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Head says GSD, Heart says Boxer!...

3K views 27 replies 9 participants last post by  chip18 
#1 ·
Am still no further on in my decision-and I cant have both. German shepherd best fits my brief: Visual deterrant,handler focused,easy to train. But I cant get the boxer out of my head. Their facial expressions,happy demenour,great family dogs and cuddle buddies! ,but, more difficult to train and there is ONE thing that that is confusing me and I see it everywhere.Boxers were bred to be Guard dogs and constantly come up in the top 10 of breeds for families looking for a great family dog that will protect(like me) but yet everything I read or people I talk to say boxers are clowns,and goofy and theirin lies my confusion???. Can anyone enlighten me PLEASE????
 
#2 ·
Well guess you will just have to make up your mind, in time. I have had both breeds. Mostly GSD over my lifetime. I think they are great dogs, very smart and obedient . You do need to be able to be the one in control, actually with both breeds. Our boxer is much more friendly to anyone than our GSD ever were. More people were afraid of our GSD than our boxer, but they really should have been. I haven't had a GSD now in 30 years so my background may not to be up to par anymore. I love both breeds. Personally I love the boxer but if I lived in an area where I didn't feel safe I would have a GSD, just because they look more menacing to me. I think its a personal choice. At my age now I'll have a boxer, goofy, great with kids and big enough to deter strangers.
 
#4 ·
I always liked boxers so when my daughter asked if she could have her own dog we came up with the boxer idea. She has graduated college but hasn't been able to find full time work so she still lives at home. In January she will start nursing school, she has gone back and finished all her pre requisites, and has now been accepted into a program that she should complete in 2 years. Hopefully then she will find a good job, save and be in a better position to find her own living quarters. So her boxer will go with her but I will sit for him when she works long days or nights. Its a win win for both of us that way. Unless she gets lucky and meets someone nice. Who knows. I think you will really like the boxer, now just find a good breeder because of all the health issues they seem to have. You might also want to check with your homeowners insurance if there are any dog restrictions on your policy. Good luck in your final decision.
 
#5 ·
Boxers are great family dogs and amazing with children. That's why we chose a Boxer.

Note that there are differences between American and European Boxers. The Americans tend to be the goofy, frolicky, fun loving ones. Not to say that their European cousins aren't friendly, but they tend to be a bit more focused and intense.

So this is why you will hear very different stories from different Boxer owners!

I have no idea what Duke's lineage is since he didn't come from a reputable breeder, but he looks like an American Boxer to me, as did his parents. Duke loves anyone we welcome into our home, however, he is very wary of strangers too. He is fiercely protective of our home and he makes sure that anyone that walks by or approaches our house knows it! However, there are other Boxers that aren't this way.
 
#9 ·
Aah didn't know you were in the UK, so you will be looking a a euro boxer, they do seem to have different personalities from what I hear. I have no first hand info but I understand the euro boxer is more of a working dog than what we have here and therefore may make just as good a protector as say the GSD. No wonder you are having a difficult time deciding. Talk with some of your good breeders and trainers there in the UK, and get some input from them. I think that just may help you come to a decision.
 
#11 ·
Thank you Lindar, yes the information when you 'google' is quite confusing and even the photos, some boxers appear big and strong(european/german) and others more lithe and elegant(american). Heck, I thought a boxer was a boxer!. But yes i'm in the UK ,so it would be a euro and may be a good fit and comparable to the GSD after all :clap2:
 
#13 ·
Go with the one that has the healthiest genes in your price range.
Both breeds suffer from over breeding. So it's easy to get a great looking boxer that could die of cancer at age 4-5.. Or a GSD that has really bad structure that will have problems it's whole life.
It may not be as bad in the UK but I'll be honest, it's not that easy to find a good boxer or GSD in the US without putting down a decent amount of money.
 
#22 ·
Hello,thanks for that. I'm pretty savvy about breeders and how to get hold of a good pup. But yes we do have byb and 'puppy farms' here in the UK too and gullable people are taken in by it all the time here. I've even seen a fake pedigree,the dogs had names like 'sophies choice' and 'brown boy' ,hilarious!.
 
#14 ·
When I used to live in Turkey , I had an European boxer and I can tell you that he was a great watch/guard dog. Also, was very goofy,cute and lovable around the family but if I take him camping or to just to beach , he would get very protective of where we are and was very alert to the strangers. Back then we didn't know better and we cropped his ears , he did look very intimidating when alert just like a GSD. As a teenager back then , I could control him very well
My friend had a GSD, the dog was just a problem because the kids couldn't control him and he looked so mean the owner had to avoid social gatherings because there was always that one person was so scared of him.
And, if you are looking for indoor dog, don't forget the fact that boxers are so much easier to groom since their fur is so short.
 
#15 ·
Our dog, I believe, is an American boxer just based on the appearance. He is the goofiest and most lovable dog I have ever encountered. However, he is very alert of strangers and will let us know when someone is near the house. When meeting new people, he is always standoffish at first, so we tell the person to approach slowly with their hand out to let him sniff them and get to know them for a few minutes. He has never tried to bite anyone or attack, (in fact he will back away and growl if he doesn't want someone to touch him) but I feel that if we were in real danger, he would protect me.

I have known a few GSDs most of which were nice dogs, just not as loving and sweet as a Boxer. A few years ago my husband and I were camping at a popular crowded camp ground with several friends and children. We were walking back to our camper when a GSD quickly jumped from his own camper and bit my husband's leg pretty bad (not bad enough to bleed, but there was a lot of bruising and scratches from his teeth). Before this, we did not interact with the dog at all (we didn't even see him). This was not provoked at all and of course the owner swore that he never acted like that in the past. Ever since then I am uneasy around GSDs because I know that they are protective and loyal, but still quick to attack. I know this is not necessarily a breed standard, but it's also not uncommon.

Personally, I'd rather have a great companion, loving family dog that will warm up to anyone and snuggle on the couch, but still protect his family when a real danger exists.
 
#18 ·
Yeah no research on part! Lots of shedding! I don't care for long hair dogs! I thought long hair meant a Collie or something like that.

We had to replace our Rainbow vacuum because it could not pick up the hair?? I kept vacuuming and the carpet kept getting darker before I figured that one out!


Part of the package ...it's all good. :)
 
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