I Googled “neediest dog breeds” to see where the Doberman pinscher lands. Based on all the posts I’ve seen in Facebook Doberman groups, I was sure the Doberman was among the top five most “Velcro” dog breeds. I actually expected it to be at the top of the list, the way my Dobermans act.
The seemingly unofficial top 10 lists by Wag! and the Animal Rescue sites have differing opinions but agreed the Doberman was number 10. Apparently, many other breeds, like the Labrador retriever and German shepherd, are needy.
I have 6-year-old twin Doberman brothers – Max and Gus. If you have never owned a Doberman, throw out everything you’ve heard or seen on TV about these intense, scary-looking protectors. These well-loved canines are nothing but scaredy cats and spoiled brats with an intimidating bark.
According to my Dobermans, I am the most interesting person in the world. Don’t get me wrong, it is a bit flattering to be so adored. But geez, the constant snout nudging and whining needs to stop.
I was left alone with them on a recent Sunday afternoon and their neediness got to me. I stand, they stand. I leave the room, they leave the room. I just wanted to relax, watch a mindless comedy and put laundry away. As they escorted me from my bedroom to the kitchen like 80-pound beasts nudging me from behind, I decided to feed them dinner early hoping to avoid the whininess that often starts before 4 p.m.
Still after being fed and let outside twice, they insisted I should pet them both at the same time. One at a time was not acceptable.
I told them I was done. “Go to kitchen,” I ordered. I shut the bedroom door, turned off the TV and just sat in much-needed silence for 20 minutes.
I love my dogs. I even like my granddog, who has “temporarily” lived with us for the last eight months, but this cat-person-turned-dog-owner needs a break from all the neediness.
I am very much a cat person. I love their attitudes and sass … with the exception of my sister’s multiple-personality feline who grants me, on average, five seconds of kindness before exploding into a hissing rage.
Growing up, I loved cats. To this day, I still say “hi kitty” to any random stray I come upon. I will argue with any cat-hating co-worker, whomever he may be, that cats are wonderful creatures.
Thanks to a guilt trip, my parents allowed us to get a black kitten while they were gone on a well-deserved anniversary trip to Hawaii when I was 11.
In adulthood, I acquired two cats. Smoky was a handsome cuddle bug. Gidget was an ornery girl who wanted attention until you sat on the floor next to her and then suddenly, she was gone. She loved fetching little pom-pom balls and enjoyed cuddling on her own terms. They had their quirks, but neither was demanding; they were pretty low maintenance.
In 2019, my husband’s co-worker found himself with a litter of Doberman pups. My husband showed me a few puppy photos and begged me for weeks to adopt one. For weeks, I sternly said no. Why would I want a big, terrifying-looking dog? Of course, he claims to be allergic to cats. Whatever.
In a moment of weakness, I said fine to getting a puppy. And then Todd countered, “but one would get lonely; let’s get two.” My “no” turned into a “fine” after just a day.
I’m so weak.
I was not immediately fond of the undisciplined, whiny, smelly pups that we struggled for months to properly potty-train. Whenever I took them outside, they’d spend the entire time wrestling each other, dragging me and sometimes tripping me with their leashes.
But those smelly, irritating rascals were adorable, and I ultimately fell in love.
Max is full of personality. and I love that. He sighs (and randomly whines) more than any dog I’ve known. He’s kind of a jerk and will just start barking like he’s yelling about not getting his way.
Gus has a calmer personality. He will sit at your feet, facing away, demanding to be petted. There are many moments I think he could be a great therapy dog, but then he completely loses his mind over a deer, squirrel, cat, car a block away or the brave chipmunk that likes to tease him on the back porch. He doesn’t just bark. He will argue-bark, teeth showing, if Max decides to bark at the same thing.
They are now so behaved, though, that they are unleashed 99 percent of the time. We live outside city limits, and the closest neighbors aren’t right on top of us.
When they are outside and see a critter, if I yell no, they do not chase. But if no one yells no, they occasionally take off running. Hopefully, Gus learned his lesson about chasing after he encountered black kitties with white stripes. Let me tell you, that morning was not fun.
So, if you are looking for a pet who thinks you are terrific and fun and the most interesting person in the world, consider getting a Doberman. Maybe not two. If your Doberman gets lonely, get it a cat.
By the way, my husband wants a Great Dane puppy now. That’s not happening, pal.
The Leader publishes a weekly online feature called Pet Spot. If you want to tell us about your loving pet, email us a picture and information about the pet, including what town you live in and a phone number, to news@myleaderpaper.com.