Expert: Jannie Balliett - 2/27/2010

Question
Our unaltered 32 month old male boxer had always been loving and friendly to all but very fearful of noises, etc.  We have had him since 8 weeks old.   However he is bossy to our 7 year old spayed female boxer mix and will sometimes jump at her barking and growling.  Recently he jumped at my face and bruised my chin badly.  I was playing with him with a toy and teasing him and I realized I was behaving like a dog and should have not been so irresponsible.  Today however he was lying on the floor beside my chair and looking underneath it as tho looking for a toy.  I got up and bent down to see if I could get whatever was under the chair for him.  There was nothing there.  I stood up and reached over to pat him on the head.  He leaped at me, growling and nicked my face slightly with his tooth.  A few minutes before he had been prancing and wagging and wiggling and licking my hand.  We took him to the vet to see if he could be neutered after the first incident thinking it might help and an EKG showed he may have a hidden heart problem.  We have an appt with a dog cardiologist next week for an echo gram to see what the problem is if there is one.  We love the dog very much, he is our 10th boxer, and we have never had one that bit anyone.  We want to keep him but we cannot worry about him biting us or anyone else.  What could be causing this behavior?  If he does have a heart problem could it be responsible?  It looks like we cannot have him neutered.  Please help.  Judith

Answer
Neutering does not change their aggression or behaviors; just changes the chance of their roaming and being aggressive with males in competition.

32 months old is going on 3 years old. His new behavior is not due to becoming an adult, so I have to ask, has there been any changes in the household? Any changes in work schedules, new people coming in, anything at all?

Sometimes changes can cause insecurities and then aggression.

Sometimes it is as simple as presenting his alpha position in the house. Apparently he is feeling threatened by the alpha position- and in actuality, you are the alpha in the "pack" *him, your female Boxer-mix, husband, kids, etc. the entire family)...

You will need to assert your alpha position and make him submissive to you.

Leash and/or harness him. When he becomes aggressive as you mentioned, immediately "shush" him and yank on his leash and make him lie down on his side in a submissive position.

If you are unable to do this yourself, you might have your husband do the training.

He needs to be laid down (forcibly) into the submissive position and held there until his state of mind is calm. He must learn to be submissive to you- the alpha- and that he is not the alpha to you or your other dog- but that you are.

If you must, place him in a time out in a crate for 4-5 minutes and leave a leash on him while out among you and your family for awhile- so you can grab his leash.

You might try a whistle too. Blow it to stop his behavior and get his attention- it will change his state of mind. His mind becomes excited and then he does not know what to do and is aggressive; it might simply be a too-rough play and nipping and not meaning to harm. but just the same, it is unacceptable.

Let me know how the submissive modification is going in a few weeks- and his heart testing too.