[pdenchfield]

Glad to find this forum! I am completely new to boxers and have many questions. Here's a background:

In early July, we adopted a young female boxer (will be 3 in October this year) named Bailey. We were to be her fourth home; we adopted her from a cousin's friend who didn't have a place to stay. She came with a collapsible wire crate and usually has been good about going there at night and when we are gone (and we discovered that we hadn't put the crate together correctly...we think we've got it now). She has her tail docked but her ears are natural. We took her to the vet and got all her shots updated. She sailed through the exam. Healthy she is!

Bailey is our third dog. Santa is a 2-year-old beagle/rottweiler mix and Shadow is a 12-year-old golden/lab mix. Our old dog Shadow doesn't interact much with the younger dogs. Bailey had some fights with Santa in the beginning (around food but sometimes also toys), but then we learned about dominant dogs and figured out Santa was the dominant one, so we supported that hierarchy and they now seem to really enjoy each other, most of the time.

House-breaking has been a challenge. The last slip-up was a week ago, and happened right in front of us without a cue, but I wonder if it had to do with the stress of a new person (to her) coming to live in the house the day before. Most of the time she cues us by very slightly whining or just sitting and staring at you. I would like to help her learn a more obvious way of indicating she needs to go outside!

Damage to the house occurred a couple times - when she got out of her containment areas (one time the crate, which we hadn't put together correctly, and another time the garage - into the laundry room). Both times she chewed the trim around the door to the house. One time she chewed the actual wall around the laundry room door, plus "counter-surfing," which resulted in dog food strewn all over the floor. The damage to the laundry room really pained my husband (we just built this house last year) and I wondered whether we'd be able to keep her, or whether it would be in Bailey's best interest to stay in a house with a man so upset and angry at her. I'm glad to say my husband got past the hurt to see what a beautiful, wonderful dog Bailey is. However, always in the back of my mind is a worry that this problem will happen again, and next time it might be the last straw. So maybe you all could give us advice on containment. Another concern about containment is that although we have several acres for Bailey to run on, we have no fence. We are talking about using "chicken wire" on round posts to save money (and because chain link could be climbed, I hear, and cedar fencing would be high maintenance here in the Pacific Northwest). Of course we'll go six feet high. We used to let Bailey and the other dogs run free to "do their business" (and had no problem for the last 12 months) but then we found a dead rooster (happened on the road, but still...). So we now walk them morning and night, and usually two times at night, with leashes. Really want that fence!

Injury seems to happen to Bailey more easily than our other dogs, based on our short experience. Once, during the phase when we didn't know how to put the crate together, we put all three dogs in the garage, and they got free for a few hours. They were all waiting for us at the front door when we returned, but Bailey had a gash on her leg that required five stitches. The vet said she'd obviously been through a tussle with some other animal (the German Shepherd down the road, perhaps? A coyote?). Our other dogs showed no signs of any such tussle. I wonder if this is a breed-specific thing, or docked-tail thing, to get so easily injured in a fight...?

We love Bailey! Here's our major questions, for now....

* How do you suggest we contain Bailey during the day when we're at work? We use the crate right now. My husband and I both work full-time and my teenager leaves a bit after us in the morning for school, so Bailey's alone for roughly 8 1/2 hours in the crate each day.

* Advice on fencing?

* What are the signs of a mature boxer ready to sleep at night outside the crate? Seems to me Bailey's more comfortable in larger spaces of the house now. (A week ago we started closing off most of the house and having her in the great room only, with us, and that seems to have helped her tremendously.)

* Can you suggest ways to train Bailey to let us know when she needs out for poo/pee? I read something about rubbing jingle-bells on the door with a hot dog, then rewarding her with taking her outside whenever she licks the bells, but that is going to be difficult with all three dogs in the house! (We are open to doing individual training sessions by putting the other dogs elsewhere in the house....)

* What are the signs of separation anxiety in boxers, and how do we help her become independent? Bailey's been in so many homes! I know boxers are very affectionate, so I'm having trouble discerning breed-specific behavior from possible psychological issues. She follows us from room to room, never letting us out of her sight. I enjoy her, but if this behavior points to an issue, I want to help her with it.

