Is a Boxer right for me ???

[Amsterman]

Hello,

My wife and are thinking about getting a dog. We both have lists of what dogs we would like and are doing research about which one would fit us. We have had a dog in the past (a Dauchshund) adnd he was great. We would both like a dog that is a bit more active than the Hot Dog was. We live in a small apartment in a two family house in the city. We have a small fenced in yard and two very big parks within 5 minutes walking of our house. We also both work and the dog would be home for at least 8 hours a day by his/her self. We want to make sure it is a right fit for us and the dog. We in no way want to get a dog that will be un happy or un comfortable with us and our situation. We are willing to excersise the dog each and every day. Could any one out there tell us if a Boxer would be a good fit for us. I have read several different things that have given me mixed signals. One book has said that "as long as your Boxer gets his daily excersize, he will be fine in apartment". One web site has said "Boxers are not suited for city living and should be in the country". I am very confused about this and would like some advice from the people who know first hand. Any information you could give us would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You
Erik and Heidi

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[Thomas Liggin]

Since Boxers are primarily indoor dogs, it really doesn't matter if you live on a ranch or in an apartment, as long as the dog gets regular exercise.

They don't do well at either end of the temperature range. Their coat doesn't provide much insulation in the colder weather, and their short muzzle isn't efficient at providing cooling at the other end of the scale.

They can be happy outdoors when the temps are moderate, provided you are with them. They do not usually do well left alone outside for long periods.

Boxers need room to run and frolic. I don't know what you mean by small. Our fenced area is about thirty feet by fifty feet. They can get up a head of steam and still have room to make turns, and gallop back in the other direction.

You can take them to the parks on long training leads. I have two that are thirty feet long, which I use for rest stops when we are travelling. It gives the dogs room to search out a spot, yet affords me control, just in case.

These are not the rewind type leashes. They are the cotton web leads. I am not comfortable with the rewind type. They may be more convenient, but I prefer the regular training lead. It is definitely stronger.

Whichever you prefer should give your dog room enough to play, and get exercise, with a safety factor.

Many people on this site are in the exact circumstance you describe. They can tell you from experience how well it works for them.


Tom

 

[binsk]

I have two or three friends who have boxers in apartments and they all say their dogs do very well in a small environment. However, all of them have large families and the boxers are not left alone for long periods of time and take plenty of exercise.

If you are thinking about having a boxer in a small apartment, I suggest that you take him/her for long walks regularly - twice a day, morning and evening would be ok. Boxers are very active dogs, and need lots of exercise (even when it is raining, etc.)

There is also the problem of the boxer being left alone for 8 hours - or more - when you both go to work. In this case, I would let the dog sleep in my bed with me - or at least in my bedroom. They can also get bored and destructive or depressed if left alone for too long - for example, you may someday go out for dinner and then your dog would spend the whole day alone.

Just have in mind that you will really have to adapt your daily routine to give attention and take care of your new family member. I think it is worth it, but you have to answer this question yourself.

Good luck in your choice!

Andre

 

[harley03]

We are living in a smallish apartment right now. It's a basement type apartment of a home owned by my father. We do have a fair sized backyard where Harley runs, but this does not satisfy his need for walks, playtime, etc. He is ALWAYS ready to go, very active. Hopefully we won't be in this small apartment too much longer (looking to buy our own home sometime soon). Room is pretty tight around here. With me, my boyfriend and Harley we all seem to be stepping on each other at all times. Harley is always underfoot.
He does seem to be a happy dog though so it can't be that bad. But I would prefer if we had a bigger space (hopefully someday soon :rolleyes: ).
Good luck with your decision.
By the way, what other breeds were you thinking of????

