Hi - thinking about a dog but not sure if a Doberman is for you - then read on!
We have had Dobermans as family pets for nearly 20 years and we believe them to be fabulous dogs. They are large and many people have a perception that they are vicious. But that is truly a myth. Our Dobermans have been and are loving dogs that make you laugh every day.
The truth is that any dog can be vicious if trained that way or mistreated. Any dog that is not properly socialized and poorly trained has the potential to be vicious. In our experience they are protective dogs; not aggressive. Their instinct is to put themselves between you anything that they are unsure of. They need training, socialization and exercise. Monique travels solo to horse events and has always taken one of our dogs for security and peace of mind. Each dog has been trained to stay in camp on a chain, is obedient and has been well socialized. They are purely a visual deterrent. They are active dogs and accompany us camping. If allowed they will share the sleeping bag :)
		If you are interested in a Doberman do some research to make sure they are for you. The thing to understand about Dobermans is that they need to be around you. They are very tactile dogs. They have a habit of leaning against your leg and looking up for a pat. Ziva likes to climb into the hammock with me and will happily go to sleep there. They need a lot of exercise - make sure you have the time to give them the care they deserve.
They like nothing more than to hang out with you on the sofa, sleep at your feet or lie by the fire when camping. They will chase wallabies or possums, but ours have never caught one! They love to run. They need daily exercise when young but are happy just to hang out with the pack as well.