Just wondering what kind of guarding instinct your boxer has. We just got a very sweet (somewhat shy) boxer puppy. No intention of having him as a guard dog (our german shepherd takes care of that department!) but I was wondering if your boxer has any guarding instincts as far has protecting his/her home turf and family. If yes -around what age did it show up?
Guarding instinct?
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kathysboxer
Boxer Insane
I think it may have been around 9 months to a year when Tyson decided it was his job to guard us. He is such a good boy now. At a little over a year and a half, he wakes up during the night if he hears strange noises outside. One day he was protecting my 20 yr old step son from the neighbor's dog, who happens to be Tyson's best friend. Since we got him, if we heard a noise, we'd look at him and say "What's that?" and kind of get him revved up. Guess it worked LOL
Indy's mom
Boxer Insane
We've lived with boxers for 25 years now. Duke (our foster) is the fourth.
Each one has definitely had a protective personality, but it's very gentle. When our boys were very little, the dogs would stand between them and someone he didn't know. The same with me. As the kids grew our dogs were more observers, sort of watching to make sure all was good.
In fact, Rocky and Rascal each used to patrol the house at night once or twice a night when my husband would work. They would check on the boys and me and then lay back down. Now my boys have grown and left home, Indy and Duke are currently in charge. They are not the least bit aggressive, however, they still like to be between me and someone new to them. They are obedient to my request that they sit and stay but are alert.
Duke did not like at all when a neighbor drove up on his scooter the other day, he 'warned' the neighbor very quickly. Later when he saw the neighbor on foot, he was all boxer wiggles.
The signs may be subtle or very clear, but I'm sure the instinct is still there.
Each one has definitely had a protective personality, but it's very gentle. When our boys were very little, the dogs would stand between them and someone he didn't know. The same with me. As the kids grew our dogs were more observers, sort of watching to make sure all was good.
In fact, Rocky and Rascal each used to patrol the house at night once or twice a night when my husband would work. They would check on the boys and me and then lay back down. Now my boys have grown and left home, Indy and Duke are currently in charge. They are not the least bit aggressive, however, they still like to be between me and someone new to them. They are obedient to my request that they sit and stay but are alert.
Duke did not like at all when a neighbor drove up on his scooter the other day, he 'warned' the neighbor very quickly. Later when he saw the neighbor on foot, he was all boxer wiggles.
The signs may be subtle or very clear, but I'm sure the instinct is still there.
baxtercruz
Boxer Booster
Our boxer Baxter was also very sweet and somewhat shy as a pup- but he definitely has the guarding instinct, and as he grows older, he is more protective. During his first year I think he was pretty much expecting us to take care of him... but since then he has grown very territorial over our yard (we live in a somewhat rural area, and behind our yard is open forest- which deer and coyotes, etc. come and eat apples and "trespass"- he is constantly on guard). It's funny- when my boyfriend is home, he will growl and bark at noises- but look at him like "Ok, you go check it out". When Baxter and I are home alone, he is way more alert, and he'll investigate himself- like he's protecting me.
Kilby'sMum
Super Boxer
I think with Kilby she started developing the guarding instinct around 12-18 mths. She was always a bit protective of me but from that age she started actively guarding...she'll bark at strange noises near the house and developed a wariness of strangers coming over (particularly men), she will give them a really hard time (chasing them round the lounge, trying to block them getting into the house any further, growling, etc.) and positions herself between me and the man until she is satisfied that he isn't a threat (sometimes 10 mins, once 90 mins!). She also sits on the bath mat while I'm in the shower and guards the doorway of pretty much any room I'm in.
Kona is about 14mths now and we haven't really seen any signs of "guarding" from her yet although perhaps she feels her sister is doing a great job of that already
Kona is about 14mths now and we haven't really seen any signs of "guarding" from her yet although perhaps she feels her sister is doing a great job of that already
Please Work
Boxer Booster
Gee, I'd say about 8/9 months (maybe a little earlier) she started to bark at people in our driveway or approaching our house, she really, really dislikes the delivery lady. She will also jump up all of a sudden and run to a certain place in the house with her ears all alert and in that beautiful Boxer stance when she hears something, but most times she will just listen for a little while and return back to where she was snoozing. It amuses me when she does that.
