Few questions about first dog

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

scott015

Boxer Pal
thinking of getting a boxer for a few different reasons.

One reason is just for a companion and family pet. I have always wanted a dog and never had one before. I have a 3 year old son so I know its gonna be alot of work, but I think it will be worth it. I love dogs and my son just loves all animals....

another reason is for a watch dog. Our home got broken into about 2 months ago and some thieves stoll my motorcycle out of my garage. I know a dog wouldnt have stoped them, but would just be nice to know there is a dog there for the future.

i have it narrowed down to a boxer for sure... and I know the exact look I want. I like the brown ones sorta just like the one on the top left of this screen...

but i have a few questions...

1. male or female? are there any distinctive differences for my needs? i dont plan on breeding

2. puppy or young dog? for the kids sake, well for me and wife too... i thought of a puppy, they are so cute and just get to watch them their WHOLE life basically.... but Iv never trained a dog before... would it be better to buy a dog thats 1+ years old thats already house broken?

3. inside or outside at night? Can a dog sleep through the night? I mean, am I gonna have to wake up at 4am to take it outside to potty? Also, for watchdog purposes... is it better to be in yard? How much time should a dog spend outside ALONE?

4. How much excercise? I like to do a quick jog around my neighborhood almost everynight... its about 1 mile. Is that enough for the dog? will the dog RUN with me? or more like take out in yard and throw ball kind of excercise?

5. How much money? How much can I expect to pay for a nice Boxer? seen puppies in newspaper for around $200-$300

6. Would be okay to take to work with me? I own my own store and work all day long like most people... wife is home alot during day and son is in school... but just thought that I would like to bring it to work with me sometimes... would that be a good idea? I mean, its just me, wife at work... and the customers... but I have a back area he and I would mainly stay in... how often would I have to take him out to potty in an 8 hour day?

7. good with kids? I have a 3 year old son and have another 5 year old cousin that comes over alot!! im sure kids are a little rough at times pulling ears, etc would dog get mad?

well i think i asked the majority of whats on my mind, but im sure there are plenty more where that came from.... basically anything u can do is helpful to me at this point... thanks, scott
 
BooBoo & Riley

BooBoo & Riley

Completely Boxer Crazy
Welcome to BW... I'll try to take a crack at your questions...

1) either way, boxers are naturally protective of their family. Although you should know that they are watch dogs, not necessarily guard dogs.

2) a young dog sounds like a good idea, but usually the people selling young dogs are suspect (personaility issues, health issues, etc.). So pick very carefully and know exactly what situation they come from. you may not need to housetrain a yound dog, but still expect to obiedience train a young dog to be a good repsectable part of your family. a puppy is a lot of work but also lots of rewards. with your wife being home a lot, that should be easier than most of us who work.

3) boxers are inside dogs meaning they can't sleep outside, they will freeze to death. they also need a lot of human companionship. I have 2 of them and they both still like to spend most of their time following us around. boxers function just fine inside as a watchdog. my older one can smell who's on the other side of the door, but if i act like i wasn't expecting visitors, he'll bark at friend or foe...

4) your routine should be enough excercise for a boxer, remember that he just wants to spend time with the family

5) $200 to $300 boxers are most likely back yard breeder dogs, meaning that they breed for money only. they usually don't bother to check if parents are healthy or make good candidate for a good looking boxer puppy. Usually has no papers either. If you can afford it, contact a breeder that health test their boxers before breeding and can show you the paperwork. It will cost more, but not sure how much in Texas. You get the peace of mind of knowing that this puppy comes from healthy and good tempered parents... those are very important quaities for a family pet. You don't want a puppy that see the vet 10 times a year because of inherited diesesses or one with a bad temperment because that's what the parents were.

6) depends on the temperment of your boxer. i take mine to work and my workplace has 1500 people, but mine are very mellow. also, i started taking them to work at a very early age and they are very used to that environment. potty wise is dependent on how much water they drink, probably 3-4 times a day, but it doesn't take much time for potty.

