My grandparents bought a boxer who is now almost a year old. They are both 67 and the boxer pretty much thinks she's the alpha dog - she barks for attention, steals garbage sometimes, jumps on people all the time (she's scratched up my legs before), and is a very picky diva. My grandparents have to almost go out of their way to accommodate this boxer. To name a few, she hates water but drinks from the hose (not at full pressure, by the way), she won't go outside in the snow or rain, so they have to shovel an area for her, and she demands attention from just about everyone.

To try and help the situation, my grandparents tried taking the boxer to a doggie day care. It worked for a little while, and she'd come home tired and well-behaved, but soon after, she'd throw up a lot at day care, so my grandma would have to go and pick her up early. When she'd come home, they told me, she'd look frantic and run immediately outside and munch on grass for a little bit. The odd thing is, they took her to the vet and he said that she was completely fine.

So now, they think that she has separation issues, but they leave her home alone for maybe 3-4 hours a few times a week, and she doesn't throw up at home. Does she have separation issues?

Also, now that she's out of doggie day care, my grandma bikes with the boxer! I'm completely terrified of an accident happening! 2 small accidents have already happened - she has scratched up her own elbow and shoulder as the result. She says the boxer is very well behaved during the rides, but I'm thinking that there's GOT to be a different way for the boxer to realease her unmeasurable energy without my poor grandmother - or the boxer herself, getting hurt.

My grandparents work in real estate, so my grandma is zipping around everywhere almost every day, and my grandpa does a few hours a few days a week, so the boxer needs some sort of energy release, without taking up too much time - is this possible?

That sounds like the wrong dog for them, and the logical thing is to find it a proper home. As I have mentioned, we are not logical creatures. The size of the dog isn't the entire problem, many homes are at the mercy for a 10 pound Napoleon. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete (http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/) For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position, Letting your dog know you are the boss (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm) For this to ever work, I am afraid one of your grandparents must attend an obedience class.

I don't know if there is any reeducating your grandparents. The doggy day care sounded like a good idea. I wonder if she didn't have the supervision she should have had and was foraging indigestibles? Even if your grandparents are able to learn to give her the leadership she needs, they likely still need more help. Try a professional dog walker. A good walk in the hands of somebody that won't take any nonsense could make a big difference. Even a neighborhood kid might help. Grand child? Hummmmm, struggle through the rest of the year and have the kid do 4-H? In my area, clubs form soon after the first of the year. Even many urban
Areas have 4-H. For info look in your phone book under government listings
For extension or cooperative extension offices. Ask specifically about a dog
Or canine club. Much of what I know about dogs, I first learned taking my daughter to 4-H in the early 90's.

Oops! I forgot to mention that she's been through puppy, beginner, and advanced training classes, getting ready to start agility (she KNOWS those commands, but is terribly stubborn). Also, I've worked at the place the boxer formerly went to. As a matter of fact, I was there one of the first days she started this throwing up. The entire day she ran around and around, having fun, but then suddenly she'd start throwing up what seems to be a few times a minute almost consistently until my grandma would come to pick her up. We are always vigilant of all the dogs.

I will suggest the professional dog walking idea to them, and those DVD's will work excellently because my grandparents could watch those as many times as they'd like.

In going over all this, the more I think about it, the less I like the digestive trouble. I lack experience with Boxers, but I have read about some of their problems. Their stomach can actually twist around and turn upside down. It is called bloat and torsion, and can be fatal.

My grandparents went to the vet and he checked her out completely. I think he even gave her and X-ray, and said NOTHING was wrong. Also, she only throws up at the day care, but when they're there while she's playing, she is completely fine. It's this weekly thing the daycare holds called Yappy Hours where owners can come with their dogs and watch them play and whatnot for 2 hours. She's never thrown up during Yappy Hour.

By the way, I'd like to thank you for your help in this matter so far. I appreciate it.

I'd say that she is getting overstimulated at daycare. Think of those days when you have done a lot of physical activity, especially if it's hot out. You tend to start feeling a little sick to your stomach, right? Same with dogs. Since the dog doesn't have a problem with Yappy Hour, I'd suggest finding a daycare that would do half-days, or find one that alternates active play and "quiet time". That would let the dog's stomach settle a bit and hopefully keep her from getting sick. If that solves the problem, great! If not, then I'd be talking to the vet some more.

Oooh, all right, I'll see what I can do with that. Thank you both.