Severe Aggression and Dominance Issues

Question
I am a single woman in a 1 dog household.  I have a 7 year old male boxer whom I adopted from the local shelter 4 years ago.  He is becoming more aggressive and dominant towards me, strange men and mostly towards strange dogs.  He has bitten people and is recently becoming more snappy.  Living in Montana, I like to be able to let him run free while hiking, however, he is becoming more unpredictable with strangers we meet to the point that he will fight and attempt to hump other dogs at totally random times.  The only change lately has been that I can no longer take him to work with me anymore, leaving him home alone for 10 hours a day, which is obviously the main issue (every other job I've had since we've been together, I've taken him with me, so he is not used to being alone-but he is not a chewer, never trashes the house or anything).  Being a boxer, he is extremely emotional and needy, but I am having a difficult time finding resources to help further my efforts of better communicating with him.  He is a GREAT dog, completeley trustworthy around babies and children, but it's to the point now that I'm not comfortable even walking him on his leash.  He is 65 lbs and very, very strong.  I grew up with a boxer so I am very familiar with the breed but I sincerely don't know how to best handle these new(er) developments.  Since he's a older dog, I need to know I am communicating to him the best way.  I am told that further simple training won't be helpful, that I need to hire a behaviorist to work with me.  I am to the point where I have to buy a muzzle and not let him off his leash anymore which breaks my heart-I have to figure out how to better my relationship with him so that he recognizes me as the pack leader.  It is in those situations where we approah strange dogs or men that he amlost goes to a savage place and he can't even hear me when I tell him not to do something.  I am at my wit's end and it's not fair to my dog. Please advise.  Thank you so much.  Much peace and love.

Answer
Since he is 7 years old, and established in his relationship with you, he doesn't want or readily accept changes.

There are changes in his routine and household, and he is acting out of insecurities.

Being more aggressive is an insecurity behavior and also showing he is alpha in his pack- and his pack is you and him.

You need to be the alpha between the two of you.

The humping other dogs is strictly a sign of his dominance and alpha position- when they do that- the other dog has no choice but fight or become submissive. Either one is acceptable behavior and your boy is expecting either.

He is protecting you as the alpha. You are his pack and his responsibility.

He is insecure of being left alone for 20 hours a day when it never was that way before- he is not certain you will return. He has insecurity over that as anyone would- we don't know, and we don't know what to do if it should happen. 10 hours is a very, very long time to a dog, as it is to a child.

The only suggestion I have about the 10 hours a day, is if you cannot take him to work with you any longer, is to hire a house sitter come by and check in on him, let him out, play with him, fill up an hour or so of attention daily.

This costs money, unless you have a friend or relative willing to help you and of course, you have to introduce the sitter to him by a gradual introduction over some time until he accepts the sitter as a friend of his family.

Concerning his aggression toward other dogs and hostility toward strangers: buy a loud, obnoxious sounding whistle, and take him on leashed walks. You might buy a nice comfortable harness and leash the harness instead of the collar, so you will have more control over him. It balances out the weight and gives you control.

If you prefer not to, then walk with the leash more relaxed until a dog or stranger comes near and tighten your leash grip.

Blow the whistle a certain designated number of times (3-4 whatever you choose) and verbally command him in a stern and assertive alpha voice to stop and sit, and allow the dog or stranger to pass.

The whistle gets his attention, and soon he will associate the whistle sound with you and the immediate behavior and requiring his attention for your command.

The command to stop and sit, is the result of the whistle's attention. It's all association.

When he obeys, and looks at you for the next instruction as they do, give him a treat and praise him.

Do the routine as often as possible to get him over the dogs and strangers with his associating the whistle and your reprimand-commands and getting treats as reward for following your alpha commands.

Try to practice being the alpha in the house. Don't allow his to disobey anything you command him. You must expect obedience as any pack leader does. He knows this, and he knows his place- the follower.

You must get him through this change to help him accept it and become accustom to his new routine and make him feel secure knowing you will return- if a pet sitter can visit, this helps, as it is company and breaks the insecurity of abandonment feelings he is experiencing. Once this is accomplished, the aggression will subside and become easier for you to deal with on walks.

If you have friends and family with dogs- you might talk to them about visiting you at home with them and try the leash and whistle routine in your house with them. Same principal, different and more secure setting- in your house.

He needs to learn to be social and accept strange dogs, and learn that it is beneficial; i.e. playing, and company for him.

Another Boxer is an idea to consider. Boxers are social and love company- other Boxers. Two is easier than one actually.

They keep each other company in your absence and pack together- with you the alpha of the pack.

You might consider a rescue Boxer that doesn't have any issues, if possible.