Sadly, I think through the media, word of mouth etc, breeds such as the Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler and bully breeds such as pitbulls etc. tend to have a bad reputation, despite what loving companions they can be.

These dogs do look tough I will give them that, however, any Dobe, Rottie that I have ever encountered has been the biggest SUCK, and is nothing like the mean guard dog that they were supposed to be bred for.

On the other hand, these dogs in the wrong owner's hands can become an absolute disaster. Any dog can become aggressive if trained to do so, so breeds such as these need to only be owned by people that understand and can fully manage a powerful breed such as the Doberman.

My Doberman pup is very smart, sweet (at most times), and handsome. He tends to be on the stubborn side just a bit when it comes to working with him, but when he's in the mood, he gets the commands precise. Often at times, he will walk away from me when trying to work with him, lol. He is, however, a runt (not exactly sure if that would affect his personality) and is about 7 pounds lighter than a normal sized 3 month old Dobe. Loki is great with my kids! He runs alongside them and stands beside them as they play. He doesn't jump on them or play bite them unlike my lab puppy; it's amazing! Already, he stands tall and alert when strange people approach, but he's getting plenty of socialization. Loki is usually very happy whenever we return from going out, but not at the point where he's too excited for me to open the cage dog. He's usually very calm and when he does get in the playful mood, he plays fair!

Highly tractable, highly intelligent, highly reactive and energetic. Make sure you have the lifestyle for one.

Love them!
We kept a 11 year old one for a friend and he was so friendly and laid back,
but when they are puppies watch out they can be hyper!

the best dog i own. 1 master means only 1, no others. yup aggressive and mean against stranger but with a good manner visitor, they should be fine. btw this is my hug pillow lol.

They just have a mean, bully appearance about them.

love them

Duece man!!!!

they have issues

I want one!!!!!!!!!

Nervey and fearful. Lots of health problems encluding poor hips and skin issues. This is just a very nervious dog. I have seem very few that come into the vet's clinic where I work that are neat. Most are overly fearful and act stupid. This was once a working breed but through overbreeding by people who have no clue how to choose correct breeding stock we have turned this into a nerve bag. Like many other dogs; German Shepard, Irish Setters, Labs, and Golden (just to name a few), we have taken the work out of the dog and turned them into show dogs, pets or worse. There are some Dobies that I have thought were quite handsome but from what I have seem of them, most all of them lack stability in temperament.

scary

i like dobermans but one bit me on the nose so i dont like them so much anymore lol!

Great Guard Dogs

ok i guess

Great watch dog, but they bark A LOT!

Not my favorite but I love tough puppies!

i like small dogs

actually quite sweet dogs, very friendly as long as they don't feel threatened and are in a good home

Scary looking, but I havent had one.

If you don't train them to be mean, they're kinda whimpy.

right on. doberman's kick ass.

Used to be used traditionally as guard dogs, but I don't see too much of this anymore.

I respect the breed, but I have never liked the cropped ears.

U kidding!NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear these are great dogs with a bad rap. They're only vicious if they're trained to be. They're loyal, intelligent and affectionate by nature, or so I've heard. Plus, I'll always associate this dog with Snoop Dogg's late-90s Gin-N-Juice video, which is by no means a bad thing.

Dobes have lost a lot of popularity lately. Everyone is pit bull happy now...Dobes have some major health issues and really are big babies....they can make very nice family dogs

Dobermans can be incredibly sweet dogs.

I love them . They are a very good companion.

These dogs are fantastic dogs- they are incredibly smart, sensitive and just want to be with their family. They are great with their people and very responsive to their owners. They aren't a dog for everyone as they are an energetic, loyal dog that needs to spend time with their owners and loves to have a 'job to do'... I have shown my dobie in competitive obedience, agility and flyball and he has the best time when he is working and gets SOO excited when he gets to go to class or an event. This breed is protective and can be aggressive to other dogs, IF the other dog is acting dominant and aggressive themselves.. I have never had my dobie be aggressive to any person (if anything, he is a big goofball and just wants to play) but if another dog is trying to dominate him enough he won't back down. This breed has been very misunderstood... they are a superb all around dog- once you meet one you will fall in love with them! They are even gentle with my cats, small dogs and my parrots!!

Dobermans are misunderstood, these dogs are not naturally aggresive, the dogs personality is afected by how people treat the dog. Treat the dog with hatred and violence, the dog becomes aggresive to defend itself. Treat the dog with love and care, you have a faithful friend for life. These are big dogs, which are very energetic and playful, loyal and handsome. Thier coats need little care. To have a well mannered dog, firm training is required from a young age. Dobermans are great campanions.

