Boxers and Children

[tjweiman]

Thank you all SO much for your responses! I have been doing more research on this, and with your posts, I feel comfortable that a boxer will be joining our family soon! I will need to discuss more with my hubby as to whether we will go the breeder or rescue route. I can see that there are pro's to going either way. I have fallen in love will all the pictures that members have shared.

Two more quick questions, if you all don't mind.

1) Is there a reason why some owners clip the tails of their boxers? Or is it just a personal preference for aesthetic reasons?

2) On the same note, is there a medical reason for having the ears stand up? I know that some dogs like cocker spaniels are prone to ear trouble with those lovable floppy ears. Is it the same with boxers? Or is this too a personal preference?

Thanks again!

 

[Love my Boxers]

Boxers are incredible with children! We chose a Boxer over other breeds especially for this reason. We love them so much I don't think we'll ever own any other kind of dog. As far as cropping the ears and tail, we got both our girls with their tails docked already. We had our eldests, Eva 3 yrs old, ears cropped when she was a puppy. The vet did an awesome job, they are beautiful, but we felt so bad that we had put her through it that we couldn't stand to do it to our youngest, Chloe 10 months.


Michelle

 

[Eric J]

The breeder I am buying from does Show Dogs, and he docks the tails within the first 24 (or 48 hours from birth, not sure). I personally dont like cropping ears or docking tails, but since he does the whole litter I will have a natural ear, docked tail puppy.

There is controversy surrounding cropping and docking, and each of us has our own valid views. I believe it is no longer legal in Europe to do either, but in America the AKC requires both to be done I believe for any dogs that compete in Show.

 

[ann king]

You might want to check about cropping ears required for show, i don't believe that it is a requirement any more.

As far as children with boxers, we have our first boxer, he is 6 months old. Baxter is great with our girls, they are 9 and 11. But, he is very energetic and when my friend brings her younger children over, we supervise carefully. He can be alittle overwhelming to them. He loves to play and pounce. He is learning to be gentle and play easier. He seems to sense when it is ok to be gentle and when he can go nuts. The last month his judgement seems better with this but not before.

Baxter never leaves the girls side when outside and is protective. He adores them completley.

We usually go to a rescue for our dogs, our last dog was a lab. Abe had renal failure and went to the bridge last year. We were
hesitant to go to a rescue for a more energetic dog because we wanted to know how he was treated right from the start due to our children. We didn't have someone in our area that did rescue and screened the dogs behavoir. I believe that either is a good choice, you have to check out your breeder as well.

Good luck in your decision, we are very happy with our Baxter, he is sweet tempered and eager to please and is very much part of the family!:D

 

[Eric J]

Anne King,
I went to the AKC website and at this URL found the description of the Boxers looks.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/boxer.cfm

Here is a quote from that page about Boxers:

"Ears--Set at the highest points of the sides of the skull are cropped, cut rather long and tapering, raised when alert. "

Knowing this is the AKC definition, I would assume they use their breed standard in show. Anyone know differently, or who can support or disprove this?

 

[Jennifer -Pharaoh's Mom]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!

I can't believe no one shared the BOXER LUVIN KIDS link!!!!!!


It's nothing but a page full of pictures of kids and their Boxers, but as the saying goes, "A picture's worth a thousand words"!

My husband and I don't have any 2 legged children (he he he), but Pharaoh has and continues to adopt every child he encounters. He plays on the tee taws with them, slides down the slides with them, lets them hit him, throw sand or rocks at him, slap him, yell at him, step on him, try to ride him, you get the picture.

He has NEVER (and he's almost 5) snapped at a child. Not even when the child inadvertantly hurt him. Heck, he's never snapped at a human as far as I can remember. He was even invited to come to a local elementary school a few years ago.

He slurps, he licks, and he loves to have his big ol' belly rubbed....by kids. When my sister spends the night, he sleeps in bed with her. When she tries to push him off, he pushes back. He even tries to climb into the tub with her sometimes. LOL

The tails are docked within 3 days after being born. It is a simple fast procedure performed by the vet (usually). The ears, well, that's just a matter of prefference. I like the cropped look, but decided to leave Pharaoh floppy and love it now. It makes NO difference medically.

One word of advice....they don't usually outgrow the "puppy phase" until 1½ to 2 years old. You're in for a ride that will make your hair curl and make you laugh until you're in tears, but you will never be bored. And ultimately, you will have the perfect house dog who doesn't bark much, watches the kids, naps on your lap (yes, they think they're lap dogs), and makes a great walking companion and conversation starter.

Sooo.....here's the link....enjoy!


http://www.boxerrescue.com/kids_pics.htm

 

[Eric J]

Jennifer, THANKS for the link, it rocks.

 

[ann king]

ears, boxers and children

Eric J

You are right about the "standard", when I relooked at the info I had, it indicated that a lot of judges don't mark off much if any if the dog meets the rest of the standard. We are not breeding or showing so thats as far as I looked.

There is a section of this site that talks about standards and one of the moderators judges if I read correctly, maybe she could answer your questions.

Good luck!!!

Baxter's Mom

 

[Eric J]

I dont plan on breeding or showing either, I just am a sucker for facts, so I look everything up. I figure breeding belongs in the hands of those who KNOW what they are doing, and I get lost between my bed and my computer to much to even try and do something as hard as breeding :D

 

[shorn]

We have six children and couldn't have asked for a better dog than Amber she gets on with them better than we do.:D :D :D