JustJon
Jr Member
Hey Doberman Fam! Feels like it’s been forever, since Vito and I have checked in! So, let’s catch up… Cool with y’all? - Ok cool!
Where do I start? We’ve been very intentional about socializing and exposing Vito to a lot of ordinary, and semi extraordinary things. If you all remember a while ago around Vito’s 3rd maybe 4th month we had two incidents involving a fire truck, and a loose dog running up on Vito bluffing an attack. Since then we had a block party, where I met some amazing firemen who agreed to let me bring Vito to the station and let him become familiar with the trucks. We did that a total of 5 times in between 4-6 months, I played the siren noises while we were at the trucks each time, and the last two times he didn’t care about the trucks or the sounds… he was more interested in the amazingly grassy areas that surround the station! I do think a few more sessions would help.
Our community is full of dogs, so we tend to see a lot of dogs when we’re out on walks, and he unfortunately is not too fond of them, ESPECIALLY males. While he isn’t a huge barker, his demeanor changes, ears poke up, hair stands up and I can tell his energy shifts to protection/combat mode. So we probably won’t do many “puppy play dates” (not that I’d ever been a fan). He does get along with my mother in laws 4 year old Pomeranian lol. She bosses him around and let’s him know when she’s done playing, he’s grown up around her so of course that level of respect is there.
Vito is emerging as one heck of a protector, when he’s in the yard or on the balcony he will bark if someone gets “too close”. As someone who has raised and owned dogs for 21 years I can tell he is not bluffing the slightest bit. One thing that intrigued me as a 1st time Doberman owner was his instincts. Sheesh! We are surrounded by woods, and often walk the trails within the woods. While he knows how to heel, he sometimes walks slightly in front - just a few paces, and boy is he on security duty! It seems as if he hears and notices every little thing… he will stop for a quick second and almost immediately there’s a squirrel, a deer, or a pack of turkeys! Other times he takes a break and there is someone in front or behind us. He senses the Amazon/Fed ex guy or gal approaching the stairs before they even show up on the camera!
Lastly… obedience training has been going good, we work maybe 15-20 mins 3-4Xs a week. I will make more time to bump that up to at least 6 days a week. He’s housebroken and rarely wets his crate, I’ve been allowing him to nap in the living-room more, with the goal of him eventually being able to sleep overnight outside of his crate, and free roam the house in the next year or so. He’s also on rare occasion started to display some defiance, starting around late 5, early 6 months. You’d command him into a sit, or any other command and he will just gallop off, play, etc. Giving you the “catch me if you can” demeanor. I never chase after him, when he comes to me, he’s met with the same command he didn’t adhere to lol. Overall, I’m loving and enjoying this journey, thus far he is close to the best dog I’ve ever owned.
As always I appreciate you all for taking the time to read! Peace!
Where do I start? We’ve been very intentional about socializing and exposing Vito to a lot of ordinary, and semi extraordinary things. If you all remember a while ago around Vito’s 3rd maybe 4th month we had two incidents involving a fire truck, and a loose dog running up on Vito bluffing an attack. Since then we had a block party, where I met some amazing firemen who agreed to let me bring Vito to the station and let him become familiar with the trucks. We did that a total of 5 times in between 4-6 months, I played the siren noises while we were at the trucks each time, and the last two times he didn’t care about the trucks or the sounds… he was more interested in the amazingly grassy areas that surround the station! I do think a few more sessions would help.
Our community is full of dogs, so we tend to see a lot of dogs when we’re out on walks, and he unfortunately is not too fond of them, ESPECIALLY males. While he isn’t a huge barker, his demeanor changes, ears poke up, hair stands up and I can tell his energy shifts to protection/combat mode. So we probably won’t do many “puppy play dates” (not that I’d ever been a fan). He does get along with my mother in laws 4 year old Pomeranian lol. She bosses him around and let’s him know when she’s done playing, he’s grown up around her so of course that level of respect is there.
Vito is emerging as one heck of a protector, when he’s in the yard or on the balcony he will bark if someone gets “too close”. As someone who has raised and owned dogs for 21 years I can tell he is not bluffing the slightest bit. One thing that intrigued me as a 1st time Doberman owner was his instincts. Sheesh! We are surrounded by woods, and often walk the trails within the woods. While he knows how to heel, he sometimes walks slightly in front - just a few paces, and boy is he on security duty! It seems as if he hears and notices every little thing… he will stop for a quick second and almost immediately there’s a squirrel, a deer, or a pack of turkeys! Other times he takes a break and there is someone in front or behind us. He senses the Amazon/Fed ex guy or gal approaching the stairs before they even show up on the camera!
Lastly… obedience training has been going good, we work maybe 15-20 mins 3-4Xs a week. I will make more time to bump that up to at least 6 days a week. He’s housebroken and rarely wets his crate, I’ve been allowing him to nap in the living-room more, with the goal of him eventually being able to sleep overnight outside of his crate, and free roam the house in the next year or so. He’s also on rare occasion started to display some defiance, starting around late 5, early 6 months. You’d command him into a sit, or any other command and he will just gallop off, play, etc. Giving you the “catch me if you can” demeanor. I never chase after him, when he comes to me, he’s met with the same command he didn’t adhere to lol. Overall, I’m loving and enjoying this journey, thus far he is close to the best dog I’ve ever owned.
As always I appreciate you all for taking the time to read! Peace!
