Doberman Myths and Facts!

Facts and Myths about Doberman Pinschers

*The Doberman is an American war hero -True! Many times over the Dobermans have served our troupes in many wars over the years given their bravery, loyalty and willingness to protect their masters.

 Dobermans are have been used over the years as police dogs, military dogs and service dogs. One of the first war Dobermans named Kurt served in the 1944 Battle of Guam during WWII. This brave Doberman saved the soldiers, but was killed by an enemy grenade. Kurt became the first dog buried in the United States Marine Corps War Dog Cemetery which you can visit today in Guam. Doberman are the unsung hero's of our armed forces and continue to serve man today. Dobermans were meant to have a job serving man and they do it with great pride and dignity!



*Doberman are one of the top 10 smartest dogs-True! Doberman rank #5 in the top 10 smartest dogs If you have ever owned Doberman you already know this. Dobermans are wicked smart! Dobermans are very willing to learn, easily trainable and really want to do a good job for their masters! Doberman seem to be able to read their people with superior accuracy. While their intelligence is natural it takes a good leader to invest the time to master this intelligence to its full capability!

*A Dobermans brain swells as they get older causing them to go CRAZY and turning on their masters! FALSE!!! False, false, false. We think to ourselves, "no you really didn't just say that comment," but hard to believe, once in a blue moon, this crazy talk is still vocalized! There is NO Scientific way this is possible. Brains don't magically grow in any skull. Brain swelling results from an injury or head trauma, in any dog, and if the animal was so injured that their brain was swelling, there would be no way they could physically carry out such an attack, or be able to function. Most likely they would be unconscious or dead from the swelling, like a human brain injury.

* The Doberman is mixed Breed! TRUE! 

The American Kennel Club history believes the breeds utilized to develop the Doberman may have included the old short haired shepherd, Rottweiler, Black and Tan Terrier and the German Pinscher. There are possibly many other breeds not taken into account. This would explain the variances we might see in the Doberman breed. Mutts through and through, but this is how new breeds are created!

*The Doberman is not a breed for everyone-TRUE! This breed is very active and in your face 24/7. If you like to come home after a long day, sit down and watch TV, this breed is NOT a good choice for you. Dobermans are high energy dogs and need to have energy release options or they can become destructive and annoying. You must be willing to play or walk them every day. Some, such as the teenagers, require much more energy release then others. Doggy daycare is a great option to reduce this energy. A tired Doberman is always a GOOD dog! If you like to go to into the next room or even the bathroom without being followed, this breed is not for you. Dobermans love their humans, have a need to know what you are up to, want to touch you and will follow you where ever you are at every waking moment.

*Doberman's eat children-False! Urban legend again *sigh* Doberman's make great family members. Children and Dobermans can and do co-habitat successfully in many homes. Dobermans can be your kids bed buddies, playmates and best friends!

*We love our Dobermans for all they give back to us!

Alumni Pupdate - Pablo

Pablo’s past was dark and sad, but thanks to many angels he has the brightest future…

Pablo came to UDR via a phone call from a rescue angel running a shelter in Kansas City.  Pablo was surrendered to her shelter with nothing, and was afraid of everyone and everything.  He withdrew to huddle in fear to the back of his kennel run and stopped eating altogether.  The shelter director called UDR for help, fearing for Pablo’s slide into emaciation, and we were happy to take this scared boy in.

                           

Pablo's Before & After Body Condition photos after 2 months in foster care

More angels came to Pablo’s rescue by fostering him locally and providing transport up to Minnesota 3 weeks later.

Like all UDR dogs, Pablo was placed in a loving foster home, who took on the task of rehabilitating him both physically and mentally.  Pablo was deathly afraid of men, and it took 3 long months for Pablo to readily approach his foster dad.  His foster home worked at Pablo’s pace and slowly boosted his confidence and ability to trust. 