Okay, that's it for now. I'm sure I'll come up with more as time goes on!

Thank you very much,
Pamela (near Seattle, WA)

 

[BurningRiver]

The crate is a wonderful way to go, and hands down the best containment method while you're gone. It not only ensures that she cannot get out and hurt herself, but it also ensures that your belongings are safe as well.

As for fencing, there are other affordable options out there. One of them is "Best Friend Fence" by a company called "Banner's". Obviously, as with any fence, you do not want to leave them outside unsupervised, but this provides a very good option.

http://www.bestfriendfence.com/prod_fence_kits.asp

I've been wanting to move into a house with a little bit more land than what we have currently, but I've always wondered how I would be able to afford fencing in an area as large as what I want. I've been keeping Best Friend Fence in my back pocket for future plans.

The time that they are ready to sleep outside of their crates at night largely depends on the dog. My girls are all trained from the time that they are puppies to sleep on dog beds on the floor of our bedroom. The primary way that we've done this is to place them on the bed, loop their leash around the bed post and attach it to their collar. This ensures that they aren't going to go anywhere while we're sleeping.

Some dogs will let you know when they have to go out, but others won't. Only one of my girls lets me know. You can try the bell method, but I've just learned to take them out on schedule instead.

Velcro dogs can be a sign of separation anxiety, but if you aren't seeing other issues, I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, most boxers that I've been around prefer to be around their humans, and tend to want to be where ever they are. . . Including in the bathroom.

True signs of separation anxiety are excessive drooling and panting in the crate, barking, howling and whining in the crate, peeing and pooping in the crate, digging in the crate, biting the wires and generally trying anything they can to get out.

Hope this helps! Welcome to the board!

 

[ssimmons99]

* How do you suggest we contain Bailey during the day when we're at work? We use the crate right now. My husband and I both work full-time and my teenager leaves a bit after us in the morning for school, so Bailey's alone for roughly 8 1/2 hours in the crate each day.
I really think the crate is the best way - just take Bailey out right before you leave and right when you get back.  Mine is only 17-18 weeks - she can only leave her for max 5 hours during the day to prevent soiling in the crate.  Maybe someone else can tell you whether one can reasonably "hold-it" for 9 hours

* Advice on fencing?
Fencing is expensive.  We live in the suburbs - 10 feet from the neighbor's house.  We take Chloe for two (2) 30-minute walks.  One at 5am and one around 7pm. Good exercise for her, also gets her used to cars/people/other dogs/joggers, etc.  I realize the weather up there is probably not the best for an hour of walking a day, but that might be what Bailey needs to keep from getting anxious and destroying things.  I have been told that a tired dog = a good dog.

* What are the signs of a mature boxer ready to sleep at night outside the crate? Seems to me Bailey's more comfortable in larger spaces of the house now. (A week ago we started closing off most of the house and having her in the great room only, with us, and that seems to have helped her tremendously.)
I don't think this is breed specific - more dog specific.  My friend has two (2) 3-year old beagles that still sleep in the crate at night by choice.  It provides the "den-like environment".  What is your opposition to allowing Bailey to stay in the crate at night?

* Can you suggest ways to train Bailey to let us know when she needs out for poo/pee? I read something about rubbing jingle-bells on the door with a hot dog, then rewarding her with taking her outside whenever she licks the bells, but that is going to be difficult with all three dogs in the house! (We are open to doing individual training sessions by putting the other dogs elsewhere in the house....)
No clue - we take Chloe out like clock-work every 2 hours while she is out of the crate.  Crates also help with housebreaking - they will tend to not soil where they sleep.  Also - I can't remember how long you said you had Bailey, but we don't trust Chloe enough to be out of our sight at all while she is out of her crate - this way she cannot have the opportunity to get a reward for counter-surfing (like the bag of chips, etc.) and we are more likely to notice when she starts sniffing the ground.

* What are the signs of separation anxiety in boxers, and how do we help her become independent? Bailey's been in so many homes! I know boxers are very affectionate, so I'm having trouble discerning breed-specific behavior from possible psychological issues. She follows us from room to room, never letting us out of her sight. I enjoy her, but if this behavior points to an issue, I want to help her with it.
Chloe follows us around until we sit somewhere (then she tries to find food under the kitchen table :roll.  I wouldn't worry about it too much - again I don't remember how long you have had her - but there is an adjustment period.  

