Boxers...Dumb??? Untrainable???...

[Msboop]

I need to vent.... I think Victor is doing well for being 3 1/2 months old. He is 90% with his housebreaking, he will sit, shake hands, when it is time to go to the crate I get a treat and he goes to and goes right in the crate. He knows "off" when he is in the chair he's not supposed to be in. He does still pester the life out of the cats and the other dogs,( I hope that will pass) I think he's doing pretty good.
My hubby works with a guy who supposedly raises/raised boxers and told my hubby that they are the most untrainable, dumbest breed that there is. I am so angry!!! Yes he is hyper, he is a PUPPY for goodness sakes. It has been raining here for 2 days straight and he barely wants to go potty let alone play in the yard. I stopped taking him to the obedience classes because it was too cold for me to work with him outside on a leash. I am going to start them again when the weather gets warmer. I will show my husband who is dumb and untrainable and it won't be Victor.
Sorry, I am just so angry, I had to get this off my chest.

 

[Boo]

I'd really wonder at the training methods used by this fellow. It's far more likely that he was a very poor trainer than that the dogs were stupid. Boxers respond better to lots of short positive training sessions, than long aversive training techniques.

He's probably moved on to a breed that is far more tolerant of HIS inadequacies as a trainer.

I sounds as you are well on your way to proving him wrong already!

Adele

 

[Draymia]

I have found that Boxers don't train like many other breeds. They respond best to positive short training sessions. An hour long class will do nothing but bore your dog and cause them to quit working.

I often compare a Golden or some of the other super working breeds this way. With many breeds you can repeat the same exercise 50 times and the dog will be just as enthusiastic on the 50th time. A Boxer however will decide on about the third or fourth time, that he has done it just fine and if you want it again, then do it yourself.

I think that is smart.

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

In a matter of about 15 minutes today, I trained both my girls to "pick up the phone." They now understand how to pick up the phone. Next step, bringing it to their lazy daddy!

If boxers are dumb and untrainable, no one told my two!!

Sounds like to me, for a puppy of 3.5 mo., you've done an exceptional job working and bonding with your boxer. Congratulations. It takes time and patience to train any dog, and boxers can be difficult if they want to be, as any other breed can. But with love and proper training, boxers are in my book of the easiest dogs to train.

Keep doing what you know is correct and what's been working for you and your dog. There is plenty of help here if you need it so, just ask.

Good luck.

 

[betsyjean]

I know how you feel....I posted a thread recently about the same thing...I've been told by lots of people that Boxers are dumb, and I got LOTS of responses with stories that would show otherwise. I think it all depends on how much you put into your Boxer...of course if you don't train right or enough they might *seem* dumb. Don't worry, your baby already sounds extremely smart!! :D

Betsy

 

[Spins1344]

Boxers are highly intelligent and very trainable - they just bore easily so the "trainer" needs to do more to keep their attention. We trained Rocco to give high fives in a very short time. And they're great listeners too - well, atleast Rocco is. If I'm holding his toy and ask him to sit and stay, then throw it, he will stay until I let give him the signal. I've read that they're also good at learning when commands are incorporated with hand signals. Most people that say boxers are dumb just don't know HOW to train them.

Jo-Ann

 

[myrocky]

Originally posted by Tulsa-Dan
In a matter of about 15 minutes today, I trained both my girls to "pick up the phone." They now understand how to pick up the phone. Next step, bringing it to their lazy daddy!

appicon appicon appicon Kick butt!!! That is a pretty neat trick! :cool:

If boxers are dumb and untrainable, no one told my two!!

Rocks didn't get that memo either He's learned things that I didn't even outright teach him. We have this little braided rug in the kitchen that he has designated as his spot. So when I am cooking or making his supper he will go lay on his rug instead of being under my feet :D

 

[Gus’s Mom]

Murray never ceases to amaze us with the smart things he does. When my husband and I both have to work, we drop him off at his Grandma's house for the day. The other day, I went to pick him up and as I was talking to Grandma, he went over to the shelf where his leash was, proceeded to pick it up with his mouth and brought it over to me! I was so proud of him!:D

 

[Slugger6969]

Eh.

So he thinks Boxers are dumb and untrainable. Show him up. Whenever someone tells me something I can't do I grow more determined. Hell, I put a CDX on a BULLDOG! Sure it took me something like 25+ shows (ok, it was 32) but I did it despite the naysayers. He probably just "bred" for the money and wasn't worried, or didn't care, about developing a smarter line.

As far as the weather being yucky, why aren't you training in the house? There are all sorts of things to do inside. Sits and downs and waits before feeding. Recalls. Stands. Even one-step heelings. Plus you could work on trick training. I love the Dog Tricks for Dummies book. All this will develope his mind and keep him interested and get him even more bonded to you. Just remember short sessions and be sure to make it lots of fun.

 

[ssleighter]

Originally posted by Tulsa-Dan
In a matter of about 15 minutes today, I trained both my girls to "pick up the phone." They now understand how to pick up the phone. Next step, bringing it to their lazy daddy!

What a great trick! I think I'll try this with Hammer, but I have a feeling that once he gets that wonderful phone toy in his jowls with Mommy's permission that he's gonna head for the hills with it!

And it sounds to me like Victor is doing very well for 3.5 months old! Your husbands coworker couldn't be more wrong! They may be stubborn, but they are not stupid!!