German Shepherd Vs. Doberman

[DawnMarie]

Hi Doberluv; I'm new here (a lurker mostly) but just had to say that I love your Dobe's name Lyric. I have a grulla colt named Lyric and figured I was the only person thinking of a name like that.
So as not to hijack this thread; I recently brought home a new pup-3 month old Max is a Doberman and I'm an "unexperienced" Doberman owner. He is about as far from neurotic as I can imagine-at 3 months old he would just as soon lay at my feet with a bully than to act ADHD. So I'm not saying I know statistics or hard facts, etc but my experience with my boy is saying he's not "crazy"

 

[Doberluv]

Oh, is that your horse in the avatar? I love the grulla color. I'm a horse person too. LOL. Yes, I love a lot of musical terms, being such an avid musician. I was trying to come up with a German boy's name, but couldn't find one I liked, so I switched tacks and decided on Lyric. His regiatered name is Klobar's Lyrical Raindancer. The breeder wanted an native American theme for this litter. So, that was that.

I'm glad you're enjoying your Dobe so much. They are a lovely breed. IOO. (in our opinion.) LOL.

BTW...welcome! I hope you do a lot more than lurke from now on. Do you have any pictures of your boy?

 

[DawnMarie]

Doberluv, no unfortunately that's not my horse; but a horse I would love to have a descendent of someday He passed away about two years ago
Thanks for the welcome, I definitely plan on sticking around. I have seen posts on here before about the guilt of buying from byb's. That is what usually kept me from posting to message boards; especially petfinder . com. I used to have Pugs-bought from byb's and a pet store. I know I was wrong, and am trying to make it up with Max-he's from a reputable breeder and I hope to not have the health problems like I did with my Pugs. My next dog will be a rescue; probably from the humane society here. Most likely a complete mutt (3 or more possible breeds, lol) or one of the sad lab mixes that fill the kennels here.
Lyric is a unique name huh? My mare's name is Echoing Harmony, and the father was Three Legends, so I was trying to find something that would go with mom's name. I bought her when she was bred already (supposed to be 7 or 8) I did some research and found out she was 23! Needless to say after having the healthy colt she is in retirement!
As soon as I get some pictures downloaded I will try and get some pics of Max, and as soon as I figure out how to put them on here

 

[Doberluv]

Nice names. That's amazing that you found out she was so much older. Wow. Nice that you got a good colt out of her.

Well, if you ever want to talk horses, there's a forum on here for other pets. That's always fun too.

Can't wait to see pictures.

 

[Ben B]

yeah, but can a GSD do this???
(That's my Heidi, waiting/patrolling for Santa!)
Total sweetheart, but tell me that look wouldn't intimidate a stranger!

 

[Doberluv]

ROFLOL!!! OMG!!! That's hilarious! What a fabulous picture. Yes, that would definitely do the job if someone came walking up to your door. LOL. I can't stop chuckling. You look like you get about as much snow as I do here. Where do you live? You really should enter that in a contest somewhere or in a magazine.

 

[dr2little]

Love that photo Ben....you should make a Christmas card. "THERE HAD BETTER BE A BIG DOG BONE IN THAT RED BAG - FAT MAN" Looks like you get to enjoy as white a Christmas as we do here.

 

[Ben B]

Haha! Glad you like it!

I live in Michigan... in "da U.P." LOTS of snow here, but that was the most I've seen since I've been here. Couldn't keep that darn dog OFF the roof! I was afraid she was going to jump off the other side & into the front yard!

We actually did use that for a Christmas card a few years ago! Got quite a few laughs from family & friends, as it was about 2 months after we moved from San Diego.

 

[Doberluv]

Oh, that must have given your Calif. friends a BIG HUGE chuckle. LOL.

 

[DanL]

I know plenty of hardcore working dogs that live in the home with the family. Some aren't in the home out of necessity, not enough time to train 10 dogs to live peacefully in the home, but there are many PPD's, PSD's sport dogs, etc that live with one or two other dogs in the home with cats, gerbils, children and birds, although under the control of a very talented handler, they still live peacefully in the home.

