Training A Boxer Puppy
Sunday, April 8th, 2012Boxer puppies are not hard to train if you know how to do it right, but it does require some patience and practice. Boxers are very energetic dogs, and when they do not get enough attention and lots of exercise they will make their own fun and get into all sorts of mischief. They are an intelligent breed, but their flightiness can cause problems for obedience training. The most common training issues for a Boxer pup are firstly housebreaking, then teaching your puppy not to jump on people, and leash training.
Boxer Puppy Toilet Training
Housebreaking your Boxer puppy should of course be a top priority for a new puppy. Training a Boxer dog not to pee in the house is easy, but you cannot get frustrated if it does not work right away.
The best way to potty train a dog is to keep it in a crate when you are not around. The crate should be just big enough for them to stretch out, but not so big that they are able to walk around. A dog will instinctually try to avoid doing his business where he sleeps, so he should not pee while he is in the box unless you leave him there so long that he can’t help it.
When not in the crate your puppy should be taken out every two to three hours. Go outside with him and tell him to go potty, and if he does, give him treats and lots of affection. He will soon figure out that he is to do his business outside.
Train Your Boxer Not to Jump on People
Because Boxer dogs are so energetic, one of the main behavioral concerns is stopping them from jumping on people. This may seem cute and harmless when they are puppies, but I can guarantee you it will not be as cute when your surprisingly strong Boxer grows to weigh 70lbs.
Boxers are caring dogs and can generally sense when they need to be more careful and patient around children and seniors, but you do not want to risk your dog knocking someone over because they get too excited and jump on them.
It is much easier to teach a puppy to stop jumping rather than when they get older and the behavior is already established.
Giving your Boxer something else to do when he is tempted to jump is perhaps the best way to get him to behave. Boxers are easily trained with treats to respond to verbal commands such as “sit” and “stay.” When your dog looks like he is going to jump on someone, command him to sit instead. When he obeys, lavish him with praise and pet him.
If your Boxer still has a problem regarding jumping, you can use a pinch collar to pull them back when they try to jump on a guest. This strict negative experience will quickly teach them not to jump.
As you can see, Boxer dog training needs to be consistent. Hitting or yelling at a dog when he does something wrong will only make them behave for the moment and will not give you the long term results you are looking for. Whenever you are training your Boxer puppy to do something right, do not underestimate the power of love and affection along with affirmation as they respond well to this.
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