7 month old Boxer biting and aggression

Question
QUESTION: I have boxer that is now 7 months old, and we bought him own when he was 8 weeks old from a breeder.  We have no other pets in the house.  From when he was young he always had mouthing issues and we tried to nip in the bid right away, but the issue never stopped.  My wife and I have taken him to puppy school and have continued to leash train him.  He also sits and does other basic commands.  The main issue is that he becomes very aggressive with mainly me.  Sometimes my 2 child and wife, but the majority of the aggression is with me.  I do believe it is for attention and fun, but it becomes tiring and painful.  He will begin to bark at me and bite my arms, legs, feet or what you can get at.  He will back away or runaway when I face him and try to stop him.  Then when my back is turn he will do it again.  I have tried all the methods I have been told by trainers or friends, which include the following:  pinning him down on his back until he calms down and looks away, spray bottle, putting him in his crate, holding his snout closed, and also ignoring him and walking away.  The problem with the last one is that he will follow me and continue biting me.  He hasn't broken skin yet but when he does this to my young children it worries me.  Sometimes he will begin biting me when I am just trying to pet him.  Other than these episodes which is multiple times a day, and the typical puppy troubles he is a loving puppy.  He loves being with the family, playing with other dogs and when people visit us.  We do take him to the dog park, which he loves and he doesn't show the dominance he shows me.  Hopefully I gave you enough information.

ANSWER: Eric,

This is a typical behavior of him disrespecting you as the alpha. He thinks you are a play buddy and not the boss- the alpha.

Never use a spray bottle. This is not the way to teach and train. You want to modify his behavior, otherwise, you are simply punishing him for something he doesn't understand what, and running in circles.

Buy a loud, obnoxious sounding whistle, and blow it 4 times when he does this to you. Immediately command him to sit and leash him. Verbally reprimand him in a stern and asserting voice; no shouting, no yelling. Use you "alpha" voice. Leave him leashed for 5 minutes with you holding it firmly (no slack in leash) and stand there over him in dominance while you hold the leash- not moving.

Do this each and every time faithfully.

He will associate the sound of the whistle, your stern alpha voice and commands, being leashed and your dominance very quickly.

He should be broke of this aggression within a few weeks. Let me know.

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

QUESTION: I have been using the your technique for the past three days.  Since yesterday he has been running away after a blow the whistle.  He barks at me and runs away from me.  Eventually, I catch him and leash him for 5 minutes.  He does stand, sit or lay calmly for the 5 minutes.  Since sometimes I cannot leash him immediately, is this technique still working?   When will I see some results, meaning less episodes.  Lastly, what is your feeling on the shock collars for behavior.

ANSWER: Hello Eric,

Since the issue was biting you and chasing after you nipping you- the running away from the sound of the whistle is an improvement.

If he is running from the sound- that does stop him, however, I realize you must go after him to leash him. Don't chase after him- because he can interpret it as playing- so walk calmly toward him while using your verbal commands and leash him.

Soon, he will associate the sound of the whistle, you remaining calm and assertive as the "alpha" and not giving up/persistence, and not being submissive to him but being alpha instead, being leashed and ordered to sit and remain calm- as halting/stopping his bad behavior at that moment- and discontinue it because he associates what will happen and follow.

It takes some time, but can be modified.

As far as the electric shock collar, I don't like them for the simple fact it is not an "alpha" as you are, and only punishes him by pain and not modifying his behavior. He will not learn anything by the shock, and will not associate the shock with any behavior or reasoning. He will not view you as his alpha leader because the collar is a cop out and not any substitute to the alpha.

You must become and maintain the alpha position so he will respect you and obey you-- as in any pack, there is an alpha and all the others follow him and respect him.

This is the only way to train and keep respect- be the alpha.

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

QUESTION: It has been three weeks now, and he hasn't stop with the biting/aggressive behavior.  When I blow the whistle he stops but still runs away while barking and snapping.  The occasion has lessen, but they still happen more than once a day.  Do you have any other suggestions?

Answer
If you own a crate, you might try using the whistle and verbal commands in a stern voice, to stop and sit.

Once he does, leash him, and put him in the crate (large crate) for 4-5 minutes.

When you let him out, see how he behaves.

He has to learn to associate the sound of the whistle to bad, undesirable behavior; learn to associate your verbal commands using a stern alpha voice, and learn that he will be crated for a few minutes (a time-out) when he misbehaves; undesirable behavior.

He doesn't know he is behaving badly, undesirably to you, and thinks he is playing the only way he knows how- because mom taught him to be rough and tough. He is accustomed to playing with his litter mates rough.

If you are consistent with the whistle, the commands and leashing him, crating him for a few minutes, it should not take more than a few weeks to stop the behavior.

You have to be devoted to this routine to discontinue the behavior. He will stop and know that it is wrong, just like peeing in the house is wrong.