I know quite a few K9 police officers who have their dogs living with their family, with young kids in the mix. A well trained and well socialized dog should be able to live in nearly any situation no matter what their breeding or how hard they are. An even temprament will allow that.

 

[pitbulliest]

they were both bread to be a gaurd dog

Both breeds can be intimidating but that depends on how you train the dog.If you train it to get along with other people weather(sp) it be children or strangers it could just let someone in but if its trained that its not supposed to bark with family but alert you with strangers it could be a very good gaurd dog and intimidating to some people.

trianing a dog is not depending on the breed but the actual dog you can never really tell which one will be easier to train.If a dog is a one man dog it its not based on the breed either but the individual dog.What they eat and how much of it they eat is also the individual dog not the breed.

I know I"m late in the thread..and this was probably corrected or commented on, but weren't GSD's bred as sheep dogs? I think it was only later, especially in the rise of the WWs, that GSDs became guard dogs.... I hate that word by the way..

 

[GSDlover_4ever]

I know plenty of hardcore working dogs that live in the home with the family. Some aren't in the home out of necessity, not enough time to train 10 dogs to live peacefully in the home, but there are many PPD's, PSD's sport dogs, etc that live with one or two other dogs in the home with cats, gerbils, children and birds, although under the control of a very talented handler, they still live peacefully in the home.

Exactly. I am referring to those people who cannot handle working dogs.

 

[GSDlover_4ever]

YIKES....someone thinks American bred GSDs are unpredictable??? and it's only West German lines that aren't??? now, come on.......that's just not true. it's ok to give heated opinions, but let's not become so dramatic that it's silly. breeding IS major....who questions that?? BUT, it is also how you raise your pup as to how it reacts. breeding is MAJOR....but let's not get really childish about it all. I personally adore both breeds. I've mentioned on here several times that the most intelligent dog I've EVER known was a dobe. ohhhh...she was amazing. my GSD is my heart dog..and I love the breed.....but again, that dobie was the MAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! comparisons like that just sound so lame to me.

And when did I say that?? Please quote it, because I dont recall saying that.

 

[GSDlover_4ever]

You guys are so funny. Again, MY OPINION STANDS. And I will NEVER get an American line dog, because I DONT LIKE THEM. The American GSD's are ugly, IMO, and the Dobies are too hyper IMO. Its funny how the rest of you can say YOUR line is great but I cant. And German Shepherd, my dog doesnt have agression issues, get your fact straight. Everyone just wants to label EVERYTHING agression.

 

[luvmydobes]

I realize this is going way back to the original question, but I thought I’d put in my 2 cents. The two Dobes I have now are both rescue dogs. I’ve not had a pure GSD, but I had a dog for 14 years who had a GSD mother and a Dobe father and I have seen several differences between her and the Dobes I have/had and I always attributed them to her shepherd half. Here are some of them:
All the Dobes I’ve had, have truly bottomless pits for stomachs, which of course doesn’t help with their predisposition toward bloat. I could have left food out for my shepherd/dobe mix and she would have only eaten what she needed. The shep/dobe did not seek out the amount of affection that my Dobes do, although she still wanted a lot of attention. They all are/were very demanding attention-wise. If you're like my parents who enjoy their hounds, which are somewhat detached and spend evenings laying at their feet, I don't think you'd enjoy a dobe. My male dobe is by my side every single step I take inside or out and he's that way with anyone he's with.
My shep/dobe loved to swim and run through woods, but my Dobes do not like water and would prefer to take a walk. My shep/dobe was a good watch/guard dog and was sensitive to how I reacted to people at my door. If I was actually threatened, I’m sure my female dobe would defend me, but I think it would have to be a very definite threat before my i-love-everyone male would be aggressive. This may be atypical, but my dobes do not bark if the pizza guy rings the doorbell at midnight, nor do they care if the meter-man walks through the back yard. Few people were afraid of my shep/dobe, although most people are afraid or hesitant when they see my dobes, maybe b/c 2 large dogs standing together seem more imposing than a single dog.

 

[Serena]

Most hardcore working dogs are not suited for "family" life, with children and stuff. A pet home, IMO, is a home who only wants a dog for the idea of a dog. Take it on walks, go to the petstore with, and can just cuddle. Alot of dogs do not like being cuddled but people insists on it, but whatever. And then one of them get bit and the throw the dog to the curb.

