After I had Diane Monahan from Friends for Pets in Sunland, California on DOG TALK® (talking about why people give up dog when their human baby is born and the moral consequences of relinquishing a dog for your own convenience) I received this email from Helen, an excellent Doberman Pinscher rescue person in Florida. She shared with me this letter that she wrote to a woman with a baby who wanted to adopt a Dobie puppy at Christmas time. Helen added that despite taking the time to write this long and thoughtful letter to the woman that she never heard back from her!
Tracie
Personally, I wouldn’t advise adopting a Dobie pup with a child that young. We don’t place our adults in homes with children until they are old enough and large enough to stand up to a leaning Dobie. That’s usually 10-13 years or older. If you buy a Dobie, that pup will be huge in a year and your child will not. Dobies are good dogs, but also have childlike needs for attention, and are called Velcro dogs for a good reason. They will take big advantage if you are not consistent and fair. Everyday, mine test me in one way or another to see if they can get away with a little something. As long as I am one step ahead of them, I’m ahead of the game, and maintain respect. But I have seen adopters who do not have the skills to handle a Dobie because of their constant testing of the boundaries. So a lot depends on the owners of the dog and how many eyes are in their head and how well they manage everything with dog language and child language, and that is tough. You have to be on your toes to make sure your child isn’t aggravating the dog, and that she is treating that dog fairly. Honestly, I don’t know you or your skills as a puppy mom, but that is a lot to take on for anyone. Frankly, I would feel more confident suggesting you find a nice Lab who’s mature enough where you don’t have to start with square one, a Lab who’s had child experience, and will not be a constant challenge. You have a lot to do with a baby, and a Dobie pup will require a lot of time, devotion, training, and follow-up daily. When a Dobie turns 1 year old, that’s when a lot are relinquished. They are a lot to handle then, and most people don’t want to deal with a dog that size who still has puppy brains.
Bottom line is I would not recommend adopting a Dobie puppy. And Christmas is a tough time to adopt any dog. But that’s not as much of a challenge as the age and energy of the dog you get. I know of a Lab rescue that will do right by you if you are so inclined to go in that direction. When your child grows in years to be physically capable to handle a dog and becomes dog savvy, I would welcome you to come back and apply for a rescue Dobie. They are the best, but probably not for the stage of life you and your family are in as of now.
Good luck,
Helen
Mu suggestion would be to get creative and bring out your Inner Martha and make a costume – lift some ideas from smaller-dog costumes and then create your own. I have judged costume contests with huge Golden Retriever and a Great Dane wearing a sparkly cape and non-toxic green paint on his legs and some sort of head-dress so that he looked like a monster from goodness knows where. have fun with it!