Okay, that's it for now. I'm sure I'll come up with more as time goes on!

Glad to have you here - I am from Portland originally - I really love it up there!

 

[samsonsmom]

Welcome to the forum & hopefully you will get some good advice here. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people aon here. Sounds like you have your hands full!!
Separation anxiety I know about very well. Samson has issues with that when he is in a new place. When I first adopted him, I crated him for about 6 months. He actually escaped form his first crate & did a lot of damage to my house. After he got used to where he was & realized that Momma was not going to abondon him, I let him have the run of the house & no problem. Then we moved & I had to start all over again.
I had the same problem with my other 2, Buck & Tia when I lived in Ireland. After they got sprung from quarantine, I was always finding something they had gotten into if I left the house. They also eventually grew out of it.
Sometimes with dogs that been rescued, there are issues that go back to their original owner & you may not even be aware of, depending on the information you were given. Patience, love, understanding & keeping a consistent schedule helps & make sure everybody that disciplines Bailey is doing the exact same thing!
Until you feel that Bailey is really acclimated, I would use the crate, it's best for her & it keeps everybody happy.
Keeping to a schedule for potty breaks is probably the best way to go. Samson will let me know if he needs out, but since I have had him, I have taught him to respond to the words "let's go potty". They know what you are saying. That's where being consistent pays off. Like Jessica said tho, not all dogs will let you know, so you have to get to know Bailey's needs.
As far as fencing, we live somewhat in the country, on 2 acres. Part is undeveloped. No fence. Samson has never been a
wanderer", he stays on his property, but I am concerned when we get a puppy wether we should fence any part of the yard. Boxers can jump & climb, My Tia used to scale a 6 foot fence to get to me when I was walking. Having said that, not all boxers will do that. But when you have mutiple dogs, it's kind of like follow the leader.
Hope some of this helps & keep us posted....

 

[pdenchfield]

Thanks everyone for your stories, advice on crates, the idea to leash Bailey to our bed post as an alternative to crating at night (I'm going to try that when she gets over her diarrhea - we just got back from the vet this morning), and the Best Friend fence! I like the look and the ease of installation and the price of the fence! I still have to explore prices for dog runs - I want to help all three of our dogs get exercise when we're not able to spend the time walking with them.

More info, since you asked -

* We've had Bailey almost 3 months. She's showing signs of adjustment. Yay!  

* She hasn't had any accidents for a couple weeks now - we have her on a schedule and we restrict her to the "great room" when we're home. When we're outside with her, we tell her "go potty" and she usually complies.

* My opposition to having Bailey stay in the crate at night is her sometime reluctance to go in, and my husband's likening of the crate to "caging an animal" - and not liking the crate. Bailey spends most nights in my teenager's room, but I'd like to look at alternatives for when she's in our room (as my teenager often spends weekends at friends' homes, or comes home late). When my teenager's not home at bed-time, we move the wire crate (quite a task) to our room.

And now, more questions -

Major hassles might prevent us being Bailey's "forever home" - please help!

The major hassles we've gone through since Bailey came to live with us 3 months ago are all unique to Bailey. We haven't had to go through anything like these with our other two dogs (2-year-old beagle/rott mix and 12-year-old lab/golden). My family has agreed to give it until the end of October in hopes of improvement coming from Bailey adjusting better to us and maturing some. I think my husband likes the idea of going back to just the two dogs we have now who don't demand a lot of care. Hopefully time will show that Bailey's not so much of a hassle.

Do you think these hassles will continue? Or can you give me info on what to look for as signs things will change (or stay the same)? Or are there things I can do to prevent these hassles? I see these issues as mostly temporary, and I hope to get feedback indicating so!

* #1 issue for my husband is Bailey's history of ruining the trim/wall around 2 doors to the inside of our house (and the carpet in my daughter's room), which my husband put blood and sweat into - we just built our home a year ago! There's always the worry in the back of his mind that we'll again be surprised somehow by another houdini escape ending up with counter-surfing (bread/chips) or worse, ruining our newer couch or worst, ruining the house's structural integrity!

