Do you remember the John Lewis advert featuring Buster the Boxer. If you hadn’t seen it over Christmas the clip showed a boxer jumping around on a trampoline and having lots of fun. Figures released by the Kennel Club showed that searches for Boxer puppies on its Find a Puppy website rose by 160 per cent on the day following the release of the advert. This is an increase which has continued to grow.
The information has raised concerns that people are impulse buying boxer puppies without properly researching the breed. They think many boxers will end up in rescue centres because there will be those who can’t handle them.
Do you want a Boxer? Do your research!!!
Here is a brief overview of a Boxer dog to give you an idea of what having one will be like.
As the John Lewis advert suggests, Boxers are fun and playful. This is true. Watching a Boxer play and bounce is great to watch. Sometimes you see them and think they are complete nutcases because of how they are behaving. It is pure joy.
Boxers don’t need a lot of grooming. They have lovely short hair. If you are looking for a dog that doesn’t need a lot of brushing, then Boxers could be a good choice.
Also, they are great around other pets and children which makes them ideal family dogs. Although they will need socialising from an early age to ensure they are friendly with other animals.
They can make great guard dogs as they look quite imposing. They can be quick to stand up and bark at strangers. Although there is a good chance if a stranger came into the house they are more likely to want to play with them
So far it’s not looking too bad, a Boxer sounds ideal. However……….
Boxers slobber and drool. If you are not a fan of this, you should cross this breed off your list. They suffer with flatulence, they wheeze, snort and snore loudly. The breathing and snoring is down to the shape of their face and nose. You can read more about this on our blog called Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) – Click HERE
Boxers can be stubborn and very head strong. An owner will need to be very confident in taking charge or else the dog will be disobedient and hard to control.
They need lots of exercise and mental stimulation or else you may find holes in the garden, chewed furniture and other destructive behaviour.
Whilst Boxers jump and bounce around for fun they can go over the top especially when they are young. Many new owners may find their rowdiness difficult to handle.
If Boxers are not socialised at an early age they could become aggressive around other animals.
Finally, A boxer’s lifespan isn’t very long and they can suffer from many health problems such as:
Bloat
Cancer
Eye Diseases
Hip Dysplasia – Read our blogs on the subject HERE for part 1 and HERE for part 2
Seizures
Heart Disease
We also have a blog detailing further issues with Boxers. You can read it HERE
Hopefully this has given you an insight to what is involved in owning a Boxer. If you still want to buy one ensure you do more research into the breed and in to the breeders to make sure you are not buying one from a puppy farm. Alternatively, visit your local rescue centre and adopt