Dotty was found as a stray and appeared to be heavily bred from and it was evident that she had experienced a challenging past. Her initial fear and anxiety suggested that she had faced some very difficult circumstances.
However, as time went on, Dotty began to place her trust in us, revealing her true nature – an incredibly affectionate and loving dog. She has been reactive to sudden stimuli like fast cars, cyclists, or other dogs. On rare occasions, she even redirected her fear towards her handlers. It’s important to note that this behaviour stemmed from fear rather than aggression.
What is remarkable about Dotty is her potential for transformation. With the right care and attention, her anxiety can be managed, allowing her to relax in various situations. When she’s at ease, she’s absolutely adorable and has become a cherished favourite among our kennel team and volunteers.
Our dedicated team has been diligently working with Dotty, and the progress we’ve witnessed lately is nothing short of incredible. She’s even taken up solo cani-cross running, where she thrives in the harness, racing ahead with the wind in her hair. We’ve taken her to large parkland areas, gradually introducing her to the sights and sounds of people, children playing, and dogs in the vicinity. It’s been heartening to watch her transition from fear to curiosity in response to these stimuli.
We’re now in search of a special and experienced home for Dotty, where she can continue her remarkable journey of conquering her fears and building her confidence. This process will require patience and time from a dedicated individual who is willing to be by her side and take her steadily forward. The rewards of this journey will undoubtedly be immense. Dotty has faced disappointments in her life, and all we want is to find her a home where she’ll have every opportunity to thrive and blossom into the loving dog we’ve come to know through our team’s efforts.
Dotty was assessed by a qualified behaviourist on 19/5/23.
“Dotty greeted us in an excited manner but not over boisterous. She jumped up at the gate but showed no negative reaction. She greeted me in a prosocial manner and took a treat from me with no snatching.
I touched Dotty all over including ears, mouth, abdomen, tail, feet etc. She showed some wariness when I touched her hindquarters but there was no negative behaviour, she did try to move away from my touch, but did recover quickly and took treats.
She did not pull on the lead and walked past a dog at a suitable distance, her recall is poor.
Kennel staff report that Dotty has an issue with proximity to other dogs, she did pass dogs calmly while on the lead, and she also passed other dogs without reaction on exiting the kennel.
Dotty was happy to greet me and showed very good impulse control.
Dotty was motivated by the treats and toys but was not over-excited, she fetched a ball and brought it back to me for a treat, but she was easily distracted.
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the lowest her reactivity was a 1
Although the kennel staff reported that she can react and redirect onto the handler I did not observe this, she behaved calmly when traffic went past.
Dotty was happy to release the ball or the tug toy and enjoyed playing. There was no guarding behaviour, and she did not snatch treats.
In summary
Dotty is trainable and new owners will need to work on focus and recall. She has good impulse control but does show some nervousness and is easily distracted.
I did not observe any negative behaviour, but the kennel staff indicate that she would be better as an only dog.
She engaged with me very well.”
Dotty video.
Dotty Video
Her new home must be with a Dobermann experienced adopter who is willing to ensure Dotty prospers, with no children and no other dogs or pets in the house. Are you the experienced person who can offer Dotty her forever home? If so please fill out an application form and we would love to hear from you.