From what I gather, they generally have:
- high drive, unless you acquire a dog from strictly conformation linesI don't think so, sure some are hyper, but usually they are pretty mellow dogs with a major dober whine! They love to run and play, but can be just as comfortable sleeping in the house. I would say 2 hours of play a day would be good for a dobie, but that's if you have a hyper one. My Maggie is just as content to lay on the couch all day, however if I were to encourage play she'd more than likely follow along! She also has her zoomie moments which are just to cute! lol
- high protective instinctsI think even though Dobies were bred as personal guard dogs it all depends on the doberman itself. I wouldn't say a Doberman is as protective as a caucasian but if they saw their owner being harrased I'm sure they would come to their defense! Once a guy walked into our house without permission and Maggie was right there as quiet as a mouse, teeth bared, and watching the guy. Then my mom came in and Maggie stopped showing her teeth but instead went by my niece and didn't leave her side. Other than that I've never heard of Maggie being protective, she will however sometimes patrol the perimeter of the yard, But I rarely see her do that.
- an undeniable need for obedience classesNot true. Maggie, Mandy( my mom's friend's dog), and Jenn's Kizmet haven't gone to an obediance class. We've trained them ourselves and they are all fine dogs. While obediance class can be a good thing for socialization, it isn't needed if you know what your doing.
- a need for an experienced owner (this is what I'm slightly concerned about)If you are an experienced dog owner that's a plus. They need a firm hand(not actually a hand, Dobermans can be very sensitive).
- an intolerance for same-gender households (another concern)I'm not to sure about that. Maggie has lived with plenty of females in this house and she has not had a problem with any of them. Mandy however did go after Maggie a couple of times, but it was more of a dominance thing than anything else. That's why Mandy was placed in a home with no other dogs.