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The concept of a dog being a full member of the family is not common in Indonesia. Canines are considered unclean in Islam and many people are afraid of an off-the-leash mutt knocking them over in a slobbering frenzy — or worse still, chasing them to bite them.

Big dogs like Doberman pinschers, which were bred for increased aggression when they were used in World War II, have acquired an especially bad image: those dripping fangs, that restless, bounding energy.

The Doberman’s tall, leggy build alone hardly makes it a suitable pet for a city as densely populated as Jakarta.

But although Doberman owners acknowledge the image problem, many argue their dogs are maligned and misunderstood.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” says William Soedharman, who has owned dogs of that breed since 2004.

“A Doberman may look scary, but it’s actually just an active dog.”

Danny H Effendy, a mining industry executive who owns a number of blue-ribbon Dobermans, says they are not inherently vicious dogs. A dog’s bad behavior is a symptom of bad training by its owner, he says.

“That [the aggressive Doberman] is an incorrect perception,” he says. “Just like any other animal, it depends on how they’re trained. Basically, the Doberman is a dog that’s unafraid of strangers.”

Aling has been running a Doberman breeding facility in Mojokerto, East Java, since 1982.

“It depends on the kind of training you give your Doberman,” he says. “You can make your Doberman good or bad.”

Danny says friendliness is one of the Doberman’s best traits.

“People get the wrong impression because Dobermans just jump up and approach strangers,” he says. “What they are actually doing is asking you to play.”

The Doberman’s bumbling intentions aside, feelings toward the breed are changing in Indonesia, and they are increasingly being seen as a status symbol.

Yohana, a member of staff at Von Liphier Doberman Kennel in Bandung, West Java, says the Doberman is among the most sought after breeds in Jakarta, with puppies selling from Rp 1 million to Rp 5 million ($106 to $530).

“It depends on the quality of the puppy and its parents,” she says.

The kennel says on its Web site that Doberman pinschers are “fiercely loyal” and they can be gentle companions if their owners are responsible caretakers.

Dakka Sihombing, who works at a consumer-goods company in Jakarta, used to have a Doberman and was active with many dog clubs during his college years. He says owning a Doberman, particularly in urban neighborhoods where dogs are often left off their leashes, requires strict control.

“Dobermans can be very aggressive,” he says. “You have to train them as early as possible, otherwise they can be dangerous.”

“I had a bad experience with my Doberman,” Dakka says. “He bit people around him, so I decided to let him go.”

“I guess I didn’t give him enough training.”

William says there is nothing wrong with the breed, rather people settle on the wrong dog for their lifestyle, and often don’t have the space to house them.

He says his Dobermans are a perfect match with his family, as everyone in his family loves dogs, and he really enjoys the culture of competitive show breeders.

“It’s fun when you share the same hobby as other people,” William says.

One of William’s dog, Gitana Moravia Heart, is now in training for “Doberman of the Year 2009,” while Danny’s Dobermans have won “Best in Show” at competitions around the country.

One of Danny’s dogs — the illustriously named Ina. Ch. Eria pro Conrad — has held the title of “Indonesia’s Best Male Doberman” for two years running.

Aling says he shows his Doberman in contests, which have only modest cash prizes, to gain recognition as a breeder.

“By winning a contest, people will recognize the quality of my Dobermans,” he says.

All three of these Doberman fanciers say they spare no expense in getting their dogs ready for the show ring.

“You have to set aside a lot of time and money to train and exercise your dogs, and to always keep them in good shape,” Danny says.

He pays three men to look after his Dobermans. He also has a person to keep the cages clean and a trainer to keep them physically fit.

“I also spend a lot of money on dog food. It’s expensive because my Dobermans only eat high-quality food to maintain their performance and physical appearance. My Dobermans don’t eat rice.”

Aling added that having family support was very important for dog owners and breeders.

Danny says his wife and the rest of his family were fully supportive of his hobby.

“My wife even has her own dogs,” he says.

“She understands that this hobby is very effective for releasing stress after working on weekdays. Having this hobby also gives me the opportunity to make new friends,” Danny says.

William agrees: “Whatever your hobby is, it feels great if your family likes it too.”

At the same time, many domestic staff will not work in a house that has a dog. Others will tolerate canines, as long as they don’t have to feed or wash them or scoop up their waste.

Rusdi Indradewa, a Muslim activist, says touching dogs is not a problem.

“It’s the saliva that’s a big deal for Muslims,” he says. “When a Muslim is licked by a dog, he or she can’t perform their daily prayers because the dog saliva has made them [ritually] impure.”

Rusdi says that although a dog’s saliva is regarded as unclean, that doesn’t mean people can’t own or interact with dogs.

“The dog is God’s creation, so we should respect that,” he says.

The Doberman is one of the breeds recruited by the police for search work, as well as some security companies here.

Rusdi concedes the Doberman has a lot of fine qualities. “It’s completely fine to use a dog as a watchdog or sheep dog. God creates something so humans can benefit.”