Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My name is Tiffany. I'm 20 years old and live in Indiana with my mother, currently. I'm unemployed and don't go to college but I expect that to change soon. I know I'm going to get dogs once I get a job and get enough money to move out on my own. I'll also be going to college and voulenteering at a zoo or at Wolf Park here in indiana. That's why I was wondering if it would be a good idea for me to get dogs...I've always said that I'd have enough time for them with everything that I'm doing, and it isn't an option not to get at least one dog...It's impossible for me to go without having one.

That's why I was thinking that getting more than one dog would be a good idea, sort of like a mini-pack so no one dog will be bored or upset that I'm not at home when I can't be there. As for breeds in this mini-pack, I was thinking a Siberian Husky, Doberman Pinscher and a White German Shepherd dog. That's why I'm posting on this board, to get information on the Doberman breed and to see if they'd work well with the other two. I also plan on posting on the other two forums. I was thinking of getting all the dogs from online sites...

Any thoughts, ideas, opinions on this idea? It's been with me for a long time. I'm thinking of getting all the dogs under two years of age, under a year if possible, two years max, though, so that they can get used to the other dogs. Along the road I also want a cat, rats, a snake and ferrets, but I plan on keeping all the animals apart unless I know they can be together.

I think your "plan" is rather ambitious. The idea is not to get dogs for each other but to get a dog or dogs for yourself and be able to devote the time they need to each one of them, not count on them to entertain each other.

One thing to know about Dobermans is that they often can be same sex aggressive. Males, in particular, will not tolerate living with another male dog over the long term. Some bitches can be same sex aggressive too but not to the extent that males generally are.

Dogs left together unsupervised may, in fact, fight. You may think they get along but spats can and do happen. "Packs" as you are calling it need direction, and that direction comes from you. When you're not there, spats are more likely to happen.

People stress about being away from their dogs and think the dog is so lonely without them. If you had a camera on a dog at home alone, you'd find them just sleeping most of the day, not worrying about you being away. Just getting rested for when you get home and can play.

I agree that this may be a bit ambitious. What I have done successfully (due to great advice from my breeder) was to get a female puppy first. When she was around 1 year old, I got a male. She was old enough to know she was above him in the pecking order, he was young enough to accept that without question. I didn't wait any longer because I didn't want her to get too adjusted to life on her own where she didn't have to share anything.

Still, every once in a while my male would have enough of her bullying (usually over a bone or toy) and they'd get in a fight-then it would be off to the vet to get her some stitches.

A third dog would greatly complicate the pecking order and you would probably see even more fights and tantrums- especially with two males (a no-no for novices in the Doberman world).

Also, keep in mind that if you get two (or three) dogs at the same time, they are not dependent on you for attention and affection and you are often the third wheel. If you space it out a little bit you would (1) be able to see if you can handle even one puppy- let alone three, and (2) be able to bond with the first, then the second, etc. so that they look to you first to fulfill their needs, and not just one another.