What's Missing?

Mike has grown increasingly frustrated with his new Doberman puppy. Not only has she completely stopped accepting treats or play of any kind during teaching, her potty training has reversed as well. Where once she had learned quite quickly to go to the bathroom outside, she now pees every time Mike goes to pet her.This further confuses Mike. He is familiar with dogs. He recognizes the excessive peeing as a sign of fear, but he does not understand where it is coming from.

To be clear, Mike was very careful to never shout or behave aggressively towards his Doberman puppy in any manner no matter how frustrated he got. So why was it that her fearful behavior was getting worse?

Never Say Never

Where Susan had a Doberman with an A-type, alpha personality, Mike's puppy is exhibiting that of D-type, timid behavior. It is important to note that a once timid puppy can become a very confident adult, this can only be done with a tailored environment and training specifically designed to improve upon the puppy's confidence level.

Side Note: A Doberman's confidence level can improve with age, it is key to remember that continued personality assessments will be necessary before a dog can be trained in specialized work. Critically, if their scores do not improve, they would be best suited as family pets only and not work dogs.

Unless Mike fully realizes the puppy's behavioral needs, he's never going to be able to maximize his Doberman's potential. To troubleshoot this, let me add some details to this scenario.See if you can discover where Mike could have gone wrong.

The Profound Impact of Small and Simple Things

Mike is a rugged, tall, full-grown man with a naturally deep voice. He lives in his own house on a farm with pigs, horses, cows, chickens, etc. Furthermore, he has grown up with dogs all of his life. Primarily owning mastiffs, Huskies, and a Great Pyrenees.

While these extra details may seem trivial. Let me expound on how this could be a recipe for disaster when dealing with a D-type Doberman puppy.To start, notice that Mike lives on a farm with much larger animals than just dogs and chickens. Cows, pigs and horses are all creatures that require respect and a confident hand. Then add to the fact that Mike has delt with independent-natured dogs all of his life.

Furthermore, life on a farm in general requires a hard-working, no-nonsense attitude. As a result, Mike is not used to the depth of human behavior that Dobermans automatically respond to.Does this mean that in order for Mike to bond with his Doberman, he must walk softer with hunched shoulders and force his voice an octave higher? Absolutely not. The very things that make Mike intimidating can be used to build up the confidence of his Doberman.To explain, Mike's puppy is exhibiting D-type behavior because she feels insecure. Furthermore, she can tell that he is not happy with her but does not understand why. As a result, her anxiety increases.

What's worse, the large animals on the farm heighten her unease. Having no where to look for protection and comfort, her stress continues to escalate.

Critical Psychological Corrections

First of all, Mike's attitude about his Doberman needs to completely reverse. Much like a child depends upon the strong support of their parents, a Doberman needs to know that you believe in them.

If you think they're going to be a failure = they'll reflect your attitude
If you think they're going to be an average dog = they'll reflect your attitude
If you believe in them with your whole soul = they'll reflect your attitude

In Summary

Because Mike's personality is so strong, his Doberman is going to respond to him with the most minimal of body language. She's going to know when he's upset with one word or even just a look. So scolding her needs to be done very carefully.On the other hand, the part of him that makes Mike so intimidating can also be used to spread security and confidence in his Doberman.

Once she realizes that Mike is proud of her. That Mike believes in her, and loves her, she's going to learn her own sense of confidence and reflect his strength.

To put it simply, timid dogs need more praise and less correction. While you should never let them get away with bad behavior, you must always use caution that you are not over-correcting them.

Nurturing Confidence in a Softer Doberman

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