Behavioral questions

here's some advise from a professional trainer:

1)  If the bug is on your dog, don't swat at it.  Shoo it away.  Swatting at it can cause fear in your dog.  If swatting at a bug with a paper or flyswatter freaks your dog out, try not to do it.  It can increase fear in your dog.

2)  Never yell at a dog!!  If you discapline your dog, do it at the time of the transgression.  Never after.  If you do it after the transgression they connect the discipline not with the bad behavior, but with themselves.  They think you are mad at them.

3)  Humping other dogs, regardless of sex, is dominant behavior.  They are showing the other dog who is boss.  Try to nip this in the bud.  You are the boss.

4)  You should try to socialize him in a more controled manner.  If you only socialze him with other Boxer's he may have "issues" or be timid with other breeds of dogs.  Vary his socailzation more.

5)  Again this is dominant behavior, but may be progressing to agressive behavior.  Nip it in the bud.  You are the boss.  He should see you as his leader and ALWAYS looks to you for guidance before he acts.

6)You could be.  Seek out a behavioral consultant for a review of his behavior.

7)  A shy or timid dog does not always equal a vicious dog.  Vary his socialization more and get more obedience training under his belt.

8) Rough play in an uncontrolled manner can cause some agression.  I recommend you don't play games like this if you can't control your dogs behavior and ESPECIALLY if you are playing a game you may not be able to win.

9)  MORE OBEDIENCE TRAINING.  Your dog should be good for you on and off leash!!

10)  You could take him to the vet to make sure he isn't ill, but keep in mind that your pup is coming into the adolescent stage and is quite like a teenager.  Incresing his training and making training fun will help.  It will also re-establish you as the alpha in the pack.

Boxer's (ask any breeder) NEED STRICT, BUT FUN TRAINING!!!!  They are a HIGHLY intelligent breed and free thinkers!  Training focus' they're drive to work, builds a stronger bond with their owner, and more trust in the relationship.

Good luck with your Boxer boy!!!

Liz and Lilly

1. Do all boxers run off when you swat at or smack bugs with paper or fly swatter?   All the ones I know!
2. If you disapline your boxer and were to yell at them do they run off and hide? He has never been hit by anything. Mine would hide under the coffee table. Boxers are very sensitive.
3. Do all male Boxer 7 month olds, when I get together with a local meetup group for Boxers, feel the need to hump everything they see male or female.  Umm..yes
4. Kota seems to be shy around alot of other dogs, prefers to hang out with people, as I said I take him to Boxer meetups will he come out of this? probably eventually
5. Kota will try to dominate equal or smaller dogs regarless of sex, growl, snarl etc. is this part of growing up for him? or is this an issue that I can some how address? Neutering can help with that.
6. Am I looking at long term behavioral issues here? I think you have a normal boxer puppy.
7. Does a shy or timid dog equal a vicious dog? NO if so what do I do? Socialize and keep socializing your dog.
8. Does ruff house play with your hands encourage aggression? and should this be avoided. During the puppy phase and training phase I would avoid that.
9. Kota is very good for me on a leash and is often very bad off leash, normal Boxer for his age? Sounds like a typical 7 month old pup!
10. Do I need to take him to the vet for a checkup and advise on the above issues? I don't think there is anything wrong with Kota.

To me it sounds like Kota is a very normal 7 month old boxer puppy. The only advice I will give is to continue the training and socialization and have him neutered. Boxers are late to mature so they are pretty much puppies and don't tend to "settle down" until 3-4 years of age. Boxers require obedience training to teach them proper manners. A dog that is expected to behave in every day situations will regard "obedience" as his regular "job." Good luck with Kota, I really feel that with some more training, socialization, and neutering he will begin to settle a little bit. My last male settled down a little at around 18 months.  :wink:

Kotajr & I attend the same meetup, so I have seen first hand what he is referring to..The first meetup he came to Kota was great!! Not intimidated by the big dogs and was out there having a great time..Angel for some reason does have some issues with him, not sure why...

His behavior is pretty typical for a 7 mo old. I would advise getting him neutered tho, not to cure problems, but it's the responsible thing to do...Buck never did go thru the "humping" phase, but I have seen plenty of dogs that have and actually continued way past puppyhood...Good training is still the key...Teaching "who's the boss"...Some boxers never learn to get along in a "pack" envitoment. Samson is a perfect example, that's why he stays home when we go to meetup, but then again, a lot of damage had been done by the time I got him at 6 yrs...Kota should be fine, but definitely I would take Lillyzmomma's advice....Train !!! and make it fun too...

Kota is scheduled to go to obediance training in July, that was the soonest I could get him in.  I also plan to have him in the second session of training right after that.  Once all that is completed, and I learn new ways to work with him I'll continue to work with him every day. Then I'll see where he is at and where he is going. There is a third session that I would like to go to but I'll wait and see how he is going to do with the first two.  I will also continue to go to the meetups and hope he works out and learns more socialization and gains confidence at the dog level on his own as he grows.  I make sure that he meets all kinds of people, uniformed, colors, physical conditions, sizes etc. He is just awfull to kids at this time, but he is just trying to play, I keep him on a leash when children or adults visit to help control his excitement. After he gets over the excitement he is fine with all visitors.  I don't hit flies that are on him just ones flying around a room.  I didn't realize just how sensitive he (Boxers) are. I know I have made mistakes along the way but, he is my first Boxer as I said, he works and deals with life much different than the English Setter and American Cocker I had. So, I'm trying to adjust too. I am now not sure what kind of behaviour corrections I should use now and I am confused about that.  So I would like more input on that subject.   I would be the first to tell you I for sure don't know everything about dog behaviour, and I truly am greatfull for the help given here so far or more information in the future.  Thanks again for your inputs.  I also noticed that he really does love the 2-4 mile walks we take nearly every day ever since he was a wee pup.  I have been kind of under the weather for a few days (nearly a week) and some new issues croped up. Started walking again and he is fine again, me too!  He is a wonderful companion to me, I enjoy him alot, I just want him to be a gentelman with the public and at least look like he is protective at home.  I take him everywhere I can and some places I probably shouldn't.  by that I don't mean anything to put him in danger, just stores and the like.  I guess thats where I stand, and I will do what was suggested. I will no longer play ruff with Kota, it will be difficult as we have been doing that for a long time, thats all he knows, and we will try to substitute games for that kind of play.  Game suggestions would be great too.  Again thanks for your help and suggestions.

lillyzmomma,

I tried hide the toy (went real well), we play fetch all the time (he likes to play that in the house better than outside for some reason).  Getting back on the walk schedule has resolved some of his home behaviour issues.  I talk to him more and ask him to do things in a normal matter of fact way, he picks up on it and responds to the requests with appropriate actions with an unusual, more than expected degree of understanding, Scary actually.  But makes me very proud of him. I do notice him looking at me from time to time for direction, and if what he is doing is ok, I tell him what a good boy he is. If he looks and its not ok, I tell him calmly "no" and the activity stops.  I know this sounds surrealistic, and it always is not so simple. It all depends on how excited he is at any given moment with visitors, activity around etc.  I have a parrot (African Grey) who walks on the floor from time to time. The parrot has been around for nearly 15 years and will not change her routine for some old dog.  I am not saying that they get along, and as long as I am present there seems to be a respect between the two. I leave you alone and I'll leave you alone.  Kota has been bitten several times during this learning period. I will take your advise and use is at it is the best I have heard and seems to be effective in such a short period of time. Thanks again for you help.