Are Dobermans good with other dogs?

Introducing a Doberman to your home could be a wise choice, however, you may be asking yourself the question: Are Dobermans good with other dogs? In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the Doberman breed and whether you should be concerned about mixing them with other dogs in your home!

Everyone loves a dog in the home as they provide lots of love, attention and cuddles, however, one of the challenges that most dog owners face is determining which breed to introduce to their home and family. In particular, whether Doberman Pinschers are friendly dogs and whether they can live in an environment and be good with other dogs, given their big size.

We all know that dogs are social animals and enjoy the company of other dogs around them, so, having one dog in your home can may them feel lonely, especially if you aren#t always around to keep them company, whether that’s because you’re at work, out with friends or going places where you don’t can’t come with you. Because of this, it may seem like a good idea to have another dog in the house to keep them company, but you need to make sure they are safe when you do so

Considering the size of dogs and other factors that come into play with ensuring the safety of both breeds, choosing the perfect breed to combine together in your home will be a very daunting task, as it’s critical that both are well suited. For instance, having a Doberman and a Chihuahua could be considered an unfair match, as the Doberman is significantly larger than the little Chihuahua! But in reality, if the Doberman has been trained correctly, it could work out. The Doberman has been commonly misjudged by people that have never met the kindness of this type of breed, they can be intimidating at first, but they are very lovely dogs!

Are Dobermans good with other dogs?

The short answer: it depends. Doberman’s are known to be aggressive dogs to those they don’t know or consider a threat outside the home. However, with the correct training and taught the right principles from an early age, the Doberman can be trained to not only love other dogs in the home but to protect them too.

A well-trained Doberman can live with other dogs comfortably and where possible, it’s best to introduce the Doberman to other dogs and animals at an early age, so they can get used to the company of other dogs as soon as possible.

If you have a fully grown Doberman in the house, it’s recommended to introduce a puppy to your household, as this will reassure the Doberman that they will continue to control dominance in their territory. If you plan to introduce an older dog of similar age to the Doberman, this may cause friction between the two, as they may feel a need to fight to control their territory.

Another approach is to get a Doberman puppy and at the same time, get another puppy that’s a different breed, so they can live and grow together. They will become best friends from a young age and there won’t be any problems later down the line with who owns the territory.

Have Doberman Pinschers been misjudged?

Dobermans have generally been regarded as guard dogs, however, they have also been given names of Devil dogs, Attack dogs and Mean dogs. Dobermans are one of the most intelligent dog breeds and can easily be trained to protect property as well as people, however, the mindset used to protect both of these things can also be used to protect other dogs too. Doberman’s are very clever, sporty dogs that can be trained to behave well around other dogs and people.

Where are Doberman Pinschers from?

Doberman Pinschers are known to originate from Germany as very fierce dogs. But over the decades, breeding and domestication have made the breed gentler. This makes them the perfect breed for any home in combination with other docile breeds of dogs. Having a Doberman is great. Making them get along with another breed, especially a teacup breed may seem to be an impossible task. But with the right training, you can be sure that your small breed is in good hands.

Training your Doberman to get along with other dogs

Training a Doberman may come across as a daunting task at first, especially if you haven’t ever trained a large dog before, however, you should know they are willing and ready to please. With some prior practice, training a Doberman could be easier than teaching other breeds of a dog.

Once you’ve established trust with the Doberman, and they start to love and care for you, they will want to approve of anything they do. This means that pleasing you includes doing what they think you want them to do, and this makes them always excited to learn.

Once your Doberman has been correctly trained and you’ve established a relationship with them, they can be trained to behave well around other dogs.

Start training your Doberman from an early age

As with all breeds, it’s best to get started with dog training as soon as you can. The best time to start training a dog is in puppyhood. It’s the same with children, they learn and adapt faster when they are young, and can easily learn, unlearn and relearn while they are young before their behaviours are permanently formed.

Establish leadership between you and your Doberman

Dogs are social animals, they love to be around others and they sense having an alpha who is a leading figure. This is one of the reasons why they easily regard humans as their alpha. Of course, as with most dog breeds, Dobermans can be stubborn sometimes. But you should be firm with the training and make them know that you are in charge and you are the leader of the relationship.