Actually most "hardcore" working dogs are perfectly suited for family life.

Working dogs, especially hardcore working dogs make some of the best family members because they are able to distinguish an actual threat from an imagined one.

People who are really involved in the "working dog world" are proud of their dogs accomplishments, they are even prouder of how wonderfully loyal and devoted these dogs are to thier families.

The only people that think a dog can't work and be a family member are those individuals more concerned with proving how tough their dog is.

Nope, not at all. He challenged the father, and if the father would have overlooked it, as Caza grew he would have definately been running the household. They had 5 bad kids, and where never home, and they wanted a teddybear. Caza is not that kind of dog. I pet him, but I dont cuddle or hold him, there is no point to that. Thats another thing about pet homes (Rreferring to those who dont know dogs). Is that alot dont respect them. I respect the fact that Caza doesnt like to be cuddled, and you must have mutual respect between you and your dog.

I'm "in" GSD's and whenever I hear someone say something like this I really cringe.

So you don't cuddle your dog because he doesn't like it? Whose in charge you or him? My first GSD Star hated, absolutely hated to have her paws touched but when it came time to clip her nails I would take her paw and do what needed to be done.

Caza may not liked to be touched in certain ways but he should know his place in the pack and have enough trust in you to allow you to handle him.

You say that pet homes that don't know dogs don't respect them, it sounds more to me that your dogs don't respect you.

You say you don't handle him in certain ways because he doesn't like it..alot of what you say makes me question if the real reason you don't handle him in certain ways is simply because you don't have the control over him, the respect from him, or the talent in handling to do so.

 

[doberkim]

so i am a pure pet home because i cuddle with my dog? lord help us all...

 

[Jynx]

"Actually most "hardcore" working dogs are perfectly suited for family life. "

I totally agree with this, however, the ones that are perfectly suited for family life have owners who know what they have to begin with and raise/socialize/train their dogs appropriately.

Unfortunately there are 1. to many breeders who do not screen their buyers properly and misplace puppies into those homes and 2. buyers who think all
GSD's are "rin tin tin" and will take that cute little fuzz ball home without a clue and end up with a load of problems, usually no fault of the dog.

I just have to ask, and don't expect to many to answer, but would any of you sell the original poster a GSD or a Doberman?
Diane

 

[Jynx]

doberkim I guess I am to, even tho I have 4 dogs with over 30 titles on 3 of them *vbg*..
Diane

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

I have to agree. GSD's are VERY close to their owner/handler, they are actually known to do perimeter checks. Hondo, I've noticed have started to circle me when we are out, he walks from every side of me "checking out" the area and making sure I am secure and then he walks in front of me, then he repeats the process. He does it in a very calm manner. Shepherds RARELY leave their owners, whereas Dobes wouldnt mind wandering off for a sec. Yes, Dobes where bred for PP but you have to remember that GSD's work side by side with their human "partners". Dobes are not used as widely as GSD's or Mali's, and it is the GSD's job (in this time period) to work side by side with their handler, more so than a Dobe.

I have experience with this also, Crash, my GSD was very protective of us. If a dog came into the yard, we knew it, for sure. We live waaaay out in the country, so not alot of people walking down the street, so Crash was allowed loose on our property, but NEVER left the yard, unless it was to chase a dog out of the yard, and he'd come right back after it was out of site of the house. He was an awesome dog. He'd sit out in our yard watching the road standing up and barking when ever a car came by (pretty rarely). I loved that dog so much. Eventually though neighbors moved in pretty closeby, and they were intimidated by him, and claimed he "attacked" their dog. (The dog came into our yard, Crash chased it away, and came home... they had no idea what they were talking about). So, since we didn't have a fence, and didn't want any problems, we gave him to a friend of ours who lives in 10 acres in the middle of nowhere with no neighbors, or traffic. He's very happy now. I get to visit often. GSD's are awesome dogs. I've never had a Dobe though...the closest thing to a Doberman I've had would be a Min Pin, and they are waaay different. Good luck in your choise though.

My boy: