A few questions about Boxers

[kiwi_nz]

Im considering getting a dog, with the Boxer being a possible candidate. Ive read many times that the boxers drool somewhat, and I am just curious as to how much. Is it a constant thing, or just around water and food?

Will my cats be safe around a boxer without having to run for cover each time the boxer is around?

How good are they as a guard dog? Do they alert you of visitors, strangers etc...

I appreciate any feed-back, and I apologise if this is in the wrong forum.

 

[EmpressEvie]

Hi there,
I currently have my second boxer baby, Evie, who is 13 months. She drools ALOT. Mostly only when she gets excited, but it can be like the movie Beethoven, when the dog shakes and slobber flies everywhere, hehehe.
My first boxer, Maddie, never had a drool problem. Unless she just had a drink of water.
Both of my boxers have never really cared about cats. Evie ignores them, probably because they are no fun for her.
As a guard dog, they are pretty good. Evie is more of a growler than a barker. And I know that if she is growling something is up, because with both of my boxers I have never had a false alarm. Good luck in your decision!

 

[sashamygirl]

my sasha is 6 months no drooling yet and she never barks or growls yet when someones at the door all of that may come later and as far as cats im not for sure Jenn and Sasha:D

 

[Boxer_21]

Originally posted by kiwi_nz
Ive read many times that the boxers drool somewhat, and I am just curious as to how much. Is it a constant thing, or just around water and food?

Both of my boys drool a little bit if they're really interested in what we're eating. It's almost as if they completely forget how not to drool when there's food around. Aside from that, they don't drool. They do sometimes get "foamy" when they've been playing hard for a while, but a nice drink of water cures that quickly.

Will my cats be safe around a boxer without having to run for cover each time the boxer is around?

There's no definite answer for this one. It depends on your cat and your dog as individuals. My cats do fine around my boxer boys, but there are several other people here who can't seem to get them to get alone. It all depends on each individual and how well trained they are.

How good are they as a guard dog? Do they alert you of visitors, strangers etc...

Both of my boys are very vocal when they notice people approaching our house. Once they realize that the person is a friend and nothing to be worried about, they cool off and try to soak up any attention that they can get.

Just try to keep in mind that just because my dogs behave one way doesn't mean that it's definite that yours (if you do get one) will behave the same. A lot of their behavior depends on the line of boxers they came from and of course the training and quality time that you (as the owner) put into them.

Hope this helped!!
- Mandy

 

[frankied]

What can I add to this thread...Angel only drools when we are eating food or when you give her a treat. She hates cats very much (we had to get rid of ours but she was not the only reason why), she's an awful guard dog (my BT is a better guard dog then her and half the size), but she is the sweetest, cuddliest most beautiful & loving dog I have ever had. And I'll take her even with all of the above! She is well worth it all!


Christa & Angel

 

[MacFish]

pretty much have to echo Mandy's response but as far as cats go, if you get a puppy, they will likely work it out.
I have a 15 year old cat who doesn't really like dogs although she has always had dogs around her. She has her claws but has never used them on Vegas. Once he got smacked around a few dozen times, he has learned not to go near the kitty! He really loves her and would cuddle up if she let him but that will never, ever happen.

If you are talking about putting an adult dog with a cat, that is a totally different situation.

If you have the time and energy, a boxer is the best choice!! They are usually very good at adapting to different living conditions.

 

[TiggersMom]

Tigger is not a big drooler and she does very little shedding either. She drinks alot of water and tends to get a lot of water caught up in her jowls. To remedy that we placed her food dishes in a rubbermaid tote so that all that sloshes goes in the tote and not on my floor.
As far as cats, She thinks of cats as play toys, as she does dogs as well. Tigger is very playful.
Boxers I have known typically don't find their bark for the first 2 to 3 years. Without training our boxer sounds an alarm bark when strangers walk past our house. This alarm is much different from her attention bark. The alarm is like a wooo,woooo,woooo and the other is a sharp bark. I love it because my husband travels alot and I feel safe with her in the house. Now if a theif came in the house it would be another story. She would do her kidney bean dance (wiggling her butt so hard it winds up next to her head) and be so excited to see them.
Our boxer is also very, very good with children. Very gentle, very tolerant of being used as a pillow, ears pulled, food taken away, etc. however, boxers are powerful dogs so knocking children over during playtime does happen.
HTH,
Boxer are the best, I highly recommend them.
Jodie and Tig

 

[SweetGirlie1400]

Another note about boxers that ANYBODY considering a boxer should know.. is that they can be VERY distructive.. i believe this is very important for people to know because you have to be aware that your baby just might decide to say.. eat your couch or kitchen table :eek: :rolleyes: .. a lot of people get boxers not realising how much work they can be and they really are not for everyone and then many boxers end up in shelters around their "teenage" stage because they go on a DISTRUCTODOG mission.. you have to be willing to work with your boxer to get over this and have eyes at the back of your head... theres my two cents.

 

[Lael]

I have to second the last post about "DestructoDog" missions. Boxers are a LOT of work... of course more than worth it! It would be a good idea to consider your current lifestyle before jumping in with a boxer. The rewards surpass other breeds, in my opinion, but the time/energy investment is also more. Despite the committment, I would highly reccommend bringing home a boxer!

Good luck with your decision!

Cat & Lael

 

[Super Boo]

My dogs don't drool. Sometimes they fling water after drinking. Both were also raised around horses, cats and a parrot and I would trust them with them all.

My female started getting protective around a year old. She now will bark if someone comes to the door and growl if she feels threatened. But it comes with maturity.

I am starting to leave my older female out of her crate when we leave for the day and she's fine. She has never destroyed anything. But, we gave her a ton of toys and kept a close eye on her when she was a puppy. If she grabbed a shoe or something of ours, we took it away and gave her a toy. The same with my male who is 5 mos old. He is not destructive either. When we're gone he goes in a crate.

I do think they are higher maintenance than a usual dog--you can't just throw them in the backyard when you are tired of them. But they give you so much more back in return. Watching them play and goof around and then give you a hug is the best feeling around.lovicon