Expert: Jannie Balliett - 12/6/2009

Question
My husband and I inherited our 1 year old male boxer from my daughter when he was 3 months old. He is very affectionate but has the typical boxer aggression and goes from being friendly and loving to taking an aggressive stance, laying his ears back and barking and gnawing at us in an instant. His whole facial expression changes and he "talks back", and the change occurs for no apparent reason. We have tried to follow the advice given in  articles, and from a veterinarian friend, and enforce that he is not the alpha. One factor that we feel may have contributed to his bad behavior is that we have had a temporary male house guest and feel ha may be confused with too many people attempting to be the alpha. Very soon we will be just a household with our dog, my husband and myself, so we are hoping this will help. Is it too late to calm him down? Is it possible he is doing it for attention? Please help. We love him dearly but the attitude is exhausting and worrisome since he does it at the drop of a hat and in front of company or out on a walk.

Answer
Was his behavior that way before the friend moved in? Or did it begin after he moved in?

Is his aggression with ears laid back with growling or is it barking? Does he show his teeth with a sneer?

Dogs can become insecure when there is a change in their pack (your household) and he might not like your house guest too. Dogs are like people, they can dislike someone like we can.

Buy a loud, obnoxious sounding whistle, and when he becomes aggressive, blow the whistle and leash him immediately.

Use easy-to-understand commands (to stop, sit, etc.) in a stern and assertive alpha voice. Keep him leashed 3-5 minutes in a sitting or lying position, then unleash him.

Do this consistently each and every time; soon, he will associate the sound of the whistle with being leashed and stop the behavior that beings on the reprimand.

Try this and let me know.