Boxers?
 

No, not a human who boxes for sport, Jake :rolleyes:

I mean a dog. Seriously contemplating adopting a Boxer through a rescue organization. Just wondering if any of you own one or know someone who does, and do you recommend them as good pets.

Paula

:lol: That's not the one that would enter his mind first, Paula!

I don't have a Boxer, but I have a mini daschound (or however the hell you spell it ;) ). The most stubborn dogs in the world!!!!!

I seriously considered getting a boxer for a while. They're great dogs, and don't shed much. The only reason I didn't is because they have a reputation for not getting along well with other dogs. I've heard this from a couple people who have them. But if you don't think your dog would be in contact much with other dogs, I'd say go for it! I have a sister and brother-in-law who visit a lot with their choc. lab, plus we watch him a lot when they go away, so I didn't want to take the chance of having a dog that wouldn't get along with Dallas.

Good luck with it.
Carol

Guess I should mention I still haven't gotten a dog. But if/when I do, it'll be a boston terrier. Great with kids, don't shed much and supposedly not as hyper as most terriers. Plus they're a nice size; not too big, not too small.

I've heard the same thing- they're great pets, but don't do well getting along with other dogs or even kids. Which, if you don't have other dogs or kids makes them just fine. They're very intelligent and loving.

Edit: Violet- I also want a Boston terrier, I have for a few years now. Someday when I have the time & money, I'm bringing one home with me!

I'm gonna git you, sucka!!

It is hysterical to me that you have a weenie dog - I think they are the funniest dogs on earth. I hade one as a kid and would love to get another.

My dog is super-smart, but also super-stubborn. If you play with her and then stop for a few minutes, she'll retaliate by pissing on the floor. :laugh: They're also quite expensive, I paid $800 for mine. :eek:

:xoxo: !!!!

That peeing thing wouldn't sit too well with me. They do seem entertaining, though.

Expensive, shmexpensve. You're talking to someone who had an $1800 cockatoo that lived in a $700 cage. Not too mention the food,woodblock, and vet bills. Haven't got kids, and ain't gettin any, so it's all relative. The pets are worth every cent.

You're right. When I got my dog, I told myself that I would never be one of those people who treated their pet like their kid. But I did and do, every day. I dote on my dog like it's a newborn, sparks. ;)

I'm out of town so away from all my dog books, but I do know that with their popularity you should be very wary of overbreeding .

- Jake

$800 is very reasonable fore a pure-breed.
BTW, I think the dumbest dogs are the best. I gew up with the most hilarious Shih-tzu. He was so stupid he was a pleasure. And always happy.

- Jake

There was a time when I used this philosophy for dating. :laugh:

What a coincidence, I do the same thing! ;)

My best friend just got 2 6-week old Boxer pups from a breeder. They're too cute, but I don't have the time & patience to deal with a little puppy right now (of course, I don't have a separate "dog room" with doggy-door access to an kennel outside like she does, so...)

I've been checking out http://www.secondchanceboxer.com for a while now, and I have another friend who adopted through this organization & it worked out great. I know you can't always know everything about some of their histories, but I'm not looking for a show dog, I just want a great pet. I don't have any other dogs, but I do have 2 cats. We'll see how it goes.

I'm going away in October, so I can't do anything right away, I'm just doing some research for now. Thanks for all of your input.

paula :xoxo:

Not literally, I hope. eeeewww. :shocked: ;)

- Jake

:mad: :laugh:
Amber

When I lived in Phoenix, I volunteered for an animal rescue organization. We did pound rescue, so we seldom had any pure bred dogs, although it did happen on occasion.

I think it's great that you are considering rescuing. All my kiddos (three dogs, one cat) are rescued. They are the loves of my life (and Jake, I love them even though they don't buy me expensive jewelry ;) ). Anyway, I haven't read your link yet, but try to make sure that the rescue organization finds out as much info as possible as to temperament. Rescue dogs CAN be difficult, because they've been in some sort of bad situation, either abuse, neglect or abandonment, so they usually require a little more love and patience. But it's SO worth it, when you get their loyalty and love.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

Let me add www.petfinder.com

This site is afilliated with shelters and all sorts of rescue organizations (from what I can tell). I'm a big shelter advocate. My rabbits all came from local shelters, and sometimes you can find purebreds there, so it's always worth a look. Especially if it's just a mouse click away!