7) boxers are great with children, most will have a 6th sense when it comes to small children, they will play gentler with them and have lots of patience for their silly antics. Seeing that you have young kids, i would suggest a puppy so that the puppy can learn to respect the kids from day one. An adopted young adult may not adapt to your kids as easily.

good luck... get a few good books on positive dog training and start reading. it isn't that hard, and totally worth it.
 
B

Basil's Mom

Boxer Buddy
Congrats on a great choice. Our first boxer is about 11 mos. now. Just to warn you...dogs are sooo much work. Make sure you are ready for the commitment!
3. I will tell you that when we first go Basil (she was 8 weeks old) we got up every night at 2am or 5am depending on what she wanted...it was hell! But as she got older she slept longer. I would say that once she was 5 mos. old she was sleeping until we got her up in the morning.

5. We paid $350 for ours.

We have done a lot of training courses to socialize our puppy with other dogs and people as well. Also obedience classes. And expect a lot of vet bills with a new puppy.

After all of that you have a wonderful dog. We wouldn't trade our dog for anything. It was rough at first (about 2 months). Once you get over that, the enjoyment you get is so worth it!:D
 
S

scubasteve

Boxer Pal
What's up man? Glad to hear that you may be getting a dog, they're great. Boxers are really good companions and as cheesy as it sounds they really do make life better. Let's get to the questions:

1. If you get the dog fixed there really isn't any differences that are worth mentioning.

2. I like the idea of getting a puppy better than an older dog b/c you do get to raise how you would like. House training is pretty simple as long as you are consistent, it shouldn't take longer than a couple of weeks. They grow up really fast and before you know it he'll be a 65 lb moose bouncin' around.

3. Inside is better for boxers b/c they are weather sensitive. If you get a puppy you most definitely will be getting up for those late night potty trips. An older dog can sleep through the night quite easily. As far as being a watchdog they are really good. They can hear really well and it's practically impossible for a person to come around undetected. He really shouldn't spend that much time alone, they like to be really involved in everything that is going on.

4. A mile is descent exercise for an older dog, puppies do well to exercise themselves. An older dog will run with you as long as you like. They are very dedicated in everything they do.

5. Expense ranges anywhere from 200-700. You can get a good dog from an established breeder for about 400 if you just want a family pet. They are all great but some are more expensive because they are show quality. It sounds to me like you just want a friend so it'll probably be around 250-450.

6. After he gets acclimated to going to work it shouldn't be a problem. They get very excited about meeting new people so it may be rough at first but i'm sure he'll adjust. If you get a puppy you can expect to take him out quite a bit. An older dog will only need to go out maybe twice.

7. Boxers are great with kids. They absolutely adore kids and it is quite interesting to see them curb their behavior to accomodate the little ones.

-scubasteve
 
Krikkit

Krikkit

Boxer Insane
Boxer_21

Boxer_21

Boxer Insane
1 - Sex doesn't really matter, it's more so about the individual dog's personality. However, going by the majority of people here, it appears that male boxers tend to be more laid back. The females seem to be more on edge and dominant. Males will grow to be larger (not by a large margin) than females also so that's something else you'll want to consider.

2 - A puppy will require a lot of attention and training on your part where as an older dog wouldn't be so demanding. That's not to say an older dog won't want your attention, but caring for a puppy is more work than an older one. Here is a link that will offer you some insight to what raising a boxer puppy is all about... http://www.boxerworld.com/puppy

If you're considering an older boxer, you can check into rescuing. They will evaluate you, your family, and your home and will adopt out to you a boxer that fits your lifestyle. For example, they won't place a boxer with you who is not good with kids since kids will be in the home.

Here is a link on more info about rescue's... http://www.boxerworld.com/rescue

3 - Boxers should not be left outside for the night. The boxer is a breed that likes to be indoors with his family. Also, their shorter muzzle and short coat does not protect them from extreme temperatures (hot or cold).

