Keep Your Boxer Puppy From Jumping

January 5th, 2010 by Matt


Boxer Puppy Training

Once in a while it’s okay to allow your dog to jump up. It’s best to only allow your dog to jump on you when commanded. You will see at many dog obedience trials that these dogs are allowed to jump up but only after they are told.

Having a dog welcome you home and barely containing his enthusiasm is nice. There is nothing greater than seeing that kind of love and loyality. Then the jumping begins. It becomes a huge problem when your dog likes to jump up on you or a guest coming to your home.

Here are a few ways to help eliminate the problem.

Ignore Him

When your dog does his jumping up thing, just keep right on moving and ignore him. When he jumps up and gets any kind of attention for it, then he thinks that it is allowed. It’s best to ask the dog to sit then pet him. To get him to rethink about jumping up, you need to give him your attention only when he’s sitting. Alternate the tactics a little between ignoring him and having him sit.

Creating A Command

Another way to prevent your dog from jumping, is to have a verbal command. Any command that your dog knows as get down. Use this command, when your dog is jumping up on a person or even getting on any furniture that isn’t allowed. This command will be understood as the “off-command”.

When your dog jumps up there is another training technique that you can use. When your dog jumps up give the command off and gently raise your knee to push your dog off. This way the dog associates the command with the action together. The dog might not understand the command right away, but with a little practice he’ll get it. As with all commands it will take consistency from the leader to help eliminate this bad behavior.

Reward Appropriate Behavior

Remember, to give your dogs a lot of praise and treats when he learns to not jump up. Your dog will understand that jumping up isn’t the way to get praised and gain attention. He will quickly learn that sitting is far more rewarding then jumping.

Jumping up is a simple habit to break, even if your dog has been jumping up for a long time. Ignore bad behavior, reward the good & be consistent in you training. Teaching your dog some simple obedience training will make you a proud owner and you can welcome guests to your house without fear.

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Training your boxer Dog part 3

December 8th, 2009 by Matt


Never tell your dog to “Come” and then correct him for something he did wrong. He will think the correction is for coming to you. (Think like a dog, remember?) Always go to the dog to stop unwanted behavior (in the act, remember?)

Never hit or kick your dog or strike him with a newspaper or other object. Such abusive measures will only create fear and confusion in your dog and could provoke aggressive behavior down the road.

When praising or correcting, use your best doggie voice. Use a light and happy voice for praise, and a firm, sharp voice for warnings or corrections. A pleading, whiny No, No or “Drop that’ will not sound too convincing, nor will a deep, gruff voice make your puppy feel like he’s a good dog.

Your dog also will respond accordingly to family arguments. If theres a shouting match, he will think that he did something wrong and head for cover. So never argue in front of the kidsor the dog!

Despite the Boxers powerful appearance, he is a soft dog who will not respond to harsh training methods or corrections. Puppy kindergarten and continued lessons in obedience are the best course to combating the Boxer stubborn streak.

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Training Your Boxer Part 2

December 6th, 2009 by Matt

Training the Boxer Puppy

A solid education in obedience and leadership is essential to teach your Boxer the rules of his new human world.

Puppy’s Home Education
You are about to begin the puppy classes. There are two rules to consider. Rule No. 1: The puppy must learn that you are now the “alpha” dog and his new pack leader. Rule No. 2: You have to teach him in a manner he will understand (sorry, barking just won’t do it). Remember, always, that he knows nothing about human standards of behavior.

Word Association
Use the same word (command) for each behavior every time you teach it, adding food rewards and verbal praise to reinforce the positive. The puppy will make the connection and will be motivated to repeat the behavior when he hears those key words. For example, when teaching your puppy to potty outside, use the same potty command (”Go potty,” “Get busy” or “Hurry up” are commonly used) each time he eliminates, adding a “Good boy!” while he’s urinating or eliminating. Your puppy will soon learn what those trips outside are for.

Timing
All dogs learn their lessons in the present tense. You have to catch them in the act (good or bad) in order to dispense rewards or discipline. You have five seconds to connect with your dog or he will not understand what he did wrong. Thus, timing and consistency are your keys to success in teaching any new behavior or correcting bad

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Training Boxer Puppies Part 1

December 4th, 2009 by Matt

Although the Boxer is an affectionate and highly intelligent dog, he also has a mind of his own. He needs to learn that you are now the top dog, the alpha person in his life. The sooner he understands that, the fewer behavior problems you will encounter with your puppy and adult Boxer.

