Getting a doberman, puppy or adult??

Question

Yeah should i get and adult or puppy?

ups and downs of both.

And other info about dobermans please! i love the breed i just want to know a bit more!

thanks!

Answer 1

Ultimately it is up to you and it comes down to a personal decision about what you are willing or wanting to do with your dog.

Puppies are a LOT of work to properly socialize and train.  They have a limited attention span which puts a little bit of a limit on how much training you can do with them and how much you can expect from them.  They can be destructive when they are teething or when they go through the "rebellious" adolescent stage (where they forget every command you've ever taught them and it seems that they deliberately push your buttons).  But they are a "clean slate" so to speak.  They haven't really been around long enough to carry much in the way of baggage and you have the option of grilling their breeder to make sure that they are breeding for superior health and good temperament.  On the other hand, this also means that nothing is set in stone.  A puppy's personality is a bit fluid...the pup that seemed most outgoing could grow up to be more introverted than it's littermates and vice-versa.  And even when you are very careful about choosing a breeder who does all of the recommended testing there are still no absolute guarantees when it comes to health and many of the most common health problems do not show up until the dog is two years old or older.

An adult dog may have a bit of baggage to work with, but they are calmer than puppies and easier to work with because they have a longer attention span.  Most adult dogs are already house trained and those that aren't generally will be with a few days to a few weeks of consistent training (as opposed to a puppy who takes a few months even with consistent training).  Adult dogs tend to be less destructive because they are past the teething stage and while some individuals can be "stubborn," most of them are also out of the adolescent stage where they test you at every turn.  With an adult dog, what you see is generally what you get.  While you can change an adult dog's sociability somewhat through training (or abuse), their basic personality is more or less set.  And while adopting a healthy adult dog is also no guarantee that health problems won't set in as the dog ages, you are less likely to be surprised by allergies, epilepsy, and severe congenital issues (like hip dysplasia, juvenile cataracts, or clotting disorders).

Edit: ah, yes.  As the poster above has pointed out, there is also a financial benefit to adopting an adult dog.  An adult dog from breed rescue will generally already be up to date on shots and spayed/neutered...which means your initial veterinary costs will most likely only be a new pet exam (which some vets offer at no cost for animals from rescue organizations), a few fecal floats to check for parasites, and maybe a rabies vaccine.  Whereas a new puppy will need the initial new pet exam and vaccines and follow up exams, fecals, and boosters (usually at 8, 12, and 14 or 16 weeks), plus spay/neuter costs.

As for how much, that depends on the individual breeders or rescues in your area.  An adult dog from a rescue or shelter could cost as little as $50 (I've seen some small shelters with adoption fees this low, although at that price you may not get a neutered animal or one that is up to date on shots), although a more common adoption fee is $100-300.  If you are getting a puppy from a reputable breeder who does all of the recommended testing and puts titles on their dogs, then you should expect to pay several hundred dollars.  Be warned that buying a dog for "cheap" from some BYB that advertises in the local paper might actually end up costing you much more in the long run as these dogs are often much more prone to health problems than dogs from reputable breeders.

Answer 2

Puppy, so that it will grow attached to you easily, and you can train it porperly.

Dobie Info-http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/doberman.htm

Good luck! I love this breed to

Answer 3

I prefer to get adults for the following reasons

Adults - you can see what it looks like and its temperament

Puppies -   They are all cute but you never know what they will turn out like as an adult.

Adults.- Usually come already Housebroken

Puppys - Lots of time to housebreak and "accidents"  Some carpets never recover.

Adults - Easier to settle in.  Can "hold it" for longer periods of time

Puppys - many sleepless nights & midnight trips outside in the dark & cold chanting "go potty"  (also the chance the neighbors may call the men in white coats LOL)

Adults - can start training right away. or may already be trained

Puppys - have to start with kindergarten & work way up.

Over the years I have received 6 dogs as Adults.  Some of them rescues.  They all bonded to me as much or even more than the dogs I raised from pups.  The rescue dogs especially seemed grateful.  

PS.  Some of the rescue dogs were purebreds and just as beautiful as if I purchased from a breeder.

Answer 4

There are alot on both sided

Adult: already house broke, no puppy stage,hopefully some training

saving a life,already altered and vaccinated.

adult bad: possible sever behavioral issues, fear or aggression triggers you don't know about, complete trust(which is sometime bad anyway)

money for vaccinations and altering,

Puppy good: puppy stage:), bonding, training as you want, trust and confidence,

Puppy bad: If you don't have the time for training you can have all the adult bad just you made him that way.