* #2 and DAILY issue for my husband is flatulence. Bailey's farts are VERY smelly, especially to him, and he can't be in the same room when it happens. (sooo disruptive when we're watching a show!) I've tried a couple varieties of Solid Gold. I noticed that when she was on a bland diet for a few days (rice and eggs), hubby didn't say anything about the flatulence. (I didn't notice, but then I often don't.) Maybe we should do bland with a little bit of the dog food? Or maybe we'll try yet another dog food like Science Diet or Eukanuba or Real Canine as suggested by our vet.

* Vet bills - $400 for stitches a month ago when she got out and was attacked by a dog or coyote (we don't know), plus $100 today for bacterial infection, which our vet says could be something she ate (would have to be outside I suppose when we weren't watching? But she's always on a leash outside) or stress (we just had my 18-year-old stepson move back in). I think vet costs are temporary and not a long-term thing, but again, these issues are unique to Bailey.

* Peeing/pooping in obtrusive places such as the sidewalk or driveway, right in the path of our cars. Unlike our other two dogs, Bailey doesn't seem to "get" that these places are off-limits. We didn't have to train our other dogs, and this difference is another reason for my husband to not like Bailey. I imagine that if we all had to get involved in training her to "go" in the correct places, that would be another hassle for my husband.

* We have to remove the water bowl at 7pm every night and have to take her out every couple hours.

* #1 issue for Bailey, perhaps, is that we work full-time. I'm hoping this is not going to be a problem as she gets older and maybe won't need the crate. I left a voicemail for a local dog trainer (her classes are full) asking for a private consultation so we can find out how to prepare her for time alone in the house or time in the garage, perhaps (the garage floor could be poo'd/pee'd on). I'm thinking I'll baby-proof our 2 1/2 car garage this weekend in preparation for leaving her there Monday. Crating doesn't work on the odd day that we leave early or come home late from work - she was in the crate 11 hours the other day - my hubby and I carpooled and had errands to do, and my daughter, who leaves later and comes home later, didn't know we'd be gone so long and so didn't let her out to go poo/pee before she left.

Thank you for any and all advice and thoughts and stories you can give!

Signed,
Desperate boxer mom who wants to give Bailey a forever home,
Pamela

 

[BurningRiver]

Hi,
I'm going to pick your post apart and see if I can't address each point separately simply to make sure that I didn't miss anything. Please don't take offense to anything that I've written, as they're only my honest observations, and not meant as personal attacks on you or your husband. When it comes to having a dog, raising a child can be similar in many ways. We all make mistakes (if only I had a nickel for each mistake I've made! ) and we need to learn from them in order to correct them.

As you've noted some rescues can have difficult adjustment periods. Having said this, even puppies from breeders can have difficult adjustment periods. I had a puppy that peed and pooped her crate each time we left the house for the first year of her life. (And the only reason that I'm telling you this is to help you understand that all of this varies depending on the individual dog).

You are doing well to restrict her access until she's fully potty trained. Puppies or adults, the best thing to do during this time is to keep her in your sights at all times and crate her when you can't be watching her. Using the crate even when you're home will also have the added benefit of helping her to enjoy being in the crate when you're around. It also gives you the advantage of being able to walk in and correct her if she begins to act up in it and reward her when she's calm.

The crate is a wonderful tool for hosue training your dog. Please keep in mind that dogs are not humans, and they don't dislike being contained. Their crate will eventually become akin to their den. Dogs are den animals by nature, and most will readily enjoy wandering into their crate, laying down and taking a nap with the door wide open once adjusted to it. My girls do just that - they wander in, lay down and sleep in them with the door wide open.

For evening rest, as was suggested before, you can employ the use of the dog bed and the leash. Having said this, I would have her sleep in her crate for the time being so that she begins to associate her crate with her bed, and her safe place prior to allowing her to sleep outside of it. Once she feels comfortable with her crate, I would then begin allowing her to sleep in your room at night.

