Brindle Tornados

ZekeZira · #1 10-26-2009, 07:40 AM

Wow! This past Saturday morning, Zeke and Zira needed to go to the vets for annual vacs before I dropped them off at the kennel for the day and night. Holy cow! Those two were completely out of control the second I opened the door to the vet's office. They love going there (lucky for me!) and were just jumping, spinning, pulling - it was just awful! Same thing at "camp". They love going there but act like the most undisciplined dogs ever. Again with the jumping, spinning, pulling. I was by myself, which didn't help the situation - 130 lbs of dogs is hard for one person to control.

What can we do for training to help get them better controlled when we go places? They love everybody and everything but it is just embarrassing. I got a lot of "well, they are boxers, that's how they are!" but I just don't accept that - I can't accept that. I need to be able to control them in different places. Help!

sargboxerluv · #2 10-26-2009, 10:24 AM

You probably need to practice going out with them one at a time. It's always a lot harder when you've got 2. But if they can learn to be good alone, they will be better able to learn to be good when they are together.

ZekeZira · #3 11-02-2009, 01:03 PM

Hi there! Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions, we go for a walk (and a little jogging) just about every day - I'd say we average 5-6 per week. It is a relatively hilly walk - and we are "working" the whole time - starting and stopping and sitting and heeling. We also have regular training each day. We work on our sits, stays, waits, and downs primarily. We don't let them come inside until we say "OK" so they have that going for them, I think. We really have taken training very seriously with them. That is why that particular Saturday felt so out of control.

They are not taken to the kennel very often - one night every two months or so, I would say. They truly do love going there - during the day, they have supervised, open play with all of the other dogs and then have their own bedroom together at night. The kennel also has a web cam so we are able to check on them and they are always playing happily and always get a good report card.

I think my husband and I are going to start working on taking them out more often - like to the pet stores that allow dogs. I think if the "thrill" wears off, then maybe it will be easier in the future.

NateBazooka · #4 11-02-2009, 03:48 PM

Are their leashes just attached to their collars?

I have basically the same problem with my puppy. It's like, I have to train him how to behave all over again for each specific place I want to take him - he just gets so excited about new places. Particularly if they're the kinds of places with new people and dogs to smell/want to play with. He's really well trained, as long as he's focused.

He's just poorly focused in exciting environments :/

I'm sure Sinsa is right, or at least partially right. I walk Kev a couple of times a day, and try and get him to the park as much as I can, and I can definitely tell that he does much better at controlling his excitement when he's tired, but sometimes its hard. Like last week I had to take my dog in to get set up at a new vet, and I just couldn't take off enough time at work to both give him the marathon run necessary to get him sufficiently pooped to not get excited about the other dogs at the office, and still be able to spend over an hour at the vet doing paperwork, getting a wellness exam, and meeting the new vet. So the run got skimped on a little bit, and it was readily apparent to everyone in the waiting room that Kevin wanted very much to play with all of the other dogs.

Anyways, I've found the gentle leader head harness to be really helpful when I'm taking Kevin to new places in general, and to keep him from pulling on the leash during walks. He's much better behaved when he has it on, and even when he's trying to do stuff he's not supposed to (like jump up), I can pretty much control him with just the strength of my wrist.

If it's not something you've tried, it might be wortwhile.

auntthelm · #5 11-02-2009, 05:38 PM

Roxy is so excited to go to the vet, it is unreal. That being said, from the first time we walked in 2 of the staff members, who are Boxer owners, fell in love with Roxy. They are excited to see Roxy and Roxy is excited to see them. She pulls me in from the parking lot like she has finally found her long lost home. To see the way she reacts there, you would think she get no loving at home. I guess what I am getting at is, that our babies have long memories and if the environment was exciting last time I guess they think it will be exciting again. I do make Roxy sit when we are in he front office or at least try to. But then one of her human friends comes to see her and the excitement just is too much to contain.

I can't imagine trying to take 2 happy boxers in to the vet at one time.

We use a Gentle Leader Harness (not the one that goes over the face), and I work everyday on not allowing her to pull and she is better.

Roxy gets plenty of exercise and has lots of playtime. She listens well, is very smart, but sometimes lack self control. I figure she is just like me -- a work in progress.

iluvfrankie · #6 11-02-2009, 09:13 PM

My girl absolutely loves the vet too on our nightly walk we pass the place and every night she tries to pull me in. She just loves all the smells and the dogs too although they dont love her as much. I find that when i lower the tone of my voice when talking to her she does what she is told and sits. If another boxer comes in they are both mad but i find pulling on the lead and calling her in a low tone works. Although with 2 it cant be easy. I can picture them doing it, sounds cute but i know how hard one can be to control i cant imagine 2! Poor u. I hope u find something that works!

ZekeZira · #7 11-03-2009, 10:21 AM

Thank you so much everyone for your replies! It is such a relief to hear other similar stories! And they gave me a few giggles, too!

Two boxers are hard but they really are so sweet and funny that it makes up for it. We don't always do everything that we should/could but we really do try our best and for the most part, they are very well-trained, well-behaved dogs.

Zeke and Zira are definitely spirited dogs - they really do love everyone and everything. And, so far for them, everyone has loved them. That is part of the reason the vet's office is so exciting for them. They get a very enthusiastic greeting from everyone in the office and that just ramps them up. Same for their camp. They just love it.

We do have pinch collars for them, which I know can be controversial. I try to not use them but I think until they are more polite and better behaved when we go out, I will clip their leash to those and still have their regular collar on. Just the act of having that collar on works for Zeke, even without his leash clipped to it. Zira is a little more hard-headed (in that and everything else!) so a gentle tug is needed with her sometimes to correct her. We are very careful with those collars; they are properly fitted and we gently correct so that we don't hurt them. But they do work with them.

I am going to check out the bike leash - my husband and I were just talking about trying that last night when they got in from their walk. They are definitely the most well-behaved dogs on earth when they are tired!

It's hard to cause trouble when you are passed out on the couch! Hee!

kanden · #8 11-18-2009, 04:00 AM

I have just tried a blackdog head halter for Harry(Recommended at dogtraining school).Today I took him into the vets to get weighed before purchasing worm tablets.The best vet visit we have ever had!He normally goes crazy,pulling up the steps and once he gets inside he is so excited he gets other pets going crazy.He also had a dramatic improvement in behaviour at dogtraining school,and instead of being disruptive and wanting to play,he participated in the training a lot better than usual.The instructor was impressed and also a bit relieved!He does have a sad little face when the head halter gets put on,but is getting used to it very quickly.

boxmom · #9 11-18-2009, 07:28 AM

The last time I took my two to the vet together was the LAST time I try to do that!

Fred was just a baby-I think he was 6months old and he was and still is a bad influence on Lucy. We walked in, and there was a lady with a rabbit on her lap, and a small child (Lucy just loves the little people!), and a cat in a box, and another dog all in the waiting room. It was ugly, friendly, but ugly! My arms got quite the workout that day. Now I take them one at a time.