Boxer who donest like other dogs!

Bambaata

Hi, sorry if this is being raised constantly but i cant seem to find an answer. Myself and my girlfriend have a boxer (2yrs 5 months or so). She belongs to my gf's brother but we have her now indefinitely.

She moved in with us properly a few months back and when we got her she was all sorts of bold! Unfortunately she didn't have the most ideal start in life which has inevitably meant she isn't too well trained. She was mainly kept tied up for the first 1 12 yrs of her life while everyone was away and dogs next door i'm told use to torment her. They knew she couldn't get at them so they'd come on her turf and annoy her. This has lead to her being uncontrollable around other dogs. She was also unwalkable for a long time but we've worked on this and try to calm her whenever she sees other dogs.

We walk her at least 5 to 6 days a week and we take her to parks for longer periods (a few hrs) and she has come on amazingly in the walking department (Before she'd pull the arm off her but hopefully the way i have approached it was right? I basically do not let her walk infront - i'm told this is a "leader of the pack" trait - and now i do. When she does out infront I'll either kick the wall infront of her and she gets the message and looks up at me with a "sorry" face.

Only problem is when she sees another dog she goes nuts. She doesn't starting growling or anything its more of a whining but sometimes the other owner is nice and lets them close but our dog will sniff and then clout the other dog a box on it's head and that'll lick it off. We then have to drag her away.

My folks have a yorkshire terrier and i bring our dog home whenever i can so she can try get along with dogs, and she does - eventually!! She always seems to dominate another dog. Like she'll trample over the yorkie and "show her who's boss" but i stop this when i see it happening. I broke my collarbone last yr and went home for a week and it took 5 days to finally be comfortable for them to be alone together. Even when we walk the two together our dog will run infront and block the yorkies path which is obviously a "dominance" thing again.

Has anyone any tips on trying to get her used to dogs. We've thought about getting a second dog but I'd imagine we'd need a bigger dog then that wouldn't be dominated by her? I'd rather we didn't get a bigger dog for now but I'd be afraid she'd "ruin" a smaller one who'd be submissive?

We live in Glasnevin and are hoping we can get her to training but money is tight at the moment. We will take her soon enough though. Does anyone know of any good ones in the area? I've been reading up on a few but i cant find anyone talk of their opinions independently etc.

She does mean well and now completely surrenders to my call when i call her (she didn't before) so the tide has changed in the "leader" mentality but this is the final hurdle now but it is most definitely the most difficult and important for me!!

hadook

Bambaata wrote: »

Only problem is when she sees another dog she goes nuts. She doesn't starting growling or anything its more of a whining but sometimes the other owner is nice and lets them close but our dog will sniff and then clout the other dog a box on it's head and that'll lick it off. We then have to drag her away.

My folks have a yorkshire terrier and i bring our dog home whenever i can so she can try get along with dogs, and she does - eventually!! She always seems to dominate another dog. Like she'll trample over the yorkie and "show her who's boss" but i stop this when i see it happening. I broke my collarbone last yr and went home for a week and it took 5 days to finally be comfortable for them to be alone together. Even when we walk the two together our dog will run infront and block the yorkies path which is obviously a "dominance" thing again.

That doesn't sound like "dominant" behaviour to me - that sounds like a rowdy young dog trying to play. Especially the whining and the "clouting" - sounds very like my Dane playing with my collie. What usually happens is either the collie plays back or he's not in the mood and snaps at her. :rolleyes:

Two big dogs playing together is something that you step out of the way of - they bodyslam and throw each other and themselves around with joyous abandon (two small dogs are the same but they don't tend to knock you flying and leave you with a bruised backside lol) but when a big dog and a little dog play together they need a little choreographing. Do you know anyone with a medium-large size friendly dog who'd be free to meet you to allow your dog time to play like the eijit she wants to be?

I hear Dog Training Ireland run good training classes. I've also heard good things about the agility classes etc in Estuary Kennels in Swords so I'd imagine they'd be able to help you too.

Bambaata

thanks for that. she gets a bit bullish sometime with other dogs but sometimes it goes beyond the "play" type whinning. I can always see the change in her with some dogs though. I think that "teasing" when she was a pup didn't help. She hated them!! Its easy to see it coming then though. She'll generally whine at dogs far off and force me to pull her away but when she gets close she goes quiet and then sometimes goes for their nose with not such a nice greeting. the dog owners around are generally good though and i generally get the"she's not so good with dogs" comment in so they are also prepared.

Unfortunately i don't know any other people with this size of a dog. That's why i'm glad when i come across a real dog person who understands our trouble and helps a bit for a few minutes with their dog when we come across them.

I'll check out that Swords place. Thanks.

hadook

If you're ever in Meath you're welcome to let her run with my horde - they're used to large dogs and they're not afraid to say "no, back off, too much" without it getting ugly. Especially my Loki, the collie. He rules and the Dane knows it I've never seen him expend much effort putting another dog in it's place either. A true alpha

Bambaata

I'm actually from Meath and that's where we bring her to the fanily dog (but she's a wimp!!) That would be great if it were ok? Whereabouts are you in Meath?

hadook

We're near Kells

Rat spaniel and the collie are pretty bombproof with other dogs and she can always work up to the mad Dane

Bambaata

Wow that would be great. What days suit you etc? We dont weant to put you out now if it doesnt suit!