In 1972, Hollywood released a movie called The Doberman Gang. A con man teams with a dog expert and trains a pack of Dobermans to enter a bank and rob it.
Doberman Pinschers are highly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and obedient. They make great dogs for guarding and law enforcement. As shown in the movie, they can be taught complex tasks (though hopefully not including bank robbery!). They also make loving family pets fully dedicated to their humans.
This dog is no couch potato. A Doberman needs plenty to do to be a happy, healthy dog. The key to ensuring that your Doberman fits whatever role you have for them — family pet, police dog, etc. — is proper training, starting with a young puppy.
A Little Doberman Pinscher History
The Doberman Pinscher breed was created by Louis Dobermann in Germany to be a companion. This amazing breed also took on the characteristics of loyalty, courage, and vigilance.
During World War II, Doberman Pinschers worked with Marines, participating in hundreds of patrols and acting as messengers, sentries, and scouts. Over decades, they developed a reputation for being fierce, even dangerous dogs. But by the 1970s, their reputation had softened, becoming more popular.
What are Doberman Pinschers Like?
The Doberman Pinscher is a strong, intelligent working breed. They are quite high in prey and defense drives, making them so good at the work they’re often selected to do.
Doberman Pinschers are unusually good at reading human emotions and always ready to please their pet parents. Once a relationship is established, they are dedicated to their person or family and want to be with them as much as possible.
This is a dog that must have a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. Without it, they can become destructive. If they don’t have a ‘job’ to do, you’ll need to ensure they have plenty of opportunities to run and play. Agility courses, swimming, and hikes are great ways to burn off all that energy.
Doberman Pinschers — as puppies or older dogs — thrive on routines. They do well when they know what to expect and when.
The Importance of Basic Training for Your Doberman Pinscher Puppy
Dobermans also have a strong need for clear, consistent guidance from their pet parents. You need to be able to tell your new Doberman puppy what you expect them to do without wavering.
Doberman Pinschers need to be trained well from puppy through adult. The dog needs to know who is in charge and what to do. Likewise, you need to know how to handle an intelligent, powerful breed. Without training or with irresponsible training methods, the sweet Doberman pup can become an aggressive menace instead of a reliable working dog or a loving companion.
Be the Pack Leader Your Loyal Companion Needs
Good training allows you to bring your Doberman back to pack drive, with you as the pack leader. This is essential for successful training. The dog must perceive you as their leader, starting when they are a puppy. When they do, they will give you their loyalty and be dedicated to pleasing you. Then, as the pack leader, you can use that natural desire to please to get the best results.
So, before you start training exercises and while the dog is still a puppy, make sure you have established yourself as a strong, consistent leader. You have to be firm and consistently provide discipline (not punishment!) when needed because Doberman Pinschers can be dominant if left to their own devices. A firm ‘No!’ and a finger pointed at the dog go a long way in getting your message across.
From the day you bring them home, it’s up to you to be a consistent, confident leader. It will take a lot of patience, but you can do this!
The Training Process
There is a lot of training ahead for your Doberman, starting from an early age. Fortunately, their intelligence and desire to please their pack leader make them open to it and able to learn quickly. In general, you have to provoke the behavior you want using a command with a visual cue and then reward the behavior.
A Timeline of Your Doberman Pinscher Training
Here’s a general idea of the ages at which the puppy should start learning various things:
- 10 days: exposure to objects, textures, and other stimuli
- 8 weeks: basic obedience commands (i.e., Sit, Lie Down, Come, Drop It, Release), tricks, crate training, potty training
- 8-16 weeks: socialization
- 10-12 weeks: basic obedience training (including Stay, Off, Leave it), puppy training classes
- 12-14 weeks: leash training (Heel)
- 16 weeks – 6 months: stop biting training
- 6-8 months: off-leash training
- 6-12 months: impulse control; explore dog sports
Use Positive Reinforcement
Keep your training reward-based. You want your dog to associate positive training with rewards, such as delicious treats, and stay motivated to learn. So, when something is done well, give a lot of praise and treats. Make a big deal of it!
Use Visual Cues
When teaching a verbal command, it helps to pair it with a visual cue. For example, with ‘Lie Down,’ add pointing to the ground. If you use a different cue for each command that hints at what you want the dog to do, you’re making it easier for them to understand and remember what you want.
Every Dog is Different
While they’re all the same breed, every Doberman is an individual. So, we get some Doberman Pinschers that act like Pomeranians and some that act like Scooby Doo: There’s trouble! Let’s get out of here! And they want to go in the opposite direction.
You can get completely different personality traits from one dog to the next, which is why you have to train specifically for the needs of each individual household and each individual dog.
It also matters what you want the dog to do. Are you training a guard dog? A family pet? These goals will determine how you should train your dog.
Does Your Doberman Require Obedience Training? Look No Further Than K9 Basics!
Extensive training is a must for a Doberman. But, with some patience, effort, and an early start, you can have a strong, intelligent, obedient pet. If the training efforts feel like too much, there are always professional trainers like our team at K9 Basics for further training. We can help you establish your pack leadership, train your dog, and teach you how to maintain what they learned. Contact us for an appointment. A well-trained Doberman is a happy Doberman!
Give us a call at (866) 592-2742, or, if you’re from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New York, give us a visit at 131 Kenilworth Road, Marlton, New Jersey 08053, to learn more about our dog training services. Also, browse our blog and follow our social media for various topics about dogs and their lives with us.
References
- “The Doberman Pinscher: A Complete Breed Overview.” Doberman Planet, 30 Dec. 2021, www.dobermanplanet.com/doberman-pinscher-breed-overview/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2022.
- Wilson, Wendy Bedwell. “4 Top Doberman Training Tips-plus Guides to Potty Training, Obedience and More.” BeChewy, Chewy, 17 May 2023, be.chewy.com/training-secrets-for-doberman-pinschers/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2022.
- Yasmine Ali, M.D. “How to Train a Doberman Pinscher Puppy: Milestones & Timeline.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 18 Oct. 2021, www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-train-a-doberman-pinscher/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2022.