Boxer dogs are amazing and clever but sometimes they are just a tad too clever for their own silly good. And yes, you guessed it just right, I am talking about the no other than dominance and sometimes occasional aggression coming from our great canine best friend. Of course, this type of canny behavior is exhibited by a large number of dogs in general, not just the boxer dogs.

Why does our beloved pup become dominant? The question goes back to non other but the root of the relationship between you and your dog. There are many things owners do that encourage and praise your dog's dominance. For instance you just got home from work and your cute little boxer jumps up on you to show you how much he missed you! Or maybe your dog could be testing dominance and you are praising and showering him with affection instead of proving your dominance to him.

In such a case, you would have to make your canine buddy get off by sternly saying "Rocky, No!". Of course, that behavior could simply be a reaction because your dog is truly happy to see you - but don't forget that in the wild, members of the pack would exert dominance in a similar fashion. If a dog jumps up on another dog it is usually a sign of one dog showing dominance over another. If you allow such behavior to continue your little boxer pup may think that he is indeed the dominant one. After all when he challenges you he never gets rejected - instead, he just gets praised with love and affection.

Your boxer dog is only trying to survive and having a pack leader, the alpha dog, is important for that survival. Dogs still have their old pack instincts and need a pack to survive. In the wild, wolves rarely travel alone and those that do don't always survive. A pack always has a leader that all wolves look up to. That leader will set the rules, track down food, keep the watch for predators, and protect the pack at all times.

Your boxer dog has similar instincts. He needs that pack leader in order to survive and if you're not willing to be his alpha dog then he will do what is best for survival - assume his role as the alpha dog. And with that comes dominance and occasional aggression when you, the pack member, took away his toys and told him he's a "bad dog". To learn how to deal with your boxer puppy's dominance and aggression problems check out the boxer dog training guide written specifically for boxer dogs.