ROTFL - People were always asking what my last mixed-breed dog was. She was a Shepherd/Collie mix (we think) - looked like a small Belgian Turv. Pretty little thing. Anyway, my standard answer was "She's a Bulgarian Weasel Hound. I had her specially imported to help deal with the rogue ferret population in the Hampton Roads area."

Still can't believe how many "That's what I thought"s I got!

Amber and Will. You've giving me some ideas on how to respond to the people who ask me what my coated GSD is! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Or you could try to remember that some people really do love dogs, may think they know what they are doing, or may be a novice like me, and would like to try to understand some training tips? Just a thought.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I totally understand the misconceptions that abound about certain breeds these days. I recently took my Dobe puppy to my sons grade 6 class for some 'double duty' - get puppy socialized AND teach kids some important doggy stuff. I had to have permission from the school principal to bring a 'dangerous' breed to school (he was 3.5 months old at the time, and I'm pretty sure couldn't have held his own against the kindergartens, never mind a grade 6) Anyway, I was asked some very sad questions. The one the popped into my mind upon reading these threads is this. "I know it's true those dogs (dobermann's) will kill and eat a man."
This from a child who apparently did a project on the breed for his class last year!!!
I was asked about 'fighting him in a ring' as well as "would I put him up against a bull mastiff?"
The misconceptions these kids had about my poor little man were appalling!
The teacher (fellow large breed fan) allowed me extra time with the class to explain things to them. By the time we left my son AND our dog had 27 new best friends!!

Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you

Hi Leanne, i know what you mean.
I have a dobie, she wouldn't hurt a fly. A friend of ours has a tiny dog that will growl at my girl to get food, and my Dobe will move and let it have some (not scared, just looking more like, "pfff" go for it mate.)
When people ask me what dog i have, and i say Dobermann the response is generally very weird.

Even at the OB classes I have people who will either pick up their puppy and scale walls to avoid the big bad dobe, or just freeze in place till I get him past their dog. I usually stop in front of them and ask them to help me socialize my puppy by approaching and petting him...te he he he <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I admit I get a chuckle out of the pasty color some of those faces turn <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Of course it really helps when he goes off like a big drama queen. "He just wants to play!"

When I first brought my pup to the local Petco puppy Kindergarten for socialization everyone (pups included) was afraid of my pup!! They would pick up their little lap dogs to save them from my boisterous GSD pup. Inturn, he would bark to illicit play, which woudl scare them even further.

Well, now he is the only dog in the class that can perform the commands (something I didn't expect him to do - just there for socialization) and 1 couple let their little pup play with mine and all of the sudden there were whisper and oohs and ahhs in the crowd.

People started saying "look at how that big Shepherd is playing with the little pup. He is so gentle and careful." Now he is the star of the class.

There are 2 little dogs in the class that are nasty as can be. My pup has learned to ignore them, and theya re afraid of him anyhow.

My Dobe pup is very boisterous too, he plays all day with my GSD male, and he can really ramp up. I walk him around town and he is a good boy, no pulling allowed, he sits, and is learning down. Anyway, I have a couple of folks with dogs on the street that don't have control of their dogs, luckily they are small dogs. I walk Jack down the street and they always come flying out barking, it was sort of upsetting to Jack at first, but then I decided to bring Luke, my GSD along. Jack sees Luke just ignore those little dogs and now he does the same thing, just snubbs them.