Walking dogs together that are not that keen on eachother

[Anonymous]

Ooh – lots of posts since I last looked  ;D

Thank you all for your comments – will properly read through today and prob post again – but for now a very quick update…

We walked this morning in our usual park and about ten mins into walk we met the boxer again – I let them greet – then called Loki away to play and kept playing with him myself – this seemed to diffuse any tension and they were both fine for the walk – me manging Loki (Ie. keeping him out of the Boxer’s way). Then there were just the two of of an our dogs for a bit – again – seemed ok with me moving Loki on from time to time – but no growling at all.

Am not saying all is fine – but I am keeping a close eye on situation….

Lassie – other boxer is totallty different – a proper ‘bully’ a huge dog – that makes a beeline for Loki in the park – won’t listen to its owner – owner can’t call it off – it ‘demands’ Loki’s submission (not sure if that right word?) and Loki lies on back – tail between legs – and when he sees it coming he cowers. I avoid the park – the owner of that one is stupid and annoys me alot.

Oddly – Loki always loves playing with Boxers – i think because they seem to be very playful normally?

one other thing to add – Yesterday – apparently – the new boxer had a fight with another dog we walk with – another young entire male – who gets on fantastically with Loki and is usually totally non-agressive. The owner was telling me how upset he was about it and how he has been reading as many books as he can to try to sort. The owner is a nice bloke who does try hard – and the dog is very new… He knows he’s got to sort it all out. Am hoping he manages to.

[Sweetypye]

Hmm.

I think Boxers get into all sorts of trouble because they cannot help it.

Nobody has mentioned in any post about this.

If you look at a way a Boxer is bred for conformation it is front heavy with head and tail high eg giving off very assertive “you looking at me” posture.

Dogs then get on the defensive.

this combined with their totally in your face extrovertedness (is there such a word for this)? predisposes them to touble.

Added to this a pecking order which exists in all groups of animals (humans too) even in novel situations then any underlying but as yet unidentified stances of dogs may be exacerbated.

Personally I just avoid walking with dog who could spark off, for example a very good friend of mine has an entire male of a breed and age similar to mine, we never walk them together; we walk both our bitches and ONE of the dogs together but never both males as in our opinion, it would not be wise.

[Anonymous]

[quote author=Sweetypye link=topic=13456.msg257801#msg257801 date=1232034227]
Hmm.

I think Boxers get into all sorts of trouble because they cannot help it.

this combined with their totally in your face extrovertedness (is there such a word for this)? predisposes them to touble.

[/quote]

Have to agree with that, we had 2 at ringcraft, they set all the other dogs off as soon as they came in the room,  bouncing off the walls, jumping all over the others, not nastiness  just so friendly and happy to see all the other dogs, some of which didnt take too kindly to being boxed in the face by huge Boxer paws!

[SuzAndTheDiva]

yep SP is spot on – i think a screwed up face that often doesnt alway sshow what there thinking properly doesnt help – was one at honeys training classes got trounced by everything cos he just well came across as a thug and the dogs didnt like it!

[*Nick*]

I’ve uploaded a video that shows Sadie playing with a little Boxer a few days ago. They had never met before and Sadie had already been out for an hour and a half.  Please excuse the video quality and the fact that I couldn’t keep up with them but it might be interesting to watch.  oh and the path was glare ice so they had to be careful.
One thing I find interesting is the Boxers complete disinterest in the Golden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RHYd2qD6k4&feature=channel_page

[-Alison-]

just wanted to say I found this thread fascinating, was lots I can and have applied within my own situation here, particularly with our evening walk which includes a springer x boxer (hes lovely, looks just like a black and white boxer)  :yes: :yes: :yes:

[Kerry_and_Beau]

hi i don’t want to take this off topic so please relocate my questions if you think they should be…

can i please ask….

What consitutes a ‘pack’ and

Claire, you said dogs don’t play its always fighting of some sort and that dogs are always looking to move up the ladder (so to speak) of their pack….is this a constant? please could you expand on this and where these theories come from?

