Expert: Jannie Balliett - 10/25/2008

Question
My male boxer is 6 yrs old we have just moved into a new house and its out in the country he has always been in a fence and in our house.We moved into this house out in the country in hopes he could be free from the fence. He has not been neutered he keeps roaming.  He has already been in a fight and had to stay at the vet for 7 days i have since kept him up today i let out without the leash for the first time he ran off as soon as he was let outside.  i found him about a mile down the road fighting with a large dog. The owner came out said she had a boxer in heat outside in a kennel.  With that said me and the other owner tried to bread up the fight my boxer tried to bite her and me. I am getting him fixed as soon as the vet says he is ok from his last fight will this help will he always need to be kept up keep in mind i have neighbors that have very small children should i be worried. I could not ever forgive my self if he bit a child he even scared me when he was in this rage.

Answer
First, you have raised him in a confined, fenced yard.

Now, at the age of 6 you are allowing him to roam free...

This IS NOT a good idea for ANY DOG!

You can not expect a dog that has known no other life than boundaries, to stay within boundaries when there are none.

Secondly, there is a female in heat. He will do whatever necessary to get to her to breed. It's instinct-- his only purpose. Reproduce.


Neutering will stop the roaming when a female is in heat- HOWEVER, it will not stop him from roaming WITHOUT boundaries and fighting with other dogs.


Neutering ONLY stops reproduction and the instinct to find the female in heat, and that is all it does.

Fence your yard, and keep him confined within that fenced yard. If you can not afford to fence your yard, then rig a runner to put him on to pee and exercise, along with you walking him on a leash-- and keep him inside under your control.

You have allowed a "child" that has never had candy before- to go inside a candy store with a pocket full of money-- what do you expect? That child will spend all his money on candy and make himself sick- so is your male Boxer.

Restrained within a fence and not free to roam-- he will choose to roam and fight.

Nothing will stop that behavior except your control over him by keeping him confined-- especially before he harms someone and you are held liable.