leaning toward getting a pup. opinions?

[cherran]

I posted a week or 2 ago about getting a rescue boxer or a pup.
I have to admit i'm softening toward the idea of a puppy. My husband really wants to get a pup and i'm sure my children will also. I've just been so unsure of what to do.
I am currently waiting on a rescue to find us a match. They've already done a home visit and approved us. But I can't help but feel nervous about bringing such a large powerful strange dog into my home.
We have 3 children 10, 7, and almost 5..younger 2 are boys, also 2 small female mixed breed dogs. A 2 1/2 year old dach/chi mix ,about 15 lbs, and another mixed 9 month old, 16 lb. who probably won't get much heavier(she is lanky.)
I'm just so afraid the boxer would go at one of the kids or one of the dogs and i'm only about 105 lbs myself...and worry I couldn't prevent it.
I know a puppy is alot of work, and of course the chewing and playbiting(ugh!)...but I stay at home and 2 of the kids will be in school in a few short wks..so i'll have the time. Are boxer pups easy to potty train, do they chew alot??? My youngest pup was 4 mos. when i got her...so it was pretty easy.
What do you guys think? what would be the easiest and safest transition for the kids and the dogs. I have found some pups(now 2 wks old) for sale and the lady is a few hrs from me, but this is her first litter w/ her female and her male. She said her male has studded b4. She sounded good, I didn't get any wierd vibes from her. She said the momma was 1 1/2 yrs old I think. She has the mother, father and grandfather all there at her house. There are 3 boy pups left, a flashy fawn and 2 rev. brindles. She said the fawn seemed the most laid back...like his father. He sounds perfect for me and fawn is what i wanted. The pups have been vet checked, dew claws removed and tails docked, she said the vet said they were very healthy. She offered to give me the vets number...which I didn't take. She isn't going to let them go home till the mother quits nursing and the pups don't seem to be as interested in her....she said around 7-8 wks old.
Sorry so long.........just trying to be informative!
Please give me some guidance. I really need it. We will probably drive to see these pups this weekend...it's a couple hrs from us...and if we want it we will give her a 100 dollar deposit. The pups are 300 which is cheap.
I want to tell the rescue asap when i've made my decision......i sure wouldn't want to waste their time.
Thanks guys...i'm countin' on ya!

 

[Rlr.Giraffe]

I can't comment on rescue, as I have never done it, but I think it is your personal choice as to what you feel comfortable with. You have to be confident that you can 100% bring a dog into your home, and if a rescue doesn't feel right to you, don't do it and risk having the pup go back up for adoption.

As for puppies, we got Willis at 8 weeks, and it has been a lot of work! Boxer pups can be stubborn and drive you crazy, but they are also so smart and lovable. It is a LOT of work but the reward is huge once you have a dog well on his way to being a well mannered family member. Willis play-bites a lot, but he learned not to do it hard. He was house-trained quickly, but some pups aren't. He is not much of a chewer, but he is a stealer. All pups are a little different.

As for the litter you found, please don't buy one from this lady!!! Whether she is nice or not, she is a backyard breeder... at a year and a half, the mother is not old enough to be health tested and cleared of all of the genetic problems that boxers may have. While the pups may have been "vet checked" it doesn't mean anything if there is heart problems or hip dysplasia or similar in the line. I encourage you to read the many many posts on this site about finding a good breeder. While the pups would generally be more than $300, the amount of money and heartache saved when your pup doesn't have health problems stemming from bad breeding is worth every extra dollar. As is the support you get from a good breeder. As well, by choosing a reputable breeder, you are not making backyard breeding profitable and encouraging it to continue!!!

I wish you luck in your decision, I know waiting for the right dog is tough and the choices are so many.

Jen and Willis.

 

[cherran]

The sire is 2 1/2 and he has no health problems*according to her* and the grandfather dog is the mamma dogs dad. And he is an older boxer and has no health problems. Isn't is possible this is all true and the pups are fine?
I truly cannot afford a 700 to 900 dollar initial cost + everything else. If thats what i'm facing...i'll just have to forget it.

 

[SoleilBxrs]

The sire is 2 1/2 and he has no health problems*according to her* and the grandfather dog is the mamma dogs dad. And he is an older boxer and has no health problems. Isn't is possible this is all true and the pups are fine?
I truly cannot afford a 700 to 900 dollar initial cost + everything else. If thats what i'm facing...i'll just have to forget it.

