Need Help 7Month old boxer about to drive me nuts!!!!

Boxers are a very energetic breed by nature.  You can help him learn to "settle" as I call it and relax himself.  He will eventually mellow out but they need help doing so.  This is a good way to do it.  Put on a six foot leash and let him drag it around the house.  When he gets whipped up, such as when company comes, you can hang on to it and limit his motion.  He can also do a nice "settle" when you are watching t.v. or cooking in the kitchen for an extended period of time.  Tell him "settle" and step on the leash giving him about 2 -3 feet of loose leash so you are not strangling him, make sure you are only using a flat collar on him when doing this..  He will learn to settle down by sitting or laying down.  He will work out on his own that he only has a few feet of leash to do his jumping, etc on.  

On the peeing, I think you need to just take him out a little more often, like before you play a game in the house or company comes over.  It works best with my dogs to have them in the kennel when company comes and let them settle down in there for a half hour or so after they arrive.  Then make sure the guests are seated before letting your dog out to say "hi" to them.  Tell them to just let the dog come up and sniff them but to not speak to the dog for the first 10 minutes. This is very hard for my guest to do, but I always try to remember to request that they not speak to do for the first 10 minutes and just ignore him and KEEP their hands STILL.  Boxers are very hearing oriented and they do better if they are not spoken to in an excited high voice.

Try these tips and keep working on it and you will get there.  I have had Boxers for 26 years so I have learned these things all by experience and neither my dogs nor I are perfect yet, nor will we ever be.

Good luck,

Nano

PS do you use a crate?  You can have a time out for rowdy behavior.  I also use the term "mellow it out" for behavior that is getting too wild.

Thank you. His looks are very deceiving he acts nothing like he looks! I got a urine sample from him today... not much fun.. and im dropping it off at the vet tom. so we will see if he has a uti. We do use the cage but it only seems to amplify his energy when we let him out. Im not really sure what his ordeal is. He is a very intelligent dog, VERY athletic and MUCH smarter then what he acts. For instance when we started bell training him he realized that anytime he rang the bell that meant we would let him out. It was bad, he was ringing the bell 4-5 times an hour. Then we started giving him SMALL treats when he went outside and he realized that immediately so he would go out and just SQUEEZE a drip out just for a treat. Then we only gave him a treat if he went both, same result he squeezed both ways just enough to know he got a treat. So we stopped that and got rid of the bells.. but he comes and gets us when he has to go out, just goes on the way out or on the way to get us. Also he can be at the back door while im unlocking it and go right there too... And sometimes he'll go outside and come in and about 2 min later go in the house while he is walking like he doesn't know hes doing it. Dont really know were to place all this but it seems like he has good days and bad days. I KNOW he can hold it, he has been left in his cage for 3 hours (just once usually only an hour or two at a time) and didnt go and made it all the way outside. The only thing i have noticed that is very strange.. he will drink as much water as you give him...i mean ALOT. and if you dont give it to him he acts like hes dying of thrust... panting making choking sounds... and if the doors are left unlatched to the restroom he will lift the lid of the toilet and drink out of it if we dont give him water.. quite remarkable but very annoying and disgusting. kinda lost here all the restrooms doors have to be latched at all times and it seems like i dont give him enough water, when in reality i give him probably twice as much as he needs for his size.. any thoughts?


Jerod

Boxers are very nosey and they are definetly active dogs.  They come from the Working Group and they were bred for those things.  They are not shrinking violets nor sofa pillows.  Some are more mellow and some take more time.  Patience is a great virtue for a Boxer owner and I must say mine sometimes is very thin.  You have to be very dedicated to your dog and he will learn if you are clear and consistant about what you want and expect from him.  Puppy behavior is frustrating but you need to let him know how he is to behave towards things.  Get to that obedience class and when you finish it continue your training with him. Try to find a class other than one given by a Pet store if possible. Then when you can afford another class take it again.  Most of the dogs and owners in the basic obedience classes I teach need to come take it three times to get the most benefit from it. That is because most of the dogs in there are the very active ones and the owners need to learn and understand and it just takes time.

Nano

Rylee, I feel your pain, I really do!  Tink is generally very well behaved and obedient, but when you take her out for a walk - OH MY GOD.  Complete and utter nightmare.  There have been days where I've had to cut the walk short and bring her home because she's behaivng so badly - pulling on the lead, jumping up at it, running in circles around me... and if she sees another dog, forget it.  She goes ballistic.  Tuesday just gone was the worst I've ever seen - never in my life have I been so tempted to give someone a kick up the arse!  Needless to say, I didn't, but boy was my patience tested!  I'm currently waiting for the next obedience course my vet recommended to start, and it can't come quick enough as far as I'm concerned!

But at the end of the day, that's what having a Boxer is all about, and it's completely worthwhile - I can't imagine life without her!

I somehow missed this, not sure how,, Oh well...Your baby sounds pretty typical actually..That energy is enuf to wear anyone out....I have a 10 yr old and an 18 mo old..Angel we have just had for a couple weeks and it's been a long time since I have had a pup..Lord this girl is oozing energy...Boxers are considered still in the puppy stage til they are 3, so keep that in mind....

Ruling out the health issues, I would definitely work on some basic obedience..That's what we have done with Angel. If she starts getting out of hand, out comes the lead and she is tethered to me til she calms down...Then I also divert her from unwanted behavior, a quick obedience lesson works wonders. Work on the "long sit", then a "sit and wait". 15 minutes of that and you have a calm boxer...Make him work for treats, rewards etc...Keeping their minds occupied with something to do goes a long way...Try stuffing a Kong with some peanut butter and banana, freeze it for a few hours and that will keep him occupied and make him work too..With visitors, Nano had some great ideas and I would recomend following them..Boxers don't like that high pitched "baby talk" voice that some people use when greeting a dog, I personally detest that...So definitely, get your visitors trained to help with you..Lol.....

Hope this helps and let us know how things go....