Jumping And Hugging And Walking Question

[Asaf]

Dear All,

I have a 13 week Boxer and training is coming along pretty well. However, she stopped jumping up and started sitting for awhile. When she jumped up I would just turn to my side and step into her space. This seemed to help allot... BUT now she has started a new phase and that is when jumping up she is also hugging my leg.

Can anyone give me a tip how to redirect her from doing this? Also, she seems to want to bite my clothing when she does this. I spent many weeks re directing her biting to her toys but during her excited times she still grabs onto my clothing or nips at me.

Lastly, when I walk with her on the line close to me she will speed up and I just act like a tree until she sits or stops pulling. That works fine but sometimes she just buries her head in the grass or plops down on her side. When she does this should I just stop and allow her to do this or should I try to keep her moving?

Thank you in advance,

Asaf

[bina]

BOXERS!!!!!

boxers hate training sessions that last more then a minute.... they also get hurt feelings quickly...

when she speeds up, u should make a quick u turn or zig zag or anything else that will keep her on her toes but slow her forward progress....

if she flops down on her side, try an attention getter: ask, 'whats that?' with your most excited voice, and when she gets up and goes, dont do a straight walk... do a bit of zig zag or speed up to a trot, or slow down... the flopping down also means 'i'm bored'.... try to keep the training sessions really really fun... boxers are good working dogs but they dont like intensive single type activites. which is why agility is so fun with them... also, boxers like purpose in something... if u are walking her in circles, forget it. better to go forward towards something, and end the session with a game...dont try to pull her up (they just roll onto their backs or flatten out into a blob) or even reprimand her. YOU just have to see something amazingly interesting up ahead that she will feel that she is missing out on... its amazing what curiousity can do to a boxer. (nala used to roll over and blob when told to leave my daughter's bedroom. a simple, WHATS THIS? usually had her suddenly out of her 'coma' and out of the bedroom in a second.

boxers are like kids with ADD/H : they loose interest fast, are manipulative, and external stimuli can distract them unless they are a high drive working dog in which case they are so single minded its hard to move them to something else.

also, the jumping up... dont step into her space (that is her space and u are then asking her for something) since u are responding to her jumping htat way. better to turn your back like an about face step, and go somewhere else (we would head straight for the bathroom since it was in a direct line from our front door... nala learned to back up in our crowded hallway and we put a place mat on the floor and had her run to sit on the mat, and then we would pet her or call her to us, and she would get the attention). this was especially good when we had other visitors since our hallway is so small and two boxers made it smaller. boxers hate to be ignored so will quickly learn that being calm and settled down gets more attention then bouncing off the walls. punishing or responding doesnt really work with them. ignoring is great for them since they are such people dogs.

anyway. she is young , and boxers stay bouncy for a really long time. one of my training instructors (works with canaanis) said they are the clowns of the class and will do negative actions for attention as well as long as its attention.

oopss, just realized u said that u do divert her to toys: ok, very good

if u are used to more serious dogs (german sheperds and rotties i think would come to mind) well, boxers are a bit more goofy when they work... u have to be firm, but dont stick to the same tactics all the time... u have to keep one step ahead. just remember that boxers are similar to kindergarten age kids... they like a lot of diverse play and not same same... it does keep u on your toes...

good luck,

u might want to keep a box of toys by the door so then when she comes to greet u, she can grab her favorite sock or doll and hand it to you, or have her bow to u, or have her sit and wave ... anything that varies the ritual of greeting u at the door... my youngest taught our two dogs to run to sit on the sofa when friends come over... when they see her with friends, they automatically rush to the futon sofa and wait for their petting. each person has their own greeting with the two dogs.

nala giving me her greeting kiss. two daughters hate being kissed so she greets them differently. my son and i dont mind tongues in nostrils so thats what we get. she's old and lazy and doesnt get up to run to the door as much any more, she keeps a watchful eye from the sofa.

