Looking

[InfiniteX]

Hello ALL,

I am currently looking for a boxer pup for my 3.5yr old daughter to grow up with. I have been researching the boxer breed for about 6months, and think that would be the best fit dog for my family. The only issue that comes up is the breeder; I have been searching on Puppyfind.com and have come across a lot of dogs we would love own. So would a PF be considers a BYB haven.

 

[Roxydog]

Stay away from puppyfinder!!! If you think about it in the simplest of terms...would a responsible breeder put pups on the net and then sell them and ship them without even knowing where the pup is going? It's truly terrible. I ran across the puppyfinder site once and it horrified me.
Here is a list of breeders on the boxerworld site that health test their breeding stock.
http://www.boxerworld.com/breeders/

Good luck with your puppy search

 

[adeinert]

There is a list of reputable breeders on boxerworld as well as reputable breeders from Florida on the the Florida Boxer Rescue website.

The easy way (and many other benefits) would be to adopt a boxer through rescue that already gets along with children. Rescues get in all ages, with the average age a very young 12-18 months. I am an adoption volunteer with Florida Boxer Rescue and it is very popular for families to adopt boxers through us so they know they are adopting a boxer who gets along with children. You must be patient and adopt one that has already been around children. For example, right now we have quite a few 12 month olds that have been around children as well as adult dogs that lived with children.

I have adopted to families with babies and families with many children and it's always great to see a boxer who loves children back in boxer heaven. Boxers who love children are the happiest with their kids. If you're going to raise your own puppy around children please do your homework. Boxers are a rambunctious breed and go through stages where you will need intervene. As a rescue volunteer (in the state with the most euthanized healthy, purebred dogs) it's always sad to see a boxer coming in because it grew (much faster than the family ever imagined) and just got out of control. They are fed up and turn the dog in. Not implying that you would, just to point out that many a dog experienced family have found a boxer is more work to raise than other breeds. That being said, all of us on here, wouldn't have a home without one.

And for your family's safety and happiness, please don't take the risk of buying one off puppy finder, out of a newspaper, or in a puppy shop. If you don't go through a reputable breeder you may find you own a boxer with a very poor temperment or a myriad of health problems as it matures. Pet shop puppies are notorious for temperment issues around here, they are so poorly socialized and are taken from their litter so young.

Ashlie
Florida Boxer Rescue volunteer
www.flbr.org
owned by the rescued boxertrio - Jillian, Tulley, and Desi

 

[InfiniteX]

we thought about the rescue option, but my daughter is only 3 and afraid of big dogs, I am thinking if she grows up with a puppy it would be best, we have taken her to Just Puppies and she like the hold all the puppies. I have seen the Florida boxer rescue site, but never found any links to breeders.

 

[Sabrina Jay]

I would suggest contacting maybe some of the breeders listed on Boxerworld URL you were previously given.....or contact the following for a breeder referral:

1) Your local boxer rescue group. (many people who are working in the rescue do know ethical/responsible breeders).

2) Your local boxer club.

There are actually many benefits from adopting from a rescue group. Any reputable rescue will NOT place a boxer into a household that would not fit into that household. (ie: smaller children - not all boxers are suited for smaller children)

Just FYI: You won't find breeder links thru rescue sites.

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

BTW, a full-grown Boxer is likely to be more settled and gentle than a puppy. A Boxer puppy, after not that many months, can be fairly large, but untrained and unaware of his own strength.

 

[adeinert]

BTW, a full-grown Boxer is likely to be more settled and gentle than a puppy. A Boxer puppy, after not that many months, can be fairly large, but untrained and unaware of his own strength.

You can say that again! The wildest and roughest fosters I have ever had through here for Florida Boxer Rescue were 4-5 month old puppies - big bodies and tons of energy.

By 6-8 months old the puppy can be as large as a full grown dog but have the energy of two or three! Hee hee, wild, wacky, but a lot for a tiny child.


Here is the link from the Florida Boxer Rescue site.
http://www.flbr.org/2003breeders.html
Basically it tells what to look for if you are looking for a reputable breeder. As a courtesy, a list of breeders was supplied that do the necessary health testing. It is a link from another site. The same breeders should be on the boxerworld site though. If you look for a breeder through a local boxer club, be sure to check if they do the necessary health testing. Not all dogs who can win a ribbon or be entered in a show carry health bloodlines.

As a teacher, I have known quite a few children afraid of big dogs, some grow out of it and some do not. She's still quite young, maybe in time she'll be ready.

Good luck,
Ashlie

Ashlie