Hi online forum world! I am a 27 year old who happened upon my first boxer six years ago. I joined the air force at 21 and ended up in North Carolina. One of the first friends I made was a guy named Chris who had a four year old boxer named Max. Max was a North Carolina rescue that he had had for two years. Max was extremely shy and afraid of people when I met him. Chris explained to me that Max's story was that he was found on a dog fighting compound where he had a broken leg and broken ribs and was left to die. Chris adopted him out of his love of dogs. I have never questioned the story, because of how afraid Max was of all new people, including me and seeing how his right knee never healed quite right. Chris adopted him from the Boxer rescue in North Carolina and worked with Max to help him trust people again. Chris's wife's parents lived about an hour and a half away in Raleigh, and he was always in need of someone to watch Max over weekend trips to Raleigh. I was always quite willing to watch Max since I was a single guy who truly loved dogs. I had to take Max outside on a leash into a fenced in yard for at least the first two weekends due to the fact that he was so afraid of new people that he wouldn't come back inside with me standing there. I would lie on the floor with him constantly with treats to get him to come closer to me. I eventually won Max over slowly over the course of at least a year. Max was happy to see me on weekends that I came over to watch him. I built this trust and relationship with Max over the next three years. Chris received orders for one year to Korea in 2010. His wife was pregnant and was going to move in with her parents in an unfenced area during his deployment. He was worried about her ability to watch him and walk him while she was pregnant. He reluctantly asked me to take care of his buddy Max while he was deployed. I was elated and more than willing to take great care of Max while he was deployed. I was very excited to take care of Max and have him keep me company for this year and Chris was happy that I was willing to take care of his buddy during this time. Towards the end of that year long deployment, Chris made a call to me from Korea. He said that he had been thinking about it for quite a few months, and he felt that it would be best for Max that I keep him for good. I know it was a difficult decision for him (because he truly loved Max), but I was once again extremely elated and excited to take care of Max for the rest of his life. I said yes, and it has been the best decision I have made in the last several years. Max has come such a long way since the first time I met him, where he went and hid in the corner of Chris's house. He has given me so many good memories, and he has so many more good memories to give. I have since moved to Colorado, and he has gotten older. He is now nine and a half years old, but his excitement to see me when I come home from work everyday hasn't diminished at all. He is my best friend, and I believe we were truly meant to take care of each other. When I was growing up, my family had many different dogs (all of which I loved), but I can say that I've never had a dog that I've felt closer to than Max. He's my best friend, and I would do anything for this guy. I'm honored to be part of the boxer loving community.
A boxer lover
- Thread starter jogdish
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