Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Good with kids,
Good with dogs,
Needs experienced adopter,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
Athena is a purebred fawn Doberman who was rescued from the Devore shelter in December, where she was brought in as an emaciated stray who had recently been bred. She is a petitie Dobie, and will weigh about 60 lbs at her optimal weight. She is fully vetted, spayed, vaccinated, and has basic obedience/manners training, but will need a home with some dog training experience (or willing to learn) to continue her training. She currently lives with a large male Doberman and 3 small female dogs. She is very playful with dogs, and adores all people. Like many fawn Dobermans, she has skin and coat issues that will need lifelong special care, and possibly a special diet. She may be allergic to chicken and eggs. Her coat is in decent shape right now, but she will need weekly medicated baths/spray/oil, and will likely always have some bald spots. She needs a sweater in winter , as her hair is very thin. I will only be considering homes for her that can demonstrate that they will take these needs seriously- both her training and skin care.
Now to the fun stuff- Athena is a total dork and a total love. She is clumsy, energetic, loves hiking, playing fetch, chasing other dogs, grooming other dogs, and chilling on the couch with her people. She has no sense of body awareness and thinks she is a lap dog, making for some akward moments on the couch. She will lay right on top of you, and right on top of other dogs. She knows the commands sit, wait, take it nice, go potty, and bed. She is reliably potty trained. She is a typical stubborn, sensitive, and very intelligent Doberman, and you will do best with her if you have experience with intelligent working breeds. She corrects very easily and is eager to please, but does have a mind of her own. She is very apologetic and wags her little stub a mile a minute when verbally corrected for bad choices and is very sensitive. She sleeps in a crate at night but isn't thrilled about it. If you leave her home alone in a crate, she will tear up her bed into a zillion pieces of fluff. I leave her alone uncrated in my home for hours at a time, and she is fine. She needs daily exercise and chewing stimulation, so you'll need a yard, time for walks, and a good supply of bully sticks and marrow bones. She is not a dog that can be left in the backyard all day, she is extremely social and needs to be with people or have dog friends. Dobermans are not low maintenance dogs, but whatever you put into them they will give back to you tenfold. They are an amazing breed that we have owned for over 30 years.
Athena is great with kids but can get a bit overexcited sometimes and jump on people, this just needs correction . She walks perfectly on leash with a prong collar, not so great with a flat collar. She gets a bit nervous on walks around barking dogs and cars, and needs more patient practice with walking calmly in new areas. My son takes her for off-leash hikes with a remote collar and she does fine staying with him. She is still very much a silly puppy at about 18 months of age but can easily calm down and relax when told to.
She is microchipped and has been dewormed and treated for ear mites. Currently her coat is thin, patchy but very soft, but prone to areas of dryness and minor yeast and bacterial infections similar to acne. She does get itchy sometimes. She is absolutely gorgeous and so much fun, and will make the most devoted companion for an owner who is committed to taking the time to train and care for her properly. She does bark, but not excessively- she has a huge bark/howl that is much bigger than her little body and sounds like a coyote crossed with a foghorn.
Athena is a rare gem and I will only be considering the best homes for her. Please do not apply for her unless you are serious about committing yourself to her skin, coat, food, exercise, and training needs. Plus her need for lots of full body cuddles and play time ! She will do best with another playful medium-large sized dog in the home, preferably a male, but she gets along with females as well- females just tend to have more problems living together than male/female.
The best way to inquire about Athena is to email me directly at beckeric@earthlink.net . Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you have on her, then I can send you an adoption application if you are interested.
Thank you for rescuing!
