I have heard it posited that a good Doberman will position itself between the owner and a stranger. Very recently, I had a woman come up to us and want to pet Oji. As she pet him, he leaned into her so hard she had to walk backward to remain upright. She said "Oh, he's a big lush!" I said "Yeah, he's a confident dog."

 

I, too, am starting to wonder about the direction of lean. So far I've only taken notice that he loves to lean into me while I give him his favorite ear rubs. Should be an interesting topic!