Shaka

My story

Meet Shaka, a lanky love bug who will follow you anywhere and lean against you the moment you stop moving. He’s long and lean, weighing about 75 pounds. He’s a nearly 3 year old, black and tan male Doberman, and has a docked tail and cropped ears that flop. Shaka is very sociable and loves everybody he meets. He demands pets and snuggles. In return, he will kiss your ears and try to crawl into your lap. We have two 19-year-old sons, who agree that Shaka is a friendly and goofy dog. Shaka is house trained and will bark to let you know when he needs to go. He knows “sit,” “lie down,” and “stay.” He is pretty good on a leash, both with a regular collar and a harness. We live in a fairly suburban area, and walk with him on sidewalks around our neighborhood. He’s not alarmed by or reactive to bikes or scooters. He has some prey drive and will pull and bark at the occasional squirrel, fox, or critter. But he takes corrections well (a sharp pull, or a “No!” and “Easy!”). He doesn’t get out of hand. Shaka recently had the opportunity to stay and play with a large and medium dog and did great. When we meet another dog on a walk, he’ll bark and act like he wants to play. He’s not spent any time around younger kids in our presence, so we cannot say how he’ll be around them. Shaka doesn’t love being in a crate but he is crate trained. We have left him in the crate for a few hours while we’ve been out of the house. We’ve also given him the run of the house when we’ve been out and about, and he was chill. No damage done. Like with most young Dobermans, he should be supervised around socks, fluffy pillows, and fluffy or squeaker toys. He likes to play fetch but there's no guarantee he will return the ball! Shaka also rides well in the car. He has some diagnosed allergies, including to chicken, and is on specialized dog food for his condition. He has some skin itchiness and thin fur in spots. He gets hungry at regular breakfast and dinner times–and will let you know he wants his meal but is not a counter surfer. He does like to be with his people during their mealtimes, so if he comes too close to the dining room table, we put him in his crate. He may complain for a bit, but eventually settles down. Sweet Shaka is a premium dobie leaner and he is being fostered in Silver Spring, MD. DAR&E adopts to MD, VA, DC, DE, eastern parts of WV and southern parts of PA. Please check with other Doberman rescues in areas not listed.

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Shaka, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.