Boxers
 

Hey,

I need some recommendations about potentially adopting a 4.5 month old female brindle boxer pup. She needs to be rehomed due to a move/major life change.

So for those of you who have one, tell me about their energy levels, destructive-ness, etc.

This one is being billed as very smart, and house trained already.

We've had 2 Boxers and both were excellent pets. Although they had very different personalities they were both easy to train: obedient, good with children, well-mannered, and except for a few chewing incidents when young, were model dogs. The down-side to Boxers are the health issues. Our 2nd one we lost to Boxer Heart Syndrome at 5 years. Our first lived to 11 before cancer claimed him. Hope this helps.

Boxers are smart all right...also super high energy, curious and stubborn as all get out. (At least my girl is...:lol:) They can also be pretty destructive but mainly only when they get bored. But, if you regularly excercise both their body and mind they are fantastic companions and want nothing more than to hang out with you.

Lovely breed Catherine. Very active, needs regular runs! Affectionate. Health concerns are something to be aware of forsure and also seem to be prone to dog on dog aggression. I worked in a vet clinic for 6 years and nearly every boxer was aggressive towards other dogs. Just something to watch out for. But a nice breed despite that!

I will agree that boxers are aggressive... If my girl sees another dog she agressively tries to get over there to say hi and see if they will play with her. Playing with other dogs is the thing she loves the most.. :lol:

Health concerns are indeed a big part of this breed. I knew when I got Jaime that boxers can be more expensive to own then other breeds of dogs but if I had known just how much more expensive I probably would not have gotten her. Don't get me wrong I love my little girl and am very happy to have her. Im just saying I probably would be driving a nice new BMW instead of my beat-up Ford Ranger. My vet just got a new BMW though. Coincidence...I dunno. :surprise:

I noted there were heart issues and hip dysplasia to be aware of.

The aggressiveness worries me a bit, but from what I've read with good consistent training it can be curbed. I also read that punishment related training doesn't work very well at all, and that positive reinforcement should always be used. We're all about positive reinforcement, because I don't believe in punishment.

Also note health wise: Eye concerns since many have excessive drooping to the lids, possible nasal issues dues to smushed face, prone to allergies, and many cancers. Just to mention a few more to consider. However there are few large breeds that do not have a "list" to watch out for!:wink:
Yes aggression can be curbed with HUGE socialization! ESP while she's young.

if she's still a pup Catherine, I'd imagine she'd be fine and you'll be able to calm her down to where she's good with your other two. When I owned a male he was pretty much the same as muck's...he wanted to be friends with everybody. Which scared a few people at first but with regular training he new he needed to sit and wait to be pet rather than running and jumping on people/dogs/whatever moved infront of his face

They are really people dependent dogs and don't do well if everyone in the house is at work all day (they get destructive) .
My female can be dog aggressive but gets along well with dogs that she knows.She is also wonderfully affectionate and is a real clown, doing anything she can think of to get a laugh out of me :biggrin:

I have never met an aggressive boxer... however they are very boisterous in their play and come off as being so. They are super high energy but you have Dals so you know what that's all about. They do have very high prey drive, but many breeds are like this. They are smart but stubborn, and you would have to run the pants off of one, prior to doing any training.

They are plagued with cancer and most die at about seven years of age... much like my beloved rotties. They are charming and actually have a sense of humor, a true comic of the dog world.

Neither of my two were aggressive with other dogs. I guess it's kind of a hit-or-miss thing. My second one was such a wuss my daughters kitten pushed him away from his own food dish and commenced eating his food while he looked on.

I LOVE boxers. My dog is half Boxer, half Pit Bull. I have several friends who have purebreds as well. Ime they are VERY energetic, and need lots of training and attention to be happy dogs. They will become destructive (digging and chewing mostly) if they are bored. They don't bark much, generally good with other pets (all 4 of the boxers I have known have been very good with other dogs, but play REALLY rough), and kids once they learn to settle down a bit. They tend to want to be dominant, sentsitive and high strung, so I would suggest you get some good doggie training classes so you learn how to deal with their personalities properly, and use training to kind of mould their habits. They dislike punishment and get their feelings hurt easily, which they often deal with in destructive ways. The purebreds on most people's accounts are rather susceptible to many ailments, so insurance is a good idea for this breed.

