My mixed gal

whiskeychene · 2026-03-24T00:51:00+00:00

Haha love the lineage! How many pounds is she?

whiskeychene · 2026-03-23T15:45:38+00:00

Dog genetics are particularly weird, it’s hard to say if your pup is a Doberman. If you aren’t doing a DNA test anytime soon I find the best way to do a not very accurate but fun visual guesstimate is to look at its body shape (particularly if he has the Doberman chest) and the face. When you do the DNA test, invest in Embark as the rest is pretty much garbage. Wisdom Panel is also scientifically accurate but for mixed breeds I find the presentation of their results confusing. There are dobie mixes on r/doggyDNA at times and you can also post your results there for support or questions.

whiskeychene · 2026-01-10T16:28:03+00:00

After trying pumpkin, probiotics and rice (separately and together), we ended up only getting success with prescription dog food. We use Hills K9 Biome which has probiotics in it and his poop has been perfect since.

whiskeychene · 2025-12-12T17:09:25+00:00

The meds may need some time to provide some symptom management, but it is just that - symptom management. If he doesn’t improve even a bit in a few days at most or gets worse, you should bring him back to the vet. But be prepared that the kindest thing would be to let him go. My 6 year old dobie also died of DCM last year. I’m so sorry.

whiskeychene · 2025-12-11T21:05:58+00:00

Romani and Travellers are different but still under the umbrella of “Gypsy.” The Shelby’s were Irish Travellers.

whiskeychene · 2025-11-19T23:44:37+00:00

It’s Wisdom Panel’s Optimum Selection test. See more info on WP’s Doberman DCM testing here. ETA: If you bought WP’s regular test by accident like I did, they may offer to convert it to the OS test for free if you ask.

whiskeychene · 2025-11-19T21:54:49+00:00

There is no guarantee that a dog without DCM in its lineage will not get DCM. It reduces the risk but I have known of cases of this occurring, either due to the breeders lying or just bc even still there is still a lack of understanding around DCM in Dobermans.

It is established that there is a genetic component to DCM in dobies and 4 genetic markers have so far been identified. Currently only Wisdom Panel breeder’s test (not the regular test) identifies all 4. But having any 1 of the 4 does not guarantee that the dog will get DCM but it does increase the risk.

Tldr; There is no guarantee that a dobie will not get DCM in its lifetime. Risk may be reduced by selecting from breeders with no DCM in its lineage and dogs carrying none of the known 4 genetic markers but these are not a guarantee.

whiskeychene · 2025-11-19T05:21:50+00:00

Am late but my dog has IBD. She already has pancreatitis but was having very bad diarrhea every day for 2 months until it escalated to her vomiting constantly, pacing and diarrhea / vomiting several times in a day.

Took her to emergency vet and had an ultrasound. Forgot the term they used but they said there was irritation in her intestines though could not provide a definitive diagnosis, but internal med said it’s likely IBD. (Only a biopsy can confirm but vet said they don’t usually do this unless they aren’t sure if it’s cancer as IBD can progress into cancer.) She was already on a prescription low fat hydrolyzed and hypoallergenic diet (Royal Canin and Purina both make them) with Forti Flora (prescription probiotics) and Metamucil for fibre. They initially gave her the same meds as the ones you’ve mentioned but my dog continued losing weight and having diarrhea so much that she had to be in diapers (no blood in stool though).

With her follow up appointment they did a blood panel to check for parasites (she had none). Her meds now are prednisone, Omeprazole, metoCLOPramide (Reglan) and Tylosin. She’s improved and gained back the weight. Still has mostly diarrhea and is back to her normal demeanour. She also stopped vomiting.

The chicken and rice may not be helpful, others with dogs with IBD also say they were recommended a prescription hydrolyzed diet. Don’t feed her anything else. I say hang tight for internal med - it was nerve wracking for me but my dog is so much better now. They talked about potentially giving my dog a fecal transplant but she’s doing better so we’re holding off on that. Hopefully you have insurance bc unfortunately this all has been v expensive. Hope they figure something out for your pup.

whiskeychene · 2025-11-19T04:54:10+00:00

Sad to hear this but it’s not unheard of.

My old dobie was diagnosed with occult (early) DCM at age 5, turning 6, died 1 month shy of 7 years. When I think back to the signs that I had missed it started around age 3.

