Increased Dominance with new pup

[Canadabeth]

I have begun having a lot more problems with my neutered male boxer fighting with other dogs. We got a new puppy in January and since then Trapper is picking more fights with male dogs. It used to be just the odd unneutered male but now he flies at any challenge by other male dogs whether they are neutered or not. If another male sniffs him the wrong way or stares at him, look out.

I spoke with a friend who had the same change in her dog and she said that a behaviourist told her that is was because a new dog had been added to the household and this contributed to a pack mentality. And the alpha of the pack tries to extend that to being the alpha everywhere.

Has anyone else encountered this problem or heard of this?

signed the mother of Boxer Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde

 

[Krikkit]

Beth, it is hard to tell just what is going on. It may be that your boy percieves himself as the ultimate alpha, but it may be that he does not. Sometimes a dog who is not alpha will act tough in the presence of their 'boss' because they know the boss will get them out of trouble :rolleyes: It could also be that he just likes a scrap - my first Boxer was like this.

The best option may be management, do not allow him to act this way by avoiding those situations (you can probably tell the 'type' of dogs which he reacts too), or by giving him something else to do. Bo was fine with small dogs and females but I had to watch him with larger males who appeared to be dominant - if I distracted him with work he never had the opportunity to carry out his plans

 

[Canadabeth]

Thanks Krikkit

Trapper is usually fine with females (although he growled at a fem. boxer I stopped to pet). I also wonder if he is jealous because my attention has been divided now between 2 dogs.

A big thing I notice is that he is protective of his "pack" i.e. dogs that are his friends. Consistently if another dog he knows is getting picked on, he jumps in and diverts the aggression onto himself to protect the other dogs. I have seen this happen several times now.

But there doesn't seem to be consistency in type or size. It could be a boxer, a retriever, a sheltie. It is almost like he has to set the rules for anyone who he thinks might be a challenge, or threat to Reeghan or me or something.

Or maybe somedays he is just a grouch. Or maybe because Reeghan keeps challenging his dominance, he feels he has to keep proving himself. Who knows!

 

[Mike & Nala]

I don't know how old Trapper is, but if he is younger (less than 3) he could just now be coming into his own as an Alpha male. But more likely is that with the new puppy in the house, this has brought out his need to re-establish himself. Is seems obvious to me it would be carried over into the dog park or wherever. Also, boxers are dog aggressive and that is all there is to it. They can play nicely with other dogs, but look out if the other dog thinks it is dominant. My Nala will play with any non-dominant dog and she will fight any dominant dog her size or bigger, at the drop of a hat. But as I've stated before she has bitten only one dog in all her skirmishes. Usually she wrestles them to the ground and holds them there. They usually bite her and draw blood, but she always wins. SHE GETS THE PIN. We don't go to the park anymore since she went after a Great Dane male. Luckily I was there to intercede.


Mike & Nala

 

[dpasto]

I had a female that was like that. Her philosophy the bigger the dog the harder the fall. She would growl at Shepherds, Rotties, female and male. We just had to very aware of this when out with her.