You know I have given a lot of thought the last few years about how dogs along the way have shaped me into what I am. I have realized that no matter what, boys just can’t grow up into men without good dogs to point them along the way. Naturally I believe Doberman Pinschers are those good dogs J They love us unconditionally, and every boy exploits that, asking dogs to do things they probably shouldn’t, to go places they shouldn’t go and even to take the blame and wrath of mom and dad when we have done something wrong. That unconditional love I think teaches us about forgiveness. Not one of my dogs ever held a grudge for something stupid I asked them to do, and most of the time they would love me enough to do the stupid thing and let me learn a tough lesson. I remember “Teddy” a purebred “Heinz 57” (I was sure that was a breed until much later in life, my parents had convinced me so!) Teddy was my first exposure to protection dogs. I was only 8 at the time and mom had just given me a brand new winter coat, we lived in Midvale Utah at the time, and I was going to need that coat to get through the winter. We didn’t have much growing up, but I had Teddy. I can’t tell you what movie it was or tv show that inspired me to teach a dog to bite my arm, or why I thought that coat would do me any good, but Teddy and I worked on it all day one cold Saturday. Thanks to the terrier genes he had in his family tree, he was happy to play the game once we got started. He shredded that new coat, and with it my arm to some degree J But he would quit when I asked him to, and I think it was that moment that changed the rest of my life. I had no idea how to train a dog, I just knew I loved him, and we did everything together. His training paid off one day as we were coming home and some neighborhood dog made a beeline for me while Teddy was pulling me down the street on my roller skates. Before that dog got close enough Teddy took care of it. I don’t know how he didn’t get hurt or killed, but we had love and loyalty between us. He learned to pull me on skates or sleds and stop when I asked him to, he would sit and shake, and sometimes he would stay until I turned my back J We just worked things out, it is a magic that happens between a boy and his dog. Teddy went through two broken legs and surgeries to boot, he survived a patio roof collapse in a storm, he lived on love heaven knows as I wasn’t the best at feeding and cleaning. He taught me to swim and chase sticks and run through fields. There were many good dogs in my life like Teddy, and the most influential was of course Gretta a Doberman. Those stories will have to wait for another time though… The point is I am what I am for good or bad in large because of the dogs along the way. A boy just isn’t a boy without a dog. I had a sad call today from someone whose boy had just lost his red female dobe yesterday and his parents knew what it meant to that little boy. I reflected with sadness on those times I felt the same pains. I came in from that call back to the family room to see this:
Naturally I started crying and remembering naps just like that one. You can see Coco is wide awake but doesn’t dare disturb her little boy. Ethan has always been like that, when he threw tantrums as a one year old, it was always on Zenny’s bed under his watchful and concerned eye:
And with Texa’s new puppies, you guessed it, the dog that won’t even let my wife in the puppy room:
I sat and thought a long time about all of this today and I was so filled with gratitude that we get to share our lives with such special dogs. I am so grateful my three year old son has found what I found, a true friend. So here is a tribute to all those dogs along the way that shaped us into what we are, it must be similar for girls, as Grace loves the dogs every bit as much as Ty and Ethan, but where the red fern grows helps us to cement it into our boyhood minds. I hope this sentimental moment finds all of you well and enjoying your lives with these special friends, I hope you too are learning from them and slowly learning to love and forgive like them. I hope you shamelessly ask for what you want and need instead of beating around the bush with hidden agendas and I hope you enjoy a nap in the soft grass under the warm sun. Chase things in life you want with enthusiasm, and hang on to what you catch with all your might until it is time to let go. Smile for no reason, and wake up knowing each day is just your favorite thing. Try new things and be loyal to your friends, and fiercely defend your loved ones. Enjoy mud and swimming, and chewing on your favorite treat. Finally although Cliché, may we be the people our dogs think we are. Life is too short not to share it with a friend. J thank all of you for sharing yours with us.
