Today my darling wife drove 300 miles to pick up Valkerie, the newest member of our family. Valkerie is a 7 week old Dobie and she is very precocious. The Weiner dog welcomes her with open paw; George, on the other hand, is less than excited to have another female addition to the family. Pictures coming as soon as she sends them to me (I'm in Ft. Lauderdale bidding another job in the Bahamas).
That's great news SC. I know you will really enjoy her. Make sure you get plenty of sleep because you'll have to stay sharp to keep up with Dobie smarts. Docked and cropped?
Most breeders crop between 7 and 12 weeks. If you decide to crop, be prepared for a lot of work. Posting the ears is a 4-5 month process that requires weekly re-posting and sometimes, more often if the they become loose or ragged. If you got the pup from a breeder, they usually will handle the cropping and get you started with posting. A lot of people go for the 'natural' uncropped look and the two opinions get pretty vehement about their opinions. If you thought the SM group were opinionated, try a Dobie forum and you'll really see opinions and rudeness prevail. I got both Ninja anTaj as very young pups and went through the posting with them. Ninja's turned out great but Taj's were less classic. It just made him look like his own man. Since I've never been interested in showing, it never mattered to me. Apollo is a 2 yr old rescue who's ears were already done.
Congrats SC. I know you'll love the new addition. And RH is right about Dobie smarts. They will amaze you sometimes. My female was digging holes in the yard, and killing gophers, but made the lawn look like a battlefield. My Dad told me how to break her of it, put some mouse traps in a few of the holes, once she got ahold of one she wouldn't do it again. Might work on a normal dog. But not a Dobie. I came home and all the mouse traps were chewed to pieces. I set some more and went inside to watch. She would get a few feet from one and dig dirt, throwing it on the trap until it snapped, then she would chew it up! As for the ears IIRC vets usually recommend around 3 months. I haven't had a new pup in years. The last two of mine were rescues. The last one, the hole digger, came from the local pound. Full blood, papered, and beutiful. The people who had her wanted a guard dog for thier business and she was too loving and gentle for them. If they knew anything at all about the breed they would have known that once they accept you as family, or thier pack, they will defend you to the death. People equate viscious with protection. Not so. All the ones I have had were naturally protective of us and the home. When my daughter was a toddler the female we had then would follow her everywhere she went and when my daughter would sit down the dog would lay down beside her and nuzzle her in next to it like a pup. God help anyone, or thing that tried to hurt that baby. I think you'll be very happy with yours. Another story, I moved from Calif. to Colorado in the 80's and was going to stay with my dad for awhile. He didn't think his female lab and my dobie would get along so I asked my brother, who lived in Las Vegas at the time, if he would kep her for me until I got my own place. He had been broken into twice and was glad for the security. We arrived there in the afternoon and spent the night. He got up and went to work and we left shortly after. That night when he returned home the dog wouldn't let him in the house!! It took him an hour of letting her sniff his hand and sweet talking before she would let him in. He kept her for me for 3 months and never had another break in. One week after I got her back someone broke in.
Two short stories - I got Apollo 2 months ago and my youngest granddaughter brought him a plastic hamburger as a welcome gift. Later that night, I tossed the toy across the room and when he brought it back to me, I said "burger." That one time was all he needed. From that moment on, if I say "burger," he'll search the house high and low to find that toy and bring it to me so we can play fetch. A few years ago, on a summer night, I was in my kitchen with only the screen door closed. I was pretty scantily clad but the house was in the woods and couldn't be seen from the road so, with 2 Dobies and privacy, I was never concerned. About 10pm, the pups started pacing and were starting to get agitated when suddenly, a man appeared at the door out of no where and said he was out of gas - did I have any? The dogs went wild, barking and lunging at the door. I never told then to quiet down, just yelled over the noise that I didn't have any but would call someone for him if he gave me a number. As he leaned against the door frame, I thought Taj would go right through the screen while Ninja sat at my feet, never taking her eyes off the guy, with her lips curled, teeth beared, growling lowdly. The guy just yelled, "Lady, call your dogs off" He quickly decided the gas (if that's what he was really after) wasn't worth the risk and left but it was hours before the pups settled down.
Bug says that George (my female golden retriever) is not doing well with the new puppy. She walks ten feet around it and growls every time the pup tries to approach her. Other than that, she says the pup is adjusting well and has laid claim to the weiner dog as playmate. I told Bug to put one of her T-shirts that she has worn, in the pup's bed so that she sleeps with her scent and imprints it early. I sure hope George learns to accept her soon.
Great picture of George and the weiner dog. I hope you can get some shot of that cute little dobie nose and the wiggle butt.
The breed characteristics seem to be fusing between the three and they have morphed into a single Golden Weinermon Pincher; quite an interesting breed unto it's self!