Your Boxer’s first boss was his mother, now it’s you. How best to teach him that you are now the chief in his life? All dogs are pack animals and, as such, they need a leader. Puppy kindergarten starts the day you bring your puppy home.

Now his human family has to communicate appropriate behavior in terms his little canine mind will understand. Before your puppy left his breeder, all of his life lessons came from his dam and littermates. When he played too rough or nipped too hard, his siblings cried and stopped the game. When he got pushy or obnoxious, his dam cuffed him gently with a maternal paw.

Always keep in mind that the amount and quality of time you invest with your Boxer puppy now will determine what kind of an adult he will become. Wild dog or a gentleman or lady? Well-behaved or naughty dog? It’s up to you. When you start the teaching process, keep this thought uppermost: The first 20 weeks of any canine’s life is his most valuable learning time, a period when his mind is best able to soak up every lesson, both positive and negative. Positive experiences and proper socialization during this period are critical to his future development and stability.

Canine behavioral science tells us that any behavior that is rewarded will be repeated (this is called positive reinforcement). If something good happens, like a tasty treat or hugs and kisses, the puppy will naturally want to repeat the behavior. That same research also has proven that one of the best ways to a puppy’s mind is through his stomach. Never underestimate the power of a cookie!

This leads to another very important puppy rule: Keep your pockets loaded with puppy treats at all times, so you are prepared to reinforce good behavior whenever it occurs.

That same reinforcement principle also applies to negative behavior, or what we humans (not the dog) might consider negative (like digging in the trash can, which the dog or puppy does not know is wrong). If the pup gets into the garbage, steals food or does anything else that makes him feel good, he will do it again. What better reason to keep a sharp eye on your puppy to prevent these normal canine behaviors?

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How to Properly Train Your Boxer Puppy

December 2nd, 2009 by Matt


Boxer Puppy Training

Congratulations! So you have decided to add a boxer puppy to your family. if you researched your decision you will know that boxers are very loyal and intelligent dogs. as well as being very excitable. which is perhaps both a blessing and a curse.

This is clear because with these traits comes a commitment required to successfully be a Boxer owner. Being large, playful dogs training boxer puppies can be quite the task, and there is also the cost of food and energy needed to care properly for a such large dog. They are often used as service dogs within police departments or equally used as therapy dogs.


Training Your Boxer Puppy

Common Boxer puppy behavior includes playfulness, an intense curiosity and an energy level beyond that of most other breeds.

They are know to become very attached to the other members of the family, and have a definite need for you to establish household rules and structure.

If you neglect this, your boxer puppy will gladly take over as the boss of your home.

Training Your Boxer puppy properly, with quality time and bonding together, puts you on the road to prepare him for lifetime companionship. Consistent commands, structure, praise and reward are all aspects needed to have your Boxer puppy consider you as the leader of the pack.

Boxers are quite affectionate towards children and older adults. Most of them can recognize the necessity to be more patient and gentle with people who are of a more fragile nature. However, never risk the health or wellbeing of someone just because ‘most’ boxers exude this quality.

In addition to boxer puppy training basic commands like sit and stay through positive reinforcement training techniques it is important to immediately begin housetraining your boxer puppy.

One of the best ways to go about this procedure is to use a crate that provides just enough room for your Boxer puppy to turn around and lie down. Growing to become quite large, you may consider buying an extra large crate from the start instead of having to buy multiple cages during your dog’s lifetime.

The general rule is that dogs will not do their business where they sleep. There are very easy ways to modify the amount of space available to your dog. Simply by inserting a piece of strong cardboard or a very well sanded piece of wood into the crate, you can minimize the space your Boxer has access to.

When start to crate train your Boxer, there are likely to be some episodes of whining and crying. Don’t let your Boxer out of its crate or cage until the crying has subsided and your dog is quiet.

This is a key element of training Boxer puppies. You can start crate training while being in the same room with your puppy, allowing yourself to be seen. Keep practicing this until there is no whining or barking coming from the cage.

As he grows, move the cardboard or wood expanding the space he has until he does not need it anymore at all. The same applies if you choose to buy a wire cage instead of a crate. The only difference would be adding a thick or dark blanketed covering over the top of the cage to give it the feeling of being your Boxer’s ‘den’.

Then it’s time to leave the room, or at least stay out of eyesight. Again, practice this until you are able to do it without tantrums from your Boxer. In no time at all, you will be able to leave your dog in its cage while you are away from the home, and you will actually find him heading to his crate all by himself if he feels the need to rest or get away from situations he feels uncomfortable in.