               

Pablo's Before & After Body Lanuage:  1st Meet & greet spent clinging to his foster mom versus his last Meet & Greet with UDR spent smiling and playing

After 6.5 months in foster, Pablo met his ultimate angels – his adopters.  By the time Pablo was adopted, you would have never guessed his difficult past – Pablo had become a joyously happy boy who was eager to meet new experiences and people.  Here’s what his new family has to say about him:

We’re the Medvec’s, and this is the story of how Pablo became part of our pack. Our family lost our first dog (Buddy) in a tragic car accident last Summer. During the grieving process, we realized we weren’t ready to be dog-less. We love animals, and our young daughter had grown very attached to her fur-brother. Knowing that we wanted to find another dog, I started doing some research on family-friendly breeds and local rescues that would possible have those breeds. I found Pablo and UDR through PetFinder in late August, and I have to say it was love at first sight! I immediately called my Husband and reached out in hopes that we could start the adoption process. Luckily for us, he was still available and so the process began!

Going into this adoption, we were given fair warning that Pablo had a rough start to life. We were told that it would most likely take him MONTHS to warm up to us, but we were willing to wait. To our surprise, he was snuggling with us the first night he was home. Through trust and bonding, Pablo has happily blended into our family. He’s great with our daughter, great with our 2 cats, and loves every neighbor dog he meets. We keep waiting for a negative trait to emerge, but it hasn’t happened yet! He’s all-around the perfect dog.

Drop-Off with his new Mom!!

Pablo’s favorite hobbies are: going up to the cabin, swimming, running, playing frisbee, playing with other dogs, popping bubbles with his Sister, chewing on his antler, and cuddling!

           

Pablo's new, happy life

Thank you, UDR, for saving Pablo and allowing us to give this sweet boy a home. I can say with confidence that he has a family that loves him and he will forever be taken care of.

Alumni Pupdate - Daisy

Fun fact - Daisy is actually a sibling to last month’s featured Alumni Pupdate, Blaze!  She came into UDR from New Mexico, and was placed into our foster program.  Like Blaze, she had a tough time at first being separated from her siblings for the first time in her life.  Luckily she didn’t have to wait long for her amazing Furever Family to find her!

Always surrounded by friends and love

Adopter Dad Dennis is a rescuer’s dream!!  He has an absolutely incredible house on spacious grounds that leaves room to spare for 8 dogs and 6 cats.  WOW!!  To say their pets are spoiled is an understatement….Their lucky pets were even included in his wedding!  Dennis reached out to UDR looking for a kind girl that would get along with their current pets, and UDR carefully selected Daisy to meet his family's needs.

Daisy is so lucky to have an incredible family and room to play

Lucky for Daisy, she fit the bill perfectly for this large and loving family.  She has fit seamlessly into the pack and is described as being a bit sassy and having a very regal demeanor (though who could blame a girl when she is living the dream?!).  Baby gates can’t hold this athletic girl down from wherever she wants to go in the house, and she loves to play and wrestle with her fur siblings.  This smart girl has even learned to do a balancing act on the back of the sofa if she's in a hurry to get to the other side of the room, and doesn't want to bump into her siblings!   ….but her favorite part of the week is Sunday brunch with her Dad and special cheese popcorn treats!

BRUNCH TIME!

Many thanks to Dennis for such a wonderful pupdate on sweet Daisy!

Congratulations Daisy!!

Meet & Greet DOs and DONTs

Meet & greets can be an exciting day for people and dogs alike.  It could be the initial meeting with your new family member!  Here are some DO’s and DON’T’s to be aware of:

DON’T pass up a dog you’re interested in because it doesn’t look its happiest or is a bit scared at the event.  The dogs do not understand the purpose of a meet & greet, and may react differently in a busy, public place than in the comfort of their foster home.  

-DO ask questions of the dog’s handler at the event!  They will be able to tell you about the dog’s typical demeanor.

DON’T forget your manners!  Try not to get too excited or physical (hugging or in a dog’s face) when meeting the dogs.  Your heightened state may cause the dogs to react negatively: getting afraid, confused, hyperactive, or simply not want to interact with you.  Animals tend to gravitate towards calm, positive, happy people.

-DO ask how the dog likes to be pet, and we’ll be happy to tell you their favorite places for scratches!  Practice good habits of asking if your own dog or your child can approach the rescue dog.

DON’T be afraid to ask questions!  We really care about our foster dogs, and appreciate that you are asking questions and scrutinizing whether the dog will be a good fit for your lifestyle and family.

