When it comes to the Doberman Pinscher breed, remember, it is a working breed. Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann created this breed to be an amazing working breed back in the 19th century. Many people love the dog because of its protective instincts and aristocratic looks. But their guarding and protective instincts are the biggest challenges in how to train a Doberman.
After all, you want a dog that will be calm around other people and animals. Puppyhood is critical for any dog, but even more for a Doberman Pinscher puppy. During this period, they quickly grow into teenagers and become stronger mentally and physically. Doberman training should start as soon as possible and instill good manners and behavioral habits.
Nowadays, Dobermans are among the most popular dogs according to The American Kennel Club. They fall into the group of guarding and protective dogs.
Doberman Personality Traits
To better understand how to train a Doberman, we have to talk about the personality traits of the breed. Yes, they can vary from one dog to another, but there are some standard traits that are key to understanding the dog breed and improving your training success.
Dobermans are fearless animals that make great watchdogs. Keep that in the back of your head. Here are some common personality traits.
Protective
After all, this dog was bred to be a guard dog and a protection dog. The goal was to have a canine that can defend its owner and property, all while working on the property. But their high intelligence and trainability were there to make sure they would attack only at their master’s command.
These personality traits are what make them guard dogs and watchdogs. And to this day, they have kept their instincts. This is why a Doberman puppy might be friendly, but grow aloof around strangers as it ages.
They are not as hostile as they used to be, but they are still suspicious of people they do not know.
Highly Intelligent
Dobermans are among the most intelligent dog breeds in the canine world. They constantly score high on intelligence and obedience tests.
They thrive in environments where they have a job to do and can use their intelligence. If you do not exercise their brain, they will quickly become bored. Agility sports and obedience training are what will keep your Doberman Pinscher puppy stimulated.
Loyal
We said they were bred to protect their owner. They are extremely loyal and can be one of the most trusted members of the family. But bear in mind, their protectiveness extends to every member of the family.
They thrive when they are in close contact with the family. This makes them naturally more protective.
Challenges When Training A Doberman
Now let’s take a look at some of the big challenges that appear when you try to train a Doberman puppy.
High Drive
Because of their natural drive, they have a tendency to get lost if not provided with regular direction and guidance. This can make your dog even more anxious and result in destructive behavior like barking and aggression.
Behavioral Issues
If their behavioral issues are not managed with proper training and socialization, they can develop issues like aggressiveness and nervousness. Training should aim to prevent these instincts from becoming a problem.
Keeping Them Calm
With their large size, muscular build, and aristocratic look, Dobermans can be intimidating for humans and other animals. It is up to their owner to introduce them to the environment in a calm way. If you do not show calm behavior, they will read your mood and react to it.
Proper Socialization
A lot of people think socialization is letting your dog play in the dog park. Wrong, it is much more than that. You need to introduce your Doberman companion to different people, animals, and environments.
How To Best Train A Doberman?
Now we are at the part that is the most important for most owners. How to train a Doberman pup? How to make sure you have a well-mannered canine by your side? Because you have one of the largest dogs, you will always be the one responsible for an incident. If your Doberman gets into a fight with other dogs, you will be held responsible as the owner of the large dog.
With that in mind, here are some ideas for how to provide basic training and proper training to your Doberman friend.
Play With Them
Dobermans are highly intelligent, making them ideal for all sorts of work. You can work with them and train them at the same time.
But their intelligence can be a challenge and makes them bored easily. The best way to train them is to keep them occupied with different games while training. Otherwise, your Doberman puppy will resort to boredom and destructive behavior.
Being they are athletic, doing some agility will be the best for training.
Stick To A Routine
All dogs love routine, but Dobermans even more. Your routine becomes their own. Try to schedule a training session at the same time every day. If you want a happy puppy, be mindful of its schedule.
Everything, including obedience training, should be consistent. And if you break the pattern, they will notice and show you.
Keep Them Exercised
Dobermans need between 60 and 90 minutes of exercise per day. Keep that in the back of your head before you get this athletic canine. Sometimes, owning a Doberman is a family job, not a single-person job. Make sure there are people in the family that can take them on regular walks.
Keep Your Dog Included
Dobermans are extremely loyal to the point they cannot function without their owners. They love to be involved in your everyday life. When they feel left out or left alone, they tend to resort to destructive behavior and separation anxiety.
What Method Should You Use For Training?
When you are working with a Doberman puppy, obedience training and positive reinforcement is the way to go. They do not respond well to punishments and might try to dominate you and outsmart you in that case.
Positive reinforcement will make your dog excited, happy, and eager to train. Start with basic training commands, provide lots of rewards and praise, and then move to more complicated assignments.
Dobermans are food-driven and toy-driven. So use that to your advantage. Make sure to move a step forward in training, because your pet will quickly become bored if you repeat the same things.
How To Motivate Your Doberman Pinscher To Work?
The biggest challenge you will face with your Doberman is to motivate him to work. This is a hurdle for any dog owner, a Doberman owner included. But the good news is that Dobermans love to work. Yet, the more you motivate your dog, the more he will work and train. Here are some tips for motivation.
- Provide plenty of praise, Dobermans are very much in-tune with your emotions. Use it to your advantage and praise your dog when it does something good
- Provide rewards, and remember, Dobermans are food-driven. Toys will do well, especially those that include your dog and you, for example, tug toys.
- Your excitement will determine the success of the dog training session. As we said before, Dobermans are amazing at picking up their owner’s emotions and moods. If you are excited, your dog will be
- Do not use harsh correction, because it will make your dog less desirable to work and train with you
Exercise And Training Needs
Dobermans are not apartment dogs. They were not bred for indoor living and napping all day long. They were bred to work, and need to get their daily exercise.
And that means between 60 and 90 minutes of physical exercise and mental stimulation per day. Their desire to work means they need to be mentally stimulated at all times.
For Dobermans, agility competitions are the best way to burn their energy.
They do not fit well in a family that is not active.
When To Begin Training?
The first day you get your dog. If you have a young dog, puppy training should start the moment your new family member enters the household.
Do not wait for your Doberman to pick up his own lessons. If he learns something on his own, you are doomed. Set boundaries and reward your puppy when it respects them.
Tips For Success
Let’s finish off the article with some tips on how to train a Doberman
- You need an alpha demeanor to work with a Doberman pup, a dog that is intelligent and might try to outsmart you
- Use their desire to please to your advantage. For Dobermans, training comes naturally, but with praise and reward, you will motivate them to work even more
- Start with the basics, but do not stay in elementary school for a long time. You have an intelligent breed, respect their brain
- Most importantly, be consistent, and this applies to the whole family. You cannot have one family member preaching one thing, and another preaching another thing
