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| The
aim of this page is to help you decide whether a boxer is the right dog for you
and your family. A well bred, well reared puppy is not cheap, correct rearing costs money. Although the initial outlay for a good puppy may be more than if one was purchased through local advertisements the long term costs both financial and emotional will be greatly reduced. It is also worth remembering that the average boxer lifespan is 10 years, in routine veterinary care and feeding costs alone this is a huge financial commitment that should not be taken lightly. |
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| Before
bringing any dog into your family one of the first things you need to ask yourself
is: does everybody share your enthusiasm at the prospect of dog ownership? If
you can answer yes to this question then read on. |
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| Heart Scheme |
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| Due
to the fact that heart murmurs were found not to be uncommon in boxers, the UK
Boxer Breed Council implemented the current heart scoring system in order to assess
the heart status of dogs and bitches used for breeding. Hearts are scored by certified
cardiologists (not general practice veterinary surgeons) and are given a grading
from 0-6. As with any health scheme, the boxer heart scheme is not compulsory but all responsible breeders will have their dogs and bitches graded before breeding. Any dog or bitch that is graded 3 or above should under no circumstances be used in any breeding program. When buying a boxer puppy you should always check with the breeder on the heart status of it's parents. Click here to read the advice sheet circulated by the UK Boxer Breed Council for new puppy owners. |
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| Appearance
& Basic Needs |
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| The
boxer is a medium sized dog. At the shoulder adult bitches should measure between
21 and 23 inches in height and adult dogs should be between 23 and 25 inches.
The accepted coat colours are brindle and red with or without white markings.
White boxers are also seen and though often advertised as 'rare' this is not the
case. The UK Boxer breed standard does not include white boxers as an accepted
colour. Due to possible health problems white boxers should never be included
in a breeding program and consequently responsible breeders do not register white
puppies with the kennel club. Although most people have a personal colour preference this should never detrimentally influence your decision regarding purchasing a puppy. If the higher quality stud dogs at any given time are dominantly brindle then you can expect to see that most well bred litters will also be brindle the same applies if the highest quality stud dogs are red. Don't be tempted to purchase your puppy from a less than respectable source entirely based on it's coat colour. Such a minor cosmetic issue is not worth the possible heart-ache and veterinary fees during the life of your dog. Boxers are a shorthaired breed requiring little grooming if fed a good quality diet. 5 or 10 minutes a day with a rubber mitt is more than enough to keep their coat in glossy condition. To keep your boxer in tip top condition a good consistent diet and regular exercise are a must. Tripe combined with a quality terrier biscuit is a popular choice, but branded complete foods such as Eukanuba are a good alternative. Puppies will need to be fed between 4 and 5 times a day gradually reducing to a recommended twice daily by adulthood. It is very important that initially you continue feeding your puppy with the same food and at the same times as your breeder has been feeding him, any change you do decide to make to his diet should not be made for the first few days and then should be done gradually. Exercise as puppies should be kept light, excessive free running and running up and down stairs is detrimental to developing joints and bones. A fifteen minute lead walk twice daily combined with some free time in your own garden is ample exercise for a growing puppy. An adult boxer will love as much exercise as you can handle! |
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| Worming,vaccination and house training | ||
| Your
new puppy will have been wormed on a regular basis from 2 weeks of age by your
breeder, in order to continue protection from worms you will need to worm your
puppy at 12 weeks, 6 months and then every 6 months continuing on from that. Don't
be tempted to buy a pet shop wormer, these are not very effective and are often
expensive. A suitable worming product can be bought from your vet. As soon as
you bring your puppy home you should contact your local veterinary surgery and
arrange an appointment for your puppy to have his vaccinations. These are usually
done at 8 and 12 weeks of age. Your puppy cannot go off your property until 2
weeks after his second inoculation as he won't be protected against the various
diseases. It is also a good idea to consider protecting your puppy against the
bordatella strain of kennel cough, this can be done at the same time as his vaccinations
and involves nothing more than a simple drop of the vaccine which is called Intrac
being administered through the nose. Discuss your worming regime and Intrac with
your vet when your puppy has his first vaccination. Boxers are by nature very clean dogs, your puppy wants to be clean, all you have to do is help him. Start as soon as you bring him home by putting him outside so he can go. If he relieves himself then make a huge fuss of him and bring him back indoors. Your puppy will need putting outside to go to the toilet straight after naps, after feeding, after playing and whenever you see the telltale sniffing and circling. It is a good idea to put him outside every 20 minutes or so until he gets the hang of what he is out there to do. Remember to praise him when he goes, your puppy will learn by reward not by punishment. |
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| Character |
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| Ask
anybody who owns a boxer what they think of them and you will often hear the reply
that they would never have another a breed. It has to be pointed out however that
a boxer isn't the breed for everybody. If you are hoping for a quiet sedate family
pet then a boxer isn't for you. Boxers in general are fun loving, boisterous,
mischievous characters with an extremely high level of intelligence. Too many
dogs are put into rescue when the cute puppy period is over and the things that
were funny at 4 months aren't quite as funny at 2 years. Their boundless energy
needs firm handling from day one, the key word is FIRM this does not mean harsh.
It is a good idea to enrol your puppy in obedience classes, these are a great
way of socialising your pup and teaching him and you how to channel his energy.
The most important thing to a boxer is company, they thrive on human companionship
and do not do well if left alone for long periods of time. If you and your partner
work full time then rethink your decision to go into dog ownership. It is not
fair and cannot be expected for a puppy to grow up well socialised and emotionally
balanced if this is the beginning of his upbringing. If raised correctly a boxer is a joy to own, they are devoted pets and adore children. |
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| What to expect from your breeder | ||
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On contacting your breeder the first thing you should expect is a barrage of questions, a responsible breeder wants to be sure that their puppy is going to a good and suitable home. When you collect your puppy you should expect the following paperwork:
If you have any questions or concerns after bringing your puppy home your breeder will be only to happy to advise you, remember they are only ever as far away as a telephone call. If for any reason your circumstances change and you find yourself needing to re-home your boxer, your breeder should be the the first person you contact. In the event that they are not able to take the puppy back they may know of a suitable person to re-home your boxer with, if not they may pass on any prospective owners that contact them . |
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| Hopefully
this page has given you a little bit of insight into what to expect from boxer
ownership. Remember: |
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Your boxer
is a loyal and loving friend
he will ALWAYS think you are wonderful you don't get many friends like that MAKE SURE YOU DESERVE HIM |
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