Lovely Puppies
- Thread starter gabefun
- Start date
MSPrincess
New Member
Boxers are so sweet. Once you get passed the drool, snoring and rotten gas, they're great!
cattitude
My Sweetest Boy
I have 3. One drools when it's dinnertime, they are generally not a drooly dog. Gas..not a problem..feed them a good quality food and yogurt.
cattitude
My Sweetest Boy
If you are looking to purchase a Boxer puppy, please do your homework. Boxers have many genetic health issues and you need to be sure the breeder health tests the dogs they breed.
SearchingForAReputableBreeder
Searching For A Reputable Breeder:
What To Look For!
Will the Breeder be there for me if I need them?
When searching for a Reputable Breeder, you will need to interview each Breeder carefully to determine if you are comfortable with their knowledge and ethics. A Reputable Breeder is someone who will be there for you throughout your dog’s life should you ever have a question or need advice. A Reputable Breeder will also stand behind their dogs through a contract. If you feel unsure or uncomfortable with a Breeder, follow your instincts and stay away. A Reputable Breeder is knowledgeable, caring and will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have concerning the breed and their breeding practices.
Does the Breeder perform health testing?
One of the most prevalent health issues plaguing the Boxer breed are heart problems. A Reputable Boxer Breeder will have ensured the sire and dam to their litter of puppies have both been heart tested by a Board Certified Veterinary Cardiologist by way of an Echo Doppler and/or 24 Hour Holter Monitor. The Echo Doppler is a sonogram of the heart that can identify SAS (subaortic stenosis), will determine flow rates, and sometimes can detect Cardiomyopathy as well as other defects and diseases of the heart. The 24 Hour Holter Monitor is a 24 hour EKG that can detect abnormalities in heart function and is utilized to diagnose Cardiomyopathy.
Another important test a Boxer Breeder should ensure is performed on the sire and dam of their puppies is Thyroid Testing. Low thyroid is very common in boxers and can be easily checked through a blood test.
Ask the Breeder if they have copies of the health test results should you want to view them. Keep in mind that there is never a 100% guarantee a puppy won't be affected with a genetic problem but buying a puppy from a health tested sire and dam will better ensure your puppy will be a healthy boxer.
What about the temperaments of the sire and dam?
Meet the sire and dam of the puppies you are considering. The temperament of a Boxer should be friendly and not aggressive or shy towards strangers. Some Boxers may be somewhat wary when you first arrive but should quickly warm up to you. Just be prepared for those Boxer kisses and excitable energy that can be unexpectedly, but lovingly, offered to greet your arrival.
It may not always be possible to meet the sire of the litter if the Breeder has used a stud dog from another area. If this is the case, ask the Breeder about the personality and temperament of the sire, or you can ask the Breeder to put you in contact with the sire’s owner.
Temperament is very important to consider when breeding a litter and aggressive or shy Boxers should not be bred. The temperament of the sire and dam can be a good indication as to the temperament of their puppies.
What are the living conditions like?
Check out the living conditions of the Breeder’s puppies and adult Boxers. All of their Boxers should be living inside and not outdoors. Boxers are not outside dogs. They cannot tolerate extreme cold or heat and they crave human companionship. Check the area where the dogs are kept for general cleanliness, space, and the overall condition of the living area. Take notice as to whether or not the Breeder’s dogs appear to be healthy and well cared for.
Is the Breeder breeding for the right reasons?
Ask the Breeder how long they have been breeding Boxers and whether they belong to any Boxer or All Breed clubs. Ask the Breeder if they show their dogs and ask them why they decided to become involved in breeding. Some of the answers you DO NOT want to hear as reasons for breeding are: “to make extra money”, “because we love our boxer so much we wanted another just like him/her”, “because we just really like boxers”, or anything else along that line. A Reputable Breeder is breeding for the best interest of the breed as a whole: to preserve, protect and improve the breed through their breeding practices by breeding healthy, well tempered, quality Boxers.
How often and what age are the Breeder's boxers being bred?
Ask the Breeder how often they breed their Boxers and at what age do they start breeding them. A female Boxer should not be bred until she is close to 2 years of age at the earliest. Even at the age of 2 years, some female Boxers are still too much of a puppy themselves to handle the responsibility of raising a litter of puppies. A good Breeder will be able to determine when their female Boxer is both mentally and physically mature enough to breed. The most litters a female Boxer should produce in her lifetime is 3 or 4 and she should not be bred past 6 years of age.
What if the Breeder is put off by my asking questions?
If a Breeder is put off by all of your questions, then I strongly recommend you go somewhere else. They may not like your questions because they have something to hide or they may not be the type of Breeder who is easy to talk to. Don’t be afraid to ask the Breeder for references from people who have purchased puppies from them in the past. Any reputable Breeder would be more than happy share this information with you.
I personally prefer people who ask a lot of questions because it shows me they are more likely to be serious in their commitment to take on the responsibility of raising and caring for a Boxer puppy.
Should the Breeder ask me questions?
You can recognize a reputable Breeder by the questions they ask you. They should be just as inquisitive as you are and may require an application or questionnaire to be filled out if you are interested in purchasing one of their puppies. A good Breeder has a sincere interest in where their puppies are placed and how they will be cared for as opposed to placing a puppy with the first person that shows up at the door with money in hand. A Reputable Breeder may also require to do a home visit and may want to meet all of the family members prior to placing a puppy with you.
What if the puppies are all really cute and appear healthy but I am not comfortable with the Breeder?
If you are uncomfortable with the Breeder, the condition of the Breeder’s dogs (adults and/or puppies), the living area of the dogs, or anything else about the Breeder or their Boxers, then I strongly urge you to follow your gut feeling and look elsewhere. A good Breeder will be well worth the wait, time and effort you take to research them!
MSPrincess
New Member
MSPrincess
New Member
Are you feeding them beeno? LOL! My oldest rips 'em no matter what you feed him. They have always been on good food though. The youngest drools after every drink of water. I just love it when they walk through the house and their dog food falls out of their lips...
cattitude
My Sweetest Boy
Are you feeding them beeno? LOL! My oldest rips 'em no matter what you feed him. They have always been on good food though. The youngest drools after every drink of water. I just love it when they walk through the house and their dog food falls out of their lips...
No, I feed them yogurt with their food in the morning. I feed California Natural.
They are rather messy with the water bowl.
MSPrincess
New Member
Not THAT is some good advice! Everything is right on!