I need help!! We have an approximately 9-10 yr old female boxer. We adopted her two years ago from a boxer rescue. So, we don't know her exact age or any of her history. She has been the most amazing dog for our family. Our 3 young kids have loved her deeply. However, she just attacked her 3rd dog on Friday and this time the owner of the other dog got injured (not seriously). But she is my son's friend's mom and I can tell she is now not comfortable with her son coming to our house. We feel that it is a huge time bomb waiting to go off in which something horrible could happen. We don't know what to do... my kids and their friends are in and out of our house all the time and I cannot control at every minute when the door is being opened, etc. Her aggression has only been towards dogs. But each time she has flown out of the house as soon as she spotted the other dog and went on a vicious attack. I am skeptical of training for the seriousness of her issues and because we have no idea what her history is. We feel that this is why she was at the rescue place in the first place.
Need help - our family dog has attacked other dogs 3 times
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Working with a trainer may not change her aggressiveness towards other dogs, but can absolutely work towards teaching her to not bolt out doors as well as to focus on you, rather than another dog.
In the meantime, if you cannot get the kids to be careful about opening and closing doors, simply put her in a bedroom or crate with a bone or some other entertainment while your son's friends are over.
In the meantime, if you cannot get the kids to be careful about opening and closing doors, simply put her in a bedroom or crate with a bone or some other entertainment while your son's friends are over.
Dog aggression has absolutely no bearing on whether a dog will be aggressive with humans. But you need to keep her from having access to other dogs. Guard the door more carefully, put her in a different room when the door will be open a lot, etc. It just takes some extra effort.
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If your lay out allows for it, start putting up gates. That way if a front door IS left open, their is a gate in the way. Then you can most certainly bring in a trainer and start working with teaching her not to go out the door. From day one we have worked with our dogs that it is NOT OK to bolt out the doors when they are opened. It's a really important thing to establish and you can start it at any age. Lots of dogs are dog aggressive, lots of dogs don't like some other dogs, etc. It will be about managing her, not changing whether or not she likes other dogs.
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My dog bit 11 people. He had to be kept in the yard all the time and was never allowed to roam outside. I think it was prior trauma he's sustained. We love him so much. He's only aggressive towards strangers and can play with the kids without any issues. I know what you're going through.
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It's pretty basic training/behavioral is at the least very tough and probably not possible. I'm gonna jump on kids that love dog, they should be easier to train than dog. Doors not open till dog is controlled. Not saying it's easy but should be easier than a 9 or 10 yr old dog changing. I would have a huge sign inside and outside of doors "CHECK THE DOG" something bright so it's easy almost impossible not to see. A bell hanging from the door knob, anything to jog memory of dog getting loose program.
The idea is to start a habit with kids and people in general.
Oh and an explanation to kids that dog will be dumped without some changes, I know it sounds terrible but when people are getting injured something drastic must be done. I would also have a 6 ft lead that dog just drags around home for a tad more control at door.
The idea is to start a habit with kids and people in general.
Oh and an explanation to kids that dog will be dumped without some changes, I know it sounds terrible but when people are getting injured something drastic must be done. I would also have a 6 ft lead that dog just drags around home for a tad more control at door.
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