Expert: Jannie Balliett - 10/27/2008

Question
QUESTION: Good afternoon, is it true that if we have our male boxers fixed they will not fight and that they will not be any good at guarding the house?

ANSWER: It is a complete myth that neutering a male will change their personalities and/or behaviors.

All neutering does is stop them from roaming when smelling a female in heat, and of course, reproducing.

The behavior of their fighting is an "alpha" issue.

You have not told me their ages, their histories, or when you got the first one, added the second one, or if got them both at the same time, or if they are related to one another.

These facts are extremely important in determining what is going on and how to correct it.

Get back to me with a "follow up" to this question, and I will guide you through the behavior change and modification.

And neutering has nothing to do with "guarding" the house: all Boxers feel it's their job to protect their family. They will bark at a knock at the door, a pedestrian on the sidewalk, someone close by, a car, etc. but generally, once you've allowed the visitor inside your home, it shows the Boxer that you approve and there is no threat, therefor, their job is done.

Neutering never changes any traits, characteristics, behaviors, and personalities: it only changes the chance of jumping the fence to get to a female in heat a few blocks away, etc.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry this is so long

Between myself and my two sons we have the father (Tank is 4yrs old, 4 sons (Jack is 17 months old, Cowboy, Dozer, & Barron is 10 months old.) We have the mother (Dixie is 3yrs old) One of the sons have Sarge ( a pitbull that's about 6 months old) I also have Sooner (a 7yr old Chihuahua) we also have Bottons who's a 12yr old mini pin who belongs to the son with the mother, father, & bitbull. We've had Bottons the longest, we got her when she as almost three. She's fixed. Then we got Sooner 7yrs ago, Then my son got Tank about 3 1/2yrs old, he then got Dixie when she as 3 months old, Jack was sold at 9 weeks old, but was with his mom and dad always (ex-girlfriend) I went and got him when he was 3 months old. The other three boxers have always lived with us, Sarge came to live with us when he was about 4 or 5 weeks old. They have all lived together until Tank and Jack started fighting about a month ago, so Jack & Sarge moved out with my son, they are now living back with us. Dozer & Barron will be moving to Oklahoma with my oldest son in Dec. This is the son that's wondering about the fighting and guarding of the house, as his wife will be home along some nights while he's at work. Dixie and Cowboy will be getting fixed by Thanksgiving. I need to know about the fighting also because of Tank and Jack, right now I'm keeping one in the house, the other outside, Jack sleeps on my bedroom floor at night with Cowboy so there's no fighting between him and Tank, Tank and Jack get along with all of the other dogs, they just don't get along, they always had, until then neighbor started throwing meat fat, bones ect.. into the backyard while we were not home and evening sometimes in the house, I have caught her doing so. My son explained to her how many hundereds of dollars we have spent at the vet because of this.
Any help will be great as I'm not sure what to do and my son is ready to give Tank away because of his fighting, we don't have any place to take him for training as we live in a small town and the bigger towns are 3 1/2 hours away, and my son and his wife are expecting their first child and he don't what the dogs fighting and some else get hurt or someones dog.

Thanks for your time.

ANSWER: Tank is the father, and Jack the son.

What you have is a fight for "alpha" and Tank feels he is alpha because he is oldest and the father, yet, son Jack inherited enough of that cocky personality to challenge dad, Tank, for the alpha position.

This will be ongoing. There is no doubt. As long as an alpha is being challenged, the alpha will defend his position, and the winner of this ongoing battle-- is the alpha.

Now, to rectify it:

Keeping them separated is not the answer, obviously.

Otherwise, one will have to move out and live elsewhere.

First, there are too many dogs in this family. With that high number of dogs, there will always be issues, especially the alpha issue.

And, I have to add, testosterone has nothing to due with being alpha. I have a 4 week old female puppy of 6 puppies (2 are boys) and she IS the alpha, and obviously is not full of testosterone.

Tell your neighbor to stop feeding your dogs!!!!!!!!! Bones (IMHO) is extremely dangerous anyway.They splinter in the dog's stomach and surgery is required to remove them. Dogs are not meant to eat cooked bones, but raw bones as in the wild, killing their prey and eating their carcasses raw.

Your neighbor is not helping, but damaging the already volitile situation and MUST BE INFORMED AND INSTRUCTED TO MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS!

Now that I've said that and gotten that straight....

What you have in your household is a "pack" of dogs, and Tank the alpha of the pack.

Once some of the dogs are moved out as you've said, this will reduce some of this alpha aggression.

When Tank and Jack are together-- supervise them. The second one becomes aggressive-- remove them, separate them, and reprimand them in a stern voice using commands that everyone in the household has agreed upon using-- this is to make it consistent and for anyone to reprimand...

When you've separated them, I suggest using 2 crates large enough for Boxers to stand up in--- the open wire kind, not the closed in kind. This serves 3 purposes:

1) when they are in their pens they can see everyone in the family but not participate in family activities and gathering. Boxers are social creatures and think they are human and need constant human companionship...

2) it serves to separate them

3) it's a "time out" punishment

Leave them inside their pens for at least 15 minutes. This is a small eternity to a dog.

After a few times, maybe 2 weeks, they will soon "associate" the fighting as bad-- your reprimands in a stern voice= disapproval, and being placed inside their pens as a "time out" away from the family, as a punishment, thus, don't fight, and they won't be punished.

When they begin to obey you on your reprimand commands to stop fighting, reward each with a special treat-- a piece of cheese for instance... which is something they probably don't get normally...

Within a month they should settle down with Jack realizing he can not be alpha, and the other dogs are gone, which reduces the amount down from a "pack" needing an alpha.






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Will my son have the same problem when he takes Dozer and Barron to live with him in Oklahoma? They are the same age and about the same size. Dozer is a little layed back and more loveable (what's to lay in your lap, next to you ect) then Barron. Barron want's to be outside running and playing.

Answer
I would imagine that Barron is more the alpha between the two of them, and Dozer will probably be fine with that.

The only thing I foretell, is that Dozer being the laid back personality and wanting to be in your lap and loved on, that when Barron gets attention or love, Dozer might become jealous.

I would have your son do his best to be as equal to both of them as possible, loving on both at the same time, and if Dozer is laying near your son, and Barron comes up, then he will need to show Barron attention too, so he won't feel left out.

Boxers are territorial to their humans, demanding love and attention and want it all... so being impartial and equal to both, even at the same time (we do have two hands thank God)is the key.