PLEASE READ OUR POLICY BEFORE FILLING OUT APPLICATION TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY TO ADOPT A RESCUE DOBERMAN!

Doberman Rescue Minnesota Adoption Policy

All Dobermans must live indoors as family members. Under no circumstances will we place our Dobermans into a home where they will be forced to live outside, be kept in an outdoor kennel unsupervised or to serve as "guard" dogs.

- All adoptive homes must be within a reasonable distance from the Twin Cities metro area for home visits and follow up care.

-Adopters MUST be at least 21 years of age and independent (i.e. not living at home with parents, etc.).
 
-Adopters must own the property where the adopted dog will reside.

- If you have a child under 6 PLEASE DO NOT APPLY! OR THINK YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO HANDLE SUCCESSFULLY ONE OF OUR DOGS WITH SMALL CHILDREN! We will not to place our rescue dogs in homes with children under 6 years old.  We set these limitations, not because of aggression issues with our dogs, but because Dobermans are generally large, active dogs and can easily knock down or run over a small child, causing a serious fall or injury.  Small children generally do not have the stress management skills, impulse control, or the ability to think abstractly that adults have.  A small child can unintentionally hurt a dog and the consequences can result in injury to the child.  If a rescue dog injures a child this may end the life of the dog. We cannot risk this for our rescue dogs. Some people are child/ dog experienced and some people do not understand the child/dog dynamics. Dogs and kids DO NOT go together. These are rescue dogs, some with unknown histories. We will not waiver in this rule.



-We do require all adopters to be diligent about monitoring dogs with children in and outside the home. Dogs should never be left alone with children of any age. Even the kindest of dogs can hurt another person or animal if provoked, injured or in pain.

- It is our policy not to place male Dobermans in homes with resident male dogs.  Male Dobermans, in general, have rather pronounced dominance issues with other male dogs and the successful integration of a male Doberman into a family with other male dogs is relatively rare.  There are, more often than not, problems occurring with such placements so we have simply made a policy not to risk this kind of placement. Please Google this behavior in male Dobermans.

- It is our policy not to adopt rescue Dobermans out to homes with existing intact dogs (male or female).  In the rescue business, we see firsthand what happens to too many puppies and young dogs that come into this world because someone decided their pet should produce puppies or because of accidental breeding.  Over 25% of the dogs in shelters in this country are purebred and most of them (thousands), sadly, are euthanized each day because there are simply not enough adopters or rescues to take them.  Many of the people who breed their pets have the best of intentions when they sell their puppies.  Unfortunately, in too many cases, something happens later on and those puppies end up in shelters or worse.  If not those puppies, then the puppies of those puppies, etc.  These puppies are produced, in some cases, unintentionally, because an intact animal escapes his/her yard and an accidental breeding takes place with another dog in the area.  The problem of pet overpopulation is epidemic.  We save as many as we can in rescue, but it is often a losing battle.Additionally, pets that are spayed and neutered, on average, live 3+ years longer than those that are not.  Neutering greatly lessens, and in some cases eliminates altogether, many types of reproductive cancers.  For example, a neutered male will not be in danger of developing testicular cancer later in life.  Prostate problems (including cancers) are also greatly reduced.  Likewise, a spayed female will not be in danger of developing ovarian or uterine cancer, or life-threatening pyometra.  Spaying prior to the first heat cycle reduces the risk of mammary tumors over her lifetime to less than 1%.  Intact females are at 50% risk of developing mammary tumors (either benign or malignant) at some point during their lives.  Many pregnant bitches die every year due to whelping-related problems.   Neutering/spaying also generally makes for a calmer, less frustrated pet.  According to recent statistics, 2/3 of the dog bites reported in the U.S. involve intact males. So from an ethical standpoint, this is why many rescues do not place dogs in homes where there is an intact dog (male or female).  Whether or not you decide to neuter/spay your dog is, of course, your own decision.  But from a moral standpoint, we have made it our policy not to place rescue Dobermans in homes with intact dogs. 


- All DRM dogs are placed under a contract which we strictly enforce.  It requires, among other things, that the owner keep the dog up-to-date on vaccines, heartworm prevention, medical care, yearly veterinary exams and completion of an obedience course with the new doberman. We also require that if the new owners should not, for ANY reason, be able to keep and care for the Doberman, the dog MUST be returned, by the owner, to DRM. NO EXCEPTIONS.

- Fencing is preferred.  We require adopters to have a secure, safe area in which the dog can have adequate room to exercise in a safe environment. Dobermans are generally very active dogs and often have a pronounced prey drive. They can travel long distances at high speeds and our concern for the safety of the dogs that we place has resulted in our requirement for good, secure fencing in order to avoid missing, injured or killed animals.  Under no circumstances will we place dogs in environments where they will be kept tied outside (no cables or runners) or in small pens or outdoor kennels. 


- There is an adoption fee for most Dobermans. Occasionally, we may have a senior or special needs dog whose fee will be reduced. The adoption fee is used to partially offset the substantial costs incurred in the rescue and medical treatment of the Dobermans. All dogs are spayed or neutered, have been vaccinated against rabies, distemper and parvovirus, have been tested for heartworm (and treated if testing positive), are on monthly heartworm preventative, have been dewormed if intestinal worms are present, are microchipped for identification (microchip registration remains in the name of Doberman Rescue Minnesota after adoption to insure the long-term safety of the dog), and each has been evaluated for temperament while living in a private home with a family. We require our adopters to enroll in an obedience class with their new Doberman. This is helpful in building confidence for both dog and owner. It is not the same to "train" your dogs yourself versus taking them to a formal class. Dobermans need socialization, structure and way to stay active and out of trouble. Obedience, agility, or a form of structured training is highly desired for every Doberman through out the dobs entire life. These are working dogs that do need a job and an owner that will be committed to  offering activity to them on a daily basis.


-If you are looking for a perfectly-trained obedience dog or looking for a snarling, vicious guard dog that will love you, your family, your friends, your neighbors, the neighbor’s kids, but no one else, you’ve come to the wrong place.   We do not ever take in dogs that bite. The snarling, vicious dog will never pass evaluation to get into our rescue program to begin with.  While we do endeavor to begin a basic obedience training regimen with our rescue dogs, our most important goals are to restore these unfortunate, abandoned Dobermans to physical and mental health. Rescue dogs are a work in progress.  In addition to various illnesses, many also come to us with behavioral issues such as shyness, fearfulness, excessive energy, etc.  We begin the process of healing for them.  That process must be continued by the adopter.  If you are not willing to work with your dog to help him/her continue on the road to healing and becoming a happy, confident pet, please do not apply with us.  We are not merely a resource from which an inexpensive Doberman can be acquired.  Adopting a rescue dog is, first and foremost, an act of kindness and compassion for a creature with vast potential that simply needs patience, love, structure, training and a place to call home with a family of his/her own.


- By filling out and submitting an application to DRM, you are not committed to an adoption. The application ONLY serves to help our staff best match the right dog with the right home. We try very diligently to place our Dobermans into the best environment that will compliment the dog's needs as well as the adopter's desires for the new family member. Being completely honest about your home environment helps ensure that we will make a successful placement, one that turns into a "forever" home.


We thank you for your interest in Doberman rescue and we look forward to helping you find a loving, well-matched companion for you and your family.