Agressive boxer behaviour

Question
My 2 year old boxer (spade at 6 months) has recently started being very aggressive to other dogs, not in our house but my Mum's (like a second home) and in a good friends house where she will challange one of their two dogs! Her aggressive behaviour is always the same, barking, growling and generally domineering but never biting. It happens when I am both there and not so have been able to observe it and don't think it has anything to do with food but would appear to be her wishing to exclude said dog from her gang so to speak. She behaves well with my Mum's dog and brothers but will pick on my other brothers dog. What do you suggest we do?

Answer
I would get her into on-going obedience classes and start practicing "Nothing in Life is Free" with her. http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm  I say this so that she will understand that YOU are the Alpha and she is not, and she will listen to you if you should tell her to "knock if off", "go lie down", or whatever.

My guess about this aggressiveness is that the dogs she is "picking on" are most likely close to the same level of dominance that she is, and she feels the need to assert herself. Usually it is best to let dogs settle things for themselves, but since she only sees these dogs periodically and does not live with them, I would step in and assert myself as Alpha and tell her ENOUGH ALREADY and make her go and lie down somewhere (on a leash next to you if you have to).

I am a firm believer that dogs do not have to interact with others when they are out, and I train my dogs that way. This behavior of hers then becomes a training issue rather than a behavior issue.

Karen