Boxer Talk

Hi Paul, sorry i have another question. I was just wondering as you have had a lot of boxers what type of leads you have used. Mojo is now 6 months old and at the moment i have a harness lead which goes under his front legs but he is still very strong my partner can hold him but i cant. I was thinking about those ones that control the dog from the nose as i saw a boxer in my town with one on and he walked really nicely, but i'm guessing i will have to wait till he is a bit bigger so i can get one to fit-is that true? He has had a training class for 6 weeks when he was 12 weeks old but i'm starting the next stage up in Jan which lasts a year because as you know boxers are stubborn.
Lastly i would like to say how proud i am of Mojo as i took him to a charity dog show an he won in 3 out 4 events.
Thanks for you advise, Jade

Hi again Jade, oh and hello there kiko!

That's great news congratulations to you and Mojo!

If you have him so well behaved he won any kind of event I'm sure you can solve the aggressive play thing.

About leads, I've only ever used the standard collar and lead and on occasion choke chains rather than a collar. So I can't really comment on what the best option might be.

All of my dogs but one have been female. Most have been reasonably well behaved on the lead too. This isn't really a because of training so much, as though I'd advise all dog owners to train their dogs, I'm on the whole pretty lax with it myself.

However as a young dog Jason was very bad with pulling on the lead. He really needed training and I didn't spend enough time at it.

Still over the years, part through learning, part though age and energy. He now walks perfectly ok but if there's something he is very interested in. Like another dog, he's as strong as if he were 2 or 3 again.

For me personally I always preferred a normal collar arrangement. Choke chains don't offer me the control I occasionally need when Jason gets excited and pulls very strongly.

With a normal collar I feel I have control, the reason being this.

If he pulls very strongly it's difficult normally. However if your alert to what's going on and can get your hand under his collar and hold him by that.

Well then he looses all the leverage the lead gives and he's much easier to control.

As I say I haven't tried any other options though and there may be some great ones out there that help with control issues.