The trim - Yes, crating is your best option, for this reason alone. Try crating her in a room in which it isn't as much of a concern if she gets out and does damage, ie: the laundry room, an unfinished side of a basement, a mudroom. Once she adjusts to your home, you can try moving her crate to the other side of that same room. If no further issues ensue, you can move her crate into the room that you want it to stay in permanently.

Gas - Please see the responses to your other thread here: http://www.boxerforums.com/modules.php? ... opic&t=162

Vet bills - Sorry, but this is just the reality of owning a dog. Dogs can be expensive, especially if you get a special needs case. Children need to see the doctor, dogs need to see the vet. It seems to me that the vet costs that you've outlined are a bit expensive, you may want to try to find a new vet, however, these are costs that will occur throughout the life of your dog, and costs that you will need to be prepared for. I've opened a separate bank account for my girls that I put $50/month into. It's just the reality of owning a dog.

Potty issues - It sounds like Bailey was either kept on concrete or in a concrete floored kennel. Yes, you will have to train her to potty where you want her to. Try taking her out on leash to the exact same spot that you wish her to go in each time, and give her the command to "go potty". If she goes, praise, praise, praise and go back in the house. If she doesn't go, simply walk back into the house, put her in the crate without a word and take her out again later. She'll eventually get it.

Water - An adult dog should be able to hold it for longer than two hours. My girls can go 8 hours in their crates with no problems. My guess is that she has a UTI. Did this problem alleviate at all when you had her on the run of antibiotics for the bacterial infection? If it did, I'm sure you were looking at a UTI. If it doesn't completely go away, or if it continues, she needs to see the vet for treatment.

Work schedules - 11 hours is way too long for a dog to be left in the crate without being able to go out to potty. Options are: 1) having a neighbor (or a neighbor kid) come over to let her out (just make sure to make proper introductions prior to asking them to come over so that she doesn't get territorial when they arrive), or 2) hiring a pet sitter to come over to let her out, or 3) leaving her in an area that she can potty on.

One other thing that I wanted to suggest is an exercise pen (ex-pen). If you cannot be home to let her out, you may want to try putting her in an ex-pen with newspapers on the floor. This way, it will be easier to clean up messes and she will be able to have a bit of room to stretch out. You may even be able to leave toys in with her, just make sure that she won't tear them up or eat them (try a kong stuffed with peanut butter and or frozen chicken broth, and other hard rubber toys that can't be easily chewed).

As for the hassles. . . I think that you're being a bit too critical of Bailey. Try to put yourself in her shoes. She's not had the best start at life to begin with and she's been shuffled from home to home. She's not quite sure that your home is her home, and she's trying to adjust the best way that she can. This is a major life change for her, even more so than it would be for a human, simply because dogs are pack animals. Being outcast from the pack for them (by instinct) is worse than death. Their packs are their lifeblood and their livelihood, and instinct tells them that they cannot survive outside of one. Basically, what has just happened to her in being taken from her previous home and put into a new one is that her world has been turned upside down. Because of this, try to take a deep breath, be patient and work with her through this time. If you get through it, I promise you that you will have the best dog that you've ever had. Hang in there, it will get better, I promise.

Hope this helps!

 

[pdenchfield]

BurningRiver (or is it Jessica?), thank you so much.

I really appreciate your informative reply. I do not take offense to anything you've written. I see that accepting Bailey means accepting the problems that may come with her attempts to belong after such trauma in her life (separation from families). I'm fully ready to take on these issues, but I'm not sure my husband and teenagers are.

The adoption of Bailey was an impromptu thing urged by my teenage daughter, who since has gotten her driver's license so doesn't want to be around home as much (though is supportive and takes care when she's home). My husband accepted the adoption over the phone when we were out of state ("surprise! we want to bring a dog home") and now he feels a bit resentful at the hassles, as does my stepson and, sometimes, my daughter. It doesn't feel right to force them to accept the hassles. But I've fallen in love with Bailey, and with your support and the support of the boxer forum at large, I believe I can bring both Bailey and my family through this initial adjustment phase.

