tomski2

Hi I am thinking about getting a boxer pup, but the few people I have asked about the breed have said that they love to chew and will destroy your house. Does anyone have a boxer or had a boxer that could shed any light on this. I know all dogs chew things as pups but from what people tell me they never stop being pups and just continue to chew. I Need to find out before I go and buy one as I dont want to get one and not be able to cope with it.
Cheers Andrew

RRH

They take quite a lot of excercise and can be very boisterous.

Many have eye problems as retina rejection is a problem, it cost literally thousands to sort out ulcers on his eyes, and in the end we had one removed as treatment was stressing him.

However, they are ace, and I would definately have another.

gingerboy

Hi Andrew

I have 2



I can honestly say that I would not have any other dog than a boxer since we have owned ours. They are great characters and truly are the clown of the dog world .

Your questions are fair and are easily answered.

Any dog will chew, cause destruction, howl or bark if it is bored. The questions you have to ask yourself are -

1. Will the dog be left on it's own for long periods of time? i.e. 2 hours plus
2. Are you able and prepared to exercise your dog once it is fully grown.
3. Have you considered monthly / annual expenditure for pet insurance, food, kennels when on holiday, etc etc
4. Are you prepared to train your dog either on your own or by attending kennel club traing classes.


The above are the basics really. If the dog is going to be left all day every day expect to come home to chewed furniture or pissed of neighbours due to barking / howling.

Boxers once mature require a walk morning and night, my two get a short walk in the morning and are out for 1.5 hours in the evening. They are extremely fit dogs that need an outlet for their energy. A pup should only be walked for short periods, the rule of thumb is age in months by 5 mins so a 6month old boxer should not be walked for longer than 30 minutes otherwise it may suffer from skeletal defects and or abnomalities.

If you don't exercise your boxer again it will find an alternative outlet for it's energy, which could be your furniture, fitted kitchen etc etc.

Buying - only buy from a trusted / respected breeder who can provide heart tests for both parents, hearing tests are also preferable if you are buying a white boxer.

Health - boxers are generally very fit and take knocks without any trouble. Do not be mis led though, whilst outwardly they appear very robust animals they require human contact and are prone to seperation anxiety. They are also prone to cancer / tumours, which will need removing and testing if found. They are also prone to exessive growth of the gums which will cover the teeth and is only found in a few breeds one of which is the boxer.

Training - if you do not train a boxer and teach it who is boss it will wipe the floor with you!! The secret is to be firm, however this does not require physical punishment just plenty of training, patience and time.

Insurance - get pet insurance, you may well be glad you did!! Both mine have several trips to the vet a year for one thing or another ranging from knocks caused whilst out walking to infections etc etc.

Food - boxers have sensitive stomachs so a good quality food is order of the day, for example James well beloved which is about £30 - £40 for 15kg. Being a deep chested dog boxers can suffer from bloat, similair to trapped wind.

Ears and eyes - the folds of a boxers face can cause some problems if not cleaned properly, occasionaly boxers also suffer from ear infections due to droopy ears so again regular cleaning.

Their bed - Boxers cannot cope with cold weather and generally dislike extended periods of exposure to the cold, you will not have a happy boxer if you intend to leave it outside in cold / wet weather. A boxer is happiest inside with a nice large dog bed free from drafts. Also don't be tempted to try and confine a boxer to one room if you are leaving the house - they will not be happy, most people recommend crate training from a young age.

The above are my views and opinions based on the last 6 / 7 years of boxer ownership and only cover the very basics.

Generally they are great dogs, full of life, good fun, loving, loyal and great with children!!

Just make sure you are getting a dog for the right reasons.

Hope the above helps, if you want to know anything else or I can recommend a breeder please drop me a PM.

Did I mention they are great with kids??





Paul

little-ginge

Good advice above.

Ben is approaching 11 years old, and is the biggest baby you could ever meet - but knock the front door and you'd think we have a rotty behind it . They are a fun loving breed, and although capable of protecting a family, the breed is not aggressive by nature.



They are extremely affectionate, and love human company - leave them in a room by themselves and they will soon hunt you out - they just love to have someone near them - sometmes it feels as though I have a shadow as he follows me from room to room..

When he was younger, Ben went through a spate of chewing the door frames - we tried absolutely everything to get him to stop.. the only thing that worked was deep heat..he quickly found he didnt like the taste of that He hasn't chewed on anything else other than his vast collection of squeaky toys- he's a tad spoilt

They are a strong breed - be prepared to gain a few extra muscles when you start taking a full grown one out for a walk

Like all breeds they are prone to different things - trapped wind is a biggy.. when it gets released you certainly know about it . As they increase in age they are also prone to lumps and heart problems.