JackDawg
Boxer Buddy
With me, I think Jack is more an instigator. With my wife, he is very protective. Some strangers he likes right off the bat, some it takes a little more time to warm up to, and some folks he has met, he still doesn't like (I don't blame him on a couple) watching them intensely, hair on back raised up, low growling.... But when he does bark, he normally will get behind me and peer around the side (go get 'em, Dad!), with my wife he will stand in between her and the stranger... Funny how they do things extremely similar to other boxers.
LuvnBxrLife
Boxer Pal
Boone is very protective of everything....if it's in his vision he's barking at it. Rocky runs and hides behind the bed if he doesn't know who's there. We've only had Sophie for a week now but she I think will be more like Boone when it comes to being vocal.
A year ago Rocky & Boone accidentally drug me off the deck and I broke my ankle. Thankfully there was a man out on the road who came to assist me....Boone was very vocal but Rocky laid down in front of me and did this very deep growl until I told him that it was okay for that man to help me. I was so thankful that Rock stepped up to the plate and did what he did and didn't try to run the other direction when the man approached.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think it depends on the situation and what you are projecting as to how they are going to react to it. If you'd have asked me if I thought Rock would have protected me I would have laughed and said no he'd be high tailing it out of there thinking every man for himself. LOL But until it actually happens for real I don't think you can predict it.
My husband sometimes works late at night and doesn't get home until 3-4AM and every time he comes home he's in the house and in the bedroom turning the light on before the dogs even know he's in the house.....We joke that after bedtime our house is unprotected, but I don't know if it were a complete stranger doing the entering if he/she would get so far.....I would like to think (for my own security) that they know it's their Dad and if it wasn't they would go after the person. Like I said I don't think you know how they will protect you unless it really comes to that.
A year ago Rocky & Boone accidentally drug me off the deck and I broke my ankle. Thankfully there was a man out on the road who came to assist me....Boone was very vocal but Rocky laid down in front of me and did this very deep growl until I told him that it was okay for that man to help me. I was so thankful that Rock stepped up to the plate and did what he did and didn't try to run the other direction when the man approached.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think it depends on the situation and what you are projecting as to how they are going to react to it. If you'd have asked me if I thought Rock would have protected me I would have laughed and said no he'd be high tailing it out of there thinking every man for himself. LOL But until it actually happens for real I don't think you can predict it.
My husband sometimes works late at night and doesn't get home until 3-4AM and every time he comes home he's in the house and in the bedroom turning the light on before the dogs even know he's in the house.....We joke that after bedtime our house is unprotected, but I don't know if it were a complete stranger doing the entering if he/she would get so far.....I would like to think (for my own security) that they know it's their Dad and if it wasn't they would go after the person. Like I said I don't think you know how they will protect you unless it really comes to that.
Halo is almost 5 months now and a little bit of the protective nature is coming to her already. When she here's someone in the back driveway, usually my parents or fiance she becomes very alert to someone being outside that she isn't sure should be. She'll stare out the window and get that sort of low growl and you can see her starting to tense up a little bit, and until she sees them come through the door to see who it is she growls and lets me know that someone is out there. I'm hoping she'll be a good alert little buddy and not that I think she would attack a burglar or such but she would alert me and the 9mm to take care of the situation.
BxrMommieNAZ
Boxer Insane
My boy will bark at a sound or knocking at the door, etc however there's NO WAY (yes I say this with known certainty) that if someone broke in he would do anything, he'd run and hide absolutely for sure, however he does bark.
My female on the other hand, she barked when we first got her not sure what happend but she hasn't barked in YEARS now at anything and my husband says she's an overgrown cat...unfortunately he's right, she's old, slow, docile, and doesn't bark so she's in the negative department for guarding.
Now our first Boxer, he was a rescue, around 2 or so when we got him, was absolutely a guard dog and would have ripped someone's arm off before he let them in this house if they weren't supposed to be here (yes again know this for a fact) he was a fantastic guard dog but a great family dog too, very well rounded.
My female on the other hand, she barked when we first got her not sure what happend but she hasn't barked in YEARS now at anything and my husband says she's an overgrown cat...unfortunately he's right, she's old, slow, docile, and doesn't bark so she's in the negative department for guarding.
Now our first Boxer, he was a rescue, around 2 or so when we got him, was absolutely a guard dog and would have ripped someone's arm off before he let them in this house if they weren't supposed to be here (yes again know this for a fact) he was a fantastic guard dog but a great family dog too, very well rounded.
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