-DO be courteous to our volunteers, who have given up their day to travel to the event and answer your (and countless others’) questions the best they can - sometimes volunteers who are not the foster family attend with the adoptable dogs.

DON’T expect to go home with Fido from the meet & greet.

-DO take notes and handouts on our adoption process, which consists of filling out an application, having a home visit done, references check, and THEN meeting with our program dog again in their foster home.  Let our volunteers know where you are at in the process to get the best information!

We hope to meet YOU at our next meet & greet on Saturday, December 9th at the Chuck & Don's in Elk River, Minnesota:  Facebook Event & Details

Thanksgiving Safety Reminders

As we approach a day full of food indulgence, remember to keep your pooch away from these common food items:

Turkey Skin:  High food foods can be hazardous to health.  Add that turkey skin will hold marinade, spices, butter and oils that can be hard to digest.  High fat foods can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain or pancreatitis.

Cooked bones:  Cooked turkey and ham bones are NOT safe for a dog.  Once cooked, bones can easily splinter in your dog’s throat or digestive tract.  Be sure to dispose of bones carefully so they are safely away from your very tempted dog.

Onions & Garlic:  Sulfides found in onion and garlic are toxic to dogs and can lead to anemia.

Alcohol:  Any alcohol, but particularly the hops in beer, can be toxic to dogs.

Nuts:  Specifically walnuts and macadamia nuts, which can cause a toxic reaction, gastric problems, or neurological symptoms.

Grapes & Raisins: The grape family can cause serious and sometimes fatal kidney problems for dogs.

Nutmeg:  Used to spice up your sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie, nutmeg can cause seizures and central nervous system problems ….Your pooch will prefer just plain sweet potatoes and pumpkin, which ARE safe for dogs.

Chocolate, Dough & Batter:  We all know chocolate is a big NO, but dough can rise in your dog’s stomach, causing bloating and severe pain.  Dough and batter also likely contains raw eggs – like humans, dogs are susceptible to salmonella. 

Should your dog get into something they shouldn’t, be sure that you have an emergency vet’s contact information on-hand.  You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.

Non-food tips also include making sure your pets are wearing proper identification in case they dart out the door when guests arrive and to have a safe, quiet area in your home set up in case your dog gets a little overwhelmed by the extra activities and guests.

Have a Happy and SAFE Holiday, from your friends at United Doberman Rescue and Canine Castaways of MN!

Double your donation $$$ dollars on Give to the Max Day November 16th!

Donate on November 16th!
https://givemn.org/organization/canine-castaways-of-minnesota

Your dollars will be matched by a generous donor, Dollar for Dollar, NO $$$ LIMIT!

Believe in miracles!

At 23 pounds, Mischka was near deaths door when found on the streets of New Dehli, India. Thanks to the wonderful people of Kannan Animal Welfare, KAW, who took her off the streets or she would have surely died. She flew to Minnesota thanks to many wonderful rescue angels!

No ones dog.
Mischka today! Beautiful girl!
She is still looking for her forever home, but even though shes no ones dog, she is loved by many! 

Little Molly had suddenly found herself homeless because of divorce. With UDR she found a new family to love her forever!

Phinn, aka Finnigan! Once a shelter dog.....
Thanks the heavens daily for finding his family through UDR!

Prada is looking for her happy ever after.
Already a young mother, her past family decided to keep one of her puppies and dump her on Craigslist. Since coming into rescue she has been found to be hypothyroid and positive for Lymes disease, both of which UDR is treating. We have also had her spayed so she never has to be a mother again!

Belle traveled from Texas to find love
and boy, oh boy, did she!!
 She is adopted and loved!

Bentley had a tough go of it when he arrived at UDR, winter of 2016. Very underweight, wormy and sickly. The vet bills of $650, to get him feeling well, far exceeded the money UDR had in the checking account to pay his vet bills and expenses. Thank goodness for credit cards and our volunteers!

Gina, aka, Ms. Happy feet 
("Yes, I was naughty and living life on the edge. I ran away from home, well it was just that one time, gee, thank goodness my microchip helped me find my way back to my adoptive family!!!")
She was surrendered to UDR, fostered and adopted all in Washington State. 
One day Gina got lost, needed help, and help we did!
She is now safe, with a much higher fence, and happily adopted! 

