HELP!! My Baby hates dogs!

[dempseybeau]

Dempsey just aquired a hatred for other dogs. He used to love to play with the dogs of family and friends but now all of a sudden at 9 months old, he tries to jump on them and growls and awful sounding growl. He will make that sound when playing with my boyfriend and brother but will never hurt them. He chews on their hands but never bites down. I am wondering whether he is just trying to play with these dogs or does he really not like them. He is a very hyper energetic puppy. He tries to jump up on everyone who comes in the house despite our attempts to stop that behavior. Im wondering if anyone else has this problem with their boxers and other dogs. Thanks in advance for any input.
Dempsey's mom

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Most Boxers are very vocal and rough when they play. You've witnessed it with your family members and now you are seeing it with other dogs, it would appear to me.

If the dog has been previously socialized with other dogs, I would suspect that Dempsey is just feeling his oats at his age and testing his limits in play with other dogs and feeling more comfortable in play and confident. Not all bad.

Watch him carefully and make sure this is play and not fighting. You'll be able to tell the difference.

In the meantime, I suggesting getting a copy of the following books:

"How to Speak Dog" by Stanley Coren
"Dog Behavior" by Ian Dunbar
and "Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You" by Turid Rugaas

These will help you understand your dog's body language better and how to understand their behavior better. The Calming Signals video will help you help your dog get along better with other dogs if there is any aggression involved rather than what sounds like pretty typical Boxer play.

Good luck.

 

[shy the boxer]

my pup sounds the same way.. she sound like shes gonna eat my other dog alive.. but i know she's just playing.. she's trying to be dominant to my other dog (doberman mix) and he dont seem to mind at all.. he knows shes just playing..

 

[jaxesmom]

This may not be much help,but Jax has not really been around other dogs. When we brought Wrangler home he did not like him at all. It took awhile for him to get used to him. He would growl at him. Now he is fine.
The other day I took him to my hubbies job site with me, and there is all kinds a dogs around. Well I was petting the
Syberian (sp)? Husky.and He was ok at first. Then Jax got mad and his Hackles went up. My hubby took him away fast. He likes little dogs, and of course FEMALES. I now know he does not like big dogs.
I have learned with him. That if his hair raises. I remove him at once. Other than that he has always been ok.

 

[BoxerFun]

Murph use to freak me out when he made a horrible growling type sound, but he only did this when he was on a leash and wanted to play! Once I realized that was all it was it was a major relief!!

So could just be that he is a vocal boxer like a lot of them are!