Dobermans have always been a protective figure for humans, and as humans we find comfort in that because there is always something lurking around the next corner. Many individuals second guess themselves about being able to provided their own safety, and personally I do have to agree that we have a hard time protecting ourselves since we do not have that true sense of danger such as dogs do. And to understand that better all you have to do is watch your dog, for instance when my young adult doberman was give or take around 4 months he went on a road trip with me, he may have been very young but I knew I was protected even if he did not have the full love for the sleeve at the time. When anyone came around me as I was walking him to give him some up time he would bark and growl, and he would literally but himself in between me and the unknown individual. At such a young age he understood my feelings that I was giving up for him, feelings that I had no clue that I was showing until those moments. Some individuals may say that dogs are not that tuned in to what we are feeling and yet my young adult is a perfect example that they are tuned in to our feelings and will react from them.
Abi