boxer mix behavior

Question
QUESTION: My Boxer Mix, Ginger, has been acting strange lately. She's been barking and growling at us for absolutly no reason. When we try to take her out, she doesnt want to; and she doesnt need food or water. Do you think maybe its because she changed environments so fast? Here's the story on how we got her.....She wandered up to me when i was outside. That night about 5 hours later, we called animal control and the guy came to get her since we had no where to keep her for the night. So he brought her to his house (this would be house #1 on the 1st night). The next day the owners came and got her and she stayed at their house for the night--(this is house #2 on the 2nd night). The next day we called because they were looking for a home for her and we said we would take her. They said we could have her. (the night we found her, she was real calm and didnt bark a single time...or growl) So the next day we brought her home to our house--(this would be house #3 on the 3rd night). so do you think after maybe about a week she will stop barking and growling at us except for when she needs to go outside? Or does she do that for a reson? Because its not because she needs/wants to go out or wants food/water. Even after i let her out, she still barks and growls. and i play with her with her toy, but she still barks and growls after shes done. i cant figure out why. Any ideas? i thought maybe its because within 3 nights she was at 3 different houses and is still adjusting and if thats why, how long will it last?

ANSWER: It is an adjustment and a sign of insecurity.

Does she have a routine that the previous owner had? A crate she slept in? A particular place in a particular room? Feeding schedule, and self-feed or served at designated times? Children in that previous household? Other pets that she had as play buddies? What exactly was her living dynamics in the previous home?

She is insecure and misses something. She is okay playing and eating, etc. but she is telling you something. The growling (a low growl) and barking is verbalizing to you. There is something .

How old is she? How many owners and homes has she been in? (not the couple of nights mentioned)...

What is her history and what is the breed of mix in her?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Ginger   QUESTION: she is almost 2 years old and has had 3 or 4 owners in the past (minus the 3 nights mentioned). I know she didnt sleep in a crate/kennel/cage because the last owners must've let her on their furniture because here she wants to sleep on the couch at night when we are sleeping. We will have to train her not to but at least she isnt hurting anything. I believe there were children in the house but i am not certain. I'm pretty sure she is a boxer hound mix (idk what she is mixed with, srry, but i can ask). But we do think she might've been abused at points in at least one of those environments and thats part of the reason she barks and growls. Thanks again so much for your help! I really appreciate it!!

Answer
Ginger is already 2 years old and had a rough life-- no consistency, no routine, no guidance, mixed commands and expectations from various owners, and insecurity and possible abuse. Also, the Boxer in her is not the dominate breed-- the other breed is, hound or lab, or whatever possibly.

She needs security. She needs routine. She needs guidance and love- reassurance.

She also would do well with another dog; a play buddy because she probably misses the other pets and children too. Its the order of the pack she misses; kids and other dogs. She doesn't know the order she is in your new "pack."

In the wild, or even in a litter of puppies, there is an order of the pack. The puppies will compete for dominance and there is always the leader/alpha in the litter, but it is always ongoing in competition. As they grow older, they use those skills they learned to position themselves in an order in their new pack. She feels lost and out of order in so many homes.

Love her, praise her for good, acceptable behavior, play with her, never ignore her, establish a routine and stick to it.

Pick a schedule for feeding going outside, playing, and bedtime.

Possibly take her to dog parks where she can play with other dogs and do leash her and walk her. It is not only exercise, but bonding time as well.

Get a dog bed big enough for her, and set it up where you want her to sleep. Introduce it to her so she can learn it is hers and no one else's. When you play with her, possibly consider in your fenced backyard, playing ball and frisbee, fetch and tug-of-war keeping her stimulated. It is bonding time as well. Her mind needs to be stimulated so she will forget previous memories and establish new memories with you.

I suggest not using the self-feeding method for a brief time and use regular feeding times to establish a routine and that you are her provider. Later, when she is secure, you can put her on a self-feed with her food available to her at all times. When you feed her (and I suggest 4 times a day), this establishes that you are her care-giver and provider and establishes a bond as well.

All it is, is a matter of bonding with her and routine. Once she has that, all else will fall into place.