I have a 1 year old Boxer. She is very smart and learns commands easily. The problem we have is when we have visitors she jumps and licks and never settles down. I have people try to ignore her. They can't even pet her because she is so crazy. I usually have to put her in her kennel. What can I do? Thanks.
Welcome to Kingdom of Pets and thanks for writing to us!
Boxers are very people focused dogs which is a good thing as it makes them easier to train but can be a bad thing when they get over-excited around new people, like your pooch does. The trick to getting her to settle is to combine a bit of alpha training with her along with some focused desensitization. Starting with the former, please have a read through the bonus book on alpha training and let me know if you have any questions. As for the latter, you will need the help of your family and friends. Get them to walk in and give them treats/toys to hand out to her but ONLY if she sits or lies down (For the treats, you can use healthy treats such as raw carrot pieces, bits of apple/pear-no seeds, boiled chicken breast chunks, banana, strawberries etc- everything in moderation). If she doesn't settle, then straight to the kennel it is. You will have to repeat this exercise 3-4 times a day ideally, so she understands what is required of her. Make sure she is trained to the word 'NO' as this is crucial in getting the point across to her.
Being the smart cookie that she is, I am sure she will learn in no time. All the best with training, please do let us know how you are getting along.
Our dog gets very excited, too, when my parents come over. She jumps, runs around, etc. We put her on a leash and give her commands to sit. If she doesn't do the commands, we take the leash and tie her to the refrigerator door. As soon as she is calm, we release her. And if she gets excited again, we repeat until she gets the message to calm down.