Thanks, a very facinated Kerry  🙂

[*Nick*]

Kerry, if you want another opinion, please read The Social Lives of Dogs and the Hidden Life of Dogs by anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. In it you’ll find a ‘pack’ of dogs completely comfortable in their roles after the initial sorting out.  I believe, and so do many people much smarter than I, that what’s important to a dog is not their position in the pack but simply the security of knowing that they have a pack.

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t Bev always say that Falkor is always bottom of the pack – and happy to be?  I don’t think Loki is ever going to be top dog in a pack – but he never minds….

SP – I agree about Boxer & Body language – seems to make sense – as Loki loves boxers usually – I’m thinking that the new dog we are meeting may have had issues with other dogs getting defensive? Hence him behaving that way? Can’t think Loki did because he usually likes them  :-\  Then again – I might be wrong…

[**Woofums**]

My friend & I met a Boxer on our walk today (lovely 9 yo bitch)
All the Dogs greeted one another nicely & went their seperate ways…we were watching to see how they reacted as we don’t see many Boxers.

They have quite a “stiff” carriage…not sure if that may effect how some Dogs react to them.

[*Lassie*]

[quote author=widget link=topic=13456.msg257873#msg257873 date=1232116197]
Doesn’t Bev always say that Falkor is always bottom of the pack – and happy to be?  I don’t think Loki is ever going to be top dog in a pack – but he never minds….

SP – I agree about Boxer & Body language – seems to make sense – as Loki loves boxers usually – I’m thinking that the new dog we are meeting may have had issues with other dogs getting defensive? Hence him behaving that way? Can’t think Loki did because he usually likes them  :-\  Then again – I might be wrong…
[/quote]

It may be just a case of the boxer getting in first before the other dog has a go at him if he has had problems with other dogs getting defensive.

[Kerry_and_Beau]

Thanks Nick, i have been doing alot of reading around this subject recently,its always too to be pointed to new material  :happy:

[Mudgie]

I too as you know Kerry have been reading a lot of stuff on this subject too – and a lot of the posts on here are not scientifically based – in other words have not been proven beyond a doubt – including dare I say it what Bev has posted about her “pack” :yes:  So there’s a can of worms for you  😮

Dogs are not wolves and dont operate like wolves.  A lot of stuff here is relating to wolves behaviour – or the misconceptions found from short studies and “hierarchy”.  I, however, am open to new material but not basing a lot of my thoughts or opinions on hearsay or by just my limited experience

[Anonymous]

An update from today…

Since I posted I’ve run into the dog a couple of time – I’ve ‘managed’ it by distracting Loki with games so he comes away from the dog before anything escalates… which has worked – but I’ve also limited the time I am with it.

Anyway – today was tricky cos they were there when I arrived – so I took Loki for a wander on his own in another bit of the park first and told them I’d catch up with them. Then after about 10 mins I went to join them.  Did my usual distraction – although at one point the boxer was fairly in Loki’s face and there was a growl from the oxer and then from Loki back – so I called him straight away and threw his toy. Which diffused the situation.

Another dog joined us – a lovely lurcher who is very friendly and I have never seen her tell another dog off. The Boxer totally hassled her and she ended up giving him a proper warning off – which he did listen to briefly…

Anyway – do you think I should suggest a behaviourist? I don’t want to interfere but I feel am continually managing the situation – while everyone else enjoys their walk  :-\  although that’s prob a little unfair… I know he is trying hard with the dog. But everyone on the walk seems to be of the opinion that him & Loki will get used to each other – do you think they will?  :-\

[Sweetypye]

Be careful, if anyone ever suggests that someone’s dog or child etc is somewhat less than perfect you may get an earful from a defensive owner/parent……………………………

Not sure this person needs a behaviourist just some advice on keeping his dog under control and teaching it some manners, perhaps the Suzanne Clothier article may be of more benefit?

[Author]

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