If you get a puppy, yes you will most likely have to get up in the middle of the night to allow the puppy a chance to potty. I've heard of some puppies that can sleep right through the night, while I've heard that other puppies need to get out frequently. So, it depends on the puppy, but I would definitely plan on having to get up.

As far as spending time out alone, I NEVER leave my boys outside alone unless I can watch them through a window. There are some sickos out there who try to steal dogs (especially puppies!!), even boxers, to use for many disgusting purposes (baiting, overbreeding, plain out abuse). I personally feel that the risks far out weight any benefit (which I can't even think of one) to leave a boxer (or any dog for that matter) outside unsupervised.

4 - If you get a puppy, you will have to wait until he/she is at least one year to 18 months of age before bringing it jogging or forcing any kind of exercise. The reason behind this is because it's bones and joints are still developing. Any kind of forced exercise will cause some major harm to the puppy's growing skeletal frame. This is obviously not a good thing.

I don't go jogging, but I do know that several members here do bring their boxer(s) with them when they go. They do keep up and enjoy the exercise.

My boys seem very happy with a couple of hours (not straight) of playing around the yard, both with me and each other.

5 - Please please please stay away from newspaper ads. Please check out this link... http://www.boxerworld.com/breeder to find a listing of breeders who do necessary health testing to ensure healthy and well tempermented boxer puppies with a low chance of genetic defects.

For a well bred puppy from a reputable breeder, you should be prepared to spend anywhere from $700-$900. It could be more or it could be less depending on your location. I can tell you that I paid $850 for both of my boys.

6 - You can bring your dog to work with you and this would be very beneficial in terms of socializing it. Just pay close attention to how it reacts to people. Some boxers are not to fond of strangers. My boy Mason is just getting over a stage where he would growl and bark at strangers. It was worrysome, but it appears that the worst is now over.

Pay attention to your dogs behavior and you should start seeing signs of when it has to go outside. You could also train it to ring a bell (sort of like a sleigh bell) to tell you it has to go.

7 - There's no definite answer on this one. This is another one that will depend on the dog as an individual. Both of my boys are great with kids and have tolerated the accidents (bumping into, stepping on paws, etc.) very well.

I would however, recommend that you teach the young kids to respect the dog and to not intentionally pull on the ears and things like that. It will take some time, but teaching the kids to respect the dog and the dog to respect the kids is very important.

I hope that helped some. You can definitely browse the forums and use the search to look for more answers to any other questions that you may have.

Good luck!!
- Mandy
 
A

adobeboxers

Boxer Booster
Scott-
For what it is worth, here is my take on your questions.

Boxers are great dogs and great family dogs if you are willing to put in the time it takes to train them to become members of the family. right now we have 2 boxers, both males, both flashy fawns (brown with white markings).

1. Some boxers are more protective than others...hence they aren't guard dogs but watch dogs. they will notify you if someone is in the house, but it may only be to lick them to death.

2. Generally male dogs will be bigger than females but if you are planning on fixing the puppy it shouldn't matter and is up to your preference. We went with males hearing that males are not as stubborn...but our 2nd is as stubborn as they come.

3. rescue is a great option, there are tons of boxer rescue out there and you can find out more on the net. the bonus of a puppy is that you are responsible for training it and thus are sure of a positive upbringing (if you are willing to put in time).

4. Boxers are inside dogs. they don't like the cold and are not able to handle extremes. they need to be kept inside. For the first few weeks/monts you will have to wake up 1-2 times a night.

5. As for exercise, as puppies they play and sleep. Ours can play catch for hour and then play hide and seek for another hour before settling down for a 3 hour nap. However, without exercise they will have tons of energy to unleash somewhere...probably your house.

6. Cost ranges from $300-700. Be sure, be sure, be sure to buy a boxer from a good breeder. See both parents and findout what there personalities and temperments are because that is what your puppy will be like. Visit a could of different breeders before making a decision.

7. Our old boxer comes to work with me. He started when he was 10 weeks and has gotten so use to it that when we get out of the car, he knows exactly where he is headed. He isn't the most hyper of dogs but isn't exactly mr. mellow either.

