As a young man bachelor life can be a bit boring, and on my eternal quest for companionship I made an unlikely find: my aunt and uncles dog, Mason. He’s a friendly and goofy (and a bit wild) Doberman Pinscher. At about 18 months old he’s a beastly 90lb and has energy that you wouldn’t think possible- if you want a workout partner who will push you to your limits, he’s your guy.

A little history on the Doberman breed: Originally created around 1890 by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector, as a guard dog to help protect him in his less than popular profession. Mr. Doberman owned a dog pound and had access to many breeds. The exact ratio is unknown but the mix is thought to be something of: Beauceron, German Pinscher, Rottweiler, Weimaraner and German Shepard.

The dog was designed to be athletic and intelligence- both traits clearly exhibited in Mason. Fun fact: Dobermans are often ranked in the top 5 for most intelligent breed, sometimes top 10 depending on the panel. (1. Border Collie, 2. Poodle, 3. German Shepard, 4.Golden Retriever, 5. Doberman, 6. Shetland Sheepdog, 7. Labrador Retriever, 8. Papillion, 9. Rottweiler, 10. Australian Cattle Dog.) -In case you were wondering, remembered Doberman’s are a part mix of: 3. German Shepard & 9. Rottweiler.

The first time I took him for a walk it felt like he took me for a walk! The entire time he was pulling me along, like some hound dog on the trail of a prey. And the first time I took him to Monataño De Oro state park in Los Osos for a hike up Valencia Peak he did the same thing, up and down the mountain! Talk about a workout. I couldn’t help but feel like a Roman legionnaire with his powerful war dog leading the way to battle.

Although I have had many dog companions over the years, (Lobster, Gamba, Coquille, Darlene.) And still to this day my sweet small old Daisy. Mason, like with different human friends, provides a different kind of companionship. His youth, energy and sheer size provide a feeling of excitement and adventure. He’s like your wild friend who wants to go skydiving or jump of a cliff into the ocean. He really does push you to push yourself and his energy is contagious.

Not to mention there’s a certain confidence that comes with having an intimidatingly large and athletic dog. You certainly don’t expect trouble from anyone.

And one of the best parts about Mason, as with all my Botwin dogs, I get the fun and joy of their company with none of the maintenance or responsibility! (Owning a dog is costly and time consuming.)

I hope to be able to take him camping or on a backpacking trip someday. Right now he is still young and a little unruly but as he ages and prepares to go to obedience school I think he will become a wonderful well-trained companion. 

Mason has been another blessing seemingly dropped out of the sky, especially considering these times of the Coronavirus and Social Distancing where isolation is severe and companionship harder to find. He has reminded me once again of why dogs earn the title of, “Man’s best friend.”