# Is a boxer right for me?



## qaabdog (Jun 11, 2009)

Information:

-looking for first puppy
-medium sized dog
-limited/low shedding (important)
-okay with my 6 year old daughter
-we live in a house with a large yard


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

What is your schedule like? How active is your family? Would this be an inside dog? What type of time are you able to commit to training and exercise a week? A large yard means nothing to a boxer unless your in it with them.  Boxers need a good amount of training from puppyhood to adulthood to make sure they turn out to be good citizens. I wouldn't wish an untrained boxer on my worst enemy. The good thing is that they are an easy breed to train. They also need a good amount of exercise, a tired boxer is a good boxer and if not properly exercised they will make up their own fun and can become VERY destructive. If you are able to step up to the plate on these basic things, then I would say YES. Boxers are _wonderful_ companions - velcro dogs they call them - they are awesome with children and their personality beats any other breed I've ever met - but of course I am biased. I have two boxers.


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## churchillthedog (Jun 10, 2009)

^^^Very good response! After carefully considering all that, here's a couple points about my boxer.



qaabdog said:


> Information:
> 
> -looking for first puppy
> -medium sized dog
> ...


My boxer sheds LOTS
But, is great with my girlfriend's 8 year old girl.
Very easy to train, catches on quickly.
Whats your definition of medium? I'd say it's bordering on large, but my girl is a bit larger than most boxers too.
A large yard won't do anything if you aren't out there with the pup stimulating its mind. Walks are still a must.

edit*
come to think about it, my boxer is already grown... With any pup you're going to have a bit of nipping and it may scare your daughter a bit, they do have a strong bite. Once you're through the nipping stage and the jumping stage things will be better.


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## RRM_Mom08 (May 5, 2008)

Boxer's are called boxers because they jump up and look like they are boxing.This may frighten your daugther.It can be corrected most of time but if excited they still jump.The best thing to do would be to take your daughter to meet an actual boxer to see how she reacts (sometimes as much as a lick in the face from a dog can terrify a child).Boxers can forget there own size sometimes also.

Boxers really love children but as all dogs they should always be supervised.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

Boxers are EXUBERANT! They stay puppy-like and enthusiastically active for a very long time. You might consider adopting a slightly older (maybe 2 years?) Boxer from a rescue. If the rescue uses foster homes, then they may even be able to tell you how well the dog gets along with kids.

Also...they shed tiny little short hairs like craaaazy.


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

RRM_Mom08 said:


> Boxer's are called boxers because they jump up and look like they are boxing.This may frighten your daugther.It can be corrected most of time but if excited they still jump.The best thing to do would be to take your daughter to meet an actual boxer to see how she reacts (sometimes as much as a lick in the face from a dog can terrify a child).Boxers can forget there own size sometimes also.
> 
> Boxers really love children but as all dogs they should always be supervised.


This is where TRAINING comes in. My two are very careful around kids, even the little ones - but they do need to be taught _how_ to be careful. 



FilleBelle said:


> Also...they shed tiny little short hairs like craaaazy.


I've had three boxers and all of them shed like crazy on kibble. A weekly brushing keeps this at bay. I have never had a problem since they have been on raw. I definitely think it's food related.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

Still good for people to know, since not all prospective owners are willing or able to feed raw. A Boxer is not generally considered a "limited/low shedding dog," which the OP said said was important.


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

In the realm of dogs, boxers are on the lower end of the shedding spectrum. I did edit my post to say that a weekly brushing does help.


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## moluno (Apr 29, 2009)

Boxers have A LOT of energy. I have a 10 week old pup, and after about 2 hours of running around, I'm ready for a nap, but Juno's still bouncing around ready for more play! I had a 12 year old boxer that still loved to run laps around the yard and play fetch. They're puppies forever. My sister's boxer didn't start mellowing out until she was about 3 years old. A large yard is great, but opening the door and letting a boxer out to play in the backyard isn't enough exercise for them. 

They need consistent training... if you give them an inch, they'll run with it. When training them, you need to pretend they're already full grown and weigh 65 pounds. It's the same with any dog, really.. if you don't want them doing something as an adult, don't ever let them form the habit as a puppy. Thankfully, boxers are smart, so as long as you keep on them, they're fairly easy to train. 

And also, in order to own a boxer, you need to be tolerant of loud snoring, burping, and stinky farts.


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## pamperedpups (Dec 7, 2006)

-looking for first puppy - You might be okay with a Boxer here if you are truly commited to providing it with plenty of training, socialization and (mental and physical) exercise.

-medium sized dog - Check, but don't underestimate a Boxer based upon it's size.

-limited/low shedding (important) - Boxers shed. Heavily. Dogs that do not shed as much have coats that grow continually and thus require regular brushing, combing and trims. Think: Poodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, etc.

(Sorry, BoxMeIn21, but even when we fed raw and I curried and stripping knifed them every week, and thoroughly bathed and groomed them every month, my ex's Boxer and Boxer mix STILL shed WAY more than my Poodles who are truly on the low end of the shedding spectrum.)

-okay with my 6 year old daughter - This would again depend upon your commitment level to the puppy and also on your daughter's behavior around the puppy. I would actually suggest an older, trained dog so you can skip having to deal with a puppy who will undoubtedly be more energetic, mouthier, pushier and bouncier than you can imagine. 

-we live in a house with a large yard - That's good, but it won't be nearly enough to keep ANY dog happy.

Boxers are VERY prone to some serious health issues. Getting a pup from a breeder who shows, health tests and guarantees their stock IS VERY important. Whatever you do, research the breed well before you jump in to getting one. http://www.boxerworld.com and http://www.americanboxerclub.org both have some excellent information for you to consider.


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

Well I guess I just hit the jackpot when it comes to shedding, my two do not shed that much.


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## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

I think shedding is one of those subjective things. I think my dog sheds alot because I would prefer he not shed at all. But, a lab or GSD owner might think he doesn't shed much at all. He doesn't create tumbleweeds, just leaves evidence of naps on our navy blue oriental rug.


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## LadyD (May 10, 2009)

I've never had a Boxer but to find some good info about any breed go to dogbreedinfo.com, click "Purebreds" at the top and check out the listings in alphabetical order. I love this site and I go there often.


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