 

[binsk]

Also read this - lots of info on a similar issue.

http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49486

Andre

 

[frankied]

It could work but you'd have to make it work. You'd probably have to take some time off work for a week or two when you got the dog. Maybe an older dog that would be content with laying around all day would be a good choice. I wouldn't suggest a puppy if you aren't going to be able to be around for long periods of time. Puppies need almost constant supervision. Is there a possibilty someone can come home at lunch to be with the dog a little while and let it out? Or perhaps get a dog walker (we did this and it worked out great).Good luck with whatever you choose to do but atleast make sure your decision is well thought out or it will be the dog who suffers. So far you are on the right track

Christa & Angel

 

[Amsterman]

Thanks for the responses so far. We have no issues w/ lots of excercise - we need it too! Other breeds we were thinking of are labs, vizla (but I think they are out). Thats about it for now - any suggestions? We have just started our search and want to make the right decsion. We are in no rush at all. We want a dog that is not huge, loves affection, gets along w/ people, dogs and children.

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

My family were long-time dachshund owners for years. It was a big change for us to have a dog that weighs 70 lbs after having the smaller ones. But Scrapper is by far and away the best dog we've ever had. Be prepared to give your Boxer LOTS of attention and LOTS of exercise. They are large, so obedience training is really good, so you have a well-behaved large baby when other people see you. Boxers love human companionship and want to be with you no matter what you are doing. If I am working in the office on the computer at home, Scrapper is there, sleeping on the floor under the front of the desk. If we are watching TV, he is there, sleeping on the couch, or in his bed right underneath our feet. And every night, he is there, sleeping on the end of our bed, though you can try to draw the line at this....

Like the others have said, they are very much inside dogs, so don't get one it you are expecting to have him entertain himself outside most of the day and only come inside during the evening. They do need their exercise but the rest of the time are usually perfectly happy snoozing away. My main concern with your situation would be the time you spend away from the dog every day. Socialization is extremely important to getting a well-behaved and well-adjusted dog; also housebreaking is harder when you have to work (I speak from experience on that subject.) You should check into arranging for a puppy sitter or family friend to come over during the middle of the day to play with your dog and let it out for a potty break. And when you come home from work, don't expect to sit down and relax your tired footsies - your Boxer baby will be full of stored-up energy and be expecting to play, play, play. And a bored Boxer can be a misbehaving Boxer...

Boxers are much quieter than hounds, don't bark unless there is a need to, but watch everything like hawks. Like dachsies, they are clean because they have short fur, but dachsies can be kind of one person/one family dogs while Boxers seem to love everyone unless they are given a reason not to.

It's a big commitment, to have an attention-sponge dog like a Boxer, so make sure you are thoroughly researched on their needs. BTW, Boxers tend to have more allergies and health problems than dachshunds and are more high maintenance in general. But as you can see, there are lots of Boxer converts on here who will never own any other kind of dog.

Sorry to go on so long - good luck to you in your search. And no matter what breed of dog you get, be sure you seek out a reputable breeder and ask the right questions to make sure the sire and dam are properly health tested. See if your breeder will be there to help you should you have questions after you get the dog. And dog shows are great places to see all the various breeds of dogs and meet their breeders. See if there are any coming up in your area and check some out!

PS - If you want to see how much this dog has wormed his way into our lives, check out my "www" button, below.

 

[ariane]

we have tank in our three bedroom apartment, with a small front yard to run around in. i find that it works really well, we take him to the park and for walks to release some of his inevitable boxer energy, and we tend to play with him in the house quite a bit. my MIL lives upstairs from us and he plays in her house as well. i think an apartment boxer can be just as happy as any other provided he's given the exercise. in the end he really wants to be around you more than he wants a big yard anyway.

as for the eight hour alone issue, i don't have much advice in that area as there is pretty much always someone around in this house, it's like grand central station here. maybe you could have someone come in throughout the day to play with him for an hour or two? if you had an older dog the eight hour day might not be as much of a problem. did you look into rescue??? i don't know much about it but there are many people on bw who do, and who could probably answer any questions you may have.

good luck!
~ariane (and tank)

 

[teag]

I just wanted to commend you for taking the time and effort to get as much information so that you can make the best decision for everyoneappicon .

With that said, I must say the boxer is the best dog we have ever had! Zoe brings so much love and laughter into our lives everyday that I don't think we will ever have anything but.

Best of luck in your search and let us know what you finally decide.

Tami and Zoe