My husband and I have a Boxer puppy named Nena. She's three and a half months old and is very aggressive. We are currently living with my parents and my seven year old sister while our house is being completed.
Nena is an extremely sweet lovable dog. Everyone that sees her falls in love with her. She's not usually aggressive, but lately my seven year old sister has been playing with her very roughly making Nena aggressive with us. She bites everything and everyone in sight.
My parents have a nine year old Corgi and Nena just loves to bite her stubby tail and get on her back. We're very concerned about her behavior as I am eight months pregnant. We do not want her to be this aggressive with our soon to be JR. Please somebody help us! My husband is at his breaking point and wants to sell her:( I adore my little Nena and just want to train her to be a good dog. Please somebody help!
By manda
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Boxer puppies! I raised them in the US for 30+ years and miss every single one of them:)
Your wee sister needs to STOP playing roughly with the puppy, and she needs to do it now.
But more importantly, you need to start training your Boxer baby. She is at the perfect age to be placed in either an obedience training class (with you and or your husband as the handler) or for you to do some serious 'Net searching for training her at home.
Boxers are the best family dogs ever but that endorsement comes with a few caveats. One is that Boxers do not fully mature until around aged three years. Even if you have her spayed at the recommended six months, she will still not fully mature until around three.
So she will continue to display puppy behaviours like chewing (oh boy can a Boxer chew! I've had them chew everything from an entire loveseat to the bricks I used to edge garden beds), play fighting, and 'selective hearing'.
Another caveat re Boxers is that they are an extremely energetic dog bred for working-this is a dog who needs a schedule that includes regular, lifelong exercise.
Contrary to popular opinion, however, the Boxer doesn't need a huge back garden to run around in, he/she simply needs you to be willing to play hard at the park, walk for 30 minutes twice a day at a good clip, and be willing and able to 'tussle' in the house with a stout rope for tug-of-war. I've had Boxers live long and happy lives in 2 bedroom apartment because their owners understood the breed's need for consistent exercise.
A good and consistent training programme will include lead training, socialisation with children and other vulnerable beings (other dogs, cats, birds, elderly adults, etc), and a regularly scheduled-twice daily exercise period.
Frisbie, tug-of-war, fetch, and similar activities will wear your Boxer pup out and satisfy her need for fun, vigourous exercise. Twice daily 30 minute walks around the neighbourhood will also help settle her down.
I raised two children to adulthood in company with at least three inside Boxers at a time and never had a single incident between the two groups of beings. But I never left the dogs and children alone together until both groups were of an age to understand the rules of family living, either.
In other words, NEVER leave your baby alone in the same room with your dog. NEVER. Follow that rule until your child is A-around eight, and B-is able to harness and clip a lead safely to the dog to put it under control.
The following are links to good sites that will help you raise a healthy, well adjusted, SAFE Boxer at the same time you have small children in the home:
video.about.com/
(Bookmark that site, the dog pages are invaluable, and the forum for that topic is active and VERY helpful)
www.dogbreedinfo.com/
www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/
Additionally, your local library is an outstanding, low-cost resource for books on how to raise and train a family Boxer.
A great place to find an obedience class is through your local Parks and Recreation department. Google your town's name+the words 'leisure services parks and recreation' to find the next available class. Low-cost and well worth your time and money, P&R obedience classes for your Boxer puppy will make a huge difference for your family.
Finally, a bit of advice-invest in a quality harness as Boxers are absolute Houdinis at being able to slip a standard collar. DO NOT use a choke collar as these can severely damage a Boxer's neck and throat.
Also purchase a Halti head collar to go with that harness:
www.companyofanimals.us/
I cannot say enough to endorse the Halti, it is the single most valuable piece of puppy and adult dog kit available today! After the feed and water bowl, the Halti combined with a top quality, well fitted harness is the most important thing in your Boxer's life-it is the safest way to walk and control the perpetual motion machine that is a Boxer.
Good luck, please update! If you decide you can't keep your puppy please use a reputable breed rescue group who will rehome your pup to a home ready and willing to give that dog a wonderful life.
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