Re: Anyone with two boxers or a trainer with some suggestion
I don't want to sound like a know it all, but my boxer does the very same thing...but he did it to the wrong dog. And was severely injured and now has to be seperated from that dog. Long story will explain it in another section....BUT in anycase...the one sure fire way to release this habit is to take your dogs for a directional walk everyday for at least 45 minutes to an hour...to burn frustration and release any pent up energy. Polo...my 5 year old did this repeatedly and to anyone within range, including a pit bull mix that is not nuetered. It has turned Polo into an over dominant dog that thinks he has to be the top dog, that he beat some one up. The sad thing is, the pit mix wasn't even a year old when this happened and he may be ruined for life, not knowing if another dog is going to attack him, and may now have to put him down.
It was my mistake, thinking that putting them in our massive yard was good enough for exercise. Like any book will tell you a boxer needs some stimulation or will other wise become destructive uncooperative and out right stubborn.
Now as far as the redirecting them with a treat goes, I'm not sure that will work either, as you could and probably will be reinforcing this behaviour. "evertime I bark at the fence, mom's gives me a treat!" Kind of letting him know that being mean at the fence and to his sister is the right thing to do. unlike most dogs, boxers think like people, they can almost rationalize with people and even compromise. Not willingly, but in order to make us happy they do. "i'll only go into my crate...IF you give me a cookie" Then they turn their head away from you or yawn in contempt, as if to say, "I'm so exhasperated with your silly commands."
My boy has learned to unlatch the gate and free everyone, alert me when the oven timer sounds (he gets a cookie when he puts his paw on the door), and to demo walls with the swift blow of his head. That one I DID NOT teach him. He likes to throw himself at the wall when cars drive by, or if you have a flash light or even better...a laser pointer!
All this light stuff is a sure sign of obsession. Boxers have no easy in between. They are either indifferent, or they go bananas over something. Like go for a ride? Want a cookie? And of course, when you tell them to go to thier kennel, it's like you are talking to a brick wall! I should write a book with everything I have experienced in the short time I have owned or been around boxers.