Expert: Jannie Balliett - 2/2/2011

Question
i have a gorgeous red boy and my sister has a brindle girl from the same litter 10mns old they love each other,see each other everyday  but the female continues to hang off his cheeks she is not agressive,it looks painful but he doesnt cry or yelp so we know shes not hurting him but this "puppy play" is continuos,he wants to play with other dogs ,and tries too but she ignores other dogs and hangs off him constantly please advise and why wont she leave him alone?

Answer
Is either spayed or neutered?

Remember, when in heat-- it does not matter if they are related-- they will mate. You certainly do not want that. So, this is a reminder to spay and neuter.

She is just playing and loves her Boxer brother-- their ties go back to the womb. They do not forget.

Boxers play rough-- hang mouths (hooked together) and stand and box, and roll around pretty rough. It's typical.

There is not much you can do about her smothering him when he is around. As long as they just visit each other and do not live together-- then it is not a problem.

She needs to go to a dog park on a leash-- be with other dogs. Expose her to the variety. If she behaves well, you can take her off leash in the dog park enclosure. But first, when introducing her to a dog park facility, keep her leashed the first 3 times. That way, you ensure her safety and other dogs safety until she is used to it. Once she displays good playful, social behavior with other dogs, you can take her off leash.