What "stage" is a 2 year old at?

[Baxter's mum]

you mean he'll be an adult dog one day?!

Baxter will be 2 in January and he is still a long way from being a "grown-up" dog too. I'm trying to leave him uncrated for the day (this is try #2). So far not too bad. But I know what you mean about the puppiness compared to other breeds.
Luckily Bax is really small so he can still pass for 7 months and get away with his immature behaviour....

 

[Rushy]

Not A Puppy... Just a Boxer

I think that is just a Boxer trate in and of itself.
Since a year ago when we got our first boxer we quickly learned that boxers require literally 24 hour attention. So of course one wasn't enough for us!!

Hahaha one of us is actually home so they are never alone!
This makes our home a perfect 24 hour a day attention place for our boxers!!
Plus we have 2 roomates that are in and out and they also get play time from them.

I think boxers regardless of age need that attention!!

I've grown up around animals and have had other dogs and even at puppy stages they weren't like this.

 

[Sugar Ray's Mom]

At 2 we started letting her out of the crate, sometimes we would be gone for a half hour and she would eat a shoe and sometimes we would be gone for 3 hours and she would be good. She was great until she was 4 and discovered that the inside of comforters have the same stuffing as her toys. She started taking commands more seriously around 2 and with that came more consistancy in her behaviour. Her guard instincts of our home and yard became more defined.

At 4 1/2 she still likes to tuck and run, play tug of war for hours with dad, get and give hugs and kisses constantly (loves to sneak attack kiss innocent strangers) and wiggles each and every time we come in as if we've been gone for years. She's only calmed down enough to be able to cuddle in closer at bedtime.

I pray she stays as exuberent, puppyish and happy for all the days to come..

 

[ilovevegas]

Definitely a consideration. I'm moving later this week and if I end up with a backyard, Simon is getting a little sister!

Our Vegas is about 15 months now and we started leaving him alone and uncrated (when he was 11 months)with our first foster girl, Daisy (who was 7yrs old and totally cool when left home alone). I think she calmed him down and showed him that it was ok to just chill out when we leave So you might even want to look into a *big* sister for him! Or start volounteering with your local boxer rescue; that way your helping them out by fostering and you're getting a babysitter!!
p.s. we didn't leave Vegas and Daisy alone unattended until we really knew her and they were great friends.
Crystal and Vegas-flashy brindle lovebug born july 21st 2003
http://www.boxerrescuecanada.org
http://www.montrealboxerrescue.com

 

[BeckyNC]

Tae will be 2 on Dec 2!

At 19 mos, I noticed her calming a little. The past couple weeks she has become more demonstrative--she lets me know what she wants a lot better. When I first got her, she was not good about letting me know she had to go potty. She only had a couple accidents in the house, but she didn't seem to know how to tell me she wanted to go out. I bell trained her 2 mos ago, and sometimes she rings, but other times she sits in front of the door or sits down and gives me the look. That's new!

Tae has recently become very receptive to commands. I know one could argue this is the result of a lot of obedience effort on my part, but it isn't. If I ask her to sit, wait, leave it, etc., she does so immediately.

Oh, one thing I miss...Tae has stopped being sassy and talking back to me. Does that go away as they mature. It was so fun when she talked back!