My doberbody is gone...

[sirenmoses]

Some of ya'll met my doberdogs on that Cedro run... Will has passed away.

Linkies: https://forum.ih8mud.com/chit-chat-...kervilles-i-am-febr-18-2004-may-1-2009-a.html

Sweet Will - Dog Show News Network Forums

This is the third dog in just less than 3 years, and the 4th in 6 years. Not making any decisions this week, but definately re-assessing some things...

A snap from our walk about 5 hours before he passed...

 

[marcfj60]

Sorry to hear about your loss Carol. I've been in this situation many times as well and understand the grief you're experiencing.

 

[2manycruisers]

I never met Will but hopefully he lived a long happy life. My aussie turned 14 last week. Every day I smile to see her up and wandering around.

 

[Rudical]

Sorry to hear that Carol. I would offer you one of mine, but I think back to the times when I thought they got out and one where they did, I was walking the streets, yelling "Who loves Daddy" (they always come to me for that). I think the neigberhood thought I was nuts!

 

[DanS HJ-45]

That sucks Carol. I still cringe when I think of how it felt when each of our sled dogs passed.

On the plus side, it sounds like he passed happily, if he was out on a walk only hours before he went.

Dan

 

[sirenmoses]

Thanks folks. He did pass happily, if too soon, right smack in the middle of living his life & doing his thing. As I said when his brother dropped: We should all be so lucky.

I've still got Ms Bella, the dog on the right in the 1st shot. We're both sad, and she wasn't real happy with me going off to work yesterday, but I know that time will help ease our hearts.

Part of the reassessment is whether or not to use this opportunity to make some life changes: committing to second dog (as I did a month after each of my others passed) has the obvious benefits of keeping the 1st one (and myself) entertained, etc, but I kinda miss my old life, the one where I could just throw some gear on the motorcycle & take off for a week....

 

[sirenmoses]

I was walking the streets, yelling "Who loves Daddy"

Good thing you don't live near Central....

I think the neigberhood thought I was nuts!

Musta been like the looks all you manly 4wheeln men gave me when I was sweet-talking the dobers during breaks tween bouncing they heads off the cargo glass.

 

[marcfj60]

Is this condition common with Dobers (in the same way that German Shepherds have hip problems) or just a terrible coincidence?

 

[sirenmoses]

Is this condition common with Dobers (in the same way that German Shepherds have hip problems) or just a terrible coincidence?

It's one of the dirty little secrets in the Doberman world. Folks were so into litter-ally pimping their dogs out that young dogs were heavily campaigned & bred before a clear picture of their health conditions could manifest.

My guys go back to a prominant dog named Thunder, whose sire made it to at least age 9. (Thunder's page on the breeders site Our Past - Thunder | Soquel Dobermans lists almost 90 champions sired by him, including 8 belonging to one of the foremost names in dobermans, the Marienburg kennel).

Breeders are now starting to advertise that their dogs have been Holter tested, which is a 24hr EKG, doesn't prove that the dog is anything but clear the day of the test. Reputable breeders are calling for and supporting more research, along with AKC, into Dilated Cardiomyopathy, but many breeders are afraid to make the results of their dogs known.

"DCM also affects Irish wolfhounds, Scottish Deerhound, Boxer, Afghan hound, Old English Sheepdog, Great Danes, Dalmatians, Newfoundlands, and Saint Bernards are common breeds. English and American cocker spaniel breeds and Portuguese water dogs also develop DCM." from Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs (DCM)

I could go on, but that's prolly WAY more than anybody on here wanted to know. There are at least 2 littermates of Logan and Will with anxious humans awaiting the diagnosis, and ultimate outcome.

FWIW, if I stay with purebred dobers, this dog will prolly be the sire of my next pup: Ch. Logres' Tungsten. His breeder and owner are both VERY committed to educating about and learning how to prevent/erradicate DCM in dobermans. Ironically, his owner has the human version, kinda like the cutie in Will Smith's movie "Seven Pounds".

 

[evanz80]

Carol -

Very, very sorry to hear your sad news. I've been out of touch for a week or so, at Moab and trying to get caught up since then, so I'm a little late on my condolences. As I always say, dogs are people too, and they definitely become members of the family. Cherish your happy memories.

Evan

 

[sirenmoses]

Thanks Evan, I know you've recently gone through the same sadness, so your condolences mean quite a lot.

 

[2manycruisers]

If we could all be so lucky to go quickly, yes, but untimely is sad to hear. How old was he?

 

[sirenmoses]

5 young years. He'd lived with me for the past 2 years, after his first human decided she didn't need him to be her service dog anymore. My boy Logan arrived in the same car with him, and we often had playdates, sleepovers, and weeklong dog-sitting time with him, so I've known him since 10 weeks old.