Wow Catherine your sure an adopt'o'maniac. Dogs, tangs, clams, ....Kevin:mrgreen:

Boxers are the only type of dog that have ever aggressively attacked my dogs. (two dobermans and a German Shepherd). You have to wonder what they were thinking. :lol: And not just one or two boxers, probably five or six that I have met where we go for grooming and play. This lady is ready to ban boxers completely.

Now, the owners of said boxers are not the brightest light bulbs. They have a tendency to stand there and do nothing about their dogs behavior, so you can see that that is half the problem right there. I would suspect given the natural tendency of the boxer to engage, an owner should be vigilant and not let the dog get the upper hand.

One day these boxers I have met will attack the wrong dog, and something bad will happen. So be sure to keep control !

Boxers are the most agressive dogs when I'm walking/biking with my lab and husky. There's about 5 I know of in my community. I dislike the breed personally, especially since they chop their ears and tails. Poor guys.

Too bad I didn't live in Calgary...Then I could bring Jaime over to play with your Dobies and Carson, Deb.

Boxers are a high energy dog that are a great addition to a family. My sisters and I all have one and over the past 15 years. There have been 5 total in the family. They are great with kids and are decent watch dogs. Heath problems over the years have been thyroid issues, cancer and hip dysplasia.


Besides the health issues, I love the breed and would get another in a heartbeat!

I got my Boxer as a rescue when he was 3 yrs old (he lived to 8). When I got him he had no manners at all and, although he never started fights, he got attacked quite often as he likely displayed the wrong attitude and was poorly socialized. A Boxer is a great dog IF you establish yourself as the Alpha dog and are very consistent. They also respond very well to crate training (no destructiveness). With some quality time spent I could call my dog back when he was chasing a squirrel and he would come. If two dogs ever looked a little tense all I had to do was growl, bark or shake my keys and the situation was totally diffused. The training took longer than if I had raised him from a puppy but he was a fantastic dog that I would have put in any situation with confidence.

Amongst my parents and siblings we have now had 7 Boxers. You will never regret getting a Boxer IF you are willing to always be the boss. Also, once they get to be around 3 they settle down quite a bit.

I now have a Vizsla which is basically a Boxer sprinkled with sweetener.

I think myka nailed the breed pretty much... Except for one thing - boxers have been showing neural/brain issues developing in the breed over the past decade. They always did have some more tempermental issues (as above, boredom, destructiveness, and some say depression) but those seem to be getting exaggerated with the current blood lines...

There's one a couple doors down from me who is literally a jekyll/hyde dog one day you'll walk up and he's an absolutely loveable pussycat; next day - same circumstances he's going insane trying to tear you to pieces... The owners are good to forwarn you what kind of day the dog is having; but I couldn't imagine dealing with that kind of temperment swings...

We've tentatively passed on the puppy for now. After budgeting out the approximate costs and adding them to our current dog related costs, we don't believe we are willing to take her one. However, we did make mention that if in two weeks no other suitable homes had been found that we would certainly re-consider.

We estimate that she would cost us about $150-$200 per month extra for her share of the dog-walker, insurance, food, toys, treats. This number excluded vet costs, and a spay.

Got any pics of her, Catherine?

Wow! A lot of boxer people out there. We also have 2 currently, and have had 2 prior to these ones. We didn't have a lot of health issues with any of them, however they get a lot of moles or growths which you always are having checked out. (always were benign)
Our first 2 lived until 9 and 10 years old. Our current 2 are 5 1/2 and 6 years. They have sensitive stomachs so are always fed high quality food which in itself runs us about $75/month for the 2. They have wonderful personalities, 2 very different male dogs. They will chew the odd item left out in the house, or steal a loaf of bread off the counter if they're home alone. But really great dogs. They like to think of themselves as people --brothers to my 2 boys, kids to us; when told to get off the couch the alpha dog looks at me like "are you serious?".
One is very high energy, the other could sleep all day out in the sun. All in all, we love the breed, but have always known the family tree behind them.....as with any dog, if you don't know what's in that tree, there could be potential problems.
If you end up with her definitely do the puppy school thing. Very helpful.
Lisa

I think it is so awesome you really did your home work before taking on any dog. I wish all people would do this, since dogs are not disposable. I hope she finds a good home.

