Ethel and Agility Training
🐾 It's #TrainingTuesday 🐾 and today, we’re spotlighting one of our wonderful adopters and her talented girl, Ethel (formerly Ziva)!
Doberman Underground requires all adopters to enroll their new dog in a training class with a professional trainer within two months of adoption. While some applicants may think their experience makes additional training unnecessary, we know from experience that every dog has unique needs, and training is key to successful adoptions.
Not only does training provide valuable socialization, but it strengthens the bond between the dog and adopter. Dobermans are a working breed and training gives them the challenge and job they crave. From basic obedience to therapy work, tricks, agility, scent work, and even dock diving—there’s a training path for every personality.
Today, we’re thrilled to share Ethel’s journey in agility! Her adopter writes: “Two years ago, Ethel bounced into our home—an enthusiastic, high-energy Doberman with boundless curiosity and no formal training. It was clear from the start that Ethel craves learning and has a tireless appetite for it! While other dogs might lose focus during class, Ethel is just getting warmed up. Agility has been the perfect challenge for her brilliant mind!
Every week, we tackle new obstacles and commands, and it’s so rewarding to see her excel. Agility is not just about the obstacles; it’s about teamwork and learning to communicate better. We’re having a blast, and the joy on both our faces says it all!”
Great job, Kerri and Ethel! Training is so much more than obedience—it’s a foundation for building lifelong trust, fun, and growth! 🐾
🐾 #TrainingTuesday Update with Bruce! 🐾
Today, we’re taking the next step in Bruce’s journey. After trying out a prong collar, we realized it wasn’t the best fit for him. There are so many tools to choose from, and finding the right one for each dog is key! Now, we’re working with Drew at @TheK9Expert to start e-collar training. 💪
The e-collar is being used to help Bruce stay in the “heel” position and not stray off. Down the road, we’ll also use it for recall training. We’re starting at a very low stimulation level to make sure Bruce isn’t overwhelmed. It’s so important that he understands the command before the collar is used as reinforcement, and we always pair it with positive reinforcement to boost his confidence.
At first, Bruce was unsure and tried to run off from the light stimulation, but it didn’t take long for him to get the hang of it! He’s now walking confidently with the long leash trailing behind, checking in with Drew for direction. Every day, we see his confidence growing! 🐶💙
Training two dogs as different as Oliver and Bruce can be a challenge, but we’re up for it! We’re so lucky to have Drew’s expertise to tailor our approach to the needs of each dog.
Stay tuned for more #TrainingTuesday adventures and watch Bruce and Oliver’s progress! 🙌
#DobermanUnderground #DogTraining #ECollarTraining #TrainingJourney #thek9expert
🔹It's #TrainingTuesday 🔹
We're so proud of Joey and the progress he has made. Both with his foster family and @TheK9Expert with Drew and Andrea. So many distractions while you work on holding your dog's attention. Here Joey is working on "place" and we think he's just about perfect! Every day we see his confidence grow and this is helping him reach his full potential.
Place is a command you can use absolutely everywhere! Example: Does you dog rush the door when visitors arrive? Teaching the place command will eliminate that struggle!
What do you feel your most useful command is? Drop a note below!
Follow our training journey with Oliver, Bruce, and Joey! #thek9expert #dogtrainingtips
Hardware stores are dog friendly and provide a great venue for training.
🚨 It's #TrainingTuesday 🚨
Today’s special guest trainee is Joe Bob, or as we call him, Joey! You may remember him from his Welcome Post—he came to us from an Amish puppy mill. Joey has a unique cleft that doesn't need fixing, and after successful entropion surgery, his eyelid is healed! Now, we’re helping him gain the confidence he needs to get ready for adoption.
Andrea at @TheK9Expert jumped in and started working with him right away. She says he’s the most amazing boy! 🥰
Andrea tells us they didn’t put Joey on a prong collar right away. It’s a tool thatmust be used carefully and appropriately. Once we was with them for a week, they introduced it to help teach basic leash skills and behavioral corrections. When walking him, we correct skittish behavior *not* by yelling or shaming, but by showing him where he needs to be. Teaching heel helps dogs like Joey understand their job, giving them clear guidance.
With skittish dogs, it’s tempting to overcompensate with love and affection, but what they truly need is strong, confident leadership. Joey needs an Alpha to help him become the strong dog we know he can be. 💪 After that, it’s all about love, affection, and praise! 🎉
Thank you to @TheK9Expert for helping Joey grow stronger every day. We can’t wait to see him blossom even more on his path to his forever home! 🌟 #DobermanUnderground #thek9expert
Tinkerbell
It’s #WelcomeWednesday, and oh, what a magical tale we have for you today! Meet our little pixie, Tiny Tinkerbell! 🌟
Once upon a time, a shelter called us in desperation. They had 37 dogs in danger of losing their chance at life unless someone swooped in to save them. We rushed to the rescue, intending to pick up a 35lb Doberman (her story is coming earlier at 6:30am!), but then, like a lost star falling from the sky, a tiny pup appeared—a 3-4 week old baby found all alone, lying by her mother who had crossed the bridge to Neverland. No other pups in sight, just this little sprite, waiting for her next chapter.
And as we always say, "We don’t leave any dogs behind!" So, with a sprinkle of love and a dash of magic, Tinkerbell flew home with us alongside her new companion, Tillie the Doberman. 🐾
Tinkerbell is growing stronger every day. From bottle feeding to mastering her grool mix, this little fairy is learning to fly! Keep your eyes on her journey, as in just a month, she’ll be ready to find a family to call her very own forever home. 🏡✨
This is just the beginning of Tinkerbell’s grand adventure—stay tuned, because with a bit of pixie dust, she’s bound to soar!
📣It is Finding Foster Families Friday 📣
We are always hopeful the amount of animals in need will decrease, however, that is sadly not the case. Rescues and shelters are overcrowded and beyond capacity. Although we truly try to help as many as we can, we are unable to do that without a home for the dog to start their journey to their "fur-ever".
Whether you can help short or long term, please consider helping these precious pups that ask for nothing but LOVE.
You can simply fill out a foster application at www.dudobes.org.
We have a wonderful group of volunteers that are here to support you every step of the way of this rewarding and heart filled experience ❤️.
Joey has come along way
If you remember our Amish dog, Joe Bob (Joey), you'll be thrilled to hear about his incredible progress over the past two months in his foster home.
Joey, who had never seen a car before, has mastered getting in and driving in a car like a pro. This Amish dog, who was once unfamiliar with the noise of TVs, microwaves, and the bustle of kids, has discovered that living in a home is pretty great.
Imagine an 18-month-old dog who had never been on a leash or heard commands like SIT, and now he's doing both with ease. Joey has truly come a long way, and his greatest comfort comes from being part of a pack. He takes his cues and finds solace from the other dogs in the home.
When we start looking for a forever home for Joey, it will be with a family that has some great canine companions to continue helping him thrive.
Joey’s journey is a testament to the power of love, patience, and the joy of being part of a caring pack. Stay tuned for more updates on Joey and his search for the perfect forever home!