Hi Cherran,

Rlr.Giraffe was 100% correct. run fast and FAR from this lady. She is obviously a BYB and she is not showing her dogs (there by proving they should be used as breeding stock for the breed), nor is she properly health testing her dogs.. by this i mean getting hearts, hips, thyroid and eyes certified as tested clear (certified) for any problems. (these tests are much more extensive than just a vet's once over) just because one of her dogs has been lucky enough to not have problems by the time he was 2 1/2, doesn't mean he won't have problems when he is 3, or 5 or 7.. you need to look at the complete history of these boxers lines. do a search here on backyard breeders, and i'm sure you will find many sad stories of bargain pups dying suddenly at 4mos, or getting hip dysplasia at 9mos. I speak from experience as my first dog was a BYB dog.. a cocker spaniel that came down with epilepsy at 4mos. he was a steal at $350 but for what we spent on his vet bills in the next few months, we could have purchased a winning, champion stud or bitch. (and the epilepsy was never cured.. the meds we gave him all his short life slowly ate away at his insides and we ended up putting him to sleep at 6yrs) The money spent on a well-bred, health tested dog is worth the extra couple of hundred as it will save you thousands of dollars in the long run, and the pain and guilt of having to explain to your kids why their new puppy needs hip surgery at 10mos, or why their puppy died suddenly.

i definately do not want to turn you away from a puppy or boxers, but you must really think to yourself if you are ready to undertake another huge responsibility. A boxer puppy from a reputable breeder who cost $7-1000 will still cost more money beyond that initial purchase price.. even the healthiest boxer pups, shots and all will find their way in to trouble and need to see a vet every-so-often because they've injested something strange, or they've broken out in huge hives, or some other ailment that you cannot home remedy right away. Even if you get the bargain-basement price for a puppy, the amount of dollars following, will add up quickly, and soon you will have spent thousands.. if not on vet bills, then on food, and toys and crates and other necessities.

Like i said, i do not in anyway want to turn you away from purchasing a puppy, or even a boxer overall, but boxers are not a cheap breed to keep... and as a person who loves the breed, and knows how much effort one needs to keep up these somewhat "high maintenece" dogs, i am always trying to educate others before they make the huge commitment. i hope this was informative, and was not meant to sound like a lecture... (i'm sorry if it came out so incredibly long, but i have just been very frustrated with a few stories my breeder had recently informed me of (people dumping their puppies, etc..) so good luck with whatever choice it is that you and your family make, be it a puppy (hopefully from a reputable breeder), or a wonderful loving rescue. take care

-Kat, Cassius and Nikita

 

[harley03]

I can't help but feel nervous about bringing such a large powerful strange dog into my home.

The truth is that tiny puppy that you bring home, will most definately grow to a 40-50 pound towing machine at 5-6 months or even eariler. Boxers are strong, powerful dogs and commitment is crucial even at the puppy stages.

We have 3 children 10, 7, and almost 5..younger 2 are boys, also 2 small female mixed breed dogs. A 2 1/2 year old dach/chi mix ,about 15 lbs, and another mixed 9 month old, 16 lb. who probably won't get much heavier

Of course I can only speak from my own experience, but I have a younger brother and sister. They are now 10 & 6, and they grew up with our male boxer since he was 6 weeks old. During Harley's adolescence stage (at about 4-6 months) the kids would refuse to go near him because he was so hyper and jumpy (traits which are common in the breed). I hired a personal trainer who worked with us one on one, I spent an enormous amount of time training him myself at home and we also finished his first obedience classes. Only now at almost a year and a half have the kids gained confidence in the dog to act civilized around them. Also, Harley has proven to have an enormous prey drive for any small creature, even though he had been socialized with every type, shape and form of animal since puppyhood. I don't trust him around small animals, including my friends small yorkie which he played with at one point when he was younger. All I'm saying is, even with a puppy you don't know what their personality will portray at adulthood. At least with a rescue, they have been tested in many areas and you know before-hand if they are good with children, small animals, other dogs, etc, etc.

Are boxer pups easy to potty train, do they chew alot???

I think I can safely say that we spent quite some time potty training. Also, from reading stories on this site for more than a year, I've heard quite a few potty training crisis. Harley didn't really learn to be a chewer, but he was also NEVER left alone. I spent 24/7 with the dog while he was going through his puppy stages. He slept in his kennel next to our bed in the night, and we made countless potty breaks throughout the night, not to mention when he had an accident at 2 or 3 in the morning and we would have to get up and hose down his crate :rolleyes: .

I really am not trying to turn you away from the boxer, after all the patience and time we have spent on Harley we could not ask for anything better in return. He's my baby, I can't sit without him laying beside me (or sometimes on top of me ), and he accompainies me everywhere I go that will allow dogs. I don't regret the decision we made getting him, I only wish we had purchased him from a better breeder, so we could be more confident in his health.

In any case, I really think you should get to know the breed. Visit some of the breeders and see how the kids interact with the boxer. The boxer can and most likely will be a handful, especially since your so used to caring for little dogs. Don't make a split second decision on the puppy that you may regret. So many puppy owners get that small being and when it grows to a 60,70,80 lb muscle dog that is out of control for lack of training and attention they get rid of it in one way or another. It's really a shame that a lives must be spent for someones bad decision.

Good Luck.
I hope everything works out for you & your family.

 

[cherran]

Darn it, I knew you guys would say negative stuff. I don't know that she hasn't had hip testing done. I haven't asked her directly. And the Father of the mother dog is there...he's fine.I think he's 5 or maybe 6...can't remember for sure. Before running the other direction maybe i should have more questions for her. The only breeders that show are realllly far from here and don't have any puppies right now.
My husband thinks that it would be better if the dog could grow up in our family. And I'm NOT going to exceed a 3 dog limit...so not getting a puppy this time would prevent me from ever having one (*my dogs are young and have a lot of life left in them*) at least while my kids are young. One of my dogs would have to die first, before I would get another. I think 3 dogs is the max for me personally. Any more than that and too many bills.
Well what is the hip testing?? How do they do it? I'd like to be more informed!!!

