Expert: Renee Cox - 10/2/2007

Question
Hi, i have a 2 years old boxer, he is a very quiet kind of dog and likes to play a lot but the problem is that he listens only when it suits him and he never barks or get aggressive with strangers, he just shake his tails and play with them and thatīs the problem. Last time someone broke into my house at night and there he was playing with the burglar! Any idea what i should do to train/make him more protective/aggressive against strangers?

Answer
Hi. This is not normally an aggressive breed. I wouldn't suggest that he become that way towards strangers. That's called a liability. What if he became aggressive towards a stranger while you were walking him down the street? You said he only listens when it suits him. This boy needs obedience training. I would highly suggest it. He's not too old to learn. As for protection, you may want to talk to your local obedience instructor about that. There are ways to have a dog that's protective of your house while you're gone, and for the dog not to be aggressive towards everyone else. The Boxer is just not suppose to be that kind of dog (Super aggressive I mean). While he is suppose to be a watch dog type, he's just not suppose to be aggressive. I feel your pain. My now 12 year old male once hid under the bed when someone tried to break into my house. It was my female that ran them off. The best advice I can give you is to take your dog to obedience classes. Talk to the instructor and tell him your problems with this dog. Obedience classes are your first step. Protection training may be the next step. In order for that to happen though, you have to have a really well trained dog. There isn't a quick fix for this problem. You're going to have to put a lot of effort into it. I wish you guys good luck!