Training a Boxer: what works and what to expect

Boxers learn quickly but get bored even faster. Three short sessions of five minutes each will teach more than one long session, and food or a tug toy as a reward usually works better than praise alone. Repeating the same command ten times in a row often earns you a Boxer who simply walks away.

The two big projects are jumping up and loose-lead walking. Teach an automatic sit for greetings from the first week, and ask visitors to turn away if the dog jumps. For the lead, a front-clip harness and frequent direction changes help a strong young dog learn that pulling gets nowhere. Early, calm introductions to other dogs matter, as some adult Boxers become less tolerant of unfamiliar dogs of the same sex.