While it may seem very innocent to walk around your Boxer if he is in the hallway or other area that you need to pass by, allowing a dog to remain in place and stepping over or around him sends the wrong signal. This is also very relevant for Boxer dogs that are sprawled out over furniture and don’t want to move out of the way for you to sit as well.
It should be the dog that moves for the owner and not the other way around. And the Boxer should, on first command, listen to the order to move off of the sofa or at the very least, make room for his owner.
If you allow a Boxer to secure dominance over any area of the house, this is essentially telling a dog that he is in a power position, and you – the subordinate- will accommodate him by troubling yourself to move around him or sit yourself on a difference piece of furniture.
And as you can imagine, passing this sort of message to a dog will then lead to all sorts of hierarchy issues, including the one of being ignored and not being listened to.
How to fix this:
Again, this should all be done with love. There is no need to bark an order of ‘Get out of the way!”; instead you can speak in a happy, amused yet firm tone, giving an order for the Boxer to move.
Do not take no for an answer. If need be, attach his leash and physically lead him away.
In time, with the other rules followed, once your Boxer sees that you are his leader, he will automatically make room for you as you approach, which is a clear sign of respect.