I too am so incredibly happy to see a responsible person out there studying up on a breed before "jumping in"! They, all dogs, are a huge commitment, and need to fit into your family in all ways including financially, physically, and emotionally! Not saying that this dog is not a good fit but just really think you are being a great person in considering all the pros and cons.
Good for you Catherine!

Wow, that sounds awfully steep! My dog is 85lbs, and I feed her uber ultra kibble (Evo Red Bites) along with yogurt and salmon oil daily, 3x a week she gets 1/3 large can of Tripett green tripe, and one week per month she gets human grade probiotics. Her total food costs are about $75/month, but there is no way my dog costs me $150-200 a month. My dog doesn't need a doggie walker though, and I don't have insurance on her either. This has been a good decision in her case as she's only cost me about $2500-3000 in vet bills over 10 1/2 years including shots, teeth cleaning, spaying, yearly blood panels now that she's a senior, and 2 emergencies where she injured herself when she was younger. She's only half Boxer though, so I've been lucky with her health. She doesn't get treats (I don't believe in them), and she probably gets 5 new toys per year which includes her Nylabones ($80/yr ish). You sure your new hound will cost that much? Wowzers.

Lets see,

We pay $25 per visit for two dogs to go out with the walker, or $13 to be let out throughout the day if the weather is miserable. I pay $75 per month to insure both of our current dogs. We put out approximately $150 per month in food alone. Plus one of our dogs is a big chewer, and we spend a large amount on regular toy replacement, so that works out to be 1-3 toys per month.

Tentatively for numbers I got $30 a month to insure the puppy, we estimated about $80 a month in food, plus we assumed the same cost for toys as Matia. Adding the puppy onto our dogwalker plan is additionally more costly, because a young puppy cannot go out in groups with our older dogs yet, or the three of them have to go on group walks with just themselves. Regardless though she eventually brings the walker total up to $35 for walks, and $17 for in-house stuff.

The puppy also still requires her spay, which has been recommended by her current vet to be after she's hit the 5 month mark.

This was one of the photos we got.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...hika/Reese.jpg

She looks very similar in coloring to my girl.
Here is a pic of Jaime at 4 months...

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...me/Feb29_2.jpg

Jaime needs a sister!

I think it is better to estimate on the high end rather then low ball with dog. Every vet visit with a rottie usually costs $500 on the average... I am not joking. My rottie Cyren was spayed last year and had some xrays done on her hips and elbows... $1300 grand total. We had to put Sabre down prior to that due to cancer, it was over $600 for the house call, and for us to take him to the crematorium. Fergus our stafford sprained his front leg, it was $250 for the xrays. For my two pups now, it costs about $200 a month for food and toys.

I should be a dog walker for a living since they make some good coin. I thought about out here, but most dogs are left to roam on their own. Mine get out for two hours a day at least in the spring/summer months and an hour in the winter. Wow, I would be rich just taking care of my two if I got paid for it.

I would love to take on this boxer pup, but she would not fit into things. Cyren is where I want her for training but Fergus is a little pecker and I am still working with him... I know the energy a boxer pup has and don't feel like bringing a crate back into the house. Cyren never needed one and Fergus needed one for about three months. He is little so small his did not take up space in the house.

I have been wanting to add another dog to the house, since I really miss having three. However with the lack of work and the expense of the fish tank, I just cannot stretch things that thin until the economy improves.

I hope this cute boxer find a home, she is a sweetie.

Cute looking boxer. Nice to see her face isn't too scrunched up.

