Dobermans

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Would appreciate some words of advice from anyone with any experience of the breed.
My boy, typical to doberman form, is incredibly clumsy. He runs SO fast that sometimes he looses his balance and falls over. Normally thats fine as he falls into the sofa/grass but a few months ago he fell onto the concrete patio. He was slightly 'unsound' for a few days (bruised his hip) and then was fine again.
Today he was playing and fell over onto a lino floor. Is again unsound, but fell on a different place to before, think it is his 'cannon bone' this time as there is a little heat there - nothing major, no swelling, lets me touch it all over.
I don't want any medical advice - I have checked him over and he is okay just a little sore. Am giving him limited exercise and trying to stop him from running - near on impossible! He should be sound in a couple of days, if not i'll give the vet a ring and ask for some advice. I just wondered if they ever really grow out of being clumsy. He is 7 so hardly a puppy but I think somebody forgot to tell him that!
Anybody got any experience of similar silly doberman clumsiness (He is so clumsy that he has run into doors before the silly boy!) and how did you deal with it?

 

[maggiesmum]

Yep! My ex in-laws used to breed them and i'm afraid they don't appear to get any less clumsy with age. I watched a mother & daughter (5&9 at the time) both charge for the same small gap between the TV & a chair - needless to say they had to buy a new TV the following day.
The only thing that ever helped was lots of exercise & mental stimulation so that they were too tired to charge around indoors! Also check your dog food for colourings & preservatives - bit like kids & 'E' numbers.
Oh yeah, and I'd keep them away from patio doors too! They pretty good at removing the whole thing including the frame if they're not sure its closed.

 

[lady_annabelle]

yeah we always had dobermans try lots of excercise and lots of stuff for him to do in the house then they can work off abit of energy our bitch got better the more mentally stimulated she was. agree with watching patio doors

 

[Sprout]

I have a 3 year old Dobie, and she is always slipping over in the house, somersaulting out in the fields, falling up the patio steps, and despite the fact that she has the fields to roar around in, she still manages to hit me at full speed no matter where I am standing!

She is incredibly destructive, with her teeth, paws and body, and seems to have no awareness of her surroundings or self preservation!

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

Not sure about dobbies, although they do always seem lollopy! but if it makes you feel any better my border collie (agility, fly ball, working etc breed!) Is the worlds biggest cluts!! no awareness of himself or anything!!!

Managed to jump THROUGH a green house pain of glass after a ball, was like O WOOPS!

Hope your boys legs are ok though