looking to surrender a boxer in NH

[Dham]

I am looking for help to surrender a boxer in NH we acquired 2 months ago and I feel we were not totally disclosed the true nature of the situation. It is a long story but we were walking our boxer and the previous owners saw us and asked if we would be interested in another. At the time we were looking for another as a playmate for our boxer and addition to our family.
We got her quickly their story being they were selling their house and moving into a condo. I felt that the female owner had had her since a pup and Inca is now 5 years old and that she would much rather adapt to condo life then be thrown out and put in a whole new life.
Well since that time Inca has shown her dominant female side and the other day snapped 3 times at my hub when he tried to grab her collar and take her from underneath the table. Well she snapped at him 3 times really good. Not ever biting him Thank God, it is so odd cause she took to him right away. She is also food aggressive. because of our two kids we feel this is not the right situation for her and I can't trust her. She doesn't like to be grabbed by her collar.
I tried calling her past owner and I got the run around, one minute she was mad the next crying how her husband didn't want Inca anymore, he wasn't a 'boxer person", they also have a 22 month old, I really feel she didn't disclose everything to me, after I told her it wouldn't work , she never called me back after she said she would call me back to tell me what we should do. I really feel her husband is not letting her contact me. She also told me in the time she has been with her husband that Inca did try to bite him 2 times, never disclosed this before. If she really loved her dog as she says she would come take her and get her the right home. I now feel it is up to me. I want to do the right thing, I really feel Inca was thrown out and I feel she can make a good dog for the right situation
She has alot of good qualities, she does listen and can be off lead in the yard, she does play well with other dogs but has only played with males so don't know if she would be good with females. she doesn't have seperation anxiety, she is fine when we leave. She is very loving but because of her dominant streak I can't take a chance with my kids. I need to do something soon as my hub really wants her in a new home.
Any suggestions I would really appreciate it. I did contact Boxer Buddies and they were super about contacting me quickly but haven't heard back after they were suppose to call me Wed. , to schedule a possible evaluation, before Thanksgiving. I have also contacted Second Chance Boxer Rescue, I am hoping someone will contact me. Thanks for any help.

 

[gmacleod]

If you don't have the time to put into this dog, then it would indeed be better to give her up to a rescue if one can take her.

You might bear in mind, however, that being rehomed is one of the most stressful things that can happen to a dog. They don't instantly obey to people who are, in effect, strangers. And they don't instantly feel no threat to gestures which - at the best of times - are amongst the most threatening humans can make. I'm referring to the collar-grabbing, of course (which is probably the most common way people get themselves bitten by their dogs, and that's not even strange dogs they've just adopted and who've no idea whether or not they constitute a threat, either).

In short, with time, training, and very gentle introduction of threatening/dominant gestures like taking the dog by the collar - this dog could very well settle down to become a confident and happy member of your family. But if you don't have the time to spend on that sort of training and confidence-building, it would be better to try to relocate her at an early stage.

 

[mysticboxers]

Maybe i can help. I am in maine and i can take her temporarily to foster her and then place her in a more proper home after having her evaluated by my behaviorist. Can you PM me so we can work something out and i can get an idea of all the troubles,

 

[Dham]

I have to say you are the first person to say that we should keep her. I have talked with others, evan a boxer rescue and said I was doing the right thing and all say I have to think of my kids first, that she can't be trusted . If I didn't have my kids then yes I may be more opt to keep her but I won't be able to live with myself if her unpredictability comes out on my kids. She has grown attached to my daughter and I can't trust her not to snap at my daughter if she was to try and pull her off her bed cause she likes to jump up there alot. Everyone has their own opinion.

 

[Dham]

How do I PM

 

[Dham]

I don't think I can

 

[gmacleod]

I have to say you are the first person to say that we should keep her.

Actually, I said nothing of the kind. I said if you aren't able to put the time and effort into the dog and conditioning her to accept threatening gestures as unthreatening, as she appears to require, then you would be best to relocate her as soon as possible.

Mysticboxers: There is no PM activated on this site, nor any other way of exchanging personal information (please read the site rules more carefully). This forum is for advice and for contacting approved rescue groups only.

 

[SILLY6PAK]

Instead of pulling by the collar try snaping a leash on her collar and removing her from the bed, under the table that way.

I agree that children and their safety always come first but with proper education and help I think it doesn't have to be an either or situation.

Each case is unique but we rescued an extremely abused thought to be aggressive dog and have 3 kids under the age of nine. We have lots of supervision and luckily the dog really rehabilitated himself with love and structure.

That said I would have put him to sleep if I thought my kids were at risk.

Good luck finding a good home for her.

 

[haleyandmark]

Put to sleep? =( Aw, I feel that it's way too soon to be talking like that - especially when these problems can be so common.

If you had the time, I would work with her. The moderators on here have incredible rescources and can help you find a trainer who deals with problems like you are having.

Or, if you just feel that you are at your wits end (which I understand), then placing her in the care of a foster home is not a bad idea, in my mind.

I'm sure everyone will have their opinion, but I think you are going about this the right way.

 

[SandyHG55654]

I very seldom grab the collar of my dogs. Instead I have worked with them by snapping my fingers then pointing where I want them to go. My kids do the same and they are involved in every aspect of their training as well. I like to keep a united front to not confuse the dogs. Also you should look through the threads on food agression I would not have my kids near a dog with any type of food. Like GMAC said it is a very stressful situation for a dog to be in. I feel you should take some time to work through things and let her know what the rules are in your home if you can. Also search the threads for the NILIF (nothing in life is free) method of traning. If you really feel you can't fix her, a rescue is the best bet to give her a chance. Good Luck!