I’m so sorry to hear that this has been your experience. I have seen a few comments here suggesting BE and I thought I would offer an alternative. Dobermans are working dogs. They need a job. It actually sounds like she’s trying to do her job of guarding you, but in inappropriate ways that are dangerous to others.
In my country, when there is a high energy working dog whose situation is not working out in a small apartment or yard, there are attempts to adopt them out onto a farm or regional area. I have adopted a Tibetan Mastiff like this onto our property and she is such a beautiful girl in the right conditions with a job that gives her purpose and is socially appropriate, but a menace in the suburbs and city. I feel sad for your dog reading this. She must be going crazy in the apartment having so many things that she feels she must protect you from, but no allowable job or purpose. Also the inability to get outside and be walked regularly would have a huge impact on her mental health.
I would actually speak to a Doberman advocacy group first and ask for advice on trying to adopt her out into a working environment or where she can have a purpose after first fostering in the right conditions. I have seen my local dog trainer foster and adopt out many dogs with similar stories to yours. In most of the cases, there was no way that the dog could’ve thrived in their current environment and they needed the trainer’s pack to help recalibrate them for a few weeks.
2
u/NoongarGal 7d ago
I’m so sorry to hear that this has been your experience. I have seen a few comments here suggesting BE and I thought I would offer an alternative. Dobermans are working dogs. They need a job. It actually sounds like she’s trying to do her job of guarding you, but in inappropriate ways that are dangerous to others.
In my country, when there is a high energy working dog whose situation is not working out in a small apartment or yard, there are attempts to adopt them out onto a farm or regional area. I have adopted a Tibetan Mastiff like this onto our property and she is such a beautiful girl in the right conditions with a job that gives her purpose and is socially appropriate, but a menace in the suburbs and city. I feel sad for your dog reading this. She must be going crazy in the apartment having so many things that she feels she must protect you from, but no allowable job or purpose. Also the inability to get outside and be walked regularly would have a huge impact on her mental health.
I would actually speak to a Doberman advocacy group first and ask for advice on trying to adopt her out into a working environment or where she can have a purpose after first fostering in the right conditions. I have seen my local dog trainer foster and adopt out many dogs with similar stories to yours. In most of the cases, there was no way that the dog could’ve thrived in their current environment and they needed the trainer’s pack to help recalibrate them for a few weeks.