Boxers?????

[Southpaw]

Boxers are very active dogs, most "mellow" out at 2-3 years old but they are called eternal puppies for a reason.

I'm at work so can write more later tonight but yeah...if you want a mellow dog, boxers are not the breed. Unless you do an adult rescue so you know their requirements.

[Saeleofu]

I haven't read everything up to this point, but I saw boxers and smooth collies mentioned...and I have one of each

My boxer is dog-reactive, wary of strangers, and has a very high prey drive. He's generally an asshole to every other dog, but he LOVES Logan (my smoothie), and can be around other dogs, so long as he's monitored and not matched up with another dog that's an asshole. I was dogsitting 11 dogs last year, and he got to the point where he could be let loose to play with them all, even all of them at the same time. Despite his prey drive, he ADORES small dogs - but he can't be around cats. He's been in with the chickens before and chased them a bit, but didn't hurt them. He was quite a hyper dog when he was younger (I got him at around a year, he was a stray, so his background is unknown). Now at age 5 he's incredibly mellowed out, but he does get active when he's outside or when we go somewhere. He's got some anxiety, but it's mostly a result of his hypothyroidism (which is incredibly common in boxers) than anything else. He's overall a fantastic dog, and he is my heart dog. He was *my* first dog, but I was not a dog novice when I got him - I was raised with dogs, mostly GSDs but also some others. I has dog training and handling experience, had worked in a vet clinic for a couple years( which is how I ended up with him), and I knew what I was doing. Now, boxers have SO many health and possible temperament problems, that if I were to get another one it would have to be from a breeder I really trust, a breeder who breeds for longevity, health, and temperament and does Early Neurological Stimulation and make sure it's socialized very well. The reason I don't have another boxer is because I could not find a breeder that met my criteria. He doesn't bark much, in fat he hardly ever barked until I got my collie. He will alert bark if there is a legitimate reason, but that's about it. He's content to just chill the vast majority of the time, he's extremely cuddly, and he's freaking adorable

My smooth collie is very outgoing, he loves EVERYTHING - dogs, cats, chickens, people, you name it. He's never met any living thing he didn't like. He sheds more than my boxer, but still not as much as the GSDs. He's got the most stable temperament of any dog I've ever been around - when he took his ATTS temperament test, he got scores mostly around the middle, which is where I want them for his job as a service dog. He an be a giant goof ball, but when he's working he gets very focused. He's not as agile or drivey as Gavroche - or at least, he has better self-control than Gavroche (my boxer). He has no problem being around strange dogs, cats, small animals, new people, etc. He was EXTREMELY active as a young dog (I got him around a year old from a fantastic breeder), and he needed to do something every single day (MINIMUM of a fairly long walk, ideally much more than that - biking, playing, loads of training etc) or he'd go nuts and bark his head off. As he matured, he needed less and less activity. Now as long as he gets to go out and play for a bit or watch the chickens for a while ,he's perfectly content to chill the rest of the time. His barking has backed off a lot lately, but there was a time when I used a spray collar on him to stop the barking. It worked wonders for the barking, though, and he no longer needs it (I may put it on again if I ever move into an apartment). He's a soft dog compared to my boxer, and spray is definitely enough of a correction for him (unscented spray, even - the citronella scented stuff gives me a headache). Anyway, he's just a really fun dog, though he did take a lot of work as a youngster. He's my ideal dog in pretty much every sense. However, keep in mind I got him from a good breeder who breeds for temperament and working ability, did Early Neurological Stimulation, socialized the crap out of him, and started training him in SAR work before I ever got him. I can't really say how much of a difference between my dogs is from breed differences and how much is from how they were bred and raised.

If you want to discuss the differences between boxers and collies more, feel free to PM me any time!

[Southpaw]

Okay.

High energy, yes. Especially when young. They are CAPABLE of going a million hours a day, but that doesn't mean they NEED that. When I bring Juno to daycare, after a 10-12 hour day all the staff will tell me "I don't think she ever sat down!" If they are given an activity, they will do it, and they'll do it 110%. She is beginning to mellow out now at 3 years old, and most days a (stimulating) 30 minute walk is enough to keep her satisfied. I say stimulating because I used to be strict about keeping her at my side during the walk... now I'm busy and walks are pretty much her only form of exercise, so she gets the whole length of the leash and gets to stop and sniff and pee on whatever she wants. A slow walk by my side would not even come close to putting a dent in her energy level.

