'How do I go about getting her more comfortable and more confident in herself?': Doberman adopted from shelter, new owner asks internet advice on best approaches as a new dog dad

Briana Viser • Writer and Editor

Jun 15, 2026 6:45 AM EDT

It may surprise you the best ways to train a new Doberman Pinscher, so here are some quick tips if you're thinking about adopting.

From Reddit's r/DobermanPinscher this new dog dad asks the internet for advice on his Doberman. Doberman's are known to be some of the best, most devoted, and smartest dog breeds out there. This Doberman is a year and a half, and the guy adopted her from a shelter who found her and her two siblings roaming around without a claim on them. She's timid, so he is putting in a lot of effort to raise her confidence and make her feel comfortable. She seems scared of doors, so he wants to adjust that in her. The internet comes in with great advice for him, namely consistency, schedule, eye contact, praise, and to talk to the dog a lot. Having a routine dialogue of what you're doing helps them understand what's happening and it helps them feel stable. It's so interesting that animals are just like us in a lot of ways. They need to feel safe, loved, and they can be greatly affected by their past and can need extra love and care to get over things that have happened to them.

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Dogs are more like us than we realize. They really need tender love and care to feel confident and comfortable. I think everyone knows what it feels like to be down on your luck, to not be as confident, and to be uncomfortable in your own skin. Dogs are the same; they feel emotions in a similar way that we do. This dog was found roaming around outside. There's no telling what her life was like before the shelter, if she had owners or people who didn't treat her well, if she had to fight for her life just to survive each day, if she struggled with hunger or tiredness or weather issues. We should always have sympathy and empathy for the dogs and cats that end up at shelters. Personally, I'm a cat person, but I can really appreciate and respect dogs too. If I were to get a dog it'd be a Shiba Inu.
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