Welcome!  If I was in Kansas, I'd be calling Kansadobe!!  Awesome people, and great dogs.

Depending on your experience, you may be able to get away without a fence, but ANY good breeder is going to be hesitant unless they're fully comfortable with your training ability.  Same goes for rescues, many time it's a dealbreaker, because that's one of the big ways dog end up in rescue.  But if you can get someone to believe in your training ability, and figure out a plan for exercise without a fence etc. it can be done.

Best of luck!

Hello and welcome to GD. It's wonderful to have you. It is possible to find a breeder who will let you have a pup with no fence. I'm living proof. I searched high and low for a dog/pup and kept getting turned down by rescues and breeders because of no fence. But then I found a breeder who felt comfortable with placing a pup with me. I had to convince them thought that I was dedicated to exercising and training the pup properly and would take excellent care of it. Long story short, our boy Andre has been with us just under two weeks and we love him to pieces. So, don't give up hope. The right Doberman will find you :)

Hi and welcome, I adopted Benjaman Franklin a.k.a. Gentle Ben the rottweiler, he is 7 almost 8 years old now and a wonderful loving dog - he loves the cats and the chihuahua and bonded instantly to my male collie who unfortunately died 6 weeks later, but Ben made the collie the happiest dog possible in the last 6 weeks of his life; I love Ben so much. His adoption fee was $350 very minimal - he did have skin allergies and was heartworm positive, we did not care we adopted him anyway. I felt the same way as you, I had picked out a handsome rottie puppy with health guarantee etc. and was prepared to go get him when I chose Ben, I always rescue instead of purchase so I could not bring myself to lay down money for a puppy from a breeder when so many good dogs need homes and I thought I was saving myself $2500 at the same time - not so - Ben it seems has an immune disorder not skin allergies and although his heartworm has cleared up he is on very expensive chemo meds daily and constantly seeing a dermatologist specialist - so far since August not including the $350 adoption fee we have invested $4500 in Ben and his care, would I have it any other way - NO WAY, he is great, what I am showing here is don't make your choice based on money and savings with a rescue adoption - make it only because you want to rescue and be prepared to go to the ends of the earth if their health demands it. Rescue is so heart warming and rewarding for both human and dog but always keep in mind that they may cost you more than a health guaranteed dog, which is still not a guarantee, and they may drain your bank account in the blink of an eye, then again they may never need a major vet visit, but being a rescue they are usually older and therefore showing more signs of age related disorders that do require funds, but age related things come with all dogs.

Uncle Ben the rottie and I give you a big yodel and hug for rescuing!!!! These dogs are so deserving of a forever home filled with love instead of uncertainity. Thank you for making that choice..... Tal

Oh dear apologize to Cassie for me thinking she was a male, hahahaha, I am envious of your lack of rescue vet bills, hahahahaa, it comes with the territory; you know even though Ben has cost so much we actually learned of all these costs after the 3rd week of having him, we could have sent him back but it never crossed our minds, he is here for the long haul he is such a clown, but even though his issues are what they are we are looking into adopting another collie, are we gluttons for punishment to the bank account or what, hhahahaha, I just adore collies and although I am on a list for a dobe girl in October I may choose to go the collie route instead - it's looking that way. There was a collie hoarder here locally who had 32 collies and a collie rescue has taken them in slowly and have already placed several, they are friendly and dog friendly obviously but right now they have 6 puppies that are 3 months old and 4 are males; I decided that puppies are work but collies are really not work, love that about them, considered adults but thought maybe the rottie would prefer to "raise" this little bugger instead being face to face with another adult. Will also be enrolling in dog obedience with or without a collie, I will be taking Ben just to keep him out and about and around other dogs.

I bet Cassie will steal the show at obedience you will have to take pictures - we live for pictures around here, I want see her doing her thing in class, can't wait to hear all about your dogs....

So you have a sheltie rescue?? How rewarding that must be. I would love a link, I volunteer with the Rottie rescue I got Ben from because we loved him so much we just couldn't imagine "ben's" being euthanized just because they were rottweilers so I volunteered and I love it.

Ben is a big boy he is weighing in at around 115lbs. now. I think he needs to lose a few pounds to save his hips in the future. But he is such a clown, he yodels when he gets excited, yodels when he sees people he wants to pet him and he wants EVERYONE to pet him. He is a little grumbly about the food bowl and his bones but other than that he is terrific. His head is the size of our standard chihuahua! I will keep you posted on how we do in obedience, I will wait till weather stays nice so I don't miss any classes.....

I am sorry I am coming in a little late on this too, but I just wanted to say a BIG welcome!  I am so happy to hear there are people like you around!

Sonlight our chihuahua is actually the "regular" standard size not the toy, goodness a toy would fit in his mouth; Pepe' is about the size of a large cat so he has some size but Ben's head is really large, yet the chihuahua has been known to posture by standing on his hind legs and tapping Ben on the shoulder with his front feet, Ben is not too fond of that and grumbles, I do correct the chihuahua, he used to do this to the collie who totally ignored him and that really frustrated Pepe but Ben's reacting seems to be fueling this posturing. I am so thankful that Ben is so tolerant of this little annoyance. Everybody gets 3 chances around here on the 4th one they get a time out to refocus. So far Ben 2 time outs Pepe Chihuahua 20 or so time outs, hahahahahaa who's the difficult breed??? hmmmmmm..... too funny about the sheltie rescue

I just wanted to say I was bored tonight and chose to look at EVERYBODY's dober pics on this topic thread, great dogs!!!!!

Absolutely love Ziva's pics she is so beautiful; Sofia is like an apparition she is so ethereal; Zelda is darling; K-Tron stately (the first 2 pics wouldn't display is that on my end?); Ellie the cavalier way too cute; Loki, HarleyBear, Rocky and Dakota look like little trouble makers, hehehe but then again one is named Loki and loki was a trickster, I seriously do get to have a dobie fix when I come in here and see all these pics. Lovely dogs guys just lovely......Keep adding pics to your galleries so I can keep snooping.....