Boxers are highly intelligent dogs. Their origin lies with the hunting dogs of Europe. This century they were used in the trenches during the wars and are still used as Police dogs and guide dogs for the blind.
Then why aren’t Boxers very successful in obedience training?
Contrary to what a lot of "expert" trainers think, the Boxer is quite an adaptable dog - no worse or no better than a lot of more popular working breeds.
The answer is partly in the way we train them. Dogs learn by repetition and this is the basis for obedience. However . . . Boxers learn their lessons very quickly and easily become bored with doing the same thing time and again for long periods. The secret of training a Boxer is short, concentrated spells with play time in between. That doesn’t mean that training can’t be fun but make sure, though, that your dog knows the difference between work and play and don’t mix them . Use the commands "Working" and "Free" for example so that there is no confusion for your dog.
The other side to the obedience question is in the Boxer’s character. Boxers, being the fun loving and playful breed they are, would much rather be playing with the other dogs than concentrating on work.
Don’t be discouraged or embarrassed because you own the class clown and don’t let people tell you that you’re wasting your time trying to obedience train your Boxer. If you find an obedience school that wants to help and if you put in the time and effort to learn, you will succeed!
If you contact us at the Queensland Boxer Club, we can put you in touch with experienced breeders who are breeding to improve the Boxer and will sell you a quality puppy. The breeder will ask you many questions, some of which you may think are a bit too personal. But this is because they want their puppies to go to good homes with people who are suited to owning a Boxer. There are contact numbers for breeders on our Breeders Page
Boxers naturally love to run and jump and seem to excel at Agility. You must have a good degree of obedience control over your dog to direct their energies in the correct manner. Boxers are highly intelligent (contrary to what a lot of obedience people might tell you). They are also increasing in numbers in competitive obedience although they much prefer the "fun" activities. Tracking too seems to come naturally to Boxers. How many times when you’re out walking has your Boxer’s nose been glued to the ground following a scent trail. It’s a great experience to follow your dog along a track when only they know where you are going. Lure Coursing is another activity where your Boxer can run. Originally used to train the sight hounds to chase their prey, it is now open to all breeds of dogs and the Boxers have taken to it. It’s not like Greyhound racing which is run around a track. This is run in an open field with the Lure (strips of plastic or leather) tied to a rope that is pulled around spindles and pulleys by a motor. The course pattern is irregular with long straights, some short sharp turns & up and down hills sections. Rally O is a new sport - see more detail below
You can find links to more information on these activities on our Obedience/Agility Page
The Fun Day will be held at the grounds of the Dog Obedience Club of Brisbane, Englefield Road, Oxley (same as last year). For more details - dates and latest pics - check our Events Page.
It is like a cross between obedience and agility - all obedience exercises carried out in a course situation.
Rally Obedience - or Rally O for short - is a more relaxed competition that allows us to interact a little more with our dogs and approach obedience from a different angle. Having to follow a course layout keeps us and our dogs thinking and there is no time for boredom to set in.
For a breed like the Boxer that learns quickly and can get bored with lots of repetition, Rally should be a great opportunity to compete in obedience but have fun at that same time.
Rally O will be a great opportunity for those who don't want to compete in traditional obedience or as a useful transition from class work to competition. The close contact format of Rally (working around and between the signs) means we will have to pay attention to our dogs positioning and our footwork and control.
See more information on our Obedience/Agility Page