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Boxer puppy problems

19 14:23:25

Question
I'm back for more advice on my puppy.  She is now almost 10 weeks old and I've made very little to no progress.  She has not had all her shots so its too early to put her in obedience classes for the aggression problem.  I talked to one of the trainers, though and she said not to do anything until she can come to my house and observe her.  I tried your advice on picking her up and holding her by the back of the neck and chewing her out.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get her to look me in the eyes.  This trainer told me she wouldn't charge me anything for coming out to my house (20 mile drive one way) if I promised to take the obedience classes when its time at the Petco store where she holds classes.  I made the promise and will uphold it.
I am losing ground on housetraining.  I have her on a leash and confine her to one room and try to observe her, but she continues to go on the floor.  How would I go about starting over with crate training?  How much time in and out and exactly what do I need to do?  My wife is fixing to throw both of us out if I don't get it under control.
She is also still pestering my other two dogs and they are about her same size right now.  She barks and growls at them all the time when they are within reach of her.  Of course they snap at her and she backs off, but it won't be long at all and they she will be bigger than them.  She is playing most of the time, but sometimes I think she is trying to instigate them.  Any help would be appreciated again.

Answer
Hi Jim;
She will avoid looking you in the eyes, but she hears your tone of voice.
When I am holding one like that and scolding, and they are avoiding my eyes, it seems like I can hear them saying, dooon't.
They can really challenge you.
She probably IS trying to establish herself as the alpha dog. It sounds like she has a lot of it in her.
Doesn't matter the size. If the older ones want to be alpha and beta over her, they will.
When we took the little Lhasa, I told you how Rowdy took him over, and just raises him. Well, he ALLOWS Max to boss him. I heard fierce little sqweeking growling, and went in the living room tp find Rowdy sitting there, looking like "Do you believe this?" and that little pound and a half of puppy was hanging on the side of his face, growling like "Kill Kill" When i plucked him off to scold him, Rowdy took him away from me. He didn't like me even saying "No" to his baby.
He still bosses Rowdy, 5 years later. He did that to Rowdy a couple of times, then ried it with Silky, The Setter. She put her mouth over his head and made a fierce growl, and he thought he had been eaten. He never tried it with Silky again, but Rowdy is his slave.
I tell Rowdy not to put up with it, but rowdy adores that little dictator. Max and the Sheltie are sort of equals. They had their tussels, so now it is sort of a truce.
As long as there is no blood drawn, I let my dogs work out their own pecking order, as long as they ALL remember, mom is the alpha, and I am not backing down.
It's like raising several children, there will always be one that the others have to take out behind the woodshed every once in a while.
It is good the trainer is going to come and observe. She can assess the little critter, and see what is going on in his little mind, and give you some good pointers.
That she is willing to do that, sounds like she has genuine concern for dogs.It would be soooo much easier for me to give you advice too, if I could observe this little mischief maker.When you have dealt with a lot of them, for a long time, you kind of get a sense of what they are thinking.I guess the more you are around dogs, the closer to a dog you become. My hisband and kids say I am a reincarnated dog.LOL
It sounds like she has a strong personality,which is good, but it is a little more challenging to train one like this. Takes an extra measure of patience.
If she knows this bugs your wife, the little stink may be doing it to just to bug her.
She may sense some resentment in your wife, or a favoring of her other dogs, so it may be she sees this as a contest between her and your wife.
They are smart little devils, and they have the advantage of knowing what is in our minds.
They really use their wits.
Rowdy is just a " Go along to get along" guy, and Max is a strong personality, that tries to even challenge me, sometimes. He gives in, but he growls under his breath. I call it bitching at me.He shows his teeth a little, with his chin tucked down so I supposedly can't see it, and his lips move as he growls, like he is talking back.
Then to get me in a "don't fuss at Max" mood. He hides his face in his paws, and peeks out from under the long hairs over his eyes.
One of his "Cute puppy" tricks.
Let me know how it goes when the trainer ses him. Bet she is going to help you a lot.
]Charlotte