Here is your chance to have some of Europe’s finest Doberman Pinschers. Line bred on Eko Royal bell this is a very rare and highly sought after bloodline. Nitro del Rio who was the leading reproduction champion, has just passed and everyone now realizes what a great line it was with no Cardio problems, one of his finest sons, Eko Royal Bell is no longer producing offspring either. If you want dogs that are great in the home with your family, and very loyal and protective, this litter is for you. We select for health, temperament and working ability. The sire is a show champion, and has his Schutzhund level one title, as well as his German ZTP exam. The Dam is one of my best working dogs, and has already produced outstanding puppies More pictures and video will be available on our site. http://www.familydobes.com
If you are contacting us about Protection trained dogs, we need to know if you are in immediate danger! Dogs are an important part of your personal security system, but they are not the complete system. Here are some other things you need to be doing.
One concern of ours in this “modern” society we live in is all the violent crime that has been occurring. Especially crimes against children which fills all of us with grief and bewilderment. I worry for my wife and children when I am not there, as some of you must as well. Perhaps you are a single mother, or a victim of a violent crime yourself. I have found through time, experience and research a solution that works well for me. Statistics show mere dog ownership deters the majority of crime. Owning breeds such as Rotties, Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers etc. increases that deterrent effect. Studies further show a dog trained to bark to alert is the highest crime deterrent, and only in the most extreme cases are trained protection dogs ever actually required to bite. As I stated, I have a wife and kids, and they have friends and company. The last thing I want is a mean or aggressive Doberman. Our Dobermans must be safe around my own children as well as other peoples children. They need to be naturally protective, not aggressive. There is a huge difference, and there are dogs of both types out there. A naturally protective Doberman is safe, and effective, but not a liability. I find the ability of my Dobermans to track very helpful for finding my kids in a large neighborhood at the end of the day to tell them it is time to come home! This summer there were a few local crimes though that still just have me sick to my stomach every time I think about it. A seven year old girl was sent outside to cool off after fighting with her parents. A neighbor lured her over to his home. Once inside she began to scream and he covered her mouth until she passed out. The rest of the details are so horrific, I won’t share them. The story ended after several weeks when the girls body was finally recovered. These horrible things are happening all to often! It is time we do something about it! Imagine how the story might have gone: A stranger tries to abduct my children who cry for help. Several bounding Dobermans come out and scare the abductor away. Or track him down immediately. Statistics show the faster a victim is located the higher the chance of recovering them safely. I teach all my Dobermans to track/trail right away, it is too important to me. Imagine there is a struggle and your Doberman has been trained in personal protection! There is so much peace of mind that comes from owning Dobermans, and even more when they are properly trained! My family is worth too much to me to let them suffer from a violent crime. Protect your family, home and assets with safe ownership of a deterrent breed of dog such as a trained adult Doberman.
Let us help find you the right Doberman that fits your family, lifestyle and personality, then train them towards your specific goals and desires. We can help you with getting the right Doberman puppy for your needs and enrolling you and your Doberman puppy in our training programs, or we can get you fully trained adult Doberman Pinschers. Often even though the initial investment is higher for a trained adult Doberman, think of the savings of not going through housetraining, cropping ears, puppy chewing stages etc. You get a Doberman that is ready to go and can come in and bond with your family and learn your routine. Most fully trained Doberman Pinschers will fall between 2-3 years of age and can be expected to live 10-12 years. Think of the expense of weekly training for 104 weeks with your Doberman puppy, and the time commitment that takes.
Find what many of our clients have found, that a properly bred Doberman commands respect everywhere it goes. They deter crimes just through ownership, they add a feeling of safety and security to your home. Remember our goal is not to be the policeman, we don’t stop criminals per se. We want a properly trained Doberman to be part of your overall security program to make sure you are not the easy target. We want the Doberman to have the proper training for the worst case scenario, but we all pray you never need to use that training outside of practice with us. For a list of references of prominent estates that trust a trained Doberman from Family Dobes to watch over them, please contact us.
Here are some dogs we have recently placed to give you an idea of their quality
Here are some dogs we have recently placed to give you an idea of their quality
Other Trained Dogs
We feel a dog is an important part of your overall personal security system, perhaps even the most important part but they are not a complete system. Crime is going to happen, we can not stop that, mankind has tried for millennia and not been successful yet. Owning dogs deters crimes, owning Dobermans deters even more crime, and owning a dog that is trained to bark and give an aggressive alert on command is nearly enough. I don’t ever intend to use my dogs to “catch bad guys” that is what law enforcement is for, my dogs are only to buy me time to get to safety, they deter crime, and they buy me time if I am in trouble. That is it. We teach a dog a long attack so it can meet the confrontation while we go get help and get to safety. What we are doing with our personal security plan, is really making someone else the victim. I know that sounds harsh but crime will happen, and we don’t want it to happen to us or our loved ones. So the things below are things we want all of you to do to stay a little bit safer.