What are you guys feeding for dog food? I am feeding one of the most expensive brands out there, and my costs aren't near yours. My dog eats about 3 cups per day, what do yours eat? Of course my dog is 10 1/2 years old as well, but still very active - that's a boxer thing for sure!!! :lol:

Mine get the turkey Evo. It has carbs in it due to the high activity levels of the pups. My old guy was on the Evo red meat chunks, he loved it!! They also get chicken breast, thighs and legs cooked with the bones removed of course, liver, kidney, and whatever else we might be eating. I have the kibble out for them when they are hungry, however I cook their meals. As a matter of fact, I am making their breakfast right now:wink: They also get veggies and yogurt with flax seed in it.

Some days they will eat their kibble and then go without touching it for a few days... depends on how much they did that day.

They do get treats of dog cookies, and cheese as well. They are spoiled but they are my only children.

My girl in on Orijen - Six Fresh Fish. She also gets mixed in her food 1 can of sardines a week, a couple scoops of yogurt every other day and an egg on Sunday mornings. She also gets small cheese cubes, bananas, apples, oranges, and other fruits/vegs for treats. Oh, and the occasional bull stix, but only out in the backyard. :wink:

I have been meaning to pick up some quality salmon oil and also some flax seed to add to her diet as well. Any suggestions on what is best to get?
http://www.dogfoodmarketplace.com/im...n/th_orij2.jpg


P.S. I hope we aren't derailing your thread Catherine.. :surprise:

I buy the organic golden ground flax seed from Costco... for $9.99. Large container and awesome price. I buy it for myself for my yogurt, but always share it with the pups. Not too sure where to get the salmon oil, but I would think Costco would have it there too.

Our dogs eat Acana & Orijen (which are sister foods), along with 2 cans of wet food each per week, they eat 3 and 2 eggs each throughout the week, plus they carrots, apples, cherry tomatoes, etc. They also get bully sticks, and other chew treats as well.

We go through two of the large bags of each Acana and Orijen per month. They cost $85 and ~$100 each. Sometimes the bags go a little fruther then other months, but when you average it out, its about 2 large bags a month.

Puppy is still available as of today. I am really hoping she goes to a good home. She is in Lloydminister right now, but the woman who owns her is willing to drive her into Calgary for a meet and greet.

Do you know which breeder she came from by any chance?

Oi... Please don't get into dog ownership costs :) Is it not better to treat them like the tanks? I prefer not thinking about how much our pets cost us - they just do - let's not try putting numbers to it :mrgreen:

Kinda like kids - ya can't put your budget together around them, because as soon as you've done that; she goes and grows out of all her clothes overnight and mom's gotta go buy her a new wardrobe thats 3 sizes bigger before school in the morning...

Although reserve slush funds are definitely handy for pets & kids... Pepper (at 14 months old) had a Fibrocartilogenous embolism back in feb - basically became a quadriplegic in a matter of 20 minutes after a minor sprain in her paw. She's mostly recovered now (still has a bit of a limp) but that was a ridiculously expensive vet bill... Yeah I'm a dummy, we're finding an insurance plan for the dogs now :)

Unfortunately its reality for me. I'm a contracted employee and I need to forecast up to 6 months ahead of time with my job. Normally though, we just figure out what we expect the dogs to cost us in a given month then roll with it. Sometimes (read frequently) we go over, but its all good.

I just think it would be such a shame to adopt a pet, any pet, who deserves a rich, long, and loving life, yet only be able to provide them the bare minimums like food, shelter, and a walk around the same areas.

The puppy, whose name is Reese, is so adorable though. Look at that cute little face! I just want to take her out to play, then go home and snuggle with her. This is probably why my dogs are both huge sucks.

Timing for vet bills is never good. They will rupture an ACL the day the car broke down and needs several hundred bucks worth of repairs...

I can't believe it. Not ONE picture of Catherine wearing boxers in this thread. I'm so disappointed.

Er, I mean, cute puppy, look at those eyes.

Sorry, I felt it was too long since I had a completely random moment. There, I feel better now. As you were ....

Hahaa we love you Tony... speaking of boxers and posing in them...

Where's your pictures, or are you the brief kind of guy...