As he grows, move the cardboard or wood expanding the space he has until he does not need it anymore at all. The same applies if you choose to buy a wire cage instead of a crate. The only difference would be adding a thick or dark blanketed covering over the top of the cage to give it the feeling of being your Boxer’s ‘den’.

As soon as you open the crate, be at the ready with leash, clicker and treat, ready to take your puppy outside without having to wait too long. Be prepared before opening the cage or crate so as to not give your puppy time to find a different location to do his business.

You should use a ‘mark’ or cue word from the beginning to ensure your dog knows what to do when he gets outside. This can be any key phrase or word to be used consistently along with the Clicker system, such as ‘Go potty’ or something of your own choosing.

If you find your Boxer circling or sniffing the floor, take him immediately to his ‘potty place’. If he has not started to relieve himself inside (accidents do happen), there is no reason for reprimand, and the click and treat should still apply. If, however you find your puppy has already started to relieve himself inside, pick him up, with a firm voice say “NO!” and bring him directly outside.

When he does go potty outside, promptly praise and reward him so he knows he’s done something right. He’ll want to repeat the behaviour to earn more treats. It is even recommended that you save the best treats for potty training so they work extra hard to earn them.

Although headstrong as Boxer puppies are, with love, patience and great consistence with training you will have a companion to enjoy for years to come.

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Ending Your Boxer’s Chewing and Destructive Behavior

November 14th, 2009 by Matt

Boxer Puppy Training

As puppies, its natural for a boxer to use their mouths to explore their surroundings. and as puppies they often bite each other to play. However they must be trained to understand that there is an appropriate way to play and that biting is never ok.

Keeping your boxer in it’s crate whenever you can’t supervise it. Otherwise it is very likely that it will chew stuff up and get into trouble. Make sure you provide it with plenty of chew toys in its crate so it has something to occupy its self with.  Also if you rotate the toys during training your boxer will always think its getting “new” toys which will keep chewing entertaining for it.  Make sure to get rid of old worn out toys and replace them whenever necessary.

Training your boxer puppy takes a lot of time and effort but it pays off 100 fold in the long run. Make sure to praise your boxer pup whenever you see them chewing appropriately. If you catch them chewing something they aren’t supposed to, give them a firm “no” and then offer them a substitute, a toy or bone. Also praise them when they take the substitute. You want to teach them that chewing the toys gets praise while chewing anything else gets reprimand.

While chewing can be a thorn in your side biting is a real danger and needs to be dealt with quickly and effectively. You should never hit or yell at your dog. This can often just worsen matters. When training your boxer puppy not to bite simply startle the pup with a fake yelp of pain and a stern “no”.  Put them in their crate. They need to learn that a bite ends play time. As long as you stay consistent with this pattern it shouldn’t take long for your dog to learn not to bite.  Also a point to mention is to have your entire family be consistent with your puppy training. This way there are no mixed signals coming from different family members.

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Obedience commands for Training your Puppy Boxer

November 12th, 2009 by Matt

Boxer Puppy Training

As you probably know, the point of obedience training is to  teach your boxer to respond to simple commands such as sit, stay, down, heel, and come. Now if you can afford It I would recommend that you take classes with your boxer puppy as this is the most effective training you can get. However there is a lot of training information you can get online that will put you way ahead of where you are right now when it comes to training your boxer puppy.

First thing is first. Training should start early, usually about 8 weeks. At this point your boxer is very much like a blank slate, that means you can train and mold him or her in to just the dog you want them to be.  Also start with the simplest commands and make them tougher as you work your way up. Sit and down are easiest and then I would say move to come and stay.

It is best if you can do two 5-10 minute sessions every other day or so. Boxers and especially puppies have a very short attention span. A 30 minute session will do almost nothing since you will have the dogs attention for a third of it. If you can, hold your training sessions when your boxer puppy is hunger or a bit tired. This will make him far more attentive and less hyper. If your boxer has a full stomach or is wound up I can guarantee that your training wont be very productive at all.

No matter what you are training the basic steps for training are the same. Get the dogs focus and say its name. then tell it the command and guide it into that command.  For instance if you were training your dog to sit then you would say your dog’s name and say sit. Then gently guide him into the sitting position. As soon as they are in position reward them with a treat and tell them good dog and maybe a nice pet for good measure. Then simply do it again.