Bad guy philosophy- Interviews and research show that bad guys are not afraid of getting hurt, it isn’t the dog bite that scares them the most. What they fear the most is getting caught. Barking dogs draw attention to a situation and increase the chance that they will be caught. That is why even little fufu dogs help deter some crime. Another great thing is bad guys seem to be inherently afraid of dogs, big Dobermans especially. Thank you Hollywood for helping to create this phenomenon! So we want to increase chances someone would get caught hurting you or your property and they will move on to an easy victim.
Lights- This is so important and so overlooked. I want you to leave your porch lights on all night, front and back end of story. No exceptions. Also get some random timers installed that randomly turn lights on and off throughout the house 24/7. This makes it always appear like someone is home and awake. You also need to have motion lights and working on all four sides of your home, bright flood light types. I don’t care how much it annoys the neighbors, explain all of this to them and encourage them to do the same thing. Tell them that by leaving their yards dark when yours is lit makes them look more vulnerable. It is possible for a whole neighborhood to be safe when people cooperate.
Window coverings- Take a look from your front and back yard in at your home in the dark. Amazing what you can se isn’t it? All windows will have working blinds that are down from dusk until dawn, no exceptions. You also need to trim bushes and trees away from windows and doors, and otherwise remove any “hiding spots” near your windows and doors.
Fences- It is often said good fences make good neighbors, but they also reduce the ease of access to your home. I prefer a fenced front yard as well. It may make your home look less inviting to company, but it does make it less accessible to unwanted company as well. Fences are only as good as the gates though, an open gate does nothing for you.
Electronic security system- You need a home electronic security system with at the minimum door and window sensors. It needs to be installed and working, there needs to be signs in the front yard and on windows.
Signs- Besides your alarm company signs, you need to have beware of dog signs posted all over the house and yard. My favorites are the ones from four paws company that show a Doberman with teeth barred and blood dripping from the teeth It sounds morbid but communicates the right message.
Neighborhood Watch- Start or join a neighborhood watch and even take your dog with you when it is time to patrol. One thing that really helps make a house a less likely target is to make the neighborhood a well lit, unlikely target. Put up neighborhood watch signs even if you don’t have one, put them all around the neighborhood.
Your dog- Must be allowed to bark anytime someone comes to the door. Encourage it, reward it. They need an “off” command to stop barking, but never discourage your dog from letting you know when someone is there. Warning barks are frustrating when you live with them every day, especially when you have 10 barking dogs but that is what makes my house a harder target for crime.
Now let’s talk about the rest of your day:
Don’t look like a victim in public. The single most important thing you can do is walk around with your head up, looking people in the eye, walking briskly with purpose and being aware of your surroundings. Take a look in a parking lot sometime how people walk to and from their cars, can you see how easy it would be to car jack almost anyone? Look for things that seem out of place, a guy in Phoenix in a trench coat in July is certainly out of place! Watch for inconsistencies, watch for people who are watching you. When something doesn’t feel right, when it doesn’t look right, trust your gut and drive around a few more blocks, go to another store or find another option. Never pull into your garage or a parking stall without taking a good look around. Leave your car in reverse, not park with your foot on the brake. If trouble hits all you have to do is hit the gas to change the situation. Don’t open your garage door until you are in front of it, don’t get out of the car until it is closed again keeping the car in reverse not in park. Watch your mirrors and make sure no one followed you in, this is how many home invasions begin.
If you have a dog, take him with you every where you can! What good is the protection dog that is locked up at home while you are at the park? This is another reason I tell people to get multiple dogs, so one can be at home protecting the house while one is protecting you. I also often show a demonstration where with a really good dog, I can fight it off and keep myself safe for the most part. Two dogs changes the fight dramatically, and three dogs is overwhelming, and four absolutely impossible to deal with. The other neat thing is to watch the pack dynamic develop and watch how they really work together and use team work.
There is much more that can be said, and specialists you can go to, we also recommend some self defense training. More that anything, it helps you to keep a clear head in a crisis and that changes the outcome drastically.