Everyone mistakes my bella for a Pit Bull.

[rrboxer]

I have this t shirt that reads, "Boxer Mommier" on pink & I just might start wearing it everytime we are out so people can read & figure out what breed Lacy is.

 

[EAO76]

I actually think it's kind of funny when people cross the street and gasp at my 'pit bulls' (see my avatar pic). I guess they think Hurley (boston terrier) is a pit puppy.

Some cities/states have considered blanket 'bull breed' bans. Massachusetts was considering one and going down the list of the breeds that would be descriminated against of course starting with pits, am staffs....mastiffs, boxers...oh wait....boston terriers??? That's our state dog, how do we ban them? So, the scratched the whole thing (hopefully forever). Breed bans are so stupid it's hard to even put it into words. I have no idea how educated people find a rationale in concept. It's based on nothing more than mass hysteria. My favorite conversation with people who express that they are afraid of pits because they are 'mean' goes like this....

Have you been attacked or bitten by a pit bull? "no"
Do you know anyone who has? "no"
Have you ever met or known a pit bull? "no"
So you base your belief they are mean on what? "the tv/newpaper/etc."

How can SO many people have zero experience with something yet have such a strong opionion/belief system about it? Boggles the mind!

Honestly, I work with pits at our local shelter several days a week and I find they are pretty similar in character to boxers. Many of them have that super goofy side to them and they can kidney bean almost as good as a boxer. They can be pushy and stubborn and never want to be far from the human they love and trust. There are pits who love other dogs and pits who hate other dogs....just like boxers.

I totally agree. I have met many great pitbulls. And of course I have met many wonderful boxers too. I have also met some pretty aggressive boxers who could not be trusted. All dogs are individuals and there are good & bad in every breed. Just like we shouldn't make assumption about people because of their race we also should not pigeon hole dogs that way.

 

[johann]

Instead of being offended that people think our boxers are pits, we need to realize that the 'clothes' our dogs wear is not the point at all. My fear is that if pits are banned in enough places the 'bad guys' will just turn to another breed to use and abuse. That could very well turn out to be boxers and we'll find ourselves in the same boat as many pit owners are finding themselves in right now. Being forced to move or give up our babies because they look a certain way. Breed bans have absolutley nothing to do with how a dog acts, but how they look. Vicious dog laws need to address vicious dogs...not friendly dogs who happen to have a square head.

Totally agree with the above. When people think Johann is a pit bull, I politely correct them and then if they seem pleasant enough, try to start a conversation about how great bully breeds like pits, boxers, bulldogs can be as pets. They require training and exercise...but so do all dogs. For a while I was offended, but then I met some wonderful and sweet pitties- I would give anything to have Johann be as well behaved as some of them.

The best thing we can do to prevent breed bans is to educate people, train our dogs to be well behaved, manage their behavior (the boxer/pit bull will ALWAYS be blamed for a dog fight that breaks out), and advocate for fair laws regarding vicious dogs. If pit bulls get banned...the thugs who mistreat them will move on to another breed. The "vicious dog" breed has changed regularly over the last few decades- from rottweilers, to dobermans, to german shepherds, and now to pit bulls. Who can say that boxers won't be the next breed targeted? Standing by and being complacent about breeds bans because "It's not my dog breed" is almost as bad as the people who enact and support such laws. There are good and bad individuals of all dog breeds (says the person who was attacked by a black lab). As bully breed owners, we need to realize that every time our dog (be it a boxer, bulldog, pitbull, am-staff) is out in public, people are judging their behavior and forming prejudices if they're poorly behaved.

Educate people and train your dogs. That is the only way to combat the prejudicial attitude that people have towards pits and bully breeds. OK, rant over.

 

[rainbowkriss]

Previous owner poisoned him???

How did he find him?

Thats terrible, but commend you on the work you did.

Yes, the previous owner poisoned him. One of his friends that lived near me recognized Mak as his dog "Capone" and told him where we were located.

 

[Caney Creek]

Caney used to get mistaken as a pit a lot when she was younger. Doesn't happen as often anymore -- sometimes people recognize her as a white boxer but more often they just ask me "what kind of dog is that?" I think it happens more with the white ones since it's not a recognized color so not as many people know they come in white too. When people ask me Caney's breed and I tell them she's a boxer, the reply I get back most of the time is "I've never seen a white boxer before." I then take that opportunity to educate them on the history of white boxers. It's never really offended me when people mistake her for something else though. I just politely correct them and provide an extra little bit of knowledge, just to let them know that I know what I'm talking about

 

[Paper-Dogg13]

Charlie Paper gets mistaken for a pit bull more often than not. It doesn't help that our other dog is an AmStaff, so they think the see some resemblance between the two. I usually politely correct them that he is in fact a boxer, and no, white boxers are not "rare", since that is usually the next comment.

