Question
Niko
I have a white male boxer who is about to be 9 months old. (He is not deaf or blind, contrary to the popular belief)Recently he has been getting more aggressive with strangers. I can barely take him for a walk without him going crazy when he sees a person. If I am walking him and I see someone else with a Dog, I have to turn around and walk the other way. He is about 70 lbs or more and will drag me over to the other dog, he will only smell it--not harm it but I do not like the feeling of not being able to control my dog. When I walk him and he sees a person, he will bark and jump up on is hind legs, but he is starting to listen to me, BUT only if I stop him before he starts barking. I can see him tense up and will tell him no and he keeps walking. When someone walks by the Balcony of my apartment he barks and runs back and forth and passes from the door to the balcony over and over again until I can change his attention. If a pizza guy comes he goes absolutely nuts and barks with his hair up and everything and will try to get out the door. I take him to visit at my parents alot and they have nurses that stay at the house sometimes to take care of my sick niece, and he has lunged at them and barked at them because he doesnt know who they are. Yesterday is what worried me the most, my nieces step father knocked on the door to pick her up and he went crazy so bad i could not control him at all. He was acting ferocious and tried to get out of the door, he was on his hind legs barking with his hair sticking up. I tried to touch him to stop him and he bit be--gently on the hand, but he still bit me. My brother tried to control him and he went after him too. The only thing that stopped him was a piece of cheese...which then i felt like i just rewarded him for what he just did. He will not listen to verbal commands at this point. I used to not think he would hurt anyone but now I am not so sure. He is so sweet to people he knows, but he is super protective at the house. I can take him to the dog park and he goes right up to people and licks them, but at my home he is a different dog. I really dont want this to get worse but i dont know what to do. Please help.
AnswerHello Erin,
Thank you for your questions concerning Niko. Personally I think you need to seek help from your veterinarian and a local behaviorist or trainer who can come to your home and help you. The process will not be an overnight fix and will require professional guidance that is best done in home. Many boxers who start this type of behavior can be suffering from thyroid problems and/or other medical issues. Looking at your beautiful white boxer Niko I see that he is lacking in pigment color(black color) on his face and he could be becoming deaf in one or both ears, white boxers are not always born deaf but it can happen gradually over time due to lack of pigment in the inner ear.Here is a good site for more info http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/deaf.htm A lot of the deaf white rescues I have dealt with became deaf gradually over time. So I would recommend the Baer Hearing Test done on Niko too. Once you have Niko checked out and tested by the vet ask the vet if he /she can recommend a behaviorist or trainer in your area who is experienced in dealing with aggression. One program that can work wonders is the Nothing in Life is Free Program but I don't advise you handling this problem alone since he has bitten you and getting hard to handle.The trainer or behaviorist you choose should use only humane techniques with Niko or else things could get alot worse. Please see this article for additional information http://www.hitowerboxers.com/aggressiondominance.htm I hope I have been able to steer you in the right direction and wish you and Niko all my best.
Angela Donald
Canine Behavior Consultant
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