By way of an introduction, let me tell you I enjoy training dogs. One of the purposes of my breeding programs is to produce easily trained dogs that enjoy learning. The communication and understanding between dog and handler are beautiful things. An obedience trained dog is more thoughtful and aware than an untrained dog, and I strongly recommend obedience training for all dogs and their owners. With large, strong dogs, such as Dobermans, it is an especially good thing! With the hunting dogs, obedience training makes for a more responsive, better handling dog in the woods. And it is awfully nice to have one you can call back to you and have him/her heel out of the woods.

Other types of training allow for more opportunities to utilize your dog to it’s fullest potential, and to see just what the dog can and will do. Tracking training, for example, is not really especially useful for the pet dog owner, but if the dog was born with a good nose, it is an enjoyable activity to persue, especially if you are an outdoorsy type of person to begin with. I also sincerely beleive that even a little formal tracking training teaches a treedog to use it's nose more efficiently then it would learn to on it's own. Agitation and protection work are very satisfying IF you have the right dog and it is done properly! I do not recommend this type of training for family pets and/or novice dog owners.

NOTE; I use the words ‘Dobermans’ and ‘Dobes’ because they are primarily what I (we) work with. Young dogs offered for sale are usually Dobermans, but other special individuals are occasionally available. We are hoping to have well-started and fully trained young Feists/Curs available in the near future as well. (We have some extremely promising just-started pups available now who are backing the adults on tree and have been working their own tracks since 12 weeks of age.)

The Puppy Program;

At around the time of weaning, Doberman puppies are encouraged to play tug-of-war with a rag. Feists/Curs are started on a squirrel tail. This is a wonderful indicator of each pup's tenacity and prey drive. Soon, they are allowed to play in the yard. They have already learned that coming when they are called is a very good thing. I call them constantly and praise them and pat them for a few moments (and sometimes even give them puppy snacks) before letting them get back to their playing. They enjoy the praise and attention (and puppy snacks!), so they like to come when they are called! This is all handled in a fun and games sort of way. They learn early that ‘training’ is fun, and that it causes lots of good things to happen to them. It is important for puppies to believe that training is a fun activity for them, and ours grow up learning through interaction with me (us), and a very positive association is made. This is true for our Dobermans AND for our hunting dogs.

Most of our puppies are sold prior to 18 weeks (~4 months) of age. I try to breed enough to keep a few good training prospects around, but sometimes this is not possible. I can not plan to keep too many because of the high amount of individual attention and interaction all of our dogs get, and I am already raising as many puppies as I am comfortable about being able to provide "The Best" for.

When a promising Doberman puppy actually stays long enough that it’s ears are all healed up and properly standing (usually by 18 weeks of age), it is trained to walk politely on a leash. No heeling, staying, auto-sits, or other obedience - Just to walk on a leash. often take them to places such as the mall, Convenience stores, the Town Square, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us for this. Here they are socialized to strangers and unexpected noises and occurrences. Real obedience work is started at this time.

Feists and Curs are started in the woods at about 9 weeks, as soon as the pre-promised puppies in the litter leave and I have fewer to supervise in the woods. We do not have to teach them to come on command as we do with the Dobermans, they just do. As with the Dobermans, if a promising treedog pup stays until about 18 weeks, it starts riding around to different places and meeting lots of new people. This is a great start for any pet dog, companion-hunter or future competition dog. We teach them to walk politely on a leash, sit, stay, down and come. We are not quite as emphatic with them as we are with the Dobermans because the Feists and Curs often take instruction as correction. They are, by nature, very compliant dogs.

*Note; I do not believe in ‘cookie training’ but I do acknowledge treats as having their place. Pups are never given treats as a reward or as a bribe - just as treats!

At 3 to 5 months of age, depending on the maturity level of the puppy, Doberman puppies will be tested for tracking ability and Feists/Curs will be started treeing. (Tracking and treeing ability are often evident prior to this time, but in such cases the test is a formality.) If the Doberman puppy is a good tracking prospect, it may be started in tracking training. If not, then it will be started in Obedience, assuming it has an appropriate attention span and maturity level at this time. (While the Feists and Curs have exceptional noses, we do not do alot of formal tracking training with them as we prefer for them to concentrate on following the scent of game.) Tracking work, when persued, continues on for 30+ days prior to the onset of obedience work. Obedience work usually starts at 5 - 8 months, depending on each individual puppy’s maturity level, weather or not tracking work was done, and how many individuals are currently in the program.

By approximately 8 - 10 months of age, a Doberman puppy has been trained in at least basic on-lead obedience and possibly in tracking. Feists and Curs are generally treeing nicely by this age as well. They have all been very well socialized to strangers, children, noisy public areas, and a wide variety of other things. Now they are young adults. This is a good dog for a family. It has learned how to learn, and has been brought up and trained properly. It is past or mostly past the destructive chewing that all puppies go through, and, if not already housetrained, it is at a stage where housetraining should be a breeze compared to the housetraining of a really young puppy. It has had all of it’s puppy shots, and all of it’s adult immunities against diseases have fully kicked in.

