Expert: Jannie Balliett - 6/14/2010

Question
My boyfriend and I adopted an intact 4yr old female Boxer from our neighbor after our beloved Boxer, Abby, passed away.  I had witnessed our newly adopted Boxer, Tali (we changed her name to Tali...meaning ray of sunshine in Hebrew.  Her old name was 99, as in Agent 99 from Get Smart) being physically abused by her previous owner in the past, and quickly accepted his offer to give her to us.  When we took Tali, I was told that she chased bicycles, skateboards, and was aggressive towards other animals.  I could not imagine a Boxer being this way towards other animals, as the Boxers I grew up with and had owned never were. In fact, Abby was afraid of my 3 cats, she did everything possible to avoid them.  We adopted Abby when she was 3yrs old, and she was not tested for compatibility with cats. she just had to adjust to them.  When I brought Abby home, I slept with a leash attached to her and wrapped around my wrist, in case she decided to go after my cats while I was sleeping.  When I was awake, she was permitted to go anywhere in the apartment she wanted, but when I was gone I always separated the cats from her...just in case.  This worked well with Abby until her death in February.

But Tali is another story all together!  She sits at the pet gate and whines when she sees the cats.  She has barked and tried to go after them through the gate.  This morning, she went after my outside cat.  The front door was barely open, I was on the porch, Tali was inside the apartment, and she must have smelled Molly, because I didn't even see Molly before Tali was out the door, knocking me down and chasing after Molly (which is kinda strange because Molly usually has NO FEAR of dogs! She used to attack and mess with Abby!) Tali did not heed my STOP, she was intent upon catching Molly!  I caught Tali before she could get Molly...this time.

Tali has done this before (the getting through a cracked door and attacking)!  Two days ago, she did it to my neighbors German Shepard!  Out of no where she bolted through the door as the dog was walking by in the driveway and attacked him!  No warning! Just attack!  And again, I was outside and didn't see the other dog until Tali was running to attack!

She completely ignores me! She goes right into a red zone, and has even snapped at me when I have pulled her off another dog.  I have tried pinch collars, harnesses, short leashes, watching the Dog Whisperer and trying his bite/submit technique. She acts like a bucking bronco, trying to lash herself out of her collar to get at another dog when we are on walks.  It's embarrassing and dangerous, and I do not know what to do next.

We can't financially afford to take training courses, as my boyfriend's business is in bankruptcy and I am on disability.  I am home with her and she does go out with me in the car, for  walks 3-4 times a day, and to play.  I tried to get her to expend more energy by riding my bike with her, but she went after dogs and nearly killed me.  We are having her spayed next month (she went into heat a few days after I took her, and then I had some very serious medical issues I had to contend with, so we couldn't afford the cost of spaying her until now.  I am hoping that spaying her will help a little with her behavior towards other dogs, at the very least.  She has only been good with one other dog, a french bulldog down the street.  She met him with a fence between them, and all she wanted to do was play.  But I have seen her try to eat a fence/door to get to a dog!

In the apartment we have 2 heavy pet gates separating Tali from the cats at all times. I have tried loud noises when she gets close to the gates (pennies in a can, slapping my hands, a stern NO) to no avail.  I have been able to divert her attention when I see a bicycle or skateboard, but with mixed success.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

She had no training at all when I got her.  Her previous owner kept her locked in a crate all day, let her out to eat and go for a walk, then back in the crate.  He stopped allowing her to have water after 6pm because she would have to go out to relieve herself later than he cared to walk her.  Her hit her, yelled at her (I witnessed him doing both myself prior to adopting her), she didn't know how to walk on a leash or any commands, always jumped on people, etc.  She was a dog run a muck!

I have taught her to walk on a leash, to sit, give me five, lay down.  She knows to sit for her collar and leash to go out, she waits for her food and is fully house trained now.  If we are outside, and I tell her to stop, she does.  She knows "with me" means to walk next to me when we cross the street or a driveway and to not stop at ever blade of grass to catch the latest news.  In a few short months I was able to teach her these things, but the aggression is not dissipating, my boyfriend won't even take her for walks because she does not listen when it comes to other dogs.

We need your help to get Tali's behavior under control.  I want to be able to take her out for walks without fearing her attacking another dog, or getting out of her collar (she's done this!) and getting hit by a car while in pursuit of a dog.  I would REALLY like to be able to take her to the dog park while other dogs are there, instead of sneaking into the school football field or dog park late at night to have her run and play in a big field.

Please, any assistance you can provide us with would greatly be appreciated and taken to heart.  I just refuse to give up on this little girl, she has captured my heart and helped me heal after the loss of our Abby.  I want to give her a happy life as we did with Abby.

Answer
First, you live in an apartment. That is dangerous for any dog, but especially a Boxer. She cannot be permitted to bolt loose in the front. She must be protected in a fenced yard at all times. Do not allow the front door to be "cracked." Keep it shut tightly when you are outside, and ensure she cannot get loose. That, or re-home her for her own safety.

Secondly, since she has had no training and abused, you will have your hands overly full. I do suggest that you try to find her a more suitable home with people that are equipped to deal with her handicaps that she has due to abuse and the lack of socialization, and a home with NO cats.

There are some dog personalities that simply do not co-exist with cats. It is natural. Most dogs that do, are raised with the cats, not injected into a home with cats at a later age.

When walking her on a leash, I highly suggest using a harness with the leash, not the leash attached to the collar. It wil help prevent her from getting off.

Try to become the alpha in order to get control.

Try this technique for a month:

At feeding time, place her food bowl on the table. Place cookies or crackers on the table behind the bowl. Sit her in front of you so she can watch you.

Pick up a cookie or cracker and stand and eat it, not looking at her while you eat.

Take your time; a good 4-5 minutes.

When you are finished eating, place her food bowl down on the floor in front of her and tell her "Eat."

In the wild, the alpha of the wolves and other pack animals, eat first. When they are finished eating, they tell the pack that they can eat, if there is anything left to eat.

She will know that YOU are the alpha and that she is not. This establishes it for you.

And, when she becomes aggressive, push her down onto her side and hold her there. Alphas make the pack submissive to them.

Practice this for a month before walking her on a harness.

I know you don't want to hear this, but:

I really do suggest since you have cats, live in an apartment, are disabled, do not have the funds for extra training and classes, and that she is an abused and damaged dog, that you find a better home for her that has no cats, and maybe another Boxer, with someone that understands an abused Boxer. Call the closest Boxer rescue. They can help.