Boxer Jumps on Freckles, Duke intervenes

Yesterday at the dog park we were by one of the swimming holes with a large group of people and dogs when I heard the sounds of a fight in the crowd When I looked around to my horror I saw that a Boxer had Freckles pinned on his back. Before anyone could react Duke flew in and attacked the Boxer who immediately let Freckles go. Duke and the Boxer proceeded to snap, growl, and spar but doing no real damage to each other. I finally grabbed Dukes collar and moved him out of the area. I examined both boys and they were fine as was the Boxer. I am fairly sure that if Duke had not interceded Freckles would have been hurt.
I just took the boys to the other end of the park where they enjoyed the rest of our visit and played with a big group at that end.
I have noticed that Boxers tend to create a lot of aggression. One reason may be the way they try to play by rearing up and slapping at other dogs. I think this might trigger the fights. When I take the boys I usually try to avoid Boxers but this one was in a big crowd and I didn't see him in time.
This was a case of big brother protecting little brother.

 

Thats neat that Duke did that, saved Freckles from getting hurt. I think you might be right about boxers, I've noticed that at my dog park as well. Sydney my smallest one, has Boxer in her and when she tries to initiate play with other dogs she does do that pawing thing. She doesnt do it hard and she is pretty tiny so she never has hurt a dog, i just get worried when i see that she wants to play with a super tiny dog, so I just keep my eye on her and distract her if she starts doing that.

 

I have noticed the same thing with Boxers, although of course not all of them are like that.

We had a problem on Saturday with a Great Dane! He was this gorgeous blue merle color very similar to Bonnie. But she didn't like him - maybe she felt threatened because he was so big? He kept getting in her face and after trying to avoid him a few times, she finally snapped at him. The big lug jumped backwards out of her way and barrelled right into ME! I kept my feet, but some very hard part of him (head? elbow?) slammed into my shin, which immediately swelled up in an egg-sized lump. I really thought it was broken for about 10 minutes, but then the pain gradually receded. Now it is just a nasty bruise.

 

The last time I rode my bike on my favorite route near my house 2 boxers came after me. The female was especially scary but the male was kinda jumping at the bike that I had between us.

That's cool about Duke taking up for his brother...my brother never did that. :?

 

yeah. Smokey would do that for Char. And the other day i had Smokey out and every time he would come up to me Red dog went MAD. Barking and carrying on. Granvel and i were discussing it and we think he "Knew" something was up and coming, and was trying to warn us...too bad we didn't listen or know better.....

 

Hi Dukesdad,

I think you are correct....I have heard many times on the Catahoula board that boxers play just like Catahoulas. Catahoulas do the bow/slap/in your face LETS PLAY! thing. They play very rough and tumble. I don't think it's aggressive, but very assertive and rough. My friend raises boxers and his play really rough too.
I don't know if you remember Witt, but I can't take him to dog parks or let him play with just anyone. He plays very rough, it a whole different level of play. He is not being aggressive, he really wants to play, but he overwhelms the other dog quickly, to the other dog he is showing very bad doggy manners and when that dog tells him so..Witt won't quit. Which means the other dog escalates the correction which then leads to a spat from which Witt won't back down. It can quickly lead to a fight depending on each dog. I have found several dogs that Witt can play with and we just have playdates. I also have Dooley and Annie so he gets lots of playtime in at home. The good news is that Witt is two years old now..and he is finally starting to mature a tiny bit. He is learning how to adjust his level of play. I thank Annie for that. She is the only female..quite a bitch, and won't tolerat his crap. She demands he play on her terms. She is also a very vocal dog and doesn't mind his roaring loudness. Actually, I think it is usually dog owners who freak out about his vocal displays, not really the other dogs. People mistake his tazmanian devil impressions for aggressiveness. I have even been told I should correct him when he does it. I refuse to do that..it is in his character, a part of him. Like when a child giggles wildly. He vocalizes in pure joy and playful excitement, it would be cruel to demand he be quiet. If you watch his body language, he is not using his vocalizations to be aggressive.
I have recently found a young female Doberman that he plays with beautifully. When they met, she returned his play bow and slap invitation and you should have seen his face....he was elated..finally a dog who spoke his language! And the dogs mom thought hs vocal nature was hilarious. I wish I knew people with Catahoulas around here, he might have more playmates.
Dogs like people, are not all the same, they don't all get along or mesh. When we go to a dog park with our dogs we ask alot of them. Amazingly enough, most people don't realize that, they just expect that their Fido will forever be the best behaved dog. I have stood by the dog park near our house and watched the dogs and people, I always wish to myself that for the dogs sake...owners were required to take a class on dog behavior and communication BEFORE being allowed to utilize the dog park. There should be an inherent risk law for dogs, like there is for horses (JMO, and I am not referring to you!).
I hope Freckles is ok. Your dog park sounds cool...swimming and all!

 

Great post, Maisey! It is SO important that we know how to read our dogs and the dogs they meet. Someone might have though Bonnie was being aggressive from her reaction to the Great Dane, but it was completely appropriate. He kept getting in her face and she had already tried avoiding him and curling her lip at him and he ignored the signals so she snapped at him. Too bad he had to smash into me as a result.

Nala plays quite rough and she is a PEST. I'm surprised more dogs don't take exception to her, except that she backs down right away if they get mad. Her hackles go up when she is playing, though, which makes other people nervous. I always point out the other signals - tail, ears, mouth, body posture - that show she is just playing.

I hate it when someone else's dog is scaring your dog and they do nothing. I had Nala at the park once and these two dogs were being too aggressive and she was trying to get away from them. She had her tail tucked and ended up jumping on a bench and then falling between the backrest and seat (luckily she did not get hurt) and cowering under the bench before I could get to her. The owners just stood there smiling. I had to get between the dogs and her (I am pack leader) and take her out of there. I was steamed! At least they could have called the dogs off.

I also saw two little jack russells terrorizing a huge Russian Wolfhound at another park. The owner of the jacks just stood there. I have seen them there before and they are the kind of people who think their dogs are little so they can do whatever they want. The woman with the Wolfhound (and a huge Greyhound and huge Great Dane as well) left very quickly.

 

"Actually, I think it is usually dog owners who freak out about his vocal displays, not really the other dogs. People mistake his tazmanian devil impressions for aggressiveness. I have even been told I should correct him when he does it. I refuse to do that..it is in his character, a part of him. Like when a child giggles wildly. He vocalizes in pure joy and playful excitement, it would be cruel to demand he be quiet. If you watch his body language, he is not using his vocalizations to be aggressive. "

Wylie does this when she plays with Jake, I do freak out only because I think neighbors will think its a dog fight.


"I had Nala at the park once and these two dogs were being too aggressive and she was trying to get away from them. She had her tail tucked and ended up jumping on a bench and then falling between the backrest and seat (luckily she did not get hurt) and cowering under the bench before I could get to her. The owners just stood there smiling. I had to get between the dogs and her (I am pack leader) and take her out of there. I was steamed! At least they could have called the dogs off."


this happened to Wylie at our dog park, and it traumtized her so much, she didnt want to be there even when no dogs were at the park. She would run to the gate and stand there wanting to leave

 

Poor Wylie!! That's too bad. Bonnie does okay at the park, but if there are too many dogs she usually just stands next to me. But her tail and ears are up, so she's not scared or anything! Actually, it may be all the people just as much as all the dogs. She generally has more poeple issues than dog issues.