IMO they are easy to train. I think the stubborn part comes from the fact that, most of them are not going to work for a simple "good dog!" and a pat on the head. They need a strong motivator, ie treats or play. Juno is a piece of cake to work with, she loves training and is so focused and learns new concepts very quickly. But that is because she LOVES food, so she is happy to work with me as long as she gets that in return (in the beginning stages - eventually once something has been trained solidly enough, I expect her to just do it). Some people just don't like training with rewards other than praise, or some people just don't know what it is that motivates their dog the most. And that's when you get "stubborn." My experience with Juno is that they do best with positive and upbeat training - she can tell when I am frustrated with her, and then she does essentially shut down and stops working with me. Some call that stubborn, I just call it being in tune.

She is good with dogs, big and small, and cats. She has on leash reactivity but IMO that is my fault and could have been prevented when she was a puppy.

I wouldn't exactly say to a novice dog owner, "hey, get a boxer!" but they're not that difficult. I'm basically a novice. I mean I've had dogs before and I grew up with a boxer before getting Juno, but Juno is MY first dog, the first dog I've raised myself and the first dog I've done any training with. We survived.

But they are fun, sweet, loyal dogs. I have a hard time imagining my house without one. And for the record, my boxer does not jump on people

[Nemek]

There may be noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain good factors in features also.

[Halee.R]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Okay.

High energy, yes. Especially when young. They are CAPABLE of going a million hours a day, but that doesn't mean they NEED that. When I bring Juno to daycare, after a 10-12 hour day all the staff will tell me "I don't think she ever sat down!" If they are given an activity, they will do it, and they'll do it 110%. She is beginning to mellow out now at 3 years old, and most days a (stimulating) 30 minute walk is enough to keep her satisfied. I say stimulating because I used to be strict about keeping her at my side during the walk... now I'm busy and walks are pretty much her only form of exercise, so she gets the whole length of the leash and gets to stop and sniff and pee on whatever she wants. A slow walk by my side would not even come close to putting a dent in her energy level.

IMO they are easy to train. I think the stubborn part comes from the fact that, most of them are not going to work for a simple "good dog!" and a pat on the head. They need a strong motivator, ie treats or play. Juno is a piece of cake to work with, she loves training and is so focused and learns new concepts very quickly. But that is because she LOVES food, so she is happy to work with me as long as she gets that in return (in the beginning stages - eventually once something has been trained solidly enough, I expect her to just do it). Some people just don't like training with rewards other than praise, or some people just don't know what it is that motivates their dog the most. And that's when you get "stubborn." My experience with Juno is that they do best with positive and upbeat training - she can tell when I am frustrated with her, and then she does essentially shut down and stops working with me. Some call that stubborn, I just call it being in tune.

She is good with dogs, big and small, and cats. She has on leash reactivity but IMO that is my fault and could have been prevented when she was a puppy.

I wouldn't exactly say to a novice dog owner, "hey, get a boxer!" but they're not that difficult. I'm basically a novice. I mean I've had dogs before and I grew up with a boxer before getting Juno, but Juno is MY first dog, the first dog I've raised myself and the first dog I've done any training with. We survived.

But they are fun, sweet, loyal dogs. I have a hard time imagining my house without one. And for the record, my boxer does not jump on people

The energy level is my only drawback. Everything else, I could handle.

Since you say Boxer puppies tend to have loads of energy, would it be a good idea to adopt an older one?? I have no problem with adopting an older dog, I just have it in my head that if you adopt an older dog, they don't tend to warm up to you and bond with you as strongly as a puppy would.

[*blackrose]

Originally Posted by Halee.R

The energy level is my only drawback. Everything else, I could handle.

Since you say Boxer puppies tend to have loads of energy, would it be a good idea to adopt an older one?? I have no problem with adopting an older dog, I just have it in my head that if you adopt an older dog, they don't tend to warm up to you and bond with you as strongly as a puppy would.

I actually think adopting an older dog (say, around three years or so) would be PERFECT for you. You know exactly what you are getting temperament wise, coat wise, size wise, and activity level - plus, if you adopt from a rescue, more often than not the dogs have had some basic training and are typically started on crate and house training, if not completely trained already.

Adopting an older dog doesn't hurt their bond with you at all. My boyfriend adopted his dog, Cynder, when she was around two or three years. That dog's world revolves around Mike. He is the center of her universe and everybody else is either tolerated or considered, just a bit, to be a part of the family because they are a part of Mike's family.

[Saeleofu]

Originally Posted by Halee.R

The energy level is my only drawback. Everything else, I could handle.

Since you say Boxer puppies tend to have loads of energy, would it be a good idea to adopt an older one?? I have no problem with adopting an older dog, I just have it in my head that if you adopt an older dog, they don't tend to warm up to you and bond with you as strongly as a puppy would.

ABSOLUTELY get an older dog! I got both my boys around a year old. I personally wouldn't mind if I never had to raise a puppy. I really love getting dogs as adults. It doesn't hurt the bond at all. Both my boys are very bonded to me - Gavroche is my heart dog, even. As I write this they're both pressed against me in bed snoozing