Dog Play or Dog Aggression?
By now, the Boxer puppy that you purchased have started to fully settle into their new home.
You have also noticed that they play…a lot. Not only that, but the Boxer puppies are growing in size rapidly. You may sometimes wonder if they’re playing playfully or in an aggressive way. At Furry Babies, we’ve put together a quick list of tips to help you distinguish between the two.
What are the signs of aggression? Here are some of the most common warning signals:
Direct stare – This is when a dog is extremely stressed and they’re intently focused on another dog without blinking or even engaging in excessive and aggressive stalking.
Freezing – This is when a dog becomes tense or rigid. They appear nervous and “freeze up.”
Stiffness – This is when a dog becomes tense and stressed. They will usually appear very rigid while standing in a stiff-legged stance. On their faces, their muscles will be tightening and they may have furrowed brows.
Growling – This is one of the most commonly detected signals, but the truth of the matter is that dogs will sometimes growl during play. We’re sure the Boxer puppies for sale that you have in your home have done this a time or two. When this happens, however, they have relaxed and loose body language. An aggressive growl is normally really low and deep in tone accompanied with intense eye contact.
Snarling – This is when dogs lift their lips in a snarl just before they growl or snap.
How to Prevent Aggressive Behavior?
Supervise your dog at all times – Never leave your pups unattended where they can adopt inappropriate behaviors.
Socialize your dog early – We always stress this at Furry Babies. It’s the best way to raise a well-rounded dog. After all, when you purchased the Boxer puppies for sale, they are sweet as pie. You want to keep them that way by scheduling play dates with other puppies or taking them to dog parks.
Use positive reinforcement – Always treat your dogs kindly and gently. Negative reinforcement is cruel doesn’t work and it seeks to destroy the human-animal bond you’re trying to create.
