Overly friendly Doberman

[delighted]

Help! My 6 year old Doberman is embarassingly friendly to ANYONE who enters the house. (He is trained not to jump!), but he doesn't leave the guest's side. In fact he stands there and looks at me as if to say "I would rather be with him/her than you".

Here's the irony. I chose him because he was ALOOF! I am home all day with them. (I have another one who is too aggressive, but controllable). He does bark at anyone he sees outside from inside, but ohhhh if they come in........

I do have to admit that I really dont like him, due to his totally clingy and UNdoberman personality, and I don't give him quite as much attention as my female whom I adore, but do make an effort to be fair. He is also a CHRONIC whiner. He whines for attention. He whines for a treat. He whines because my other one is alpha and sometimes doesn't want him near her. He whines INCESSENTLY for EVERYTHING! This sounds mean, but it's getting to the point that I don't want him anymore, but I would never get rid of him, I promised to give them a good life, and I do.

I am an obedience trainer and he is incredibly obedient (also ironic), but since we rarely)have anyone over, I can't really practice stopping this. Is there anything else I can do? If I put them both in their kennels, he whines so loud we cannot even hear ourselves talk, so I have to muzzle him. I am at the end of my rope with him! Does anybody else have this problem? Thanks in advance for any reply.

 

[Zoom]

I don't have the same problem as you, but I wonder if maybe you are giving off so many body signals as to be confusing to your dog, which is why he likes the guests better. They don't expect anything from him, so they are on a more neutral body language line. I'm guessing here, but I think maybe he feels that you expect too much of him at all times and it makes him nervous.

When it is just the two of you home alone, how do you respond to his whining?

 

[PWCorgi]

You are lucky to have a doberman with such a friendly personality, he is probably just happy to see other people when they come over not that he doesn't want to be with you.

I bet that if it ever came down to it, he would never let anyone hurt you, he doesn't need to show his protection abilities all of the time. Why not use this to your advantage, get him into therapy work where he can thrive.

I have always heard that dobes are a clingy breed, and they want to be everywere that you are.

 

[JennSLK]

A over friendly doberman is the last think you should be worying aout. Dobes are cliny with their owners

 

[Dobiegurl]

Hmm.... Clingy and whiny?? You have a Dobie which are considered velcro dogs and BIG whiners. So your dog is overly friendly, AND?? I dont seem to understand what is wrong with that.

And for the whining, just ignore it, it will go away (maybe not completely but it won't be as bad).

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I don't understand the problem. And I don't think its a reason not to LIKE your own dog. Im confused but thats me lol.

 

[tessa_s212]

You guys, I think we all have gone through a time with our dogs when they have had little behavioral problems. And although they may be little, it STILL can be quite frustrating. Please consider that when posting. Your posts are coming off quite harsh.

I don't think I'll have much advice, but perhaps if you answer a few questions and give us a bit more detail we could try to help you more.

 

[Roxy's CD]

Hmm. I don't completely agree with your post but I UNDERSTAND what your saying about him clinging to strangers as opposed to sitting by your side. As mentioned in a previous post, he probably senses that you DON'T LIKE him! Would you want to be around someone you don't like! You need to start treating him equally. Just because your female is above him in the pecking order doesn't mean that you have to treat her that way. Your supposed to be at the top so you treat them both the same. I used to treat my girl "better" than my little guy and I noticed that it only made life worse for him. I was enforcing the bad behaviour that my female was showing towards him. I was saying, "It's ok Roxy, Hades is really beneath you, you can treat him as mean and dominating as you want!"

Roxy does this to people that come to the house as well. She licks them constantly, surprisingly enough this is a dominance thing. She is DEMANDING attention. Also she's keeping an eye on them when their in our house.

I think by trying to teach him to stay away from strangers in your house you may advertently teach him that strangers are NOT alright and there is good reason to stay away from them.

If you really don't like this behaviour perhaps you could put a leash on him when people come over. Have him sit or lie down by your feet.

I find it very sad that you don't like your dog because he's nice to people.... You have probably been treating him "this way", (not very nice because you don't like him) and it's not fair...... err... ah. I hope you learn to love your dog for who is It shouldn't be hard he sounds like a sweetheart.

 

[Dobiegurl]

TessA, no one is being harsh. But if you come to a dog forum saying I dont like my dog (for such a reason as its too friendly) and I like my other one better, your not going to get the kindest remarks. I'm on my best behavior because there are many things I could have written and wanted to, but changed my mind.

