Boxer Talk

My 7 1/2 month old female boxer plays too rough and bites my granddaughter's too hard as well as myself and my husband. I have tried to tell her NO in a very stern voice and sometimes it helps, but sometimes it does not. I have tried to spray her with a water bottle to get her to stop. This does help for a short time then she starts biting again. I don't know how to get her to stop biting while she is playing. She sometimes leaves marks on my granddaughter's where she scratches them with her teeth. She has never broken the skin, but she does grab their hands or arms and trys to pull on them which really hurts. Is this just puppy playing or should I be concerned? She does not growl or bark while playing and usually runs up nips at one of the girls and runs off. She is a very good puppy other than this one habit she has. How do I stop her from doing this?

Carol: Hi, your Boxer sounds beautiful. I'm sure that he is puppy-playing. Grabbing your granddaughter's hand and arm are just an invitation to play. If you want the dog to stop doing that then just be consistent with your training. Say "No" firmly, over and over. It takes time to train a puppy -- like months and months. But what about Obedience School. They would have the best info on how to train your Boxer -- away from behaviours you don't like and toward other behaviours you want.

Hi folks sorry I've not been around the last few days.

Carol Hi,

I pretty much agree with Lorelie. However wonderful and important your dog is. And I'm sure she is a wonderful girl. If her behaviour causes you concern then it's something to deal with.

Especially since we're talking about children.

Let me reiterate that I don't think your Boxer would harm the kids on purpose. But you can\\'t take that chance.

As Lorelie says the cure for all behavioural issues is training. Though of course it's a bit of hard work. She gave good advice saying try a class. It would be beneficial even if you didn't have concerns.

As a few basic tips though. Never have the dog rewarded for the worrying behaviour. When it happens continue with the firm saying NO.

Also make sure that's the end of all play. Don't let the kids or the dog continue to play. If need be take the dog out of the room and leave her on her own for 5 or 10 minutes. At least if not alone, away from the kids.

This lets her know that the children are above her in he pecking order. That the behavior in question is not allowed and indeed that behaviour results in the end of the fun. Also lets her know she doesn't get attention for for the behaviour.

When you let her back in you can then be nice to her. You need to be consistent and patient, not give up. It doesn't at all mean being nasty, just not being nice and not doing anything that could be seen as rewarding the dog for this behaviour.

I'm no expert though, a proper training class would be best.

I'm sure you've a great dog Carol and I'm sure you'll get there, she sounds like a good girl.

Hi Rachal,

Nice to meet you, you sound like just the sort of person my dogs love. Thanks for popping by!

Hey Lorelle!

It's really nice to have you here. Thanks for helping to answer Carols questions. It's nice to get help because I'm a boxer owner like the rest of you. Not a Boxer guru.

So it's difficult to answer, I worry in case I give the wrong advice.

So thanks again for helping out. Thanks also for letting us us know about Banjo! An Excellent name for a dog an even better name for a Boxer. I like it a lot.

Thanks for posting everyone!

Paul

Hi Paul, haven't been talking to you in a while it looks like all is well. Boris is fine but has started to "snap" at some people, don't know what we are going to do. One particular guy, don't know him well, but he has had two altercations with Boris, the first time he grabbed him by the head and started to rub him (the guy was drunk at the time) so Boris snapped at him, then last weekend we were in our local Pub this guy was down the other end then decided, when he was well drunk, to come up to us. I "asked " him not to touch Boris but of course he wouldn't take no for an answer and put his hand down to Boris and Boris took a good snap at him, missed, I think, I am glad to say. Anyway any help would be much appreciated. As you know he is a rescue dog and this may be something in his past. Help please. Margaret.

Hi Nikki, nice of you to post. May you get that house full one day.

Margaret.

You may be right about Boris's past but it seems tome that the problem is maybe not so much Boris's as the man you talked about.

Both times he was drunk? And this is the only person he's ever snapped at?

If so I think it's not really a big problem. Tell the man he doesn't like people that have too much drink in them. That he BITES people that are drunk.

You can explain it by saying his last owner was a drunk how mistreated him. A white lie.

I'm not saying it's not something to be wary of or to chastise him for.

But this is one individual who is drunk on both occasions. I don't know that it means Boris has a problem.

So keep him away from this guy, at least unless he's sober and if there's never a problem with anyone else I think put it down to miss-matched personalities.

One little thing, does Boris play rough? Growling tugging at your clothes etc? Some dogs do and would never purposely hurt a person. However when they act in that playfully aggressive manor with a stranger it can be dangerous for the dog if not the person.

So if he is a rough player you could use that rough play time and some training to teach him that snapping or such like is never ok with humans.

As I say your right to be worried Margaret but from the little I know here I'm not sure Boris has a big problem at all.

Hi, Paul haven't been talking to you in a while, things just got a bit mad around here just before Christmas. Anyway happy New Year to you and your's. We had a lovely time over Christmas and the New Year with Boris. He seems to have gotten oven his "little" problem with the snapping and the particular person he didn's seem to like now keeps well away from him. He is back to his delightful self full of fun and love and ever so well behaved. He saw a lot of us over the holiday period as John was off for two weeks before Christmas and I all over Christmas and the New Year so he is a bit "shell shocked" at the moment as we are back to leaving him during the day again but he gets over quickly when he sees us and seems quite content. Have a great 2006 Paul. Margaret.

best dogs on the planet by the way

Hey Bob! Couldn't agree more!

Margaret! Happy New Year!

Great to hear from you and thanks for the well wishing. Both Christmas and new year were pretty good this year. Got to spend a good deal of time with my brothers pup too.

I'd forgotten just how boisterous and crazy they can be that young.

Glad your worries about Boris's behaviour have receded and you were able to get a great Christmas time in.

Jason is doing well but has been back at the vet's yesterday as he seems to have a far too regular need to pee. So he got a couple of jags and some pills and he will go back when they are done.

It's a little worrying as he had a similar problem just recently. But the vet seems happy with him and he is happy in himself as he ever is. So all in all things are great.

The best of luck and happiness for the New Year to yourself Margaret. And of course for John and Boris.

Take care,

Paul