Note; I have encountered reservations among prospective young-adult dog owners concerning the dog's ability to adjust to and bond with a new owner during or after adolescence. This is truly not a problem with properly raised, trained and socialized animals. Consider guide dogs who are raised at the guide dog schools, live in foster homes for a year, then return to the guide dog schools for training, and are then placed with their new blind masters at approximately 18 months to 2 years of age. Likewise, police dogs are another good example, going from breeder to trainer to handler/partner with great adjustment and bonding..

At approximately one year of age, a Doberman puppy is formally tested for courage, prey drive, tenacity and combativeness. I already have a pretty good idea what the results will be, due to the amount of time I have already spent with this puppy training, observing and interacting with it, but the test results are definitely revealing!

Personal Protection dogs, Sport dogs and Law Enforcement prospects are definitively identified at this time and are started in a more advanced program. Milder puppies are continued into higher - level obedience until sold.

Obedience Trained Adolescents Available;

~*~Phantom's Golden Hawk is 1 year old w/f fawn/rust male. (DOB is 5/24/03.) This pup has shown exceptional drive and is about to start protection work. He is Obedience trained, crate trained and loves to play tug-of-war. His ears are cropped/standing and they look great. He is a Flint grandson and just an all-around special guy. $1,500.00 at current level of training.

Young Adults in Training - Beyond Basic Obedience;

This is a group of special individuals. These are young, healthy Dobes that have shown that they enjoy learning and have the characteristics of temperament that will enable them to continue on to more advanced forms of training, specifically agitation and bite-work.

Obedience becomes an obsession at this point, as an agitated dog MUST be an impeccably trained obedience dog, under complete control at all times. (This is one reason why this type of training is not recommended for family pets and/or novice dog owners! Safety and liability are others.)

Several of my breeding Dobes are given this type of training. (ALL have had at least some Obedience!)

Some of these trainees are kept for my breeding program or as personal pets, such as Rebel (W.W. Classic Vintage TT CGC), Legend (W.W. Classic Legend OFA CGC), Decthra (Herzogin Decthra vis Absoluta CGC), Flint (Phantom's U.S. Blues OFA CGC TT), Krystle (Phantom's Ragtime White CGC TT) and Drizzt (Phantom's Prodigy BH TT CGC OFA). Others are available for Personal and/or family protection, Schutzhund, Ring Sport and/or Law Enforcement work.

These Dobermans are all moderately to highly aggressive due to their genetic endowment. Obedience training adds considerable confidence and self-esteem to a good dog. Protection work teaches it that it is invincible. Proper handling teaches it that it is the beta, you are the alpha, and nobody else matters.

The real issue here is whether or not there are going to be children and strangers around this dog. Somebody capable of controlling it will need to be supervising admittance of any non-family member or infrequently visiting friend. The assertiveness of the owner and family members is important to consider when choosing a protection dog.

While I have owned several adult male Dobermans that have been 110% trustworthy with ALL children (Every single male from my Kristy line has been great), I have never had a female (raised and socialized by Me), from either line, who wasn’t!

My own personal preference and opinion, is that in most family situations where a Doberman protector is being considered, a female or neutered male would be the best choice. Also, the females seem to ‘mother’ the (human) children. A lot of them know when "Junior" is getting into mischief - or is about to - and come get Mom! They also seem to be a lot more tolerant of liberties taken with them by other people’s children than the average male. (This should be a big consideration!) They also take up less space in the car!

For some reason, my male Dobermans all seem to be especially protective of women. We have sold several to single women (with and without children) for protection. Males also tend to be larger and may appear more formidable. Some, due to their increased size and weight, actually ARE more formidable. Very few females have the raw power of most males.

Personal and Family Protection Dogs Available;

*Sorry, none currently available but 1 male and 1 female are currently in training for protection work.

Law Enforcement/Sport Dogs/Qualified handler;

These Dobes are all moderately + to highly aggressive, and have been trained in Obedience, Protection and Tracking. They are stable, loving dogs, ready to work in Law Enforcement, Schutzhund or Ring Sport. These Dobes are no longer ‘family’ dogs, although some may be suitable for certain families, under special conditions. Flint, Drizzt and Legend are good examples, but they are not for sale.

Prior to sale, any potential owner or handler must learn to properly work and interact with the particular dog that they are interested in, as these dogs are protective, courageous and loyal to their handlers. I can not show them a ‘Bill of Sale’ and expect them to transfer their devotion immediately to a new handler.

Please inquire about a more fully trained dog if you feel this is what you are interested in.

~*~*~ We do not sell ‘guard dogs’! ~*~*~