8. When it comes to kids, boxers are great. Our oldest has been fun loving and gentle from the day we got him. He is aware of children and just loves to lick. Our 2nd is a bit more hyper.

Good luck in making your decision. they are great dogs and will quickly become members of the family.
 
ariane

ariane

Super Boxer
hey scott, welcome to boxer world! i see you have a pile of excellant answers here so i will just add my two cents:

what adobeboxers says is definately true. a boxer personality is more of a watch dog than guard dog personality. they are extremely affectionate and, in the case of my pup tank, he is never aggressive towards anyone, stranger or not, unless he senses my unease. i have only twice (with the exception of barking at the paper boy whom he hates) seen him defensive/aggressive against anyone, once when a neighbors dog attempted to attack us, and another time when i was approached at night on a dark street by a strange man. otherwise he is more likely to lick someone to death, stranger or no. he will stir up a ruckus if someone comes to the door in the middle of the night, but is unlikely to hurt them unless he feels that i or another member of the family is being threatened. (shhhhhhhh, don't tell the burglars in the area!!! lol).


as for leaving outside for extended periods of time... not only are boxers very weather sensitive but they are also very social. a boxer thrives on companionship and social activity... constant snuggles and play time! i suspect to keep a boxer outside would not only affect proper social development in the dog but also deny you all of his best qualities! believe me, you won't want him away from you for a moment...
:p

anything else i can think of has already been said...
welcome to bw! you will love it here.

~ariane
 
adeinert

adeinert

Boxer Insane
I think you will receive a myriad of different answers based on all of our own experiences. I will just share what I have learned after owning four boxers, fostering around 12 adults, and raising two puppies through the pottytraining stage. (-:
1. You will most likely pick your boxer based on it's individual personality and behavior traits. I THINK males are more easy going but that is purely my opinion.

2. Puppy- be ready to raise another infant to do it right, many sleepless nights and it goes by in a flash! I can't remember Tulley's puppyhood! If someone says an older dog doesn't bond as much or can't learn as much they have a training deficiency. (-: We adopted out 380 adult boxers last year to families. Not one said afterwords they wished they could experience the few months of puppy size and months of pottytraining. (-;
I have trained all my adult adopted boxers with positive methods, unsure of how they previously were trained but they learn just like a clean slate. My female was star of her agility class (came from an abused home) and my oldest male was the star of his clicker class. They are now the dogs that I have molded and shaped completely.
The great thing about adopting an adult is that there are no surprises. Reputable rescues can tell you all about the boxer and match one to your specific needs because they are observed in their foster homes.

3. A boxer is a family member. So whenever you go in the yard, the boxer will want to go to. He/she shouldn't be shut out alone ever. With a puppy, plan to get up multiple times a night. Adult can go 8-12 hours overnight. Too many dangers outside to leave a furkid. Besides, you boxer won't be attacking anyone, (-: it's the bark that will scare someone off and they'll hear that if need be. Mine sleep with me, go out in the am, out after work, a few play times in the evening, and once around 9pm.

4. A run is great(adults only), and some play too!

5. $200-$300 will buy you an unethically bred, non-health tested, backyard breeder's dog. You won't find a quality boxer in the newspaper. Expect to pay substantially more, (around here (which is lower than other areas, you would pay easily pay more than $800 for a quality boxer). Buyer beware, if you support the unethical breeders who sell in the newspaper.

6. My boxers go to work with my mother sometimes (one at a time). Again, a puppy out every hour or so when potty training. An adult, maybe once in an eight hour day. (Mine can go all day.) She has also taken many of the adult rescues to work. They have all really seemed to love it and they make the customers happy too!

7. Yes, boxers are notoriously great with kids. They really identify with the child in all of us and tend to gravitate towards children. A child taught to respect a boxer will be a terrific playmate!

You'll find a ton of information on here and the links provided in various threads. Have fun and congratulations on picking a boxer to join your family! They are truly wonderful little people covered with fur!
Ashlie
www.flbr.org
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top