Gracie was loved by a family who could no longer afford to care for her. She has now been adopted and now lives in Iowa with her wonderful mom.

Henry found a wonderful family
to love him forever through UDR!

Luke was just a baby when he arrived. He has found love!

Pablo came from a Kansas shelter. If only he could tell us his story. The shelter shared he hid in the back of his kennel run when people came to see him, he would not eat, and he was terrified of men. Through the patience of a wonderful UDR foster, he blossomed with confidence and has since been adopted by a perfect family who loves him like no other has ever before!!

Ria came to UDR from Colorado.
She was found to have a significantly large, untreated hernia when taken in. UDR fixed the hernia when she was spayed. Ria has since been adopted! 

Ricky is a beautiful Doberman boy. As many Dobermans are, he is smart, busy, prey driven, but had zero personal boundaries when it came to your space and expectations, plus he was BOSSY! It was clear the people who had him before had no idea how to lead a Doberman, so he became a master of his people. Yikes! Through UDR, he has since found a skillful master who has shown Ricky what is expected for him to be a "good" boy! No more bossy boy here!!! 

Rogue came from a shelter in California, her past may have been one of a breeding girl, making money for the person who owned her. She has since been adopted and is very much loved!

This little Doberman mix, Rudy, aka Rudolph, came from Red Lake Rosies Rescue in Northern Minnesota. He has been adopted by a loving family who adores him!!!

Ms. Ruger.
 Bounced from home to home, she finally found the last home she will ever be at thanks to UDR and her wonderful adoptive family!

RIP little man Tuco
This little guy was a special needs Doberman.
He had a propensity to eat things he should not. He did find his happy ever after home with UDR but we suspect his life was difficult from the get go and Sadly Tuco died at the vets office, very suddenly, from unknown causes.  

He-Man....Sparta 
Came from a rescue in Iowa, who had him for over 2 months with no interest by anyone to adopt him. He is now available for adoption in Minnesota. We promised Sparta, as we promise all our homeless animals, we will find you a forever home that will love you forever.
 Could you be his family?

Consider donating today and making a difference for dog just like these and many more to come!
Help us make their stories a happy one.

United Doberman Rescue and Canine Castaways of Minnesota is a 501C3, all volunteer, foster home based, not for profit animal rescue, dedicated to the Doberman breed, Doberman mixes and others. We work with other rescues, locally and world wide, to make a difference for the homeless. Please consider donating, fostering or volunteering to help us with our mission of making a difference in their lives! Thank you!!!

Alumni Pupdate - Blaze

Blaze’s story is one of paths colliding – One handsome Doberman looking for a new home and a former Doberman-owing couple looking to reunite with a beloved breed. 

 

Handsome Blaze

Blaze’s adopters were looking for a foster-to-adopt situation for a rescued Doberman.  Luckily Blaze’s adopters didn’t have to look far to find UDR, and they were a match made in heaven for our program.  This family has owned rescued 16+ pets - INCREDIBLE, am I right?!

Blaze came to UDR from New Mexico with his 3 sisters when their previous owner passed away, and the family felt unable to care for the siblings.  Upon arrival, each of the siblings went to individual foster homes, which left Blaze absolutely lost and scared.  Luckily he was welcomed by an existing rescue pack of 3 French Brittanys and a Wire Fox Terrier in his foster home. 

Blaze in transport with his 3 sisters from NM

With love, patience, and comfort in his new pack, it didn’t take Blaze long to be on the way to becoming a family member, and adding his fosters into our Foster Fail community!  Although all their rescues have been very special, Blaze brought something back to their lives that had been missing since their first Doberman passed away. 

Blaze and his rescue pack

Per Blaze’s Mom, a Doberman is “strength, security, unconditional love, compassion, athleticism, and did I say unconditional love?!!”  They are thrilled to be reunited with a breed close to their heart, and encourage others to research, research, research to see if the breed is right for you too!

Loving that Adopted Life!

Thank you to Blaze’s adopters for taking in an unsure and overwhelmed boy, and giving him a Forever Family.  And an even bigger THANK YOU for continuing to work with UDR as an absolutely amazing foster home for our program dogs!