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Friend's Boxer died

1K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  animallove 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, got some bad news Friday. One of my best friend's brother, he and his wife have a Boxer. Died on Friday. Ten years old. I had met the dog a couple of times, was a pretty good boxer. They live on a horse farm and the boxer ran around with a GSD.

Had a heart attack while outside playing. Friend's wife actually did some sort of CPR on it and rushed it to the Vet. While Vet was checking it out, it had a second heart attack and they could not revive.

Sounds like the GSD is taking it pretty hard, and can tell he is really down, losing his best buddy.

But, from what I understand, 10 years is the average age for a Boxer and it went out playing hard, running, enjoying a Boxer's life.

Just like several years ago, another good friend of mine has a boxer, and it died at around ten years old as well. But, it was out running outside, enjoying life and ended up getting kicked in the head hard by one of their cows that was grazing. Went out being a dog, doing dog stuff. Probably the way for a dog to go after a good dog's life.
 
#2 ·
Sorry for your friends loss! Average life span is not a high point on owning a Boxer! With white Boxers it's even worst!

No graying of the muzzle, the White Boxers always look young!

Cow kick in the head... that did not have to happen! If it's not a working farm dog, it should not have been screwing around with cows! My two cents on that one.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Yes, the dog lived on a farm, with several cows and horses in the field. Pretty standard around here, most farms have 1-2 dogs. Come inside for the night or sleep on the porches of the farm house. Rural living at it's best. This friend's family, they have gone through around 6 boxers over the last 40 years. The mom is 90 years old, and the boxer takes care of her and her farm (of course other children help out now - but they have always had boxers). Ironically, the farmer next door has 2 boxers and they are always running over to say hello. After the boxer died, they went out and got another Boxer, as usual, a rescue that was 2 years old. It runs and plays hard and keep the grandma company. If it dies, I am sure they will get #7 boxer.


Was not a "City" boxer that someone let run wild one day on a farm.
 
#4 ·
Sorry for your friends loss. I'm sure the GSD is grieving too. My friend had two siberian huskies..never heard peep from them, until one dies, now the other cries and cries. Its been 3 months. They went and got a golden doodle pup, its helping a little. But she is old so she needs a break from the puppy as he is very rambunctious.
 
#6 ·
Well you blended losses here. Both were tragedies one was unforeseeable, the other was not.

A dog that screws around with large animals getting kicked in the head?? Big surprise there!

The best defense against the unforeseeable "is a well trained dog!"

A dog that lives on a farm and is allowed to screw around with large animals being kicked in the head and killed is hardly "unforeseeable??"

Yep lots of Boxers out there, for some of us our dogs are not "replaceable commodities." Crap like "cow dog" is the reason "rescues grill the crap out of people!" There dogs are "special to them" and don't want them being loss to "incompetent owners!"


Training, management, leadership rules and limits as well as common sense, all are necessary to keep a dog safe.

Harsh perhaps but it's how I roll! :)

And I won't add that "some people should only have Gold Fish." :)
 
#8 ·
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It is a dog on a farm. Actually, both dogs were farm dogs. People have been having dogs on farms for decades and decades. A freak accident.

I bet ya a boxer living on a farm is enjoying life more than most boxers. He is living a life of a dog, not the owner's reigned in life. I wished, and maybe will in the future, lived in more of a rural area, cabin/farm, instead of the suburbs, were I could let Hank just run free and be a "Farm dog" and if I stay in the area, hopefully that will pan out. Just like the dogs we had at our station in Cambodia. Loyal dogs, friendly, but enjoying life.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I grew up in the country on a farm and everyone has dogs. The dogs, of course, freely roam the land. A dog being kicked in the head by a cow and dying is a freak accident. Never heard it happening before. My uncle had a large dairy farm for many years, always had dogs, and that never happened. Our dogs always were around our horses and were never injured by them. Cows (in my experience and observations) are less likely to kick than a horse.
 
#10 ·
Yeah, no issues for like over 9 years. But, you know how dogs are. Freak accident, but he went out being a dog, as it should be. I think much better than being couped up in a house, and then having to take to a vet at an old age and being put to sleep. That is how my friend's family looked at it. He lived and played hard and was a good and loyal dog and he went out living life to the fullest.

Even with the first story, the same way. The dog was out running and playing hard, running around on the horse farm with his GSD and had a heart attack. If a dog has gotta go, that is the way they should go. I hope Hank goes the same way, out running and playing hard outdoors, in nature. Hec, that is how I hope I go as well also, die while out hunting, hiking, extreme travel, trekking, etc.
 
#11 ·
I do understand your point of view and yes crap happens!

But you know what? I want to extend again ,my sympathies of course!!! And say I'm sorry for using a families loss to make a point!

Poor decision making on part! My only explanation is that, a very long time ago, I lost a pup due to a lack of training and putting him in a position he was not prepared for!!! Bad advise thru, Public Service announcements and I bought into it!!!

Stewie a Boxer/Pitt! It will be 13 years in September. I vowed that would "never" happen again!! So I tend to be a zealot when it comes to training/discipline!

Not an excuse...just an explanation! We cool???
 
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