A lot of boxer owners ask questions like “How do I train my boxer dog?”, “Should I train my boxer?” and “What are some good boxer dog training tips?” so before I answer those let me ask you something…

Wouldn’t it be amazing if your boxer would listen to your commands and follow them without hesitating or waiting for you to get a treat out?

Wouldn’t you have more fun taking your dog out to the park or just around the block if he would stop pulling on the leash and dashing towards whatever might get his attention?

Well that is exactly what training a boxer dog will help you accomplish. You will have an obedient and socialized dog which means you don’t have to stress over your dog’s disobedience anymore and can finally enjoy spending time with your boxer.

Read on to learn more about boxer dog training tips and best ways to approach training.

What Age Should I Start Training My Boxer?

I often hear the quote “You can’t teach old dog new tricks” and I can tell you from my experience, this is far from the truth.

It doesn’t matter how old or young your boxer is, you can still teach him new tricks and fix any bad habits that you want to get rid of.

Of course it’s better to start early when your dog only starts to develop his behavior and habits so you can quickly pick up on any disobedience and correct it before it forms into a serious problem.

So at what age should you really start training your boxer?

If you are asking that question then the answer is “Today”. Don’t put it off for tomorrow or next week.

The best boxer training tip that I can give you is don’t wait when it comes to training. Your boxer is constantly looking for a leader in the family and training is the best way to prove to him that you are that leader so he doesn’t try to take the role on to himself.

Training a boxer dog will not only help improve his behavior, but it will also help you establish your role as the pack leader, the authority figure whom he will respect.

I made a mistake by putting off training and paid for it. Don’t make the same mistake I did and start training your boxer today!

The Wrong Approach to Training a Boxer

This part is very important so make sure you do this!

Take everything you heard about “correcting” your dog’s behavior by slapping him, shouting at him or forcing him to do something he doesn’t want to do and completely forget it!

That kind of approach will NOT work on boxers. They do not respond well to any of those things and you will only ruin the relationship and trust between you and your dog.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t correct your dog when he misbehaves, doing that will only help speed up the process of training. What I’m saying is don’t do it in a mean or negative way.

If you catch him in the process of chewing up your pillows, don’t start yelling at him and slapping him for misbehaving.

Instead get him off your couch and with a clear and confident voice tell him “No!” and then put him in “Time Out”. That is all you need to do to get your point across as clear as possible that such behavior is not tolerated.

If you run into the room screaming and smacking your dog will only confuse him. He won’t know why you are doing it and will assume you are just being mean or hostile towards him!

The Right Approach to Training a Boxer Dog

What boxers DO respond well to is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement should be the main tool in your arsenal of boxer dog training.

Positive reinforcement is when your dog does something right, like bringing back the ball after you tell him to fetch, and gets rewarded for it either with praise, a treat or both.

This tells your dog that what he just did is exactly what you wanted him to do and you are pleased with his actions (remember, boxers love making their owners happy).

At first I recommend you start training off with a treat. This way the reward will be a lot more obvious and your boxers hunger for a tasty treat will be a huge motivator for him to learn a new trick or a new command. Of course as he becomes more familiar with the trick you can switch to just praise which should be sufficient enough.

A good training tip for boxer dog training is to make sure you keep treats ‘special’. What I mean by that is; don’t give them out like candy. Only give the treats when your boxer deserves them, that way they will feel more rewarding and your dog will try harder to own them!

Don’t Use Treats As Bribes While Training a Boxer Dog

There is a difference between bribing your dog and rewarding him during a training session so make sure you know when to give the treat to your dog.

Here is an example of a correct way of using a treat:

Your boxer is sitting looking at the ball in your hand and the treat in your hand and waiting for you to give him a command to do. You throw the ball and tell your dog to “Fetch”. He quickly runs after the ball bringing it back and as soon as he gives you the ball you give him a treat.

Now here is an example of a bribe:

You come home from a long walk outside and your boxer storms to the living room and jumps on your nice sofa. You quickly run after him and tell him to get off the furniture, but he just ignores you and pretends he can’t hear you. You get a treat and give him a small piece so he can taste what you have in your hand and then call him to follow you off the sofa to give him the rest of it.

Do you see the difference here?

In the first example the boxer knows he needs to earn the treat and is waiting for a command so he can earn it. In the second example the dog ignores the owner and only gets off the sofa, which he shouldn’t have been on in the first place, to get the rest of the treat.

Use the treats as tools while training a boxer dog, not as a way to bribe him into doing something.

Want To Know How To Train A Boxer Dog?

Now that you know more about boxer dog training, don’t procrastinate and start training your dog today.

You don’t need to spend hours upon hours of training – five to ten minutes per day is enough and will make a huge difference in your dog’s behavior and obedience towards you.

If you want to learn more on how to train a boxer dog click below:

Step By Step Guide To A Well Trained And Behaved Boxer Dog

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