Tracilee014

Alright large pack owners, I have seen some disconcerting pack behaviors with my pack of pups and its actually starting to frighten me a bit for the future.

Momma and daddy dog have always played rough and tumble and it never concerned me because they both held their own and no one got hurt. However, momma dog now has her little pack pecking at daddy dog insistently whenever they all go out together. Momma will dive in, box daddy dog then dive out, all the while the pups have him surrounded and barking like fiends.

Right now, daddy dog is really only getting frustrated with my female and hasn't taken it out on the pups. He'll dart from the center of the group of pups and scold Pumpkin. Then in a sec, he's surrounded by yapping pups crawling all over him again.

I've had to go out and call him back into the house a few times and even as he's coming in, Pumpkin will still come in, box him with both feet then dodge out. The pups in turn seem to be reacting to his frustration.

My concern for the future is when they are all full grown. What if I go out into the yard, momma wants to play with me and I suddenly find myself trapped by a ring of full grown boxers holding me in place while momma darts in and out "playing" with me. This behavior really smells more like a pack hunting thing than actual play to me.

I'll do some research today and see what I can find but in the mean time, if someone could chime in and share some thoughts about how to curve this behavior now, I'd appreciate it. I'm thinking of just placing a leash or a training line on momma when I take the pack outside to show the pack that I'm the one in control in even this environment not momma. I know she's only acting instinctually, but "Only" has gotten ppl with large packs mauled in the past and I want this stopped now!

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Georgiapeach

You may want to take the dogs out in shifts, esp. the male/female adults and see if that helps.

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Banditnsophie

Boxers all play that way, it's harmless but if it bothers you then just take a few out at a time. Also your boxers consider you part of their pack and will play with you exactly how they play with each other. I had three now only two but they played with me in the same way by nipping and grabbing at my legs and butt bc that's how they play with each other.


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BOXER MOM FOREVER AND DASCHUND MOM FOREVER

Tracilee014

An update on this. We made the decision to never put momma and daddy both out with the PAC at the same time. However, now that the pups are almost as big as Pumpkin, she balks when I ask her if she wants out with the pack. So we run 3 rotations, pups, then Pumpkin and Patch, then my old Golden Retriever. Everyone is happy and no more incidents.

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af_wx_wife

Tracilee, how are you feeling???

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