My Doberman has grown

[SandiF]

Last week I weighed him at the vet... 80lbs. He's a long lean dog... very acute, absorbs training easily and high energy. He knows his times with me... play time, romping at the park is different from going for an active steady run on the trail. He outpaces me any time and will set off on a sprint which most times is hard to keep up but I do my best. His favourite running trail is through a 1 mile wooded stretch on a narrow trail... amazed when I see how effortlessly he'll leap over a dead tree in the path way.... while me just a crawl over it lol! I walk him 3 times and some times up to 4 times out of the day (depending if i'm wfh or if a weekend). Every morning he's ready for his 2 miles brisk walk.. then afternoon we'll go for a 4 mile run... then evening, I'll take him for a walk, or include him on my longer evening runs... then night before bedtime, I'll take him for a 1 mile walk in the neighbourhood. If I'm awake at 3am in the morning, I'll take him for a walk... lol! Some times I think he is the one that is walking me and not the other way around.

He's finished with basic/obedience training, did intermediate training... got him to socialise around other dogs. So now, I'm doing shutzhund training... tell him to sit... walk away... the dog stays where he is, then wait for me to return. He absorbs the shutzhund training like it's nothing and I know I probably would not have gotten that far if he had not received the basic obedience commands. We found a girlfriend for him!

I took these this morning at the park

[SandiF]

he's 8 mths

[Peasie]

he looks playful

[Gen]

aww look how him carrying the leash

[CeaBee]

Maybe i should get a dog : Sounds like he keeps you hopping

[SandiF]

he is a very playful pooch -- this pic was taken 2 weeks ago at the same park

[CeaBee]

Sweet looking puppy

[Peasie]

He looks strong. Wow.

[SandiF]

He does.. the first few months, everyday i was exhausted but now I'm enjoying the level of activity

Maybe i should get a dog : Sounds like he keeps you hopping

[Suesumba]

his ears aren't docked. long time i haven't seen that. guess that's why he doesn't have *that* look. cute with the leash

[CeaBee]

We found a girlfriend for him!

are you going to breed him? or is just a girlfriend at the park that him play with u mean?

[SandiF]

I decided against clipping his ears... the process looks painful for the dog so I ruled against cropping his ear.

CeaBee -- yes, he will get a chance to breed. We met with his original breeder, got to see the dog's parents and got the AKC certified pedigree. Mi neva know sey a so dem put so much seriousness into clearing the way for the certified pedigree... according to the pedigree, the dog come from Russian and German lineage lol! The female is owned by the woman we got him from, so we arranged a 'date night' with the two dogs and it was love at first sight.

his ears aren't docked. long time i haven't seen that. guess that's why he doesn't have *that* look. cute with the leash

[Nanook]

Oh Sandi your update makes my heart sing! I have wondered how you two are doing because as you now know a Doberman is a handful of dog & also very attention needy, but a great kind of handful as they are self thinking and don't need to be told over and over again to learn something. I wasn't sure how you would cope with the neediness of the breed but it sounds like awesome fun you two are having. I congratulate/commend you for taking him to class as well. I took Helga to class even though I have been there many times over the years. The socializing and help to train in different settings can't be beat. YAY YOU!!!

He is gorgeous. I bet you feel more comfortable in the house alone too... Happy trails, I have a ear to ear grin so big my face almost hurts. Helga says Hi

(Her ears are not cropped either).

[Nanook]

Sandi how is it going? I have been hoping for some update. Are you in love hook line and sinker with him yet?

I am happy to report helga is growing up finally, and at almost 2 we are pretty much over the growing, I think. I will come back in another thread with recent pics soon.

Now your turn!