Help With Training the Boxer Breed

Boxers are a fun, sociable, loving breed of dog. They have a playful personality and enjoy human companionship. This breed is affectionate as well as protective. A family with members of all ages can enjoy owning a boxer as long as the proper socialization and training is given to the dog.

  1. Positive Reinforcement

    • Boxers respond best to positive reinforcement training. Use encouragement, praise, dog treats and be sure to repeat whatever method you choose always. Positivity and consistency is key in getting your boxer to behave as you wish.

    Clicker Training Methods

    • Boxer owners have gotten excellent results with clicker training. Clicker training is a method that relies on behavioral psychology. When your boxer shows a behavior you wish to reinforce, you use the clicker. It makes a short click noise and then, if you wish, you can give the dog a treat. This way the dog associates the behavior with the clicking noise rather than becoming dependent on treats to perform the behavior.

    Agility Training

    • If you are looking to possibly enter your boxers into any sort of competition, their natural abilities make them great at agility exercises. This sort of training can take six to nine months before your dog really gets it. Start by playing games such as tug-of-war and fetch using fun toys. Then begin to introduce equipment such as tunnels and bars to jump over. As the training progresses, the tunnels can naturally get longer and the bars higher.

    House Training

    • Boxers can be quite easy to house train. An effective method is often to incorporate crate training into the mix. By keeping your puppy in a crate when you are not home or when it is sleeping, it will teach the puppy to hold it in because a dog does not like to go to the bathroom in its own bed. Another tip is to keep to a strict schedule. Take the boxer puppy out first thing in the morning, after it eats, often throughout the day and before bed.

    Leash Training

    • Boxers grow to be large and powerful. Teaching your puppy to walk nicely on a leash can save you a lot of trouble later. You want to get the puppy to walk with the leash hanging loosely, not pulling against you. Make sure your puppy knows that you are the boss. Use praise and treats when your puppy complies with you on the leash.