In short, they are loving, loyal and intelligent companions. Make sure you see both parents, and be aware of hip problems..

I would never own or recommend another breed of dog

The Snug Rhino

my cousin has one.....wrecks the house.

with so many breeds out there why on earth buy one that has potential issues other dogs dont have???

PG

Great dogs.
boxerworld.com is a great resource however it seems to be down at the moment.
It's all about the breeder. Get it wrong there and it's bad news thereafter.

Adidas

Thought it wouldn't be long until PG posted up here Forgotten the name of the one you had to give away, but how is he getting on??

As for Boxer's in general, I had one (Red and white), whom I loved to bits. They are a great breed with a fantastic temprement. My one did chew when he was a pup, but he soon grew out of it. When me and the ex split up, she kept custody of the dog, which even now 9 years on still leaves me gutted

As already recorded by Gingerboy they do need company, therefore, don't be surprised if you eventually hear the patter of 8 tiny feet

I would recommed them one every day of the week

HTH

tomski2

Thanks for the replys on this guys, so far more good than bad, got to be a good thing.
Thanks again, Andrew

sti-04!!

Paul that middle one is my favourite & also when reading the thread from the start i was looking for your post.

Hope all is well

Spoon

As with any dog if they aren't kennelled outside then buy a 48" crate. If you value anything you own indoors then it's the only way, certainly when they are puppies.

As for any dog that has had time spent with it, chewing shouldn't be an issue.

Plenty of toys offered as soon as he/she starts to chew will teach it what is wrong from right.

Training is the answer to dog behaviour.

The Snug Rhino

i have two lurchers......never trained them to do anything accept crap outside, best dogs i've ever owned .....not one problem with them in any sense...behaviour or health.

looking at ginger boys list of possible probs i have no idea why anyone would buy a boxer??

little-ginge

Because the positives outweigh the negatives by miles

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Ex Girlfriend had one of these, just remember it drooling everywhere all the time, other than that I quite liked the chap, and I generally hate all dogs so thats saying quite a lot.


Oh.. You will never guess what his name was - "Rocky"

Swen6

Wouldn't give her up for the world

bpm1588

friend of mine at work has a boxer"jackson".he comes in every day with new stories of things the dog has done or should i say destroyed/eaten etc!but one things for sure he loves the dog no end and would'nt be with out him for anything else.....boxers are hard work but if you are a dog lover they are a very rewarding breed

Lee247

PG, that's an excellent pic

little-ginge

They are a very rewarding breed. All dogs have their behavioural and/or health problems.. behaviour wise, it's how they are trained and handled in the majority of cases.

Every day, our boxer is sweet, funny, daft as a brush, occasionally weird, and yes he can be a pain the butt sometimes, like slobbering on the sofa or getting his food all over the floor, and god he should be named Guiness Book of Records loudest snorer but I wouldn''t have him any other way. His personality is 2nd to none.. he lets you cuddle him, lay with him, play with him, mock fight him ( yes he boxes!! ) who wears the world most concerned expression and won't leave your side when you are sad, comes and checks on you & the rest of the family in the night ( his nocturnal security patrols) and is definately my best friend.

Boxers average age is 10 years - our last one lived until 15, so I know Ben is theoretically a OAP, but he is still a puppy - in everything he does.

You can't do any better than a Boxer IMHO.

If you don't want a pup, there are boxer rescues around the country http://www.ukboxerdogs.co.uk/rescue.html#whitebr

PG

Thanks.
That was taken whilst they were having a rest period from all the destroying.
Dogs'll be dogs. Without training, exercise and stimulation things that you'd rather not happen will happen.
Christ! Last time I got bored the wife came home to find a door boarded up and an en-suite ripped out! The dogs are the least of her worries!

Nido

Not really, I have a Cocker Spaniel who goes out in the morning, can then be on her own for 4 hours, I come home for at least an hour, and then she will be on her own again for another 4 hours. This will sometime be for four or five days a week. Gets at least an hours walk every evening (mostly too hot during the day). When I am at home she has as much love and attention as you could imagine, has free reign of the house (choice of bed and sofas, I'm soft ) and is the happiest, best behaved dog you could ever want! When I'm home all day she gets annoyed that her sleeping time is being interrupted and goes and sleeps somewhere in the house for the hours that she'd usually be alone

After this regular routine she went to stay with 3 other dogs during the day as I worried she may be bored, but in fact she was really unhappy during her "sleep time", she'd spend hours finding places to hide from the other dogs that kept waking her up

To cut a long story short I started leaving her at home during the day again and she was much happier. She has so much love when people are around (sleeps on the bed, gets under the duvet in winter on the odd cold evening ) that I think she appriciates her "own" time even more. Had some friends with a dog who had a few problems, and they eneded up getting a dog psychologist in - who said is was because they spent so much time with the dog (worked from home) that it wasn't having it's own time (which apperantly dogs need), and that therefore when they did go out, the dog barked / whined / ate furniture etc. Not beacuse it was bored, but because it was worried as to where they were.