 

[ladyluck_t]

Hi, I can't tell you what you should do, but i can give you a little of my experiences that might help you with you decision.
First to reiterate what Kat and Jen have said. I bought my katie girl from a pet store (a little different from your situation, but close) the pet store offered a free vet check, and if the pup was not healthy there was a good return policy. Anyhow at 6wks Katie checked out healthy as a horse. But at 5 mo's she had pulled her back leg muscle for the 4th time, i took her to my parents vet in AL (i was in TX at the time) well at 5mo's she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, which the vet said he couldnt confirm the severity until she was 2 yrs old and x-rays were done. Then at 6mo's she developed a couple of large lumps on one of her rear legs, which luckily turned out to be benign tumors, we had these removed. Now, at 4 yrs of age, there is only 1 brand of food she can eat otherwise she throws up everything, she is completely out of breed standard (she weighs in at a heafty 80lbs and stands close to 24" which is too big for a male boxer) her tongue is too big for her mouth and she has literally pushed her canine's on that side to an almost horizontal angle. the vet said that as long as she can eat he will leave them in. We end up visiting the vet about 4X a year at close to $100.00 per visit. And the most sad thing about all of this, my most trusted vet in AL said that worst case scenario, based on the genetic diseases that she has, i will have to make that horrible choice of putting her down at around 8yrs , he said he has never seen an animal with these troubles last longer than that.
Now, i dont love her any less, matter of fact, i love her more for all her faults, she really is my daughter. My main point is, a boxer from a not so reputable breeder may be cheaper initially, but it will cost you in the long run in both money and heartache. It just kills me to see my 4yr baby struggle sometimes to stand and walk comfortably. Of course, you may win the crap shoot and get a perfectly healthy boxer baby who will live for 16 yrs. But it is still a crap shoot. Also, if you are worried about temperments with a rescue (and believe me i understand that, i foster dogs and sometimes i worry about that too) a reputable breeder will have had all the sires and dams temperment tested and will be able to verify the temperments of their pups going back several generations. this lady may only be able to go back 2 generations, which we see in people is not nearly enough (genetic traits can jump at least 3 or 4 generations) so even though the mom, grandma, dad, and granddad are all healthy happy boxers, who is to say one of the others somewhere back in the lineage is not.
I am really not trying to change your mind or tell you what to do, but i firmly believe that education is the key to making good decisions and just wanted to voice in with my thoughts and experiences.
on a side note, some of the better boxer rescues do provide extensive temperment testing on their adoptable dogs.
Good Luck and God Bless
Carolyn and Katie

 

[Rlr.Giraffe]

To learn more about the heart and hip testing, do a search for it on this site. I am sure you will turn up many useful links to understand it better. I can say though, if the momma dog is only 1.5 years, she is not old enough for testing yet. If the breeder tells you that she has been tested, ask to see papers because that would seem suspicious to me. I think if you did a search for questions to ask the breeder you would be able to find lots of info there too.

We really aren't trying to sound negative at all, just trying to give you the benefit of hindsight. I think Carolyn's experience with Katie is an excellent example of what can go wrong, and that is the beauty of this site, that we are able to share what we have learned about boxers.

Good luck in your search, let us know how everything is going!

Jen

 

[Marley's Mom]

I think having a puppy to grow up with your children is a wonderful idea! The only thing I worry about is the financial strain that a puppy gives. I agree with all the points that the others made regarding BYB and the medical costs, but what about the cost of taking care of healthy pups! We have two pups that are 14 weeks old that we got at 8 weeks. Not counting the cost of buying our pups, we've spent over $1000 in medical bills for my "healthy" pups! This includes all their shots, flea dips, nails trimmed, ears cleaned as well as an incident where Irie swallowed a peach pit and needed x-rays, shots, etc.. Although I know that I have two pups which is more expensive as well as the fact that you don't have to do the nails, ears, etc, what I'm saying is that I think that when investing in a new pup especially, you have to be ready for the unexpected medical expenses if they do get into something they shouldn't! If you aren't ready to afford a pup from a reputable breeder, I worry that you wouldn't be able to afford care for a pup that gets himself into trouble, after all, you can't watch them 100% of the time (although we all try)! Good luck with your decision!

 

[cherran]

Yes I am fully prepared for future expense. As prepared as anyone can be that is....but forking out 900 dollars ( a price i've been quoted) is 600 dollars above what this pup is...in addition to the other "stuff".
I understand completely what you guys are saying, and I appreciate the honesty. I just don't want to count a pup "out" that needs a home, that could come from perfectly healthy parents...just because the woman is not real experienced and doesn't show her dogs.
I know that she loves her boxers *since she has 3* and I don't feel she does it for money necessarily..this is her first litter.
I know I need to do more checking, before I get one.
I think I will call her and ask for her vets number and go from there.
Thanks!