Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My husband and I have a 3 year old rescued Boxer who was abused in her former home, we believe. She is the most loving dog I have ever known. She has been through obedience school and is mostly well-behaved. She has a tendency to destroy items such as sheets and mattresses when we leave her and our other dog alone for any length of time other than a few minutes. She also refuses to eat whenever we are not around, which makes boarding her at a kennel difficult. She had puppies last December and has been overly aggressive towards strangers ever since. Any hints as to how to deal with these issues? Thanks!!

You say your boxer is well behaved and obedient, yet you cite that she destroys thing when you are away and is aggressive towards strangers. It really sounds like your girl needs to go back to obedience classes and get a refresher course in obedience and general manners over all.

The aggression after having a litter of puppies can be typical and I would highly recommend spaying her so the issues do not become more severe. She should also not have another litter of puppies because you do not want this behavior to become a habit nor should it be a trait that is bred- the puppies may inheret this aggression.

The behaviors you are describing can not be "fixed" in one paragraph on an open forum. Go to a professional trainer who can see how you interact with your dog and help you out in person. Timing, training methods, relationships, and early socialization all factor into how you manage to get your girl to be a wonderful mannerly pet. That just can't be assessed without seeing it in person.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

Chelle-
There is no need to be rude. Much more can be said without using rudeness as a tool. Please do not reply to my posts again if you are going to be that way.
Also, we had our dog spayed in January. We are not taking her back to obedience school because she never went in the first place. We hold our own obedience classes and have many dogs and their owners that participate.
Oh..and I realize that a forum is not the end-all to questions about dogs. It is merely a tool for soliciting advice. And we all know that when one recieves advice, they can choose whether to use it or ignore it.
See, I accomplished all that without using outright rudeness.
Sincerely, S.

>>My husband and I have a 3 year old rescued Boxer who was abused in her former home, we believe. She is the most loving dog I have ever known. She has been through obedience school and is mostly well-behaved. She has a tendency to destroy items such as sheets and mattresses when we leave her and our other dog alone for any length of time other than a few minutes. She also refuses to eat whenever we are not around, which makes boarding her at a kennel difficult. She had puppies last December and has been overly aggressive towards strangers ever since. Any hints as to how to deal with these issues? Thanks!!
>>

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Sounds like separation anxiety. She might benefit from medication and the recommended behavior modification exercises for that problem. Medication alone doesn't work, but behavior modification alone sometimes does. For one program, you can get Patricia McConnell's booklet, "I'll be Home Soon." Or get a referral to a veterinary behavior specialist from your vet.

The increased aggression after having a litter can come from experiences the dog has while the hormones are changed for the pups. A behavior specialist can address that, too, or you can deal with it however you normally do in your classes. Another factor may be that she was maturing at the time of having the pups, and coming into her inherited temperament. If you can't change her attitude about strangers, you may have to settle for changing her behavior through training, so that you simply control how she acts, regardless of what she's feeling at the time.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47