Edited January 10, 2008 by bina

[Asaf]

Hi Bina,

Wow what you say is so on. I can see you have had allot of practice ... I mean patience with Boxers

She does get bored so fast! Actually, I have had much more practice working with hunting dogs like labs, pointers ect. Very different experience as I remember. But that was some years ago.. see in red below

BOXERS!!!!!

boxers hate training sessions that last more then a minute.... they also get hurt feelings quickly...

when she speeds up, u should make a quick u turn or zig zag or anything else that will keep her on her toes but slow her forward progress.... Good idea

if she flops down on her side, try an attention getter: ask, 'whats that?' with your most excited voice, and when she gets up and goes, dont do a straight walk... do a bit of zig zag or speed up to a trot, or slow down... the flopping down also means 'i'm bored'.... try to keep the training sessions really really fun... boxers are good working dogs but they dont like intensive single type activites. I think this is the problem...too long on one exercise. She learned fetch in 10 min. but got bored the next day!

which is why agility is so fun with them... also, boxers like purpose in something... if u are walking her in circles, forget it. I keep telling my wife I need to take her out of the yard because she is bored - but waiting very soon for her last shots...still scared to take her out because we have allot of neighbor dogs and some strays.

better to go forward towards something, and end the session with a game...dont try to pull her up (they just roll onto their backs or flatten out into a blob) or even reprimand her. YOU just have to see something amazingly interesting up ahead that she will feel that she is missing out on... its amazing what curiousity can do to a boxer. (nala used to roll over and blob when told to leave my daughter's bedroom. a simple, WHATS THIS? usually had her suddenly out of her 'coma' and out of the bedroom in a second. For sure - sometimes I let her stay in the grass lying and acting like she is ignoring me and I walk off to the front of the house. Soon I hear her running to see where I went too. Those are the times I try to really reinforce a positive moment.

boxers are like kids with ADD/H : they loose interest fast, are manipulative, and external stimuli can distract them unless they are a high drive working dog in which case they are so single minded its hard to move them to something else.

also, the jumping up... dont step into her space (that is her space and u are then asking her for something) since u are responding to her jumping htat way. better to turn your back like an about face step, Excellent Idea! I will try that tonight!and go somewhere else (we would head straight for the bathroom since it was in a direct line from our front door... nala learned to back up in our crowded hallway and we put a place mat on the floor and had her run to sit on the mat, and then we would pet her or call her to us, and she would get the attention). this was especially good when we had other visitors since our hallway is so small and two boxers made it smaller. boxers hate to be ignored so will quickly learn that being calm and settled down gets more attention then bouncing off the walls. punishing or responding doesnt really work with them. ignoring is great for them since they are such people dogs.

anyway. she is young , and boxers stay bouncy for a really long time. one of my training instructors (works with canaanis) said they are the clowns of the class and will do negative actions for attention as well as long as its attention.

oopss, just realized u said that u do divert her to toys: ok, very good

if u are used to more serious dogs (german sheperds and rotties i think would come to mind) well, boxers are a bit more goofy when they work... u have to be firm, but dont stick to the same tactics all the time... u have to keep one step ahead. just remember that boxers are similar to kindergarten age kids... they like a lot of diverse play and not same same... it does keep u on your toes... I feel like I am tip toeing everywhere...

good luck,

u might want to keep a box of toys by the door so then when she comes to greet u, she can grab her favorite sock or doll and hand it to you, or have her bow to u, or have her sit and wave ... anything that varies the ritual of greeting u at the door... my youngest taught our two dogs to run to sit on the sofa when friends come over... when they see her with friends, they automatically rush to the futon sofa and wait for their petting. each person has their own greeting with the two dogs.That's great - very clever idea for when guests come over to your house.

nala giving me her greeting kiss. two daughters hate being kissed so she greets them differently. my son and i dont mind tongues in nostrils so thats what we get. she's old and lazy and doesnt get up to run to the door as much any more, she keeps a watchful eye from the sofa. Thank you for your suggestions.