Boxers killing cats and beagle

[Kringsmom]

I don't know what to do and need help. Last week my boxers, I have 5, 4 of them, cornered a cat and killed it. I have a 1 yr old that is quite stubborn and doesn't listen very well and I have a 5 month old that is a follower. they both have chased my outside cats, and we have tried to make them stop. now they and possible my older 4 yr old have gone too far. its like their acting like a pack of wolves. my husband got home yesterday to find that another cat and now my beloved beagle dog had been killed by them. i am really distraught and am thinking of putting them down. i don't even want to go home to them as I just was told this by my husband. he couldn't tell me last night. i don't know what to do and am open to suggestions. i've heard that once they get the instinct to kill they will always do it. Do i contact a boxer rescue to see if these dogs can find a one pet home? Help.

 

[Lola's mum]

God how awful, they seriously killed your beagle?

I don't know what I would do, I can imagine you are devastated i know I would be. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will have an answer for you.
So sorry about your cat & dog :(

 

[simmons]

I am so sorry to hear about your beloved beagle and cats :( It is really terrible when something like this happens.

I am a little confused so please excue me. Do all 5 of your dogs live inside of your home? If so, are they crate trained? Have you had all of the boxers since they were pups or did you rescue them?

The reason I am asking is I am wondering if they have always been like this. One of my dogs is dog and fear aggressive so I don't trust him around new dogs (unless it is during training classes, but I stil don't 100% trust him)

I would definetly contact a rescue to see if they can help you. Dogs tend to feed off each other so maybe if they were the only dog it may be a better situation. Also a behavourilist could help you too?? Have they ever been to training classes? How do they interact with the other dogs there?

Maybe someone else can offer better advice.
Keep us updated

 

[Kringsmom]

I do have all 5 dogs both inside and outside. 4 of them I have had since a puppy. The last one I got was becasue this family didn't want him anymore becasue they said they couldn't potty train him. They knew I had boxers and so they called us to take him. He is definately potty trained and very well behaved. My 1 yr old and 5 month old I think are the ones with the issues. My 1 year old is very stubborn, won't come in when you want her too, runs when you try to get her in ect. She also has always loved to chase my cats. We had a litter of kittens we helped this summer and it started then. Then we got the 5 month old and he is really a follower and does what she does. My 4 yr old use to chase our cats, but since she has matured hasen't really done that. All 4 boxers were outside and my husband couldn't get them in and left them. When he got home a cat and my beagle were dead. Last wk the boxers were causing ruckess on the front porch and they had cornered a cat and it was too late already had killed it when my husband got to it. We live in the country, so they do go in and out. The beagle had wounds to the neck, and was laying close to the cat. Our beagle loved our cats and even slept with him, so we don't know exactly what happened, just that my boxers are acting like a pack of wolves and so as of last night I am only letting them out 1 at a time and watching them, till I figure out what to do.

 

[Kringsmom]

and to answer the crate training. Yes they all have been crate trained and I'm down to the 5 month that is still crated at night or when we leave. No, I've never been to a behaviorist. The interaction that I have observed lately is that they are trying to dominate each other in the house. Really just the 3 older ones, the 1 yr old and 5 month old tend to get dominated over. My other boxers will stand over them, if they are laying down, ect.

 

[totallyhip]

Sorry to hear that, that is terrible!!!

Our rescue is dog aggressive too and I don't trust her around any dogs/cats at all! I especially do not allow her outside unattended. Even if she is in the fenced yard b/c another dog or cat could walk by and she would go insane trying to get out to get it.

Dogs are pack animals. I agree with Jenny they do feed off eachother. If you have 1 dog that has any type of aggression or high prey drive the others will tend to follow. Our other dog (Luke) is normally a perfect angel. But since we got the our rescue he is acting crazy too when we walk them together and we run into other dogs. Our trainer says it is b/c Leia has it in her head that she is in danger and it automatically sends the same signal to Luke. Once Leia gets that notion in her head its too late to correct it. The key is to sense it before it happens.

I would definently recommend that you get in touch with a dog trainer or behavioursit. This isn't a good situation and you definently need to work on correcting it. Sounds like you have alot of pets. Do you have a big yard?

 

[ELubas]

Awful story. Are all the dogs spayed/neutered? I think you should forego bringing any more animals into your house until you see if you can manage this pack. Have you considered keeping them in or crated while you are out? Does not sound like this crew should be left to thier own devices. The cats are unsettling but to kill another dog is very scary. I would be fearful that they may turn on each other as they work out thier pack order. Your girl sounds like she needs some obedience training, maybe all of them if your hubby cannnot get them to come in when called. My last thought is it would be great if you could try to work it out as the rescues are so overwhelmed and to surender all those dogs, well, it would be very difficult to rehome with thier current history. In any event I wish you the best of luck and am so sorry for your losses :(

 

[chrystel]

i am so sorry to read all this :( really sorry...

 

[chrisfsdgfom]

I am extremely sorry for your loss of your Beagle and your cat. It is very obvious that these dogs are not receiving the structure they need to be healthy, happy Boxers. They are acting like a pack with aggression issues because they do not see you or your husband as the pack leader and they don't respect your authority. You need to do one of two things IMMEDIATELY:

1 - Pay a professional dog behaviourist to come to your home and work with you regularly to rehabilitate your dogs.

2. Give your dogs back to their breeder or to a rescue organization.

This problem will not go away on it's own.

 

[SILLY6PAK]

First do not be too hard on you or your dogs. They are acting as nature intended. If you definaely think the 1 yr old is the leader you could just rehome her and take back control of the rest.

Just like people, dogs will act in a pack in ways they would not act. Unfortuneately now they have killed the behavior is very hard to correct.

As kids we had dogs that got with neghbor dogs and took down a deer and then a month later a small dog. We were in the country and no one had fences. We built one and rehomed our Golden retriever who was the organizer.

I presantly have a dog that has a high prey drive. We make sure our barn cats have some safe places. Still we have lost some to the dogs as well as birds, rabbits and a goose. I am not thrilled but they are animals. I keep up on their training. They definately see me as their leader. Should my pack ever esculate to other dogs or larger prey I would call a professional. I WOULD NOT put anyone to sleep for doing what nature in tended and for behavior that could be changed by simply changeing the dynamics of the pck.

Your dogs are not mean or aggressive they are simply out of control.

Good luck and I am so so sorry about your Beagle. Is your husband SURE it was the other dogs?