Instead of being offended that people think our boxers are pits, we need to realize that the 'clothes' our dogs wear is not the point at all. My fear is that if pits are banned in enough places the 'bad guys' will just turn to another breed to use and abuse. That could very well turn out to be boxers and we'll find ourselves in the same boat as many pit owners are finding themselves in right now. Being forced to move or give up our babies because they look a certain way. Breed bans have absolutely nothing to do with how a dog acts, but how they look. Vicious dog laws need to address vicious dogs...not friendly dogs who happen to have a square head.

I agree with this also! Living so close to Denver, DH & I talk frequently about what we would do should the ban extend north to where we live. Owning a banned breed we are very conscious of the possibility of someone to rent to us or breed restrictions in a given community.

 

[Terriedogs]

I have to be honest, put me in with the ignorant. I can't tell the difference between boxers and bulldogs. They look so much alike to me. Now, I can tell a pitbull...or I thought I could until that show Pitbulls and Parolees was filming at our restaurant and she brought a dog that I would have sworn was a boxer or a bulldog. She told me it was a pit, too, and I couldn't believe it.

If you all could tell me how to tell the difference between boxers and bulldogs, I'd sure appreciate it. The above instance with the pitbull was the one and only time I couldn't pick a pitbull out of a crowd. So, I think I'm okay in that regard. But I'm sure stumped on boxers vs bulldogs.

 

[johann]

I have to be honest, put me in with the ignorant. I can't tell the difference between boxers and bulldogs. They look so much alike to me. Now, I can tell a pitbull...or I thought I could until that show Pitbulls and Parolees was filming at our restaurant and she brought a dog that I would have sworn was a boxer or a bulldog. She told me it was a pit, too, and I couldn't believe it.

If you all could tell me how to tell the difference between boxers and bulldogs, I'd sure appreciate it. The above instance with the pitbull was the one and only time I couldn't pick a pitbull out of a crowd. So, I think I'm okay in that regard. But I'm sure stumped on boxers vs bulldogs.

I'm guessing you mean American bulldogs? They're usually bigger than boxers and have a longer nose (not the snub boxer nose). American bulldogs also usually have tails, boxers do not (in the US).

To the OP- I meant to add to my last post that Johann was always confused with a pit bull as a puppy. He has a longer snout than a well-bred boxer and I too used to annoyed with people. Especially when people would avoid him. Now that we want him to realize that not everyone wants a big slobbery boxer kiss....I kind of welcome that some people don't want to say hi to him. :p

I just looked back at the OP and saw that you're pretty new to this board, I hope you don't feel that people ganged up on you. I'm sure that wasn't anyone's intention (def. wasn't mine). :D Belated welcome to the board.

 

[Caney Creek]

Difference

If you all could tell me how to tell the difference between boxers and bulldogs, I'd sure appreciate it. The above instance with the pitbull was the one and only time I couldn't pick a pitbull out of a crowd. So, I think I'm okay in that regard. But I'm sure stumped on boxers vs bulldogs.

There's a BIG difference I think!

Bulldogs are short, VERY stocky, and have much flatter faces and more wrinkles than boxers. They often have naturally short or corkscrew tails. Ears are always left natural, never cropped.
American Kennel Club - Bulldog

Boxers are much taller and leaner than bulldogs, resembling greyhounds almost in their body style. They are considered a "flat-faced" breed but are not near as flat-faced as bulldogs. Naturally they have drop-ears, but they can be cropped too; most boxers that compete in conformation in the US have their ears cropped. The boxer naturally has a long tail (like a pit bull), but traditionally the tails are docked before a week old -- this is still a very common practice in the US. The vast majority of boxers you see in the US have docked tails.
American Kennel Club - Boxer


Picture of a white bulldog (6 months old) and a white boxer (2 years old).
Caney and Jackson | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


Now, the Bulldogs pictured above are also sometimes called English Bulldogs. But if you're talking about AMERICAN Bulldogs... that's a completely different breed. In my opinion they look like a perfectly even mix between a Bulldog and a Boxer. They are slightly bigger than a Boxer, thicker than a boxer in body and appearance (not as "elegant") but not quite as thick as a Bulldog. They always have natural drop ears and a long, natural tail. I personally think Am. Bulldogs resemble Boxers more closely than they do Bulldogs, simply because of their height.
American Bulldog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I can see how it would be harder to tell Am. Bulldogs from Boxers though, if you're not familiar with the breeds. Body shape, head shape, natural or docked tail, markings and coat color can all be tips.

 

[rizzla]

I have had a few people ask me if Sebastian is a pit bull mix too. There are parts of him that look a lot like a pit bull. He may be mixed with sometihng. We re-homed him.