Very awesome!

That is so awesome about the dog. Also great is that the breeder rescued the dog from the abusive home. That part surprised me a little.

That pic brings back memories, Pam, and bum rap is right.

Da Kid was about that size when he took his first steps, sandwiched between and holding on to the collars of our two male Dobes. Heck, Da Kid’s first understandable word wasn’t Mama or Dadda.

It was “ATOM!” And Satan came running.

We did have a problem with Beau — the larger of the two and a rescue — though. No sooner did I put Da Kid in his play pen and turn my back, he’d be out scampering ’round the house again. It took a while but I finally found out how when I caught THEM in the act.

Da Kid would babble and Beau would stand next to the play pen. Da Kid would grab his collar, and Beau, slowly side step away pulling Da Kid over the top.

Before Da Kid could fall, Beau would move under him AND FREAKIN’ SIT, so that when Da Kid slid down his back and his feet hit the floor, he was off and running.

Now, do you think a cat would ever do that?

That is why dogs rule and cats drool.

Yep. The bum rap wasn’t *entirely* unearned- Dobes used to be much, much “sharper”, more driven and aggressive. Responsible breeders who loved the breed did a fantastic job of reshaping them into soft, sweet dogs who haven’t lost their guarding abilities. They’re DAMN smart, too. If I ever became less twisted and stopped preferring independent dogs, they’d be tops on my list for a working/obedience dog.

As for rescue-by-breeder, it’s done by a lot of ethical breeders. I would be less confident about getting a pup from one who didn’t- the woman who bred my dogs took back a dog after ten years after the owners decided they didn’t want her anymore after they had a baby. She placed the other dog, who was not of her breeding, in rescue, too. Good woman, and she breeds good dogs.