boxer biting and also peeing in house

Question
I have a boxer and he is almost 8 years old. Over his life span he has always play bitten when playing. However, over the last year when we added another dog to our household,a lab, he has started biting more frequently. When he was 1 he bit my dad in the calf while my brother and him were horsing around. We thought nothing off it. Then Two years ago he bit my father in law in the calf as well while he was working outside. Then over the last year, he has bit my brother, an uncle, and our air conditioning guy in the calf for no reason known to us. We live on 3 acres of land and most of the dogs in the neighborhood rome the area including our dogs. As a 12 year old neighbor girl got off of the bus last week our boxer charged her and also bit her in the calf. He does not show aggressive behavior and up until now i just thought he had something against men. When he bites he bites hard enough to break skin, causing bruising and swelling. I am thankful our neighbors are not pressing charges however since its going to be a little bit until we get our fence up I don't know what to do!!!! Is this normal behavior and is there a way i can break him off this? He has also started peeing in the house over the last 3 months about once every two weeks. Nothing has changed in our schedule. The only changes have been we added a lab a year ago and a baby is due in 3 months. I would really appreciate your advice, thank you.

Answer
Eight years old is getting old. He is in his senior years and end of life. Boxers have a shorter life span than most breeds.

Considering that, his behavior could be a combination of age and other factors.

1) Added another dog into the family (his pack) at a late age instead of at a younger age

2) Your pregnancy (he can sense the hormonal change); he might feel more protective of you in your condition
(Boxers are protective of their family (their pack)

It also could be neurological. There could be a problem that is causing his behavior. A vet should check him. Be sure to tell the vet your problem and his behavior.

The peeing in the house could be a marking his territory thing, letting the Lab know it is HIS house, not the Lab's. And, this is typical "alpha" behavior. Your Boxer was there first, therefore, the family is his pack and he is the alpha. He has not accepted the Lab into his pack. This can also create the aggression too, as alphas will prove their dominance any way they can. 1) as protectors, 2) marking territory, 3) assertion, 4) aggression.

I don't know how you introduced the Lab to the Boxer and into the pack, or the age of the Lab, but there is a method of introducing adult dogs into the pack for the leader (the alpha) to accept the new member. The Lab would then learn the rules and be submissive to the Boxer and all would be well.

There must be some tension between the two; disagreements over food and toys, etc. but, you didn't mention that, however, I feel they are disagreeing and having problems in areas between them.

Get a shock collar. I do not like them, however, this situation might call for it.

Shock collars have a remote. When he gets aggressive, use a simple shock to teach him NOT to do it.

Also, please keep him AWAY from other people; strangers outside the family. Do not allow him to leave a fenced in yard. Do not take him on walks. He must be contained in your fenced in back yard for his exercise and peeing.

He is not being a social dog.

Socialization begins as a puppy as leash training and obedience training; commands of no, sit, stay, etc.

The training as a puppy is teaching what behavior is acceptable and behaviors that is not. The biting while playing was a behavior that should not have been acceptable with humans that played with him. That should have only been allowed with another dog as Boxers are mouthy as most puppies are when playing.

You cannot allow him to "roam three acres" of your land. That is not being a responsible pet owner because you are putting other people at risk with his aggressive behavior. He could seriously hurt someone, be confiscated by the authorities, put down, and you could be sued as well as face serious charges.

You MUST fence in a back yard for him.

Unfortunately, you did not socialize him as a puppy to keep his acceptable behavior positive as an adult, let alone, an older adult.

You should not have brought in another dog at this age as well.