A few specific replies to your comments:

You suggest the following about the crate - use it when we're home, have her sleep there until she associates it as her "safe place," and move the crate to an unfinished room until she adjusts. Here's my issues:

(1) Location. The crate is difficult for one person to move (a large wire contraption) so we often keep it in the "night-time" location, either my room or my daughter's room. And all our rooms in our brand-new rambler (save the garage) would be a concern for trim and other destruction possibilities.

(2) Other comfy places. She's only 46 pounds (turns 3 next month) and she fits on our laps. She also likes to cuddle on a dog bed in the living room, nearer us. So she hardly thinks of going to her crate, even if we're in the general vicinity. We discourage her from getting up on the couch, but my daughter likes her to rest on her bed with her. (My daughter was recently prohibiting her from her bed in hopes of supporting our quest to keep her off the couch, but I said last night, perhaps in bad judgment, to go ahead and keep her on the bed. I was thinking it would help her adjust, but maybe I'm off base.)

(3) Bailey's mostly positive feelings with the crate. I think she feels comfortable with her crate (which came with her) and she associates it with bed because she certainly is able to sleep there as long as we're close by. I'm thinking with this info that maybe it's okay to try the leash-bed post idea.

Below I quote specific items and then reply.

"Potty issues - It sounds like Bailey was either kept on concrete or in a concrete floored kennel."

Good to realize this probability about Bailey! At least I can say to my family that her potty habits probably don't relate to her "trainability" or her dog intelligence level!

"Water..."

We started the "pick up the water bowl at 7pm" practice after reading that suggestion on the internet. She has house-breaking issues rather than problems holding it. (I think.) Anyway, no accidents for over 2 weeks now!

"Work schedules - 11 hours is way too long" and "ex-pen"

Yes, this was an unusual occurrence we didn't plan for. We live "out in the boonies" so I'll continue to think on possible helpers for the off day that we're gone too long. Another thing is we could put her in the garage, perhaps in an ex-pen rather than running free (we'd have to baby-proof the garage first if she was running free). I'm hoping to get a dog run for the evenings that we're home and don't want to do extensive walking.

"...try to take a deep breath, be patient and work with her through this time. If you get through it, I promise you that you will have the best dog that you've ever had. Hang in there, it will get better, I promise."

Thanks for the encouraging words!
Pamela

 

[samsonsmom]

Ok, I have a couple more questions..I think you said you have 2 other dogs? Where do they sleep? Would it be convenient to place Bailey's crate with them? If not, I believe you said that you restricted Bailey to your great room? Perhaps that would be the place to put her crate. That's where I keep Samson's, altho we don't use it much                                                                                                                                                                                                 Yes, it really is tough to move the crate around & I'm wondering if that also might be confusing Bailey? Maybe Jessica can answer that one better than me. I know Samson likes continuity, sometimes I think he's more on a schedule than me.                                                Considering all that Bailey has been through, patience is the key, but if everybody in your family doesn't feel the same, it's going to be tough.  Boxers are highly intuitive also, they sense emotions very well. Bailey may be picking up on some negative vibes around your house also. I know mine have always been very tuned into what's going on around my house.                                                                                                                                                                                                I don't know if I asked this before, but I get the impression from what you have said that Bailey has been able to get out of her crate? Maybe I misunderstood, cos it really is difficult for a dog to escape most crates, altho Samson did learn how with the first crate I had. If she has, it's understandable that your husband would not feel comfortable leaving her alone. Either way, obviously you don't want your new house destroyed, I can understand that & Bailey has to learn what is acceptable behavior.
At the end of the day you want what's best for Bailey, but not to the point that you have a war in your house. It's obvious you are really attached to her, it's hard not to really. I have to agree with Jessica..( you give such good advice)..be patient & see it from Bailey's point of view. How would we feel if that had happened to us?

Good luck Pam....keep us posted

 

[BurningRiver]

Hi there,
You know? You just made me realize that my signature makes it look like I have a dog named "Jessica", ROTFL!

Yes, my name is Jessica, LOL

Ah, the old "husband and daughter decides to bring home a dog to surprise mom" thing. . . While, believe me, I understand your husband's frustrations, I also feel that he needs to realize that he was responsible for making the decision to adopt Bailey and that he needs to act responsibly and work her through these issues. It's not fair that you are the only one working to achieve these things. Because of this, I absolutely do believe that it is his responsibility to accept these hassles and to try to work with her in order to solve them.