OK, that's my speech for the day... :laugh:

Any good liberal worth their weight in gold, would've adopted from an animal shelter. :p

Yeah! You coulda bought a poor person a car for that kind of money! (me) :laugh: :wavey:
Amber

There is a lot to be said for dating stupid, happy men.

If you're mind is going in the other direction on this one Jake - you are waaaaay sicker than I ever imagined you were. Not that I'd be surprised by that. :p

I've adopted three sick animals in the past. Two dogs, one cat. And I'm NOT a cat person.

Ok then, I forgive you. ;) :laugh:

I'm not a cat person either.
Other people's cats are ok... I like them and they like me. But for my own pet, I wouldn't want a cat.

When I go into an animal shelter, I get so emotional I can't take it. I see all these animals and know that i have to pick, but they all want to leave their bastard cages and I start crying. I can't handle it anymore. If man commits every crime imaginable, not one of them will ever match the evil crimes man has committed against innocent animals.

Thanks, Patti. My two cats were rescues (one from SPCA, the other was a stray my brother found on the street as a kitten.)

Second Chance Boxer places their dogs with a foster family who's had experience with boxers before they can be adopted. This way that family can assess their temperament, deal w/medical issues & update their vaccines, as well as determine if the dog is good with other animals, kids, etc. The organization then matches a dog to a family after an interview & home visit so that there is a better chance the adoption will be successful - fewer surprises for the dog AND the owner.

Paula

Yeah, I don't go either, the exception being when we got our first cat. She's a Siamese mix (no idea exactly what the other parts to the mix are :laugh: ) and it was love at first sight, but not...smell.

She was friendly & well-behaved when they took her out of the cage so we could play with her, but she had terrible gas! Mark & I were laughing hysterically, then becoming ill, it was SO bad. :shocked: We decided to meet another cat, but it was not very friendly so we decided to go with 'stinky.'

A simple change in diet made a world of difference & I'm happy to say that Mrs. Bouvier no longer reeks :)

Paula

My sister has a Boxer, and he is a very high maintenance dog. He has chronic problems with his eyes; they are red almost all the time. He gets hurt easily, and he has an irritable stomach -- especially when he gets into stuff he's not supposed to (which happens a lot if he is left unattended outside of his crate) and eats it. He slobbers all over the place and likes to lick things. And he does shed. The hair is short, so it isn't as noticeable as long dog hair, but it is there. My sister loves the dog, and he is a good companion for a single woman living alone, because he looks so ferocious. I would just recommend that anyone considering a boxer for a pet please do your research so that you know what you're getting into. Actually, that applies to any pet!

Also, my sister has another dog, a female German Shepherd mix, and she and the Boxer get along fine. The Boxer does NOT get along with my dog, a male Golden Retriever, or my other sister's female Border Collie.

Out of all the pets in our family, the Boxer is definitely considered the most high maintenance.

Paula, I briefly looked at the site (in between this pesky job stuff ;)) and they look like a well-thought out organization. I like the fact that they deal with all the temperament, health issues etc., and I especially like that they do home visits. It makes a world of difference in successful matches! Keep us posted!

I also thought in underwear... ;)

Gee, thanks for the encouragement! But seriously - I've been around Boxers enough to know about the slobber, and I've been doing quite a bit of reading too, so I know what I'm in for with the other issues too! :laugh:

All of your (& your sisters') dogs are great, they're all such beautiful dogs - although I must say that my brother-in-law's Golden is the dumbest dog I've ever encountered :o

Paula

I must have been sleeping when I started this thread, that thought never even entered my mind, lol.

paula

I didn't really mean to be discouraging, I was just trying to share some personal experience. I'm sorry if my post seemed too negative. Some people decide on a breed for the wrong reasons or get them without doing any research, and then can't handle what they get...which leads to the sad stories we hear too often. So it's great that you are NOT doing that!!

I've heard people say that Goldens can be dumb. We're lucky: ours is the smartest dog in the universe. ;)

No, I don't think you were being negative at all - just realistic! :nod:

Paula

PS - congrats on getting a smart Golden! :cool: