Friends of Five Star
- We owe much gratitude to Dr. Tom Parell and St. Francis Pet Hospital for his invaluable assistance across the years. If you're anywhere near Mooresville or Centerton Indiana and in the market for a great vet, please give them a try. We're an hour away and we still wind up at St. Francis several times a year!
- Looking for that perfect accessory to show off your furry friend, or a gift for a dog-owning friend? Tricia Vaughan of Pleasant Pup Training makes stunning collars and leashes that might do the trick.
- Thanks to Anne Midgarden, DVM for great crops and plenty of answers to all our questions!
Behavior & communication - Always approach a strange dog from the
side, rather than straight on. To approach straight on is domineering in nonverbal
dog talk. - The canine and feline stretching motion of touching the chest
to the ground with outstretched forelegs while elevating the hips is termed the
"play bow". Dogs use the play bow with other dogs to indicate that what
follows is merely play. Fox recommends that human children use the play bow before
playing with a dog. - Staring is used to dominate and challenge. Be careful
not to stare at an unfamiliar dog that is acting aggressive or uncertain.
- Averting eyes can signal either submission or domination, depending on other
behavior. For example, averting eyes and backing away is a display of fear, which
could trigger an attack. Ignoring a dog while acting confident is also a display
of dominance. - One way to quickly assert dominance and control of your own
dog in an emergency is to grab your dog's muzzle with one hand and the scruff
of its neck or shoulder region with the other hand. For added effectively, you
can stare into its eyes and use a growly voice. [Fox, Superdog] - Not
all displays of teeth indicate aggression. A dog may pull its lips back into a
toothy grin to say "hello" or to invite play. - Avoiding bites from
strange dogs: dogs may be friendly in one situation, but defensive in another.
For example, a dog that had been very friendly to me on 4 separate occasions when
a parent was at the door snapped at me late one night when the only person at
the door was a 4 year old boy. This visit was just after a serious flood, so the
dog was very stressed. Always assess the situation from the dog's point of view
- is anything possibly threatening? And reassess a dog for many encounters, not
just the first encounter. Don't assume you're friends after a few visits.
Common mistakes of pet buyers - "Jumbo Dog Syndrome" is common
among pet buyers. It causes the buyer to ask for the largest dog in the litter,
even though larger dogs tend to have shorter life spans and can be more of a handful.
In addition to quite possibly reducing overall owner satisfaction, Jumbo Dog Syndrome
has contributed to the reduction in the average life span of the Doberman that
has occurred in the past several decades by encouraging breeders to breed for
larger and larger (and shorter-lived) genetics. Five Star suggests that you
look for a dog with good genetics that has excellent temperament because it has
been started properly, and don't worry about the size. Dobermans don't have
to be large to put people on guard, but they have to have the right genetics and
response to be a great family dog. - Some pet owners report serious problems
between male Dobermans and other male dogs kept in the same house. This includes
dogs that the Doberman may have grown up with. The most common scenario is a sudden
attack by the Doberman against another other male that has no warning and may
be fatal. Other people report no problems whatsoever between their male Dobermans
and other male house dogs. While no research has yet been conducted in this area,
it seems likely that factors such as the Doberman's overall degree of training
and the owner's degree of passivity play key roles. In most cases where problems
have been reported, obedience training seems to have not been present. - Don't
just pick a puppy, first pick a breed, then pick a breeder, then pick a litter,
and then pick a puppy. Do a little research to inform yourself on all of this. -
Pick of the litter: this concept is vital to the show world, but not really applicable
when looking for a family dog. When looking for a family dog you want the best
match between your family, goals, and puppy. Different puppies will be best for
different families. The bounciest isn't best for every family!
Owner Allergies
People who are allergic to dogs are usually allergic to the dog's dander, not the hair. The Doberman is a high-dander breed. If anyone in your family is allergic to dogs, please
consider a different breed.
Pup nutrition, physical development, how often to feed, dog food recommendations:
Research has discovered that larger breeds, including Dobermans, should eat lower protein levels till 9 - 12 months of age to avoid the incidence
of OCD (Osteochondrosis Dessicans, an extremely painful
condition involving joint cartilage, occurring most often in the shoulders and
elbows) and HOD (Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, excessive growth of certain
bones. This condition is extremely painful but has symptoms similar to many other
conditions - diagnose with care).
After this age you may switch your dog to a quality adult dog food. A shiny, lustrous coat is usually a good sign that you're feeding the right food for your dog. Experience
suggests that you probably won't be happy with less expensive dog food, such as
"Old Roy" or most "house brands".
Individual variation
in dogs prevents us from making a sweeping generalization in adult dog foods,
but we have not been happy feeding our dogs anything that costs much less than about $1 per pound.
Some dogs with sensitive stomachs
may not do well on fish-based dog foods.
Physical Development
On the proper feed your pup may appear too thin between 5-9 weeks and again between
7-11 months - this is as it should be. Please be patient and let your pup grow
at its natural pace and in its natural way. And remember that excess weight on
a pup can cause permanent joint damage and can predispose the dog to obesity later
in life since. As in people, canine fat cells never go away.
Expect your
Doberman to begin to fill out at 15 months. Look for his head to broaden, his
ribcage to expand and his chest to drop.
How Often to Feed Feed
your pup three times per day until 15 months, then feed twice per day.
How
much to feed? We start with the suggestions on the back of the bag, and then slowly increase or decrease the amount to get the dog's weight where we want it. Don't leave food available all day long, and remember that table scraps can really fatten a dog quickly.
Judging Body Condition (Is my dog overweight?) - Most owners of overweight
dogs think their dog is perfectly fit. Purina has created an
excellent visual to help you judge if your dog is overweight and therefore
vulnerable to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, joint deterioration
and cancer. We like our dogs just a little lean.
Playing with your Doberman - The Doberman breed was specifically created
as a security dog. A Doberman identifies threats and protects. - Dobermans
may respond to human-initiated rough play by playing roughly. This is highly undesirable.
Play gently with your Dobe. - Dobermans also don't like to watch rough play
between people. They don't understand our roughhousing and instead seem to try
to figure out which person to protect. Don't put your Doberman in that position.
- No rough wrestling: our main weapon is our hands, with which we grab or push.
The main weapon of the Dobermans is their teeth and jaws. They may respond to
our roughly playing with our hands by roughly playing with their teeth. We are
still talking about play, not fighting, but anyone who has ever seen two or more
dogs playing knows that even gentle dog-play is too rough for humans. - No
rough tug of war: the competition may cause a Doberman to start to reconsider
his place in the household hierarchy. - Discourage biting or nipping of people
at all ages, and don't allow it at all after 11 or 12 weeks. - Stay in charge
(remain the decision-maker) and play to strengthen the loving bond between you
and your Doberman.
Removing carpet stains - clean the area as you normally would. Then spray
the area with white vinegar and scrub with a toothbrush for several seconds. Wipe
up.
Where can I find out more about albino Dobermans (also inaccurately called "white")
- We breed for health and temperament, so we don't breed or encourage the breeding
of albino Dobermans. You will find an in-depth analysis of the many problems with
albino Dobermans at whitedobes.doberinfo.com
Puppy and dog-proofing your house - To puppy-proof your house, crawl
around at the puppy's level and look for opportunities for mischief. Anything
that you don't want chewed or that could harm a curious pup should be removed
or protected. Objects small enough to swallow but large enough to become stuck
in the digestive tract are particularly dangerous. Other items of danger include
plastic objects that might be nice and chewy, but could wind up with jagged edges
and then be swallowed, such as the tops of plastic milk-jugs. - Be sure to
protect all electrical/electronic wires from chewing. Your new puppy will want
to lie at your feet, so computer wires may become targets if you spend much time
on your computer. - Puppies really like chewing anything that smells like
their owner. Gloves, shoes and anything from the laundry basket are prime targets.
Dobermans will swallow a surprising range of items. - Use only wastebaskets
the have a lid which the dog can't open, particularly in bathrooms - For dirty
laundry, use laundry hampers with lids that the dog can't open rather than laundry
baskets without a top.
Dobie maintenance - Check collar tightness occasionally as your puppy
grows. Loosen the collar when you can't easily slip your finger between the collar
and the pup's neck.
- Occasionally your Dobe might lick a spot until the hair
is removed and it becomes inflamed. Unfortunately, the typical response to this
problem is to keep licking it. This is called a "hotspot". See your
local pet store for various sprays that discourage your dog from licking a hotspot.
In extreme cases you may have to resort to an "Elizabethan Collar" (aka
"lampshade") to prevent your pet from excessively licking a wound or
hotspot.
