spoiling a boxer pup

[calibox559]

Hello everyone! My girlfirend and I are thinking of buying a boxer pup. However we have a big dilemma about how to raise our pup. People buy dogs for all kinds of different reasons and I believe that the boxer being a working dog we should raise him to behave a certain way, i.e. to protect us and to follow our commands without questioning them. Now, hold on a second here I am not trying to create some narcotics-snifing superdog. I just have high expectations from a working breed like a boxer. Now on the other hand my g/f being a woman she says that she will overspoil him to death. Needless to say I don't think that would be the greatest idea on earth, and frankly it kinda upsets me. I believe that ANY dog should be loved but it seems to me as if she is mistaking loving a dog with overspoiling it. My argument with her is that if she wants a dog to spoil she should get a little one like a I don't know whatever the small ones are. So my question is (especially to the owners who are females) when you were raising your puppy did u overspoil him like my g/f wants to, and if you did how did they turn out? My biggest concern is that my dog is going to grow up to be a sissy if he's been overspoiled as a pup. It doesn't matter what the sex of the dog is but we are thinkin of buyin a male so I'm thinkin of raisin him even tuffer than if we were to get a female. Thank you for your feedback and advice.

 

[avts1977]

Before I answer this, what do you mean by "overspoil" and raising a male "tougher"? I don't want to say anything without understanding exactly what you mean by this!

 

[Eric J]

Actually you can both have what you want. Go pick up copies of The Dog Listener by Jan Fennel and The Cultural Clash by Jean Donaldson. You will find out if you are (and you BOTH have to consistent or nothing will work) non-violent, strict and effusive with praise and treats you will have a well behaved dog. Boxers don't need to be trained for protection, they naturally protect (once they are no longer puppies) their pack, you can find tons of threads on this site about it.

You surely remember the old phrase you can get more with honey then vinegar (ok, my paraphrase is probably off) and with dogs it is not just a saying, it is cold hard truth.

As for being tough on a dog, that will get you a confused dog that will probably fear you more then listen to you and that is not a safe or healthy relationship. Being tough on a male over a female is a worse idea. The males are actually more clingy overall and the females more independant (all boxers are different, this is a generalization).

Check out those books and both of you read them cover to cover, they truly are a great basis to build your dog's life on.

 

[Pooch72]

Have you just started looking for a pup? If so you might check into some of the internet sights that match up a dog to you for the characteristics you are looking for.

The Boxer is probably not what you are looking for. They are not meant to be raised as "tuff'' dogs. They are very energetic, require lots of exercise, very family oriented and good with children, can not be kept outside because with their short muzzle they do not handle heat or cold well and they slobber. They require obedience training which requires you to maintain their training at all times through out their life. They can be trained to be good agility dogs.

A well trained dog of any breed can be protective of your home without being aggressive in nature.

As for raising a a dog not to be a sissy many states are refusing to provide homeowners insurance to people who own tuff aggressive dogs. This can be a great liability to you and your family.

There are many things to consider before choosing to own a dog and the type of breed you select.

 

[calibox559]

Well, avts1977 by overspoiling I mean spoiling the dog all the time as in letting him sleep on the couch, giving him food off the table, etc. And as for raising him tougher than a female, maybe it's just my opinion but I just feel that women are more likely to buy a female pup rather than a male and spoil them more than if they had a male. ( I have met a few female dog owners and most of them had female dogs, I don't know it may have been a coincidence) However I don't want to generalize and say that say 90% of the time women will buy a female dog rather than male.

 

[avts1977]

Well, I am a female, and my first dog was a female (but not really by choice - she was the last of the litter). My husband and I now also have a male. She is much more aggressive and protective than him. But most of the women I know have more male dogs than females.

We don't give them people food because it isn't really good for them (most of it anyway) and because it makes them beggers! We try to keep them well-behaved, but if they get people food (I have a friend who does this no matter what we say) they start to hang over people while they are eating. We do have some food, like cheese and hot dogs, that we use as extra-special training treats.

We do let them have free rein over several pieces of furniture - the loveseat downstairs and one of the guest beds. We don't let them sleep in our bed with us, but they do have their own beds in our room. And there are several comforter and pillow "piles" scattered through the house that are for them when they feel like nesting.

Any dog can be trained to follow commands, but I've found that ours sometimes think about it first! And while they will both bark their heads off when someone comes to the door, once they come in, they are more likely to be licked to death than anything else! They are very people-oriented; one friend of ours got a new job and spent less time at home with his boxer - the dog broke through a screen door time and time again to play with the neighbors (but when our friend cut back his hours, the escapades ended)! Another friend with a boxer left him at home while he went to his college classes and when he got back, the dog had ripped and partly chewed all the blinds in the kitchen and living room because he wasn't used to being left behind! (Both of these were males.)