Sooner or later they will recognize that sitting is the reason they are getting the treat and they will do it all on their own. Also make sure you use any opportunities throughout the day to practice. Training at odd times will definitely give you a grasp of how well they understand.

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How Play Is Part of Boxer Puppy Training

November 10th, 2009 by Matt

How Play Is Part of Boxer Puppy Training

Your Boxer needs to be trained in everything, if your not careful creating wrong play habits can lead to an aggressive and challenging dog. You should be able to train your boxer and at the same time create more trust and respect for between you during play time.

Your main task during play time is to control any aggressive behavior and to properly channel your young boxer’s energy.  You should never try to assert your authority over your dog during play time. You should never play competitive games with your boxer, instead get your dogs attention and create the view that you are a leader that creates and instigates fun games to play. Also make sure you reward your dog for appropriate play.

The games you play when training your boxer should be constructive and give your dog plenty of chances to earn your praise. Games like fetch and hide and go seek with toys are good.  Practicing tricks is also a good way to play with your boxer, this showcases their intelligence and gives them plenty of ways to earn a treat for doing it well.

Never allow your boxer to play with clothes or hands or feet. Even when they are young this is a bad habit to get them into. Your training needs to do the exact opposite of this because of the boxers competitive nature they invite them to challenge your authority. Avoid encouraging the puppy to jump on you and avoid wrestling games and tug of war.

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House Breaking Is Part of Boxer Puppy Training

November 7th, 2009 by Matt

Boxer Puppy Training

If you know much about training dogs, you know that the best way to train a dog to be house broken is to use crate training. This method is very effective on boxers since they are very clean animals. Just like us humans a dog will try to avoid soiling its own bed if at all possible. This is the whole theory behind crate training.

As a puppy boxers are not very good at understanding what is expected of them. Nor are they able to express their needs. On top of this, just like all puppies, they have very small bladders which means they are incapable of holding it very long. Oll of this is very important to consider when your training your boxer puppy. You have to make accommodations for them. about every two hours you will need to take your boxer puppy out to go to the bathroom.  And about 10 to 15 minutes after meals.  As with most puppies what goes in has to come out, and usually quickly.

Your boxer puppy training should be based on positive reinforcement and this is no exception. As soon as your puppy goes outside make sure you praise them and give them a treat. This will help them learn that going outside results in good things. Also its ok to play with them after you go outside. This will be another type of positive reinforcement for them. boxers are very playful and dragging them back inside after they are done will only make them hold it longer so that they can stay outside.

Place your boxer in its crate whenever you cant be there to supervise it. This will drastically cut down on any accidents. Mind that you can still only leave your boxer puppy in its crate for 3 hours at the max before it will just have to relieve itself. Just like humans, you can only hold it so long.  When you take them out of the crate remove them calmly and take them straight outside, save the praise for after the deed is done. Hope these tips can help  you with the house breaking portion of your boxer puppy training.

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Training my Boxer Puppy Trinity

November 7th, 2009 by Matt

Boxer Puppy Training

Well I guess I should start with the story of how I trained my little boxer trinity, back when she was little. I got a late start on her and I think that is one of the main reasons that I had so much trouble. I picked her up from a rescue when she was about 6 months old. And as far as I could tell she hadn’t had any real training at all. She wasn’t house broken, she was pretty aggressive toward other dogs, she like to ransack the house when I left, and she wasn’t very good at walking on a lead.

Even so I love her and I decided I was going to put in the time to train her right. And boy am I glad I made that decision. Otherwise I might not have my best friend here beside me as I write this.

So How did I fix It?

Well to tell you the truth I put in the time. I paid for training classes, I read A LOT. And I practiced with her every day. I don’t mean to discourage you, I was very new with dogs, in fact Trinity was my first dog. Probably not the smartest move going for a high sprung, stubborn dog for my first one but what can I say, im as happy as can be now. Hopefully some of the information on this site can help you when you start your boxer puppy training.

We started out slowly and I taught her to sit and to stay and fetch and all. After that we spent a lot of time working on walking on a leash. This was tough because she was really aggressive and liked to pull me around when she saw another dog. I helped socialize her by having my friends bring over their dogs and I would supervise while they played together. It took me about 6 months to get her fully trained but now I think she is just about perfect.

She doesn’t always listen but that’s just part of the boxer bread is being independent and self thinking. That’s one of the reasons I love her so much. Hope you feel the same bout your Boxer!

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