These forums are wonderful in that they offer support for specific problems that you may have with your dog. They have helped me immensely, and I have NO idea where I would be in dogs without them.

Do you mind if I ask how she got out of her crate during her last "jail break"? Was it not latched properly? Or did she actually break the crate?

As for the comfy places and attention, try to limit this during her adjustment period. I don't think that you should act cold to her, I just would be careful not to go "over the top" with it (which I know can be extremely tough with children who just want to love on the dog!). Reason being, that she needs to also learn that she can be independent in her new environment as well. Boxers do tend to be clingy. They do want to be where their people are at most times and some, specifically rescues can be excessively so, even extending over into separation anxiety cases.

Another suggestion for quality time between the kids and the dog (and yes, even your hubby and the dog ) would be to have short training sessions with her. Teach her to sit, to lay down, to roll over, to beg, to shake hands, stay, come when called, etc, etc. Training will help you immensely and will help her to not only find her place in your "pack" but also to build her confidence, give her a job to do and to encourage others within the family in taking responsibility for her.

I'm glad that you feel that she is comfortable in her crate. This is a very good thing!

I definitely don't think that her potty habits relate to her intelligence. . . Especially since I've yet to meet a truly stupid boxer. I'm sure she'll get it with time, it seems to me that this is probably all she's used to and she's just doing as she's always done. Taking her out on lead and showing her where it is acceptable to eliminate should correct this problem within a week or two.

Glad to hear that she's not had an accident in a while! Do expect a set back or two (just because they do usually happen), but they are usually short lived, and she should overcome them with no further issues.

Samson's mom, yes, moving the crate too much can confuse her. This is why I suggested moving it across the room in the "safe room" prior to moving it into the room that she would stay in permanently. This would be her best test to see if Bailey will tolerate the move well prior to actually doing it. If she were to stage another "jail break", it's better that she does it in there, rather than having it happen in the "unsafe room".

Hope this helps!

 

[pdenchfield]

Hi Willow!

Our other 2 dogs sleep in various places...the 2-year-old sleeps in my teenage stepson's bed with him, if he gets home before we go to bed, or in our room on the floor (dog bed) otherwise. The 12-year-old golden/lab almost always sleeps in our room on her special blanket, but last night she wanted to sleep on the floor in my teenage daughter's room.

Good point about moving the crate possibly confusing Bailey. Not to mention the revolving sleep arrangements the other dogs have! Hmmm...I'm thinking about having Bailey sleep in my room always now.

I think Bailey is "growing on" my husband and stepson. My daughter is enamored with her but chafes at having to cut into her burgeoning social life to be home by 9/9:30 to be with Bailey as she goes to bed (otherwise Bailey whines if left in my daughter's room waiting for her). I ask her to be home by then because my hubby doesn't like the crate in our room or the sometime flatulence. (He has this perception of the crate as "caging an animal" and flat out hates the idea of having a "caged animal" in his room.) However, he's also adjusting and perhaps allowing for different perceptions, and he hasn't been complaining of late (and Bailey's flatulence might have been related to the bacterial infection that's being resolved now). Maybe the crate can stay in our room. It's possible. Or maybe, if the leash-bed post thing works, we could keep the crate in the "great room" (living room/dining room/kitchen area).

Yes, to answer your question, she did get out of her crate in the past, but not since my hubby reinforced the structure...we possibly didn't put it together correctly before.

You say that boxers are highly intuitive. I sensed that she was more intuitive than the other dogs in our home, and that she picked up on others' attitudes/feelings towards her. (Reminds me of "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine Aron, only for dogs.) Is there breed-specific research supporting this idea? If so, I'd be highly interested in reading it!

Fortunately my hubby and the rest of the family are growing to enjoy Bailey! I'm just hoping we can get through the next month or so with more of her adjusting to us and less of the accidents and none of the property destruction. If we do, my family may become completely supportive and attached, as am I!

Thanks so much for your replies!
Pamela

 

[pdenchfield]

Hi Jessica! ;-)

Actually, it was "mom and daughter decide

 

[BurningRiver]

Ah, sorry - I misunderstood your initial post!  