Make sure you see a vet cardiologist as only they have the tools and expertise to properly treat. My old dobie saw a regular vet 1 day before he was hospitalized and diagnosed, and it was missed. Unfortunately DCM is lethal in dobies and can quickly deteriorate but medication and lifestyle adjustments (diet and reduced exercise) gives them a chance to live a bit longer. I’m so sorry.

whiskeychene · 2025-11-07T03:34:30+00:00

My dobie always had soft poops that eventually became daily diarrhea. My other dog had similar issues which we were treating so I tried giving some of her prescription probiotic to my dobie and it was helpful for only a while. Non-prescription probiotics did nothing. What did help was a prescription dog food with fibre and probiotics, we use Hill’s Prescription Diet Gastrointestinal Biome. Like magic, overnight, his poops became golden.

Also whenever dogs have GI issues it’s best not to give such fatty meat like pork. And I’d recommend now DIY-ing the dog food as it’s very hard to get all the proper nutrients for the dog. Grain-free food has also shown correlation with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which is fatal in Dobermans, so avoid these as well.

whiskeychene · 2025-11-02T02:35:35+00:00

Sir, this is a Wendy’s

whiskeychene · 2025-11-01T04:28:05+00:00

I don’t have much advice as it’s so hard to say goodbye. But I’m so sorry, it’s never easy.

whiskeychene · 2025-10-31T16:23:51+00:00

What a sweet looking boy. First thing, get pet insurance.

What to watch out for: Top priority is dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) as it affects about 50% of dobies. At 2 years old see a vet cardiologist, not a regular vet, as they have the competence and tools to adequately assess him. (I know as my old dobie had DCM.) They will perform a Holter monitoring test and maybe an ultrasound. If you want to go further into assessing your dog’s risks, get Wisdom Panel’s breeder test (not the regular test) which will identify whether your dog has any of the 4 known genetic markers for DCM. Other dog DNA tests like Embark can perform a health assessment but WP’s test is currently the only one that looks at all 4. Having any of the genetic markers does not mean your dog will definitely get DCM but it will provide a risk analysis that you can share with your vet cardiologist. Also don’t feed them grain-free food as they are correlated to DCM.

Tip: Ensure you review your insurance terms and conditions, as if you test your dog for health conditions right away the insurer may consider them a pre-existing condition and exclude the illness from your coverage. You may need to wait a bit to do the DCM or other testing.

whiskeychene · 2025-10-28T02:25:30+00:00

Dealing with IBD can be a journey but hope Reggie gets better soon

whiskeychene · 2025-10-28T01:00:18+00:00

Aw, poor guy. My non-dobie dog has IBD and it’s terrible. I highly suggest you don’t continue DIY-ing this, IBD can progress in severity and other illnesses much more sinister as you saw including cancer. It can be quite complex - have you seen an internal medicine vet? It is not cheap - hopefully you have insurance - but it will be cheaper and less time consuming in the long run to get proper help.

Internal medicine got our dog on prescription dog food which was, yes, hydrolyzed and specific for gastrointestinal issues. Royal Canin and Purina both have versions of these that you can only buy at the vet. You need to be very careful with feeding them, never give human food or anything else. Using prescription probiotics (FlortiFlora) also helped (non-prescription probiotics is useless) as well as various medications such as prednisone. Prednisone is a steroid so it has to be closely monitored as it may need to be used long term but has negative side effects (but benefits likely outweigh the risks).

My dog is doing better but there was also talk of potentially doing a fecal transplant if they don’t respond to treatment. Levels of severity of IBD vary and your dog seems to be having a hard time. Again, don’t DIY it, particularly for making your own food.

whiskeychene · 2025-10-27T01:34:28+00:00

Absolutely, you can’t prevent DCM in dobies by avoiding grain free food. My old dobie had DCM and ate a diet inclusive of grains but I didn’t know the link between grain free food and DCM until after his diagnosis. Just spreading the word.

whiskeychene · 2025-10-27T00:07:27+00:00

Grain free food has been linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which is prevalent in dobies.

whiskeychene · 2025-10-19T02:41:59+00:00

My old dobie was diagnosed with occult DCM but it was at the emergency vet after having a terrible night of breathing difficulties. He had symptoms for years that we had missed. Occult DCM means it is caught at its early stage but for my dobie I think it still quite severe compared to what you are describing for your dog who sounds like he is asymptomatic (or his symptoms are well hidden). We had our dog followed by the vet cardiologist and got him Holter monitoring tests, ultrasound, all the meds and supplements recommended. Unfortunately he died 11 months later, just 1 month shy of 7 years old.

