Calming Your Doberman
Some dogs are not as mellow as we would like. While the Golden Retriever seems to the poster child for well-adjusted, calm dogs, the doberman on the other hand could use some help. For a variety of reasons some dobes have more anxiety or nervousness than others. This could be a result of breeding practices, training issues or home environments just to name a few causes.
So what can you do to help your doberman relax?
The best option is still probably exercise, a good run or wrestling match with a buddy is sure to get all that excess energy out. Some people also state that a healthy diet will affect a dogs mood. Then there is appropriate training to address specific issues like separation anxiety.
And lastly there is medication available to treat certain anxiety disorders. Along these lines you may have heard of something called DAP or Dog Appeasing Pheromone. It is available as a collar or room spray. It works by giving off a synthetic version of pheromomes naturally released during lactation . I have tried this product since it was recommended by my vet for noise/thunder anxiety. Personally I did not notice any visible difference with my two dobermans.
What I have noticed that works for my dobes is music. I had suspected that classical music had a calming effect on dogs, but have since learned solo-piano is the key to influencing your dogs mood. A research study conducted by Dr. Deborah Wells, an animal behaviorist, studied the effect of different styles of music on shelter dogs. You can read more about the study here . While heavy metal caused dogs to bark and pace around more, psychoacoustical classical music on dogs showed less stress behaviours. (Pop and conversation seemed not to have a noticeable difference either way.)
Calming solo-piano seems to have an effect of reducing heart rate due to the slow rhythms and simpler arrangements. For dogs with separation or noise anxiety, try playing this style of music 20 minutes before you leave. If you expect visitors and your dog is a handful, try calming him with music to assist with training obedience when the person arrives. If you plan to board your dog, ask the kennel if they can play your soothing music for your dog.
I recommend solo-piano as a great option to easing your dogs stress. In my home I frequently play solo-piano music from an internet music station, (there are a few that specifically play this music) or you can purchase specially created music for dogs like, “through a dog’s ear” (see ebay link below if interested). With my two dobermans, I have noticed that within minutes of the music playing they settle dog and sometimes even go to sleep.
On another note it’s great for calming humans too!
How do you calm your dog? Do you have any special tricks to de-stressing your doberman?
July 27th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
Maybe it’s the way you bring them up, I’ve had Dobes for for 40 yrs,and they’ve all have been big babys. They all had back yards, but I think it’s because petted, stroked etc
July 27th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Lmao,
Saxon is six is about 6 months and he is
full of good honest pure energy he is so
fast,he just loves to run and jump.So
I run him or play fetch with him. Then
Bring him in feed him water him and he
Is out.Simple and it works well.
But it don’t last long!
July 28th, 2011 at 6:33 am
We are on with our third Dobie and they have all been big, soft, daft, loving adorable animals. We would have no other breed.
October 14th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
This may be long, sorry, as I grew up w/Dobies and it’s the only breed I will ever have. I also worked w/Dobie rescues. What I’ve learned from decades (I’m 56) about them is their 1st yr(s) of life are soo very important. How they are raised and treated early will contribute to a nervous dog or a calm Dobie. They’re very sensitive & should never, ever be hit–of course, yelled at, or left outside–they are inside dogs. Get ready to share your couch & bed, they are “velcro dogs”. When trainnig a pup use a water bottle & squirt them while saying “no” in a normal voice–they learn quickly & have the i.q. of at least a 7 y.o. child & understand sentences. Give them lots of love, play/exercise and good care & they won’t have the nervous issues I’ve seen in abused or abandoned Dobies. We currently have one that had 5 different families in his 1st 18 months. He was starved, weighed 30 lbs @ 18 mos old when we got him. He is now a big boy at 110 lbs. Luckily he’s learned that an “oppsy daisy” is ok, coz at 1st he’d cringe & hunker down if he bumped into a table or anything–& we’d say “oopsy daisy” in a hi-pitch, fun sounding voice. When one of us did one we’d say “mama (or papa) did an oopsy daisy”). Now he doesn’t cringe at anything. He loves cats & lets them climb all over him and sleep w/him. He is now my husband’s service dog & goes to school w/him (teacher). He’s good w/everyone especially the handicapped, small kids, animals & the elderly. He is such a lover boy. Once in a while he will have lose stools & I know he’s been stressed by something. Like anohter contributor reported, the “Thru a Dog’s Ears” music works miracles. He also loves to ride in hubby’s van and of course is a “velcro” Dobie, so get ready to share your couch & bed. Just love them & they will give you 100% more love back to you. As I always stress, PLEASE RESEARCH ANY BREED YOU’RE CONSIDERING, AS WELL AS YOUR LIFE STYLE & LIVING CONDITIONS.
March 31st, 2012 at 6:43 pm
I have a doberman who has just this year been diagnosed with epilepsy, yup grand mal seizures, I have been a vet tech for years and I keep my 112 lb baby calm with deep tissue massage, my boy just loves it especially when I rub his spine from his neck to his tail, he has even fallen asleep during his rubdowns!!!!!!!!!!!
June 24th, 2012 at 7:46 am
For about the last three months I have been feeling close to Morgan Freeman because Ive been driving “Miss Daisy” around. I never knew how much fun a doberman ls! They are sudh intelligent beings