Truth is I love to talk to people, I don’t mind if they are door t door Salesman, or Jehova’s Witnesses, if someone i willing to come up and knock on my door, I better get some interesting conversation out of it. One of my favorites was when a string of small burglaries occured in our neighborhood, then conveniently the next day (before the police or media even reported anything) there were door to door Alarm Salesman canvassing the neighborhood. Now I have done door to door sales in my life, and actually I quite enjoyed it. That being said I will listen to anyone for a few minutes out of courtesy. So I listened to him tell me about the recent burglaries and how I would have been protected if I had their system. I asked if he was sure his system was better than mine was. He started naming all the other alarm companies and how his product was superior, I just told my son to let the dogs out and as 8 Dobermans came running toward the front door he turned and ran jumping my front fence and I am quite sure he wet himself on the way. I couldn’t stop laughing for 10 minutes. I still laugh when I tell the story. It wasn’t two days later another guy pulled up and knocked and as I opened the door the first words out of his mouth were that he was the supervisor and he wasn’t afraid of dogs. I smiled and winked at my son who let the dogs go, and he nearly tripped on himself getting off the front porch and over the front fence. Again solid laughter and a story to remember. I have many good memories of people at the door. Nevertheless I see a lot of no solicitor signs all around the neighborhood, and I came up with one of my own that I printed and laminated. The thing is I think the sign is fun, but I worry that I won’t have any more good stories to tell if I really hang it up, but I am sure plenty of people passing by are going to have great laughs.

Behold the sign:

Well it isn’t every day we find a new product to blog about, and I am careful about recommending anyone to our Dobe family since we want people who care about them as much as we do. I believe we found just such a company. I heard second hand about the great custom Collars and leashes they are offering, and checked them out. I am impressed with the quality, artistic creativity, and personal nature of their company. If you are looking for great custom work for your amazing Doberman, drop them a line and let them know Family Dobes sent you. http://www.bigbadcollars.com/

We are also very blessed to have a new litter out of the hottest male in Europe right now. If you haven’t heard of him yet, learn his name, he is the kind of dog legends are made of.  Obi Wan-Kenobi de Grande Vinko is his name, and he has been bred to very few females so far. We are thrilled that one of our Cora daughter’s Gipsy was such a girl. Watch this litter with great interest…

Also available to the right home is Prada. She has excellent obedience, is house trained, starting protection and gets along great with all of my pack as well as our Sar and Schutzhund club dogs. She is drop dead gorgeous, and would be a real asset to anyone’s home. She is fine with my children.

Although it has rained here for three days it is that time of year when summer is heating up no matter where you live, and time to share all our summer warnings again for those who have not been with us long.

                Naturally it has been hot for some time now across the states and all of you know it is a bad idea to leave dogs in hot cars. What we want to focus on are some alternatives so you can still take your dog with you. I still go to several training groups each week, shows etc. So my dogs need to come along. On short visits, I leave the Truck running with the AC on and take a spare key with me so I can lock the doors. I don’t want anyone letting my dogs out or stealing a running car! Although it would take quite the fool to decide to steal a truck full of Dobermans! I also hunt for Shady spots to park, even if it means walking a long distance. Some places you go your Dog would be welcome if you ask permission ahead of time or if it is a pet friendly location. Many people will welcome your dog to their business if it is well mannered. The leading economists show businesses are recognizing pets as family more and more and welcoming them to draw customer loyalty. I think it is great so long as we only take dogs with good manners and don’t ruin it for everyone else. For trips where the stop will be longer, I prefer to take my toy hauler, the back is the dog kennel, and it has a generator, fans, and AC. Obviously we keep tabs on the temperature, never trust electrical or mechanical equipment to function correctly There are many hot car alarms and other products designed for running vehicles to warn you by pager if the temps get too hot or cold. There are also some really nice dog trailers available now for those with multiple dogs or the need for such a thing.  Anyway, always take plenty of water, if the dog will be left in the vehicle, no matter how much you trust them, make sure the vehicle is safe for them and from them J Zenny ate my cruise control last time I left him without the rear barrier up, and I trust him as much as any dog I have met in my life. It also helps to wipe them down with wet towels in the hot summer it helps cool them off and don’t they look great with that glossy wet coat! There are also cool Vests that work well for Dobes So use some common sense, include your pets when you can, leave them with someone you trust when you can’t.

Also this time of year many people go camping and want to take the dogs. I think that is great so long as you don’t have a dog that likes to bark at everything and gets on other campers nerves, be polite and keep them on lead or in an exercise pen, or at your side all the time so you don’t intimidate others. Know there are risks and be prepared, such as snake bites, ticks, other wild animals that carry disease and may think your dog is dinner… RV camping is very dog friendly, tent camping can be, and so can backpacking if you are well prepared. I like having the dogs along for company, and they can warn me of dangers I am unaware of.