 

[Dobiegurl]

As mentioned in a previous post, he probably senses that you DON'T LIKE him

Very true!!! I would not want to be with someone who hated me, either. You cant blame the dog for wanting love from ANY human.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

TessA, no one is being harsh. But if you come to a dog forum saying I dont like my dog (for such a reason as its too friendly) and I like my other one better, your not going to get the kindest remarks. I'm on my best behavior because there are many things I could have written and wanted to, but changed my mind.

Me too!!! Lol

I havent seen any harsh comments just confused ones.

 

[SizzleDog]

IMO there's a big difference between being a good protector and being aggressive. My dobes are not aggressive, but I don't have a doubt in my mind that they'd step up and rip apart someone who tried to hurt me.

My Dobermans (ages 2 and 4) are insanely friendly with people that visit - they *love* visitors, probably because it means they'll get even more attention than they'd normally get.

I don't *want* my dobes to be aggressive towards guests in my home. Are the people that he barks at and then plays goofbutt with once they're inside... did YOU invite them in? Dobermans are very in tune with their owners, and usually relax around people their owners trust. Anyone can be welcomed into my home, but if they come in *without* my permission - that's when they get nasty.

Dobermans are clingy... that's the eopitome of Doberman behavior, not the exception.

PS - muzzling doesn't help with whining, since it's a noise made at the back of the throat. My male (before I got him) was muzzled a lot, and if anything he whines more because of it - when he couldn't bark, he'd probably whine... so he probably grew accustomed to whining instead.

First, what you need to do is start treating him like a Doberman - give him an active job that will boost his confidence (Agility, Rally, Tracking, etc.). Second, put your aggressive girl away for awhile and spend some goofy time with your boy... male Dobes are notorious goofballs, and I know mine will get really obnoxious if I don't play goofy with him multiple times a day. Three, throw away that muzzle and try having him out, sprawled across your lap instead of crating him... a good ear scritchumm will silence a while much more effectively than a muzzle or isolation.

Four... you probably don't want to have anyone tell you this, but if you dislike him that much... rehome him. You may have promised him a forever home with you, but if he's a nervous wreck, spends time muzzled in a kennel, and is that stressed out just by living with you... he may be happier elsewhere. I'd say make a serious, conscious effort to fall in love with him - dont' hold him to the standards you currently have for him, don't compare him to your bitch... just strengthen that bond you have with him.

 

[Renee750il]

Great post and advice, Sizzle!

 

[fillyone]

What SizzleDog said.

 

[Wigglebutts]

diddo to what Sizzle said

 

[tessa_s212]

SizzleDog, excellent post. And thankyou. I certainly don't have much experience with this problem, and no experience with Dobermans,.. and although I had a vague idea, I didn't want to try and explain and get something wrong. So thankyou. I was beginning to worry that this person wouldn't get that much needed advice!

To the OP, you have to examine your relationship with your dog. Do you not like the behavior, and are just becoming frustrated.. or do you really just not liking this dog? You have to examine it, and you have to decide. After having delt with some behaviors from Marq when I first got him, I know I didn't like him, but I still loved him. And that is what got us through those issues.

I wish you luck.

 

[Fran27]

I agree that you're not giving your dog a favor by keeping him in these conditions. Anyway, I was going to suggest you to contact a professional trainer, but you say you are one, so I just don't know what to tell you, except that it's probably better to rehome your dog.

 

[oc_spirit]

Honestly a friendly dog is not a bad thing, especially for Dobes who have a bad reputation for being overly agressive anyways. You should pride yourself in having a well-socialized mannerly dog. If someone were to cross your path trust me, if he really cares about you he will step up and defend you. My boy is insanely friendly and happy always. People comment that he never sees a gloomy day or never seems unhappy (even when he''s sick!) yet he''s already proven a few times that if the situation calls for it he will protect him with everything he''s got.

You call yourself an obedience trainer but if this is the way you''re treating your own dog I would not want to come to you and pay money for your guidance in training my dog.

 

[RD]

Why do you want an aggressive dog, to begin with? The thing I like so much about Dobermans is that they can be friendly, polite, social dogs and still be keen, fierce protectors if the need arises. To me, a social Doberman is a good thing.

I absolutely agree with Sizzle about rehoming him. If you truly cannot make yourself love this dog, you should find him a home with someone who can. He sounds like a lovely dog that is just in need of a little love and understanding.

 

[Dobiegurl]

I dont understand either why someone would WANT an agressive dog, especially a Doberman. Chico is on the defensive side but once I accept someone hes fine. Remember the pack leader says who and when to fight, and once the alpha says its fine, its fine. And as Sizzle said once you LET people in your house they are not a threat in the dogs eyes. A doberman with a owner who wants them agressive should not be in that household. A doberman is naturally protective but those traits may never be seen until the situation calls for it. I think you should be concerning yourself with your agressive female, which is not appropriate nor safe behavior for a dobe.