Public and Private faces of your dog

Since I've been at home over Christmas, I've been thinking...

We've had a few visitors, and taken the dogs out to peoples' houses when we visited them.

Anyone who has met my dogs in the flesh (or got anywhere near them) will tell you they are absolutely mental, off-their-heads, lunatics. They are bouncy and barky, and hate strange dogs and people and things. They can be quite naughty and (I think) very intimidating if you don't know them/the breed.

However, my dogs aren't like that.

In fact, they are calm and quiet, love to cuddle and be near you. They love to sit on my knee and rest their heads on my shoulder. They love to sleep curled up next to you, making sure you don't move. They watch out for what you're doing, and like to 'help'.

But no-one ever sees this side of my boys, because they aren't like that around other people. They don't do calm.

I sometimes wish people who have met the dogs in full-on Boxer mode could peek into the house, when it's just us and the dogs, and see what they're really like!

I've had very little contact with Boxers but if someone asked me to describe one I would say, lively, bouncy, friendly and funny.
I would love to peep in at yours to see how they compare!!!

My dogs are sort of the other way round. When visitors come, they go a bit wild and waggy, but then they soon settle down, especially if there's a cuddle in the offing. What they don't do is play their usual jolly games. We had a bunch of friends round the other night, and yesterday, when I was rather hungover, Bongo and Roly were making up for lost time, doing circuits of the house and wrestling and mauling each other. They save those performances just for us

People often think that Siren must be Hell to live with as they only tend to see her when she is running around like a mad thing - or working 2 1/2 hours at training!

But she is really very easy.

Tassle is odd becasue she is the most affectionate dog in the world.....to me.....but she is SO aloof with everyone else and will barely acknowledge thier existance!

Trip.....people seem to automatically take to her - I did so much work on control and such - they do not realise what an lunatic she can be.

With the boys....what you see is what you get!

Jess is pretty much the same. So much so that when a friend (experienced GSD owner) looked after her for a couple of hours when she was attacked (we had to go shopping and I didn't want her getting at her back and being on her own) she was amazed at how different Jess is in the house. Outside, Jess is mental, doesn't "do" fuss etc. She has everlasting energy and is vocal, however, in the house she is a really calm, quiet, lovey (loves to give kisses), likes to relax kind of dog. Even though I had told them this, they couldn't believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.

So... I know exactly how you feel! It does get frustrating, but at least they do actually calm with you... They could easily be hyper ALL the time, so it is very good that they relax with you

Both Siren and Tassle sound like Jess.

Mine are busy, busy, busy doing their gundog thing when we are out. Not really interested in other people . They will say "Hi" to other dogs if allowed, but really just want to get on with their gundog thing until it's time to get back into the car.

At home if any toys are out, Ollie will constantly stalk us around the house with a toy trying to get us to play with him. Once all the toys are put away they both switch off and sleep, and sleep, and sleep! There is no middle ground, they are either "working" or sleeping. Visitors make no difference to that after the initial greeting.

This thread made me smile, I am sure when we are out with others, dog walking, they must think ours are proper looneys, Skye and Bruce chase around after each other, go mad to Pat to throw thier ball, get hold of sticks and swing each other round and round, wade through water, especially Skye who is a real water baby, roll and lie in mud and run on ahead of the pack (whoever we are with) till they are whistled to come back.

But in the house they are quiet and relaxed, and usually are in other peoples houses.....thank god

I was never a big fan of Boxers, it wasn't that I didn't like them it was more that I'd never really known one. My boss's sister got a puppy one and she came to stay with them so came to work - I got my first experience of a full on boxer kiss. She used to push her little wrinkly face right on mine and blow through her nose. Just gorgeous!!

I've met a few now through work and they all seem to give the same pushy kisses - I just love them!!

Marius definitely has a Public face and a Private one - he can sometimes be a complete berk when he meets people who make a fuss of him - he gets extremely over-excited and if you let him would jump up (we don't obviously!!). He also gets like that when he sees his canine buddies and will cry/whine until he gets up to them, then it's a frenzy of zoomies after that. Strange dogs he doesn't bother doing that to, he's discerning.

TBH, when people say ohhh he must be such a handful etc and I tell them he's a complete couch tatie, I don't blame them for giving me the Ohh yeah, pull the other one look!! But he really truly is He is the softest, lump - proving that with Lola who literally runs rings around him, pulls his ears (before getting scolded!!) and he loves nothing else than to laze on his back with his tatties out

Lola is the same so far, outside and in. Wears her heart on her sleeve