So the right breed (nothing to mental) will, IMO, have no probs being on thier own for a few hours each day. Just bring this about from when they are young, and as a gruadual increase in duration. Obviously going out and leaving and 8 week old pup isn't going to do anybody any good

Also, once again IMHO, Cocker Spainels are the best dogs in the world! Sooo much personality and so independant it's crazy!

PG

That'll be Oz!
What can I say? I'm nothing if not predictable

Kobe (left) is the one we had to re-home.

PG

LOL! I always laugh when people 'big-up' the breed that they own.
I'm sure the freaks that go about with those little rat dogs in their handbags even go on about how much better that particular breed is.

Horses.....or indeed 'Dogs' for that matter......for courses.

RRH

boxers rule!






sorry, still in croc hunter mode

Lee247

Oz is obviously saying "What the hell are you doing"

Nido

Not really, I love Rhodesian Ridgebacks (sp?) and would have one tomorrow if it wasn't for the practicality aspect. The poster was asking for info about a boxer possibly chewing things into adulthood, somebody else said most dogs would do that if left alone during the day, and I was just pointing out that my (and all I know) cocker doesn't! If you are not 100% sure about which breed of dog to go for, then surely to have a few alternative suggestions won't hurt??

I know that everybody that loves thier dogs would always say that thier breed is best, it's pretty obvious

PS A rat in handbag is not classed as a dog, it's classed as a rat

LegacySTi

iTrader: (13)

As said above unreal around kids. Perfect. Mine never chewed anything though so very lucky. They should defo be house dogs as they don't like the cold. Adore their comfort and are very intelligent. My lad has me in bits laughing with the things he does. I'll never own any other breed again.

little-ginge

Am loving the picture, Legacy

LegacySTi

iTrader: (13)

wearing his sunday best for church. ha ha

silverstrike

I love them all, tia 5, toby 3, sophie 10months... all loveable and the best dog money can buy, owners dog from the heart, great companion, great with children an guards the house 24/7!!!

Be prepared to walk them tho, when they get older, they need plenty excercise, and pet insurance is a must.
If you can get the 48" crate, i trained the youngest 2 from a crate, and it is so much easier.

and if you can, try and eventually get 2 as they get very lonely, Boxers end up highly strung when left alone.. THEY NEED COMAPNY!

any questions pm me, i can help you with the vast knowledge i've gained the past 6 years on Boxers.

The Snug Rhino

same here, mine get run in the morning for 30 mins then will happily chill out all day - they dont give a toss about any human so whether someone is in or out doesnt bother them....they want running.....and feeding, they dont care where i am.



i cant quite see what a boxer offers that other (less problomatic dogs) dont?

gingerboy

I think unless you have owned \ been owned by a boxer it is difficult to fathom what sets them out from other breeds. Don't get me wrong I know their are other dog breeds that people love to bits and would not be without.

I was brought up around Alsatians and to be perfectly honest I would not have one in the house. But their will be people that love that breed.

Like with cars us humans want and need different things, some want econemy, some reliability, some performance a mixture of those things and so on and so forth. It's exactly the same with dogs - for me and my family the boxer is the right dog for us. Yes they have faults, yes they can be high maintenance but god they are worth the effort.

I merely pointed out what can happen, I didn't say that it had happened to me with a boxer. Their are many other breeds that suffer with similair problems - for example I am led to believe that Wiemeraners suffer very badly from seperation anxiety to the point of being very very destructive - however it may not be the norm although that came from a breeder I had spoken too.

At the end of the day you have to take an informed decision when considering giving any dog a home, or at least you should. So if you have done your homework, asked around, spoken to owners and breeders you should know what to expect.

Hopefully the right dog ends up with the right owner who is equiped to give it the home it deserves.

So I know owners of other breeds will struggle to comprehend why you would take on a boxer but hey I wonder why the hell anybody wouldn't .

GB

Did I mention I like boxers a bit .