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Reply To: Doberman: Diet and Hyperactivity

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Acroyali
Member

Another thought–

Even if you have already, have you considered enrolling her in a basic obedience class? Not because it sounds like your dog doesn’t know the basics of sit, down, come, etc, but when the excitement level hits it’s like she loses what she knows (it happens to a LOT of dogs at that teenager age.) A class situation is good with a dog who already understands the basic words, as the challenge comes with teaching her to respond even when something more interesting catches her attention. If you run into a snag, you’ll have a trainer right there to help you, in person.

I liken it to taking a kid to Disney World, sitting them down, and expecting them to do math homework. It’s probably not going to happen right away; there’s too much to see, do, hear, and way too much excitement. Now take a kid who has parents who work at Disney World, and the kid has spent a ton of time there and it’s boring and familiar. They’ll more than likely be able to do homework in the middle of the Magic Kingdom without batting an eye.

Please steer clear of medicating this dog to keep her “down.” In 10 years, you’ll miss the antics (or at least some of them.) Frustrating sometimes, but don’t give up and simply keep her drugged. It can be worked through, honest. And when she matures and calms on her own, you’ll have a very well trained companion to be your best friend for many, many years. It pays off!

You might even consider getting her into some kind of competitive venue to channel that energy into something positive. Most dogs really like things like flyball, agility, or rally obedience. You could try tracking or any kind of nosework games. Teach her silly parlor tricks to impress your friends. Dobermans weren’t bred to be couch potatoes, but are some of the most loyal dogs on the planet. DO something with her, and enjoy every minute of it!