I would fully recommend the books previously mentioned. They will help you with positive training methods and establishing yourself and your girlfriend as the alphas in a natural manner. I don't think you need to worry about whatever you get becoming a sissy - probably the more time you spend with the dog and bond with it, the more attached it will be to you. To be perfectly honest, my husband spoils our two more than I do!

 

[Chewy's Mom]

I too am a female, and our first boxer pup was Chewy, a male, who is now 2 years old. I think we're the type of example that you are looking for. I definitely spoiled Chewy rotten. He sleeps on the couch, our bed, wherever, and he gets tons of toys, treats, kisses, attention - whatever he wants! However, he is also a pretty well behaved boy, and he is protective. Nobody would mistake my boy for a sissy. He is tough, and looks like a big tough dog, which he can be, but he's also a love bug. He's a perfect dog for both me and my hubby. I wanted a lap dog, but hubby wanted a big dog. Boxers are big lap dogs!

You should know, however, that boxers can be challenging to train. They have a ton of energy and can be very easily distracted. They also tend to have a mind of their own and need to be properly motivated. If you want a dog who just does what you tell him without question - you might not want to get a boxer! If you have the patience to train him AND build your relationship with him (yes, by spoiling him), I really think both you and your gf can be happy. Good luck!

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

Like Chewy's Mom, I'm a female too. I've had both male and female dogs and I've noticed that the males have definitely been much more affectionate with people than the females and that, in general, both sexes tend to bond more with the opposite sex owner.

Scrapper is definitely spoiled. He sleeps where he wants, has fleeces on both couches and spend most of his time inside, but Boxers need to be inside dogs and can't tolerate extremes of hot and cold. Even "warm" and "chilly" are kind of troublesome. You should see my husband, the 6'3" former Marine, kiss him on top of his big ol' Boxer head every night and tuck him in under his cover in the winter. Yea, that's a tough dog. But he's also intelligent and watchful and keeps tabs on everything that comes and goes around the house. He can get protective if necessary. Of all the dogs I've had in my life, I've never seen a dog with the temperament, personality and intelligence of this one.

Boxers are very strong. They are 60+ pounds of pure muscle, so they need to be obedient. But you have to use the right psychology when you train them because they don't just blindly do what you want. They respond best to positive reinforcement and praise. And you need to be patient because they won't do what you want right away like a Doberman will. They have an extra long puppyhood and aren't really mature until they are almost 2 years old. Even when they are fully grown, they are playful and puppylike in many ways. They need lots of attention and won't be happy being left alone for long periods of time. So, I think, if done in the right way, spoiling is definitely called for with a Boxer to get the best results. You might want to visit some dog shows, see other dog breeds and talk to some breeders to get your questions answered before you narrow your search to the Boxer to make sure you make the right choice for you.

 

[jdvz79]

DON'T DO IT!!!!

I'm a guy and I hate to say this, but, DON'T GET A DOG WITH YOUR GIRLFREIND. It will cause you nothing but trouble. My EX-FIANCE' and I got our two together. Now a year later were breaking up. It's not because of the dogs. We did have serious issues when it came to decinding on how how to tain them though. I own the house so I do get to keep the dogs, but, I still am a good person and will allow her to see them whenever she wants. Whic is going to make it even harder on both, but hey, their like our children. So I'm begging you! PLEASE TAKE INTO SREIOUS CONSIDERATION ABOUT GETTING A DOG WITH HER. I'm saying not to be rude but, to let you know worst case senario because I'm going through it as we speak (LITTERALLY) boxes are lined up in the hall right now. :( :( :( :( :(

 

[Dodgn_AK]

I spoil Tyson because he is like my child. I don't have any skin kids and don't know if I ever will. He has a doggie bed in the living room and the bedroom that he sleeps on, although I do allow him on the couch to cuddle with me. He is not supposed to sleep on the bed but he sneaks up there everynight. There are several reasons I chose a boxer, they are medium size dogs, they don't shed much, they dont bark much and they are people dogs. That has got to be one of the things I like best about Tyson, he likes everyone. I would rather have my dog be well socialized and able to get along then bark and lunge at every dog/person we see on our travels together. If you are looking for a macho dog, a boxer is not it. And I don't think that just because a dog is spoiled it makes him a sissy. I happen to know a very large rotti that is spoiled rotten, but the best protector I have ever met. Good luck in your decision.