We privately adopted a 6 year old box-lab x in jan last year. He's a fantastic dog with people. Super friendly, great with kids, hasn't shown an aggressive/territorial/jealous bone in his body. He's also pretty obedient in the house, doesn't jump up, does what he's told and knows all his basic commands. Absolute dream dog.

The onyl trouble is he doesn't get on with other dogs. He wasn't castrated when we got him so we did that but it hasn't helped. He's not aggressive in the sense that he's not straining at the lead, growling and trying to get at other dogs. If you walk him down the street, he's perfectly fine passing other dogs. The problems start when he socializes. He'll go up to other dogs and, especially with males, he'll do this sniff sniff, circle, circle thing and then WHAM BAM he goes for the other dog. He hasn't hurt another dog yet - it's all teeth and spittle but it's horrible and scary and one day he'll pick on the wrong dog. Even with female dogs, he'll try to play but he's OTT (even at 6 years old) and they can get annoyed with him.

What do you think is wrong with him???? I've stopped taking him to the park because it's so stressful unless I can take him when there won't be other dogs but he really does need the off-lead exercise.

We're a bit short of money to spend on a private trainer as the dog has some health issues we need to take care of and insurance won't cover as he had them when we adopted him so hope we might be able to deal with this ourselves.

Thanks!!!!

I would not recommend allowing him off leash with other dogs right now until you have more of an idea of his triggers etc.

How many fights has he had? Is it every dog he meets? Is it just males, females, small ones, big ones etc.? Is it always in the same park, area, situation?
Can you recognise his signaling just before the fight begins?

When you say he is fine passing other dogs on leash, whe distance can he pass another dog in this scenario?

Jean Donldson's book FIGHT! is particularly in depth in this area and Click to Calm is also excellent.

I would suggest that over the top playing, as you state, is a bit of a play skill deficit and can be a tricky one to modify.
Certainly the key is to do tons and tons of self control work and to be able to nail a pretty perfect recall.
A well run training class may be helpful as it will help to teach you how to teach him to focus on you, even around other dogs.

What is the medical condition/s he is currently being treated for?

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"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts." - John Steinbeck

"If you don't want your dog to bite you, don't be an a**hole to him." ~ Dr. Ian Dunbar

Hi there,

Thanks for your response.

It's generally been big male dogs that he's fought with. He's never gone for a small dog. He's also never shown aggression on-lead walking in the street. It's only after the first interaction that he'll fight.

I'm not sure of the triggers. I think it's all in the other dog's response. I'm not a dog expert but I think my dog comes over all dominant and if the other dog doesn't back down then he'll go for them. Which probably explains why he's never hurt the other dog as he's probably just trying to establish his dominance. Although I may just be talking rubbish because he's never done that with humans - ever. How many fights? Loads. In the tens I'd say. Usually short-lived. The thing is that if he's on-lead but an off-lead dog comes up then that can also lead to a fight so it's more a question of avoiding other dogs altogether than keeping mine on-lead.

He gets growths in his mouth. He's got a big one that needs to be removed and sent off for pathological analysis as it may be malignant apparently that's the boxer in him.

Your dog has had a lot of practice at this behaviour - that must stop now! The more arguments that he has the better he gets at it and the more likely his bite inhibition is to dwindle away.

Many dogs who regularly get into fights, especially where their games often disintegrate into scuffles, are rewarded by fighting. Its part of the arousal sequence.
So it is even more important that he get no more opps to fight.

I am glad he is undergoing medical care - as part of that you might ask for a behaviour panel to be done. And look at his diet.

The fact that he is a mature dog and a late neuter may have an effect on just how far this can go. My fella has a similar background (late neuter, mature when b. modification started) and at this stage there are some situations that I just manage. He can meet dogs out and about on and off leash with no issues (after much work) but there are some situations that I just avoid or confine him from other dogs.

I understand that funds are low but I really feel that for the safety of your pet and others, and so that you can continue to enjoy life with him, that you seek behavioural advice. Insurance will cover this so you may be able to look into that via your vet and a APBC behaviourist.
Your understanding of dog body language and counterconditioning means that you need help here - this is a big dog, just neutered and behaviourally mature so its not going to be easy.

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"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts." - John Steinbeck

"If you don't want your dog to bite you, don't be an a**hole to him." ~ Dr. Ian Dunbar

We had hoped that neutering would solve the problem (he was done almost a year ago - soon after we got him) but guess his behaviour has become so reinforced that we'll need to work at changing it rather than just being due to hormones.

He doesn't get into arguments at the moment because he doesn't socialise. Not ideal and not solving the problem. Most insurance policies that I've seen don't cover behavioural therapy or we'll have to declare that he's aggressive which means premiums are sky high.

Anyway, I've been googling a bit and found someone who does training sessions at our local RSPCA for all rehomed dogs (not just RSPCA dogs). I'm taking him there tomorrow morning and we'll see what they say and try and get a plan of action for him.

It's such a shame that he does this. So out of synch with the way he is with humans!

Good luck & I hope things get better for you both. I can't offer any more advice than Tripod but will also recommend the Click to Calm book. I have a very reactive dog who & we are currently working with a behaviourist & usisng the book at home alongside her training advice.

With Roxy it's when she's on a lead & she sees another dog. She starts whining, lunging at them, barking, etc which can be worrying for the other dog owner when they see a large GSD acting like this. We have started working with a behavioruist & things have improved slightly already.

It's not going to be a quick fix but things will get better once you start some behaviour modification.

I have a fear aggression boxer and it is very stressful as you say but i have to keep mine on the lead most of the time unless i know there are no dogs around, but if you play games such as search games in the garden or even in the home and the wooden games you can get off the internet it does mentally stimulate the brain. Its just an idea until you get over the dog to dog thing )

Sorry but he can't need off lead exercise any more than my two male Malamutes and they are always on lead as they don't like other dogs.

Never mind your dogs needs, you have to take into consideration the needs of other dogs and to let a dog who is even sometimes dog aggressive off lead is totally irresponsible! I've had a dog of mine killed by an off lead dog and would never want anyone to go through that.

There's nothing i'd like more than to see Flynn and Marty have a good old run but it just isn't going to happen and if your dog picks on a 60kgs dog aggressive dog like them I shudder to think what the outcome would be. You owe it to your dog to protect him too!

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

This sounds very much like my rescue. No lunging, barking or any other sign - just sniff for a bit then snap. She is perfectly fine with 99.9% of dogs she meets but every now and again things seem to go wrong with no warning. She holds the back of the neck if she can get to it. Doesn't break the skin but it is still very scary. I thought that it was because she was dominant but it looks like it is in fact due to total lack of socialisation. Every time this happened (about 4 times) she got more and more nervous and so did I which made matters worse.
I took advice and changed her diet and the difference was instant. I am now working really hard at letting her meet as many new dogs as possible and making each meeting positive and it seems to be working.