This year we are going to try the dogs at the lake on a boat as well. If you have a pool or water nearby and plan on your dog swimming, know up front that Dobes are a very front heavy, lean muscle dog. They do not float. They can be great swimmers but we find it is necessary to teach them to swim. Give them swim lessons in your favorite swimming hole until they have learned to use their back legs. Know their limits. They can not swim for miles or all day. Make sure your dogs know how to exit a pool if they fall in. On boats even if you have taught your dog to swim, I recommend a Life vest for the dog. They can fall out at speeds and be injured, or it may be a long while until you get to them. We will try to get some pictures of how our trips go

                Everyone who knows our family or who has come to the kennel to meet us and the dogs, knows that although my wife loves the security the dogs add to our lives, she is not much of a dog person.  She gave up on my new ideas after I talked her into getting a mustang horse back when we were dating. WE trained it together and started riding when I tried to talk her into going into a full run. We were at a track that just happened to be bordered by a small zoo. I know I know, bad idea. Her horse saw critters and moved about 12 feet sideways at a full run, and she stayed right where she was. She kind of quit trusting me about trying new things then. Those who know her well know she also is not a risk taker. That being said, anytime we have new visitors to the kennel we generally talk them into putting on the bite suit and playing with the dogs.  In my opinion it is great fun for everyone involved!

                Be that as it may, in all my years of being married to Her (14 which again no one will believe) I have never got her talked into putting on the bite suit or participating with the dogs in anyway. Since I am the kind of guy that reads the last page of a book first, I will tell you the story ends with we are having My wife’s head checked… The events that lead up to that are the fact that last week at SAR training she decided to handle a Karma to go find My Son who was hiding. She even put my youngest in the backpack and headed out into the sagebrush at dusk fighting mosquitoes and all kinds of her fears. I still can’t understand it, but it sure bought a lot of mileage with me…. A few days later at Schutzhund club, you guessed it, out of the blue she put on the bitesuit and took some bites from Zenny. In the pictures you will see she is wearing flip flops underneath, and her hair is done up with a nice flower all testaments that this was totally off the wall and out of character. I didn’t hesitate to grab my camera though, I wasn’t going to miss the chance for proof!! She was a trooper. Despite a take down that knocked her head on the ground, she did get back up and stand there for a guard and a re-attack. Again, nothing about this makes any kind of sense at all, but it really happened. It also bought even more mileage. Funny thing is as glad as you would think I should be at all of this, I am caught totally off guard by the whole thing. She didn’t make any demands or requests, there were no deals, it all leaves me wondering Why????? What does she really want? What big thing is she about to ask me for? All in all I am just scratching my head… What’s a guy to do? We just can’t figure out women. See the pictures here.

Also here at the kennel we are loving the new place and the wonderful view we have from the training field. We have a great Search group and a great DVG club going.

We have been blessed with many great puppies right now, and some real great started dogs. Summer is rolling in and we hope you all are enjoying your Dobes as much as we are

As always it has been far too long since I have written, life has been so busy with the New Search and Rescue Group, the new Schutzhund club , new friends, new puppies, the new facility and all that still needs to be done. Spring is a great time for me, everything seems new and beautiful. Today as I write on Mother’s day, I reflect on how very grateful I am for my Mother, everyone knows those emotions and all the words you wish you could put down and convey. Mom allowed me to pursue this passion of animals despite how it may have affected the rest of the family. In the end though, everyone remembered and loved my first great Doberman Pinscher Gretta. I reflect on my wife, the mother of our children and how she allows them the same opportunities and they spend so much time training with me, or even just holding the puppies, walking the dogs and finding the same satisfaction in it that I grew with. I think of all the mothering I get to watch with Dogs and their puppies, and how it fascinates me beyond description. The combination of Instinct, and care as a new mother takes care of these blind and deaf wriggling little fur balls. Soraya is about to whelp. Today on Mothers day, what a special event. She is uncomfortable and nervous. She knows what is coming, and just like every other Mother I have ever known is spending her time making sure she is prepared, and worrying, wanting everything to be fine. I videoed a whelping once so everyone could share that moment with me, you can see it here. To see these seemingly helpless little puppies come into the world, and the Mother despite never being taught or shown, just knows to clean and dry them. They somehow just know to make their way to their mothers Bellies and begin to Nurse without the aid of eyesight. it Amazes me. From the very moment they are born you can see this special bond between Mother and offspring, and it causes me to reflect with Gratitude. So this special Mothers day, I want to wish all the mothers worldwide a Happy Mother’s day. I want to express gratitude for your gift to the rest of us who never could have been here without Mothers. Though we may not all have grown with Loving Biological Mothers, there were others along the way I have no doubt that loved and cared the way only Mothers can, and helped you to become what you are. Thanks Mom.

The greatest gift of Motherhood is knowing that you were the architect of these lives, these dreams, these memories.

Knowing that no amount of time can erase the impact you have had on the next generation. Your Legacy endures throughout Eternity.

Long after your work is finished, it will still be remembered with fondness, with tears of Gratitude, with reverence.

You brought helpless although precious little ones into this world through your own pain, suffering and sacrifice.

You cared for them, protected them, and nurtured them. They could not be here were it not for you and your love.