If the crate is put together properly this time, I'm sure that it will be fine. I have a rip-roaring-throw-a-party-in-her-crate 4 year old who has yet to have a jail break (well, except for the time that hubby forgot to latch it properly, at which point she got out and chewed the bottom of the door trying to get out).

I don't think that having her in your lap occasionally is a bad thing. Just make sure that it's not all the time, and that you are also encouraging her to be independent as well. Do you have a kong? Kongs are *wonderful* for encouraging "alone time". Try filling her kong with peanut butter or freezing it with chicken broth in it (Dab a bit of peanut butter in the smaller hole and stand it on a plate. Fill it with chicken broth and freeze in the freezer). Put a fleecie or a dog bed over in the corner, away from all of the activity, and tell her "On your bed". When she does, tell her to lay down and give her the kong. If she gets up and tries to come over to be with you, pick the kong up, tell her "No. On your bed." and put both her and the kong back on her bed.

The benefits of this are twofold. First, you are encoraging independence where you can keep an eye on her, and secondly, you are teaching her to "stay on her bed" which will come in handy at night time as well.

Your idea of the crate and bed are good. Good luck and please keep us posted on her!

 

[pdenchfield]

Thank you so much for your ideas and support!

 

[samsonsmom]

Sounds like things are starting to settle down a bit, which is wonderful news. Like you, Bailey is still trying to find her "place" within the family so it will take awhile.

I don't know if there is any actual research on boxers being intuitive or not. My information is basically from what I've read in my books & largely due to personal experience. With my first male Buck, I was out on a long disabilty. I had my bad days & good days, Buck always seemed to know when I was hurting & would cuddle up to me, licking me, just being very nuturing. When my husband & I separated both Buck & Tia took it very hard & were confused who they should spend time with, almost like they had to figure out who needed support more. Samson is soo very tuned into both my moods & Marq's. If Marq has had a bad day, Samson tends to stay out of his way, but also wants to go comfort him. Both of us have lost parents in the last year & poor Samson hasn't known what to do with all the tears & moods, other than just to cuddle up to us. Once Bailey gets to know everyone well, you will see that also.

I like the idea of keeping her crate in the great room, leave it open so she can go in if she desires. And yes, I do understand her need to be close to everyone, esp at nite. Samson always starts off the nite on our bed, then moves to the couch. I'll be curious to see how she does with the leash thing tied to your bed.

I've never used Kong's with Samson as he doesn't like them or nylabones either. He had so much damage to his teeth when I adopted him that he doesn't really care for anything real hard, altho he does love his Greenies!! After reading what Jessica said about putting peanut butter in one, I might give it another try. Heck, he didn't even know how to play when I got him so it's been a learning experience.

As far as training, the one thing that I discovered when I took Buck to his first class is the need for consistency. Everone that comes into contact with Bailey has to use the same method as you. What I used to do was have a mini training session when I got home from a class so my husband would see what we had done that particular week.

Good luck & look forward to hearing Bailey's progress, she sounds like a sweetie

 

[pdenchfield]

Wow, Willow, I really appreciate reading about your personal experiences of boxer sensitivity (would love to get those book titles), and thank you for your feedback on the crate idea as well! I will be sure to do mini-classes for my hubby's benefit after training. Thanks so much for writing!
--Pamela

 

[samsonsmom]

Pam ,these are the 2 books that I have, one of which I bought back when I was first researching the breed. It's called "Guide to owning a boxer" by Patti Rutledge, the other book I got about 4 years ago is called "The boxer, family favorite" by Stephanie Abraham who is a breeder & also a judge. Both of these I got at Petsmart. Also check online, you might find more, I know Rick Tomita, who owns Jacquet Boxers is supposed to have a real good book also.

Glad I have been able to be of some help...Keep us posted 8)

 

[pdenchfield]

Thanks! I'm putting holds on these books at the library. --Pamela

 

[ssimmons99]

I liked Cesar's Way - but it's more of a way of behaving around your dogs then training.

 

[pdenchfield]

Thanks for the tip! I just saw an article about Cesar in the Dog Fancy magazine.