I have a three year old Chocolate Lab who is playful, loving, energetic, and usually gets along very well with other dogs. We take him to the off leash park almost every day without problems. For about the past six months when he comes across a boxer, he gets extremely aggressive and tries to fight. It is truly horrifying for us, and we do our best to see when a boxer comes along so we can leash him, but would rather find a way to curb this aggression. Has anyone else ever experienced this, and what can be done about it?
Welcome from Hattie 9 years and rescue boy Charlie 6 years. My rescue dog along with other dogs in our village do not like a local boxer at all and the boxer does not like any of them, all males. I was told by a Dog Warden that squashed, flat faced dogs give off some kind of vibe to other dogs sometimes causing a reaction. Charlie is never off lead around this boxer and is walked at a distance from him treating him all the time for being calm, we continually work on this issue. Having said that my girl Hattie absolutely adores him, has known him since they were puppies and play beautifully, so who knows Has your boy been attacked by a boxer or had any negative interaction with one? What's his name? To begin with you must put lots of distance between your boy and any boxers treating him for calmness but you must keep the distance so as to keep him under threshold, take really good smelly treats with you like cooked roast chicken, sausage cut up into small pieces. When you can manage this you can very gradually start moving nearer. Can you walk round the perimeter of the dog park keeping him on lead treating him? You could teach him to "look at me" also so as to keep his focus on you. Desensitising very gently is the way forward and don't rush it x
I think boxers are generally very excitable dogs. Their power and tendencies towards being dominant can get them carried away. I see a 2 yr old boxer almost everyday, so I made it my business to get to know this dog. Her owners are both in their late 70s (don't ask me why they chose a boxer) and they are happy when some of us physically stronger dog owners play with her. I allow Mocha to interact with her, and I always listen to my gut and watch the boxer carefully. If she gets too excited, Mocha ignores her and just starts sniffing around. If she is particularly edgy, I leave. If you're uneasy, then your dog will feel this and loose confidence. Socialisation is important but not at any safety risks. We had a boxer in our family years ago. She belonged to the grandmother, and she was chained to her dog house. (I know, sad, but it was in the 50's.) Once she pulled so hard to get to the postman and bit him. Doghouse in tow she succeeded. She also killed another dog in the very forest I bring my dog to each morning. Their power should never be underestimated. One thing you can do to feel more at ease is to keep your dog near you, and always keep your treat bag full. Should you feel she is threatening your dog, empty the whole bag in front of her flat nose. Keep a jacket ready and if it gets serious, throw this over the boxer. It is a sure way to stop a fight or attack. I am in no way an expert and I hope anyone with more experience feels free to correct my advice.
Thanks for the replies His name is Weston, and he is usually very friendly with other dogs. He has now went after three or four boxers, and is really aggressive. Yes I would say he has attacked them. It is really bothering us as his owners. We will definitely fill up the treats and be very careful with him.
My dog Brogan hated boxers. If any came into the dog park we used to go to, I just learned it was better to simply get out of Dodge. I think for him it was that they were too bouncy and played a lot with their front legs in the air (ergo "boxers"). It freaked him out. Rottweilers are very much "four on the floor" players, preferring to body slam in play - getting whacked in the face with a big old paw just confused him. He never got attacked by one, so it wasn't an issue of having a bad experience and holding a grudge. I guess he was just a doggie racist. My advice would just be aware of your surroundings and remove your pup from temptation when you see a boxer. Try to do the positive treat thing BEFORE he sees the other dog and loses his mind. Using your body to block direct eye contact can be helpful. There's something about the staring contest that just ratchets the whole situation up to beyond manageable. You may not want to hear it, but I'd also re-evaluate the whole dog park thing if you've got a dog who is - at least for the moment - dog aggressive. Most dog parks are too small and the atmosphere goes from "happy happy together" and to "welcome to the thunder dome" in a split second. Plus you've got a lot of owners who pay zero attention to their dogs once they let them in the gate. It's kind of a recipe for disaster, especially if you have a dog who - even only rarely - is dog aggressive. If you want to keep going but keep everyone safe, learn to not be more than an arms-length away from him and keep your eye on the gate for who is coming in. Better to make a quick exit and play another day than having something disastrous happen. And if he has already attacked other dogs as you say, I'd really, really consider a basket muzzle which lets him socialise but also be safe. Yes, they look scary, but it's your job to make sure that he can't hurt other dogs. A muzzle is one way to do it. The good news is that this situation isn't permanent. You can work with your pup and get him over this bump just fine.
