When someone sees a big muscular dog, they often worry about how aggressive the canine could be. People who aren’t familiar with the Boxer breed are intrigued by how cute these dogs are but still find themselves asking “are Boxers aggressive?“
In most cases, a Boxer that has been trained and socialized won’t be aggressive with other people. Boxers are typically only aggressive if they believe their owner is in danger. However, if the dog’s needs aren’t met by the owner, the Boxer may show signs of aggression.
Every Boxer is unique in its own way, however, many people worry about how aggressive this breed is. On this page, we’re going to discuss how aggressive a Boxer dog can get, why some are aggressive and others aren’t, and how owners can prevent their Boxer from becoming aggressive. Keep reading to learn more.
Are Boxers Aggressive?
When it comes to the question “are Boxers aggressive?” it comes down to a yes and no answer. We don’t want to leave new Boxer owners scratching their heads, so we’re going to break it down for you on this page. Of course, adopting a Boxer isn’t a gamble. You don’t have to worry about whether you’ll end up the sweetest dog or Satan’s dog by chance.
How aggressive a Boxer turns out to be all depends on you, the owner. In most situations, if you meet a Boxer that is someone’s house pet, the dog is very calm and gentle. Any Boxer owner can have a dog that is calm and non-aggressive, but it does take a bit of work.
It’s important to remember that Boxers are naturally energetic. If the Boxer isn’t able to release that energy, it will turn to aggressive behavior to let off steam. Since Boxers are big and muscular, this can make them appear more dangerous.
Socialized Boxers Are Rarely Aggressive
Boxers can be very loveable dogs. If your Boxer has been socialized, there is only one occasion in which you may notice it showing aggressive behavior. That’s when the dog believes you’re in danger. Boxers are excellent guard dogs, so if they believe someone or something is a threat to their loved ones, their instinct is to protect.
As long as the owner is calm and shows normal mannerisms, a socialized Boxer won’t be aggressive. Socialization is something that Boxer owners need to consider when their dog is still young. Ideally, dog owners should begin to socialize their Boxers between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks.
During this time period, try to introduce the Boxer to as many people as possible and other dogs. This gets the dog used to seeing new faces and shows it that there is nothing to worry about.
It’s also a good idea to introduce the dog to children because unsocialized dogs are more fearful of kids. Kids are typically fast and handsy, so it’s important that your Boxer has a good experience early on in life so it’s not threatened by the presence of children. Boxers are known to be very friendly with children when they are socialized properly.
How Training Affects a Boxer’s Aggression
All dog breeds need to be trained to exhibit good behavior. Command words are a big part of training a dog. This is when you teach it a trick or task that it needs to perform when you use the command word. Using a command word can help to train a Boxer that does show signs of aggression.
Dog owners should pay attention to what triggers their dogs. For example, if your Boxer starts barking aggressively when it spots a neighbor walking their dog, this is a good time to work on using command training. Teach it a word such as “stop” or “focus” to get it to stop barking aggressively.
When it comes to training a Boxer, you will need to be very patient. Boxers do take time to train, so don’t give up if it feels like the dog isn’t catching on right away. Always make sure you have a reward ready for your Boxer. When the dog follows the command during training, always reward it so it feels encouraged to obey in the future.
While training a Boxer, always remember that the dog will match your attitude. Even though it may be frustrating when it seems like the dog isn’t catching on, don’t show signs that you are frustrated or speak to the dog aggressively. If you do, the Boxer will be aggressive back, which will slow down the training.
Why Is My Boxer Aggressive?
There are three main reasons why a Boxer could be aggressive:
- The Boxer hasn’t been socialized
- The Boxer is protecting its owner
- The Boxer is ill
We can’t stress enough how important socialization is for a Boxer. These dogs have natural instincts to hunt and guard, so if the Boxer isn’t used to seeing unfamiliar faces, it’s more likely to develop an aggressive attitude. Socializing a young Boxer does take time, so it’s important to ensure you have the time before committing to adopting a Boxer.
It’s in a Boxer’s instinct to be protective of the ones that it loves. For this reason, if the Boxer ever senses that another person or animal is going to harm you, it will become very aggressive. Despite training and socialization, a Boxer’s number one priority is to protect you and it will put up an aggressive fight to do so. These dogs can sense threatening behavior.
If your Boxer is normally friendly but has recently started acting aggressive, we strongly recommend taking it to the vet. When a Boxer isn’t feeling well, the breed is known to display aggressive behavior.
What Should I Do If My Boxer Is Aggressive?
In the event that a Boxer has been trained and socialized, there will only be certain things that can trigger the dog to be aggressive. This could happen if the Boxer sees another person or animal approaching that it doesn’t trust. If this ever happens with your Boxer the most important thing to do is stay calm.
This goes back to what we mentioned above about the dog matching your energy. Always handle the situation in a calm and collective manner so your Boxer doesn’t have a reason to act out.
If you adopted an adult Boxer that shows signs of aggression, it may take more than training at home to prevent this behavior. You may need to enlist the help of a local animal behaviorist or train at an obedience school for dogs. It also helps to set up a crate for your Boxer so it has a private spot to go to when you have visitors.
Are Boxers Aggressive With Other Dogs?
If a Boxer has been socialized, it can play with other dogs. However, you will likely notice the dog acting more aggressively than it would with people. Boxers are known to act dominant when in the company of other dogs, especially if the other dog is the same gender. If both dogs are socialized and your Boxer doesn’t have an aggressive history with dogs, there shouldn’t be a reason to worry.
Keep in mind that Boxers were originally bred to hunt and still have the natural instinct to. If the Boxer hasn’t been socialized, it may be more aggressive around other animals. Owners need to be careful when allowing their Boxers to be around small animals, such as cats because they are known to chase them aggressively.
Typically, owners won’t have to be on guard if their Boxer has been trained and socialized properly. However, if anything went wrong during breeding, training, or socializing, the Boxer could be more likely to injure a small dog, cat, or other small animals.
If your Boxer acts aggressively around other animals, it’s important to take extra measures when taking your dog in public. You may need to have your dog wear a muzzle when you take it for a walk to the dog park. It’s also important to keep note of what distance your Boxer starts acting aggressively, and try not to get any closer than that to other animals or strangers.
Final Thoughts
Are Boxers aggressive? Boxers can be aggressive if they haven’t been socialized or trained properly. However, if the Boxer was socialized at an early age, owners typically don’t have an aggressive Boxer on their hands. A Boxer can act aggressively towards strangers or other dogs if it’s not familiar with seeing new faces. This is something you should get them adjusted to as a puppy to prevent aggressive behavior later.
Keep in mind, that even if you have a very well-trained dog, your Boxer will always have the instinct to protect you. If anyone ever acts threatening towards you, your Boxer will instinctively act very aggressive towards them and may put up a fight. This can happen with even the friendliest and most calm Boxers. Other than that, Boxers are typically very well-behaved around other people.