Dog or no dog?

[chickengirl778]

I am wondering if adopting my grandparent's dog is possible for me.
Please read situation below.

My parents live on a 50 acre orchard with and have a boxer that is about 4 years old. He has had free reign of the property for his whole life, with a shock-collar underground boundary and a dog friend who is owned by another family who they ran the farm with. I live on a small lot in a fairly large city. We have a small flock of chickens and a rabbit, neither of which the dog is used to.
Is it at all feasible that he could be adopted into our 6 person family as my parents are moving "in to town"? So far he has very limited training, does not walk well on a leash and is not allowed in the house, but is allowed to sleep in the garage. Would a "boot camp" be a good choice, or is it out of the question?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are you willing and able to work on training with this dog? Nevermind the chickens, just to be a good pet he needs some leash manners and basic obedience.

Also how is your chicken/rabbit area set up? Do those animals have a predator proof run that the dog can't get into?

I had a dog with a high prey drive but we never had an issue with her and the chickens because the rule of the house was that the dogs don't go out unless the chickens are locked up, and chickens don't come out unless the dogs are locked up. If you can keep them safely separated the dog will never be an issue regardless of training.

 

[chickengirl778]

Willing to work on training. Chickens have large, fenced in run with netting over the top that should be relatively predator proof.
The rabbit should be safe but I'm also worried about the dog just barking all day at the poor animals, especially lacking basic doggy manners as it is now.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x and if you got the patience & time for the training needed. As for "barking all day" you have neighbors to consider, so you could check out the training collars and look into what kind of training classes that's offered in your area. Best of wishes ....

 

[chickengirl778]

If anyone has any tips for the training process I would appreciate it greatly!
Would a dog "boot camp" be a valid option so he can learn basic manners without the distraction of chickens?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Not sure what a boot camp entails. I usually take my new dogs to a basic group obedience class plus there's a private trainer I can call if there's specific issues I need help with.

Is this dog a known barker? That might be something you'd want to consult a private trainer on immediately as far figuring out his triggers plus options to curb it, as that could be an issue with neighbors, nevermind making your other animals nervous.

 

[chickengirl778]

He isn't a huge barker, but sometimes will bark if a car pulls into the driveway, other than that not too bad!

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

You can get him into basic obedience training; most large pet stores offer classes (like PetsMart). It is ideal if the two of you train together, as ultimately, he needs to mind you. You could send him to a 'bootcamp' training course, but you will probably still need to attend some sessions at a certain point and you will need to continue the training once he gets home. Is he a nuisance barker or does he bark at legitimate triggers? The former may require a bark collar. I would say get him lots of enrichment and work with him...but this is a big dog who is used to freedom. City life may not be for him. Depending on financial feasibility, you could put him in a good quality doggy daycare if boredom or barking become an issue, but they may require basic obedience first. You can also hire trainers by the hour to work one on one with you and your dog and work out any problem issues that arise. If you want to try it on your own, read read read! Google is your friend! There are lots of basic training tips and technique videos on YouTube, as well. You can contact your local boxer rescue and ask advice for local services as well. The AKC offers Canine Good Citizen classes, too. You've got lots of options!
To answer your question about whether it will work, can you try it out and see how he behaves? There is a lot you won't know until you try.

 

[aart]

Can you afford to pay for training....it's not cheap.
Have you ever had a dog before?
He, and probably you, are going to need a lot of training.
Boxers are fairly assertive dogs and need strong hand.

I am wondering if adopting my grandparent's dog is possible for me.
Please read situation below.
My parents live on a 50 acre orchard with and have a boxer that is about 4 years old.

Is it your parents dog or your grandparents dog...or maybe both live on same orchard property?

I live on a small lot in a fairly large city.

How small? 60x100'? 50x50?

That's a huge change of environment for the dog.
Is he human friendly?
It would be a big challenge....but what are any other options?

 

[chickengirl778]

To answer your questions:
I would like to try it out, provided my other animals are safe. I feel that it's not fair they should be injured if they were there first though

I am actually one of the kids in the family, just a teenager, so it's my mom's parents. I got a little mixed up with the names there, sorry!

It is my grandparent's dog!

This would be our first family dog, yes.
He is human friendly, yes.
I also understand that boxers can be stubborn!
Our lot could be described as close to 60x100' I think, but we have a TINY house - under 900 square feet.

Our other options include waiting to get a dog or doing intensive training on this one.
Regardless, I'm still worried that he simply wouldn't be happy in our much different home