After all, you’re the leader of the home and you can dictate where they can and can’t go.

You shouldn’t ever punish them unnecessarily during the training, as you risk them losing trust in you and not obeying any future commands. Capitalise on the willpower of your dog and you will get the best from them, and make sure to give them plenty of treats.

Introduce other dogs and animals to your Doberman from an early age

This is a fundamental step if you’re playing to have a Doberman and another dog breed living in your home if you can introduce them both together at a young age, they will naturally bond from a young age too. They will consider the other dog to be a friend and part of their family, so they won’t have any issues in later life with dealing with that dog.

Never forget to reward good behaviour from your Doberman

Every dog responds well to a reward. Rewards are not bribes and when your dog knows that there is a reward at the end of every task, they will be more willing to complete it as fast as possible, so they can get their tasty treat.

This doesn’t mean that you will need to give them a treat every time, however, you should always reward them every so often when they learn a new trick or have done a good job in responding to a command. Reward frequently and appropriately and your Doberman will want to impress and excite you, in the hope, they get a reward.

Start training your Doberman basic commands to begin with

Training your Doberman to respond to commands will take time and you shouldn’t expect your dog to learn to obey commands overnight. Start with simple commands when training your Doberman and if you start early, you have more time to teach more complex commands.

Simple commands like “come”, “fetch”, “catch”, “sit“, “lie down“and “stay“are a great starting point. Remember to take things slowly and revisit old commands frequently.

Socialise your Doberman Pischer as much as possible

Socialising dogs will help them build relationships with other dogs as well as people, and in some cases, can help promote a healthy mindset and attitude too. Dogs that don’t relate well with smaller dog breeds are those that haven’t been frequently introduced to other dogs and people during their early age.

Take the time to walk your dog often so they can experience new places and see new things, including people and dogs. Take them to the park, beach, get together with friends and busy environments, and not only will this improve their confidence and ability to interact with other dogs and people, but it will help keep a positive outlook on life and can improve their intelligence too.

When you go out with your Doberman, meet people and greet them, and ensure that your dog greets people and dogs too. Take some treats with you and when your Doberman responds well to certain social situations, tell them they have done a good job and reward them with a treat. If you’ve followed a similar approach with your training, they will realise they have done a good job.

Socialising your Doberman will increase the likelihood that they will get along with other dogs, which will increase the chances of them being able to live with other dog breeds. It’s always a good idea to start socialising early and where possible, socialisation should begin when they are a puppy.

How to introduce other dog breeds to your Doberman’s home

With a well-trained and socialised Doberman, you have nothing to fear when introducing another dog, assuming they have a track record of getting along well with other dogs. You need to ensure that when you introduce a new dog breed to the home, that you take the time to introduce them to one another in a sensible, well-controlled environment.

Doberman’s are very social animals and they love to be in the park, however, due to their size and natural temperament, care must be taken when introducing a smaller breed such as a Terrier, Lassa Apso, Chihuahua, Samoyed, Dachshund, etc. They may react differently in their home than they would in the park, as this is where they live and they will naturally want to protect and dominate their place of comfort.

The sex and age of the breed are two of the most important factors that you should check before introducing a new breed to your house, these factors will influence the Doberman’s behaviour. If you have an adult male Doberman, introducing another adult male of similar age to the house may be a terrible mistake, as they may feel the need to fight over the territory. This wouldn’t end well for a smaller breed.

However, if either one of the two is a pup, the older dog may consider themselves as a father, or a mother. They will be reassured that they will continue to be the dominant animal in the home due to their size and they may start to develop feelings for this dog, and a need to take care and protect the smaller pup. Over time, this will help build a long-lasting relationship and when the pup is older, there will be no fight over territory as they are both fully aware that it’s their home together.

Always make sure to be present with introducing a new dog to your Doberman, manage how things go down till they adapt and tolerate one another’s company. With a solid plan and proper training for your Doberman, they can be very good to other dogs!