Aggression Issues

[Tricia77]

Tessa is in great health - just to the vet, she is just so very dominant. I am sure like other posts its just we spoil her ROTTEN!
I am anxious to check out the links you sent -
Thanks for listening!

[binxsmom]

Hi Krikkit,
After reading a few of those articles, especially "He just wants to say hi" I think I may have a rude puppy!

Binx is almost 20 weeks and finished puppy kindergarten and now we're in Family Dog class and agility. (The trainer is well aware of fragile puppies and won't let us do any jumps, etc. She grew up with Boxers and thought the focus and confidence would be good for our little guy.)

He has been doing better and better calming down in a setting with other dogs (ie: no more barking and is able to concentrate on whoever is handling him at the time) but I think that he just does not get warning signals from other dogs when they get past the initial hello. He will do the side by side thing and sniff, etc but then he starts to "box" and get all over the other dog. This has all happened on leash and the few times we have been with other dogs off leash things seem OK.

I guess what I want to know is do I just let him learn by his mistakes or is there something I should or shouldn't be doing?
Thanks!

[Krikkit]

Well, most 20 week old Boxers are 'rude' - silly things It does sound as if he startng out right with the sniffing etc Just take care who you introduce him too - some dogs really take offence at the boxing thing and it's not worth him gettng a bad reaction. Ruben used to be like this and is still inclined this way - what I did with him was really praise (actually I clicked) the nice social behaviour. It seemed to work - he is still boisterous but will not box on first greeting - he generally goes with a play bow.

Here is an article on Clicking Calming Signals
http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti...aggression.htm

There is a list of some 'calm' behaviour here - might help you find what to praise for
http://www.canis.no/rugaas/onearticle.php?artid=1

Sharon

[chickie1]

well, i am in a pickle and dont knw what to do. my fiance and his dog (yellow lab) have been coming by more frequently to get the dogs more aquainted. and after 3 months of getting along. his neutered male and my male (not neutered) are all of a sudden at each others throats, litterally. i have recieved stitches and he has also been hurt. we tried wire cage muzzles to break it in and no luck. built a dog kennel and tried it along with the muzzles and the yellow lab broke out of the fence. we are at our wits end. and dont want to find a home for his dog, or mine, but we dont know what else to do. the lab gets along fine with my other dogs. its just one. any advise would be greatly apprecaited.

thanks

[geo&jo]

to have a dog that is totally timid and docile is worse than an aggressive dog. the natural amount of aggression that a dog shows should be harnessed through careful training. there is far too much rubbish talked about aggression. we have our dogs on leads and well trained but still theres the neutering brigade and the halti brigade trying to turn a now domesticated but formerly wild animal into nothing more than a teddy bear.
harness the natural aggression and prey drives in your dogs and stop trying to turn modern day boxers into cuddly robotic toys!

[VTbxrFan]

Originally posted by geo&jo
to have a dog that is totally timid and docile is worse than an aggressive dog.

Why exactly? My dog is timid and docile - he was that way before I ever got him. I'd prefer that he have more confidence simply so that his life will be less stressful FOR HIM, but I'd much rather be working to build his confidence than be working to control his aggression. I'm just curious why you feel that aggression is better.

Chickie1 - have you consulted with a behaviorist? A well-trained behaviorist might help you and your fiance identify triggers that are setting off the fights between your dogs. You might also want to consider getting your dog neutered. It's not a guaranteed to help, but intact dogs do tend to have more touble getting along with other dogs...and if nothing else, neutering will provide health benefits like greatly reducing his odds for certain cancers, so as long as he doesn't have any health conditions that make neutering unsafe for him, there's really nothing to lose. (I know that some people will disagree, but based on the reading I've done, I've come across far more information supporting neutering/spaying that opposing it.)

[Bob Boxer]

Hi ...
My name is Bob Boxer and I will be 6 in June. I have lived with my people for almost four years now. Before that I moved alot and lived with 4 different people.
I have some dog friends but can't seem to control myself when I see dogs that I don't know.
My people have done private training and I am better but seem to relapse alot.
Can you really teach a old dog new tricks ???
WOOF..WOOF...

Bob Boxer

[Krikkit]

Originally posted by Bob Boxer
Can you really teach a old dog new tricks ???
WOOF..WOOF...
Bob Boxer

Hi Bob, and Woof Woof to you - welcome to Boxerworld

Of course you can teach an old dog new tricks - some rescue doggies have to learn everything from scratch even if they are older than you, and have not had nice humans for as many years as you have now. What are your humans doing to help you out with this?

Don't worry too much about the relapses, as you get better and better and gain more social skills when meeting other dogs these will not happen so often

[Bob Boxer]

Woof Woof its me again..
My people have been trying to use positive training methods with treats. Like today we saw a dog and we did some fun moves with treats and I forgot about that other dog for a while. But later a dog jumped out from behind a car so I gave him the business, woof woof.
But most of the time they just try avoid other dogs when we are out for walks.
Do you think I could get better if I saw more dogs and practiced my treat moves. Maybe I just don't get out enough ??

PS.. My woman read the link on Descensitizing dogs to other dogs today.

Woof, Woof
Bob Boxer

[Krikkit]

No wonder you had to bark if a dog jumped out from behind a car at you - many other dogs would probably bark if this happend too

I think you could do really well if you saw some more dogs so you can practice all the moves a bit more, but you would have to tell your humans to make sure that you only see dogs in a controlled enviroment - you don't want many more popping out from behind cars, or trees or things and giving you a fright. It might be a bit hard to find somewhere for you to practice but it's worth looking around.

What type of collar and lead do you wear? Do you think you would like a head halter to make you feel a little more safe when walking? If you do have a halter, do you like it?

Sounds like you have done a great job in finding these humans to live with - well done