Treats and toys - We suggest avoiding pig ears - every Dobe we've ever
given them to has vomited them back up after a while.
- Most Dobermans love
rawhide toys and have a tendency to swallow the last piece when it's still on
the large side. We've seen some large pieces of rawhide disappear down the hatch
and have never had a problem, but we suggest starting out with a large piece of
rawhide and throwing the remainder away safely before it gets down to a size that can be swallowed.
- A length of old garden hose is a great toy for some dogs. They love to shake
it. Pay close attention that the dog doesn't chew off and swallow small pieces.
A Dobe certainly can chew bits off of a hose. Warning: after being encouraged
to play with one piece of hose, your dog may feel authorized to demolish any other
hose he can find. - If you want to make chew-toys out of old socks or shoes,
know that some dogs don't excel at discriminating between the socks or shoes with
which you've gifted them and those that you still have plans for!
- Immediately
remove small parts of chew-toys that are small enough to be swallowed. This remains necessary
for adult dogs as well.
Doberman first-aid kit There are similarities between human and Doberman
First Aid kits, and there are some differences: - Hydrogen Peroxide - useful
for inducing vomiting. - Larger syringe with no needle - useful for administering
liquids. Available free at any drug store. - Charcoal powder - may be useful
in case of poisoning. We use activated charcoal powder for our family and pets
because it is so inexpensive. One company offering this product in bulk is Newlifestyle.
- Mineral Oil - your vet may ask you to administer in cases where poisoning is
suspected. - Tweezers - Antiseptic cream - Gauze rolls and pads
Swallowing of large, indigestible item - Dobermans may tend to swallow things
that they shouldn't. Larger objects may obstruct their digestive system, perhaps
fatally. For large soft items that are caught quickly enough, such as part of
a chew toy, we induce vomiting. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, call
your vet as soon as possible. Minutes may matter. To
induce vomiting, administer 1 teaspoon of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) per 5 or 10
pounds of the animal's weight. This should work within 10 to 20 minutes. Additional
Hydrogen Peroxide may be required if the dog's stomach isn't empty. Vomiting may
continue to occur for several hours to a lesser degree. Note:
there are different grades of H2O2. We are referring to the 3% grade sold by department
stores and supermarkets. Higher grade H2O2 can be fatal and is not recommended
for ingestion by any human or animal for any purpose.
Chronic Diarrhea / loose stool - the problem may simply be that the dog's
helpful digestive bacteria have been reduced - sickness and worming are common
causes. Regular plain yogurt that contains live Acidophilus/yogurt cultures (check
the label) can usually restore enough bacteria to fix the problem. Flavored yogurt
usually contains preservatives that kill the Acidophilus, so make sure that you
use plain yogurt. If yogurt doesn't help, there are more powerful alternatives
(probiotics) available at a reasonable price, such as Eagle Pack's "Holistic
Solution", which contain additional beneficial bacteria. As always, if the
problem continues, speak with your vet.
Toxic or dangerous substances for dogs The following is a partial list
of items may be dangerous for dogs to chew: - Cooked
or uncooked bones of fowl, such as chicken or turkey -
Cooked bones of any sort (they are brittle and can splinter and puncture the digestive
tract)
The following is a partial list of items that may seem innocent
enough, but can have some level of toxicity for dogs: -
Onions - Chocolate -
Raisins - Grapes - Walnuts
- Cocoa Mulch - sometimes used in commercially-available
gardening mulch. Toxicity may be overstated in many internet stories.
An excellent poison resource is found at workingdogs.com
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Poison
Control Center is good resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year. If your Doberman may have ingested a potentially
poisonous substance, you can contact them at (888) 426-4435. This is not a free
service.
And a preventative resource on Youtube.com:
When should I start training my pup? A pup is ready for training when
it is old enough to join its new family. The training periods must be kept brief
and positive because puppies don't tolerate correction or harsh correction very
well. Remember, it should have its shots if the training is going to be around
other dogs. See Star 1.
Does my dog need to spend time around other dogs? Yes.
Imagine a child being raised by and living forever alone with nice Martians who
feed and care for it but can't communicate with it. All of its needs would be
provided for, but it could never carry on a conversation or interact naturally.
Could it possibly be happy or well-adjusted without being around its own kind?
Dogs need to spend time around other dogs. [Loosely quoted from Fox]