Dont believe the myths- these are great dogs. No their brains don't outgrow their skulls; No they don't turn on their owners; Etc, Etc. These are great loyal and devoted companions who are more than willing to lay their life down protecting their owner/family. They are completely undeserving of the bad reputation that sometime seem to acquire. This is the only breed actually developed to be a guard dog and protector of their family and they take this job seriously. I have a Doberman pup right now and hope to have more once I am no longer in an apartment. I came home from college for the summer and had my mom ride with me to pick up my pup and she was always afraid of Dobermans because of the myths she had always heard. By the end of the afternoon my mom was sitting at the breeders in the middle of 6 Doberman pups with an adult Doberman patiently waiting for her attention and 4 more adults outside longing for attention. By the end of the day her opinion had changed. I will admit- this is not a dog breed for everyone, but it is not because they are agressive or vicious- because they arent. They arent the dog for everyone because they are so loving, intelligent, and sensitive that they require a certain kind of owner - one that is willing to spend time training them but that will not get frustrated and give or up lash out at the dog when they make mistakes. They require a gentle, commited, loving owner who is capable of training them and showing them that they (the owner) is Top Dog (dominant) without using physical force. For thos that have the personality to successfully own one of these dogs- then there is no greater companion or joy. What a wonderful dog!

Half crazy,dumb.

Be careful of inner breeding! While any dog inner-bred is a danger, this one in particular is one that is inner-bred just for people who want a dangerous dog. If not inner-bred, then a great dog.My brother has two and they are so loving, energetic, intelligent.

For the right person, the Doberman is a great dog. They're a highly intelligent breed, very devoted to their family and surprisingly, very goofy. Just like any other breed, they need to be obtained from a reputable breeder (or rescue) and require early socialization. There are a lot of myths about this breed, don't fall for them -- their brains DO NOT grow too large for their skulls.

I hear that they are quite intelligent and loving dogs, and not at all vicious unless trained to be (which hardly differentiates them from most other breeds). Interesting thing, though, the way they were bred has led them to evolve a brain that is a little too large for their skull, so it is constantly being squeezed inside their heads, which may result in aggressive behavior if not a constant headache. Very attractive dogs too.

Great intelligence, awesome allegiance. I have had 3 dobies and love each of them.

I have owned 3 in my lifetime. They are the most loyal dog breed to walk the planet.

The most loyal and dedicated beautiful dogs alongside pit bulls. I owned three during my lifetime and they are great for everyone to own. Easy to train too!

have raised for 20 years now. they are the most intelligent, loyal, loving, protective, obediant dog i have ever been around... And i have been around alot of dogs. SIMPLY PUT WE LOVE THESE DOGS AND HAVE SIX OF THEM RIGHT NOW!!

tough dog i love it have one along with pomeranian

i was taught to fear them. i'm not sure why because all the ones that i've known are friendly and gentle. they are protectors, too. i think that's a fine quality.

I've had a couple of dobies and just love them. They are so sweet natured and easy going. They have a bad reputation. Like most dogs depends on how you raise them.

Beautiful, intelligent, loving, loyal, athletic, protective, noble and versatile. What more could you want in a dog?

I'm sure there are a lot of good-natured Dobies out there, but the few that I've come across weren't too friendly. I try to stay away from them.

I think these dogs, like Rotties, get a kind of bad reputation based on their looks. Yes, some are probably aggressive and very territorial - due to training and/or disposition. But, the only one I ever knew was a big baby who just wanted to chase a ball and sit on my lap.

Dobermanns are really loyal and they are very good guard dogs. I have 2 dobermanns named ebony and lucky, they are really good and dobermanns mostly like people that live with them, they really don;t take to strangers well and they don't like it when my friend ashley comes over. They only bark at certian people and they can be possesive.

Yes, Dobermann's are perceived as aggressive and is a terror but you can't really judge until you own one. Our family dog (our first and current) is one and HE IS THE SWEETEST THING IN THE WORLD. Wild and active he would love to have a nice pat after a long walk, he can be good inside the household just as long as it is properly trained. Loyal and distinctive, the image I'm talking about awhile ago is really helpful in protecting your homes. :)

What a superb looking breed of dog the Doberman is. I haven't ever owned one but I have met a couple and they were absolutely the sweetest dogs I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. Before this I think I was like most, believing these dogs to be the 'bad asses' that they are portrayed to be in the movies, but when I met the couple Dobes that I did it completely changed my view. I've already decided that my next dog will probably be a Doberman. A word of caution to those considering the breed is that they are a very intelligent dog and do not respect 'abuse'. Treating them with respect allows them to treat you with respect and if you're inexperienced in training dogs this probably wont be the breed for you. They require gentle discipline and consistency that only their Alpha can provide. Without this they will undoubted think they are Alpha and you will end up with a problem (just as you would with a lot of breeds).

These dogs are actually really nice, people sometimes make judgement on apperance but looks can be decieving!