[KymP]

Hi everyone,

I am getting a little concerned with Chance; he has been showing some leash aggression towards other dogs and people while we are out.  I have only been walking him in early morning to avoid passing people/dogs on the sidewalks.  The aggression I have noticed only occurs when I am on the other end of the leash.  If someone else is walking him, he seems to be fine.  Could this have something to do with being protective over me?

I have always socialized him, he went to puppy school, and then he attended agility classes.  He has a brother at home (a miniature schnauzer) and we also dog-sit my grandmothers golden retriever Yo-Yo when she is out of town.  He has always been great with them, until the last time we watched Yo-Yo.  He started to get protective of his toys and the rec-room (where we spend most of our time).  When Yo-Yo comes down to the rec-room, Chance

 

[samsonsmom]

Kym, Chance could be doing the protective thing, but I think there is more to it than that. Samson is very protective of me and he doesn't react that way when we walk. Dogs, esp Boxers are intuitive, they sense, pick up our anxieties & fears. If Chance is sensing that you are uneasy about your walks, it plays right into him...

Have you ever watched The Dog Whisperer? Cesear Milan is really good about teaching us, the humans how to be the leader of our pack. I have taken some of his tips regarding walks & they have really made a difference. Keep your dog close, use a slip lead, keep it up on his neck, one quick jerk, will pull his attention back to you..Keep him focused on you. I have even done time-outs when we have walked to get Samson to focuse back on me & not other things, incl dogs.

I forget how old is Chance? If he's still young, could be doing the teenage thing & wants to keep everything for himself, toys, etc. Is it possible that something may have happened to him when you weren't around that started this behavior? Usually there is something that will trigger it. Also when he starts to act aggressively to Yo-Yo, the best thing to do is discipline him, you might try keeping a leash on him in the house so you can work on correcting the behavior..

I will admit I don't know everything, far from it, that's why I'm here, but I hope this is some help for you..Keep us posted on what happens...

 

[KymP]

Thanks Willow, I will have to purchase The Dog Whisperer.  

Chance is almost 3; so I think he's past his teenage stage...mind you they never really get over that do they

As far as him sensing anxiety and fear, you could very well be right.  I find myself anxious because I am afraid of his reactions to other people which I guess leads to a snowball affect.  I also think he could be sensing others fears too.  Here in Ontario we have a Pit bull ban.  Pit bulls, Staffordshires and any dog resembling any characteristics of either breed have to be sterilized, muzzled and leashed. These stipulations, however, only apply to the dogs that were born prior to the ban. For those born after it, their owners were either forced to ship their puppies out of the province, donate them to a research facility, or put them down, and any pit bulls in shelters or without homes were also put down.  I completely disagree with this heinous law, and I believe that there is no such thing as a bad dog...only a bad human who teaches his/her dog to act as such.  There are so many uneducated people that mistake boxers for pit bulls or think they are from the same family. In effect, I have noticed as I am walking Chance and someone passes me, they try to stay further away or don't stop to give him pats let alone smile at you when they walk by.  I get so frustrated with people like that.  I know many people just are not dog lovers, but I think he picks up on the fears that they display.  

Anyway, I will have to purchase the movie...I think I saw the book somewhere too.  Thanks for the advise I really appreciate the feedback   I will let you know how things go.

Happy Holidays!

 

[samsonsmom]

Cesaer also has a show on cable too, you might want to see if you can find it, but his philosophy is just like what you said. No dog is untrainable, it's almost always the human. He rescues Pits & Rotties, has about 40 at his compund & you watch him with these dogs & it's so great too watch. I lived in Northern Ireland for 2 yrs & they also have a ban on Pits, but I learned that there are some people have gotten around it by smuggling. Like any breed, there are good dogs & bad, but to totally "dish" a breed can be unfair.

I'll be interested in what kind of results you get, so please keep us posted.

 

[nano]

I would have to say I don't recommend Ceasar Milan's out dated training tactics. Things are not as easly fixed as Mr Milan would lead us to believe. I would recommend the books by Susan Clothier "If Bones Would Rain from The Skye" and Carole Bejamins "Mother Knows Best."

 

[nano]

One other thing I forgot to mention.  It is a common problem in the breed and among many breeds to be hypothyroid.  I have had three boxers with this problem through out the years.  It is a condition that can also cause changes in behavior.  You might want to rule out a this being a cause with him also.