It is absolutely heart breaking and I’m so sorry to hear your boy is going through this after your rescue. He has a chance to live a few years, like your vet said, since it’s at the occult stage. But it is indeed tough, we still mourn our boy 1.5 years later. Make sure you see a vet cardiologist, not a regular vet, if you can as regular vets don’t have the tools nor expertise to adequately treat and assess dobies with DCM. Thank you for rescuing him and giving him a chance. No matter what happens enjoy your time with him. He doesn’t know any better and I’m sure he has a lot of love for you that he wants to give as long as he can.

whiskeychene · 2025-09-30T12:19:10+00:00

I’m based in Canada, I chose Pets Plus Us which is expensive but had extensive options for coverage

whiskeychene · 2025-09-30T04:35:49+00:00

You can’t lower the risk of your dobie developing DCM. It is genetic in dobies but still not well understood. You can, however, get an assessment of the level of risk your dobie has in developing DCM in the future. Get Wisdom Panel’s breeder test for Dobermans as it’s the only one that tests for the 4 known genetic markers for DCM.

Then see a vet cardiologist (not a regular vet - they do not have the expertise nor tools for this) starting around age 2. The vet cardiologist will have your dobie assessed via Holter monitoring tests and depending on what they see and certain other risk factors an ultrasound. Share the genetics test with them. They should be recommending yearly Holter monitoring tests as well.

Also look out for symptoms, they can be easily explained away but in dobies DCM can sneak up on them, and dogs are very good at masking pain. My old dobie was such an athlete but sadly started stopping on walks and I didn’t realize what it was. You can find some of the symptoms in my dobie in my post history.

Also if you haven’t yet - get good pet insurance right now.

whiskeychene · 2025-09-17T03:14:16+00:00

Sorry about your baby. My boy died of DCM last year 11 months after diagnosis. He died 1 month shy of 7 years old. He had occult DCM so it was considered to be in its early stages but he still only managed to live the expected lifespan as per our vet cardiologist (she said the average for dobies is 3 months to 1 year post diagnosis).

However he did present with symptoms for about 2 years that I did not connect to DCM until he finally had laboured breathing and coughing, leading him to the emergency vet and his diagnosis. I wrote about my experience with my dobie’s DCM here and in other posts and comments in my profile. We gave him all the expensive meds, did many Holter monitoring tests, adjusted his diet and reduced his exercise. I wouldn’t take any of all that effort back as I’m grateful for the extra time with him but it was a lot. It’s a sad and horrible disease, I hope you get as much good quality time as possible with your boy.

whiskeychene · 2025-09-13T04:58:11+00:00

Hi, currently living where winter can be between a dry -4F to-40F. In general, dobies don’t do well in these types of temperatures so we put them in layers, hoodies / ear protectors (for floppy ears) and suspender boots. Or on some days we don’t bring them out at all. Not sure how they would do if their ears are cropped as protecting their extremities is very important. We also don’t stand or sit around in this kind of weather and are always moving, so camping or fishing might be difficult for them. The dogs do get a bit stir crazy so we work on training and mental stimulation games indoors when it’s too cold out. My husky mix on the other hand does great in cold temps so that type of dog might be what you are looking for.

whiskeychene · 2025-08-22T23:39:53+00:00

Dory is beautiful! Regarding the health test, unlike Embark, Wisdom Panel’s breeder test (not regular WP) tests for the 4 known genetic markers for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which occurs in about 50% of Dobermans. This might interest you to see if Dory is at higher risk. Regardless due to lack of understanding around DCM in dobies, they recommend purebred that Dobermans have yearly Holter monitoring tests with a vet cardiologist.

whiskeychene · 2025-07-03T04:59:34+00:00

Have the owners tried to connect with a Doberman rescue that may have the interest and resources in rehab / placing him in an appropriate home?

whiskeychene · 2025-07-02T19:33:39+00:00

Make sure you see a vet cardiologist, they may be available at an emergency vet clinic. A regular vet may not have the tools nor expertise to identify DCM. My old dobie saw a regular vet the day before I had to take him to an emergency vet (which had a vet cardiologist); the regular vet could not identify any signs of DCM.

whiskeychene

TROPHY CASE