Throughout the eternities you will be remembered for your sacrifice, your love, and your service which was first given.

It is often said that two people will always love you no matter what; Jesus and Momma.

Isn’t it great to know that the love you have given will always be returned by children who no matter what will always love their mothers?

   Well it has been far too long since I created a blog entry, and for those of you that read them, I apologize. Life has been so busy with the move back up to Utah, and trying to get the place ready for our Wonderful Dobermans.  Now that our Dobermans are finally all situated, it is time to work on the house to get it fixed up for the family, but somehow I have run out of motivation It is also a very sad chapter  in our lives with our wonderful Dobermans as I reflect back on the wonderful Dobermans we lost in Arizona, and the advancing years of our other great females. Seeing updated pictures from our Wonderful Doberman puppy owners of how they are turning out makes me realize I should have held a couple of them back for our next generations as they have turned out to be everything I wanted.  Many of our girls will retire this year and although they have carried on with their amazing offspring, I feel at a loss for the closing chapters of their lives. I think the greatest thing our Creator has ever done for us is to provide us wonderful Dobermans for companionship. The cruelest thing our creator has ever done, is to give them such a short lifespan. All of you who have shared your lives with Dobermans would agree I am sure that even 50 years would be too few.

   We have also had a great season of training before our new Doberman puppies arrived, we were able to even make a few new youtube videos. Search youtube.com under familydobes to view our collection of videos. Many of the dogs are getting going with their cadaver detection training, doing well at Search and rescue, and protection has been a great deal of fun as we introduce new people to Protection sport with our newly formed DVG club.

   It has been a very rewarding time just sitting with the new Doberman puppies again, the miracle of life never ceases to amaze me.  We were also able to make a video of the birth of Coco’s Doberman Puppy  litter which can be viewed here. The Puppy Cam’s are up and streaming live video of these cute Doberman puppies and it is fun to hear the comments from our many viewers. I am truly blessed, not many people in the world get to experience this miracle life just sitting here with the little Doberman puppies at my feet while I type this, hearing their little grunts and noises. It is the most relaxing and wonderful experience. Check in on us often and we hope you enjoy watching these Doberman puppies as much as we do!

This short newsletter has to do with the coming of the change of seasons. I used to be really good about hot/cold warnings and remedies, and then I moved to Scottsdale where we only have two seasons, hot and really hot. I start to forget about changing weather and what people should be reminded of etc. From what I understand it is already snowing in parts of the country where we are finally for the second week in a row under a daily high of triple digits. At night it is even finally cool enough to open windows! Anyway, some of you are experiencing mud season and others change for the cold. If you are going to continue to exercise your Doberman Pinscher outside, you have only two choices for foot care. You can use the Doggie boots (cabela’s brand work the best) o you can condition the dogs feet and limit exposure. You can prevent snow from building up in the pads with some Vaseline smeared between the toes, but remember to wipe it back out before letting your Doberman Pinscher tromp across your carpet For body temperature, sweaters/coats/vests all work if you get the dog accustomed to them, and if you have boys make sure they can still relieve themselves with the fit of the coat. I prefer the Neoprene vest from Cabelas since it is bright orange (safe and visible) and even if the dog gets wet they will stay warm. The key is a dry dog can be warm enough if they are moving around, running etc, but once they get wet they lose their core temperature very quickly, so keep them dry and they will stay warm. The biggest concern for Doberman Pinschers in the winter is ears if they are cropped. Ears that are cropped have reduced blood flow and as they stand erect in cold wind, they are quickly robbed of body heat. They can frostbite in just a few minutes to a few hours depending on the wind chill factor. When it is below freezing outside, massage the tips of the ears often with your bare hands to 1) feel their temperature, 2) transfer heat from your hands to their ears with friction and conduction and 3) increase blood flow. There are also some handy Ear muffs made and sold for Doberman Pinscher, and although they look silly, they work rather well.

 

So pay attention to the weather and keep your Doberman Pinschers healthy and safe J For those of you in California, Florida, AZ and other mild winter climates, take the time to enjoy some time outside and rub it in to the people you know in colder climates J

 

 

 Sadly I had to share this next story not because it involves Dobermans, but rather love of dogs and a dogs love for us, patriotism and other great emotions that I just wanted to share since it was kindly shared with me.

 

 

 

Stephen ParsonsÂ
Quality Doberman Pinschers

www.familydobes.com

480-993-9797

 

You know everyday my youngest Son reminds me more and more of myself. Today I was sitting working on the computer when I happened to hear my boy talking to the dog saying things like “Coco don’t worry it’s just an ipod, see…. ” I turned my head and couldn’t believe what I saw. That little boy of mine is so much like me it frightens me. He talks to the dogs just as if he were talking to a real person, and he expects them to obey. He simply wanted to share something he was enjoying and thought she might enjoy it too.  He doesn’t bother with training, he just expects the dog to work with him and it does. It reminds me of how much easier it was for me to train dogs when I was 8 than it is today. Simple. Pure. Trust and love. Enjoy the pictures and a flashback to your childhood. Just promise me for you it wasn’t dressing them up