[pawdad]

Hello all.  I joined this forum for two reasons.  I wanted to get some advice and then share stories and pictures after I get the new dog.  As a semi-pro photographer, I promise great pictures.  You see, right now I am an "expecting" Paw-Dad.  Let me start from the beginning.

As a child, I grew up with an English Bulldog.  Then had no dog until about 10 years ago.  At that time, my girlfriend had two Rottweilers.  One had joint problems and had to be put to sleep at a young age.  The other one was an extremely smart dog and was therefore very entertaining and enjoyable.  I spent many years with him.

So, here I am now, remarried and without a dog.  I find myself missing having one and longing for the great companionship they offer.  I have always thought boxers were the cutest looking breed.  I also like their size and short hair.  Their faces are adorable and they are real clowns, from what I hear.

I have been thinking long and hard about the pros and cons.  I've reached a point in life where my house has premium wood floors and premium furniture.  Not to brag - just a little concerned.  I know the wood floors will take on extra wear, and I am ready to accept that.  There is no way I would keep the dog outside.  He will be an indoor dog or I won't get one.  Since we sleep upstairs (where I plan to keep off limits for the dog) my concern is what I should do at night?  Do I crate-train the dog and keep him there at night?  Any ideas?

Also, is it wise to get a crate for travel time in my vehicle?

I plan to get a dog that is approximately 2 years old from Boxer Rescue - LA.

As I mentioned, I will look forward to posting pictures once this happens.  And my Avatar will change to a cute boxer face.

Thanks Everyone.

 

[instructor74]

Yes crate train it will save your house from a boxer damage. If you are planing on taking on a rescue he or she could already be crate trained. Many of the crates will fold down for easy trans port. Make sure to get one that is big enough for him to stand up in and turn around in. At 2 years old a boxer will just be starting to calm down a bit. Make sure to get  lots of things to chew on. Soloman loves frozen raw nuckle bones. Most other things he can cew through in no time. Good luck and welcome to the forum

 

[pawdad]

[quote="instructor74\";p=\"4795":2kwtpkq2]Yes crate train it will save your house from a boxer damage. If you are planing on taking on a rescue he or she could already be crate trained. Many of the crates will fold down for easy trans port. Make sure to get one that is big enough for him to stand up in and turn around in. At 2 years old a boxer will just be starting to calm down a bit. Make sure to get

 

[tootsie]

Hi and welcome to the forums!!
Rescuing an older boxer might be the way to go for you. Many of them are housebroken and crate trained already. I really don't know how the dog will do downstairs alone at night. I've always had mine in my room with me. I guess they can do okay. Could you put the crate or dog bed in your room so that the dog can still see you and still feel like he is part of the family or "pack"? I think that would be better than leaving the dog downstairs alone.
As far as the wood floors go, as long as they aren't bamboo and you keep the dog's nails trimmed, that shouldn't be a problem at all.
Good Luck in your search, and welcome again. Looking forward to plenty of pictures!

Lisa

 

[pawdad]

Thanks Lisa.

Perhaps I should look for more like a 4 year old?  I was looking at the "seniors" page of the Rescue site.  So sad to see wonderful dogs like that spending their last years in a kennel.  It's really heart breaking.  If I had the money to keep up with their potential medical problems, I might consider it.  Then, of course, as soon as you get thoroughly attached to them, they are gone...

I was reading some articles on how to show your dog that you are the leader of the pack.  It talked about not letting the dog share your sleeping area and sitting in their bed once in a while to show them you have all the privileges.  Interesting.

Thanks again for the welcome.

 

[tootsie]

I don't know if you've filled out an application for a rescue boxer yet or not, but when the rescue calls you, let them know what you are interested in. Believe me they will want to pair you up with as best a match as they have in their program. When I rescued Maddie, I was initially looking for a pup under a year and a male. It turns out I got a female almost 2. The foster homes learn a lot when they care for the dogs. You just tell them what you are looking for and they will help you find the perfect boxer to fit your needs. A 4 year old would be a great age because they are out of the adolesence stage and are pretty much ready to settle down. As far as settling down for a boxer goes!

 

[pawdad]

I did fill out an application and was told I could call to make an appointment.

 

[tootsie]

Awww, what a sweet face!  

Soooo, when do you go get him?   :winkle:

 

[pawdad]

I know.  It almost makes you want to reach through the computer screen and give him a hug.

I may make an appointment this coming weekend, or the following weekend.  I'm getting anxious to have the new family member.  I get along great with my wife but have no kids.  So this will be a real life changer.

 

[SwampBug]

Just make SURE to get your new baby on some PREMIUM good quality HUMAN GRADE food. Blue Bufflao is available at PetSmart stores & on their website & that is the food I feed ALL my babies & I HIGHLY recommed it!!! It is NOT one of the foods that was recalled! Here is the link to their website so that you can take a look at it for yourself!
Blue Buffalo

 

[pawdad]

I just checked out Blue.  It looks like premo stuff for sure.  I wonder how long a 30 lb bag would last an adult boxer?  $40 - $60 per month for food isn't too bad.  Especially for good stuff.

 

[samsonsmom]

When I went thru LA Boxer rescue, I had let them know that I was interested in a fairly young female as a companion to our 1 1/2 yr old male..They had like 3 at that time...So as long as you let them know what you are interested in, you should be fine..Keep in mind tho, they ultimately make the decision and you may pick a dog that they don't feel is right....That happened with me when I adopted Samson, I was actually interested in another dog, but the decision was made that Samson would be a better match for me...Do I regret it? Are you kidding? I love him more everyday that I have him..And he was 6 when I got him....Unless things have changed since I was there, it will break your heart.. I wanted to take every single dog home and there was like 50 boxers there!!!! I couldn't believe it. Some were in terrible shape...

I do agree that an older dog might be better as far as being crate trained and housebroken. Try to get as much info about the dog as possible..Sometimes they know a lot, sometimes not. Except when they were puppies, mine have all slept with us, so I really don't know how to answer your question about not letting him sleep upstairs..That may be a problem...Boxers are people dogs and that may be a bit hard on him, esp as he is a rescue...They can be trained not to jump on furniture, altho I just cover mine. You can do the same with your bed too...

As far as food, Blue Buffalo is excellent. With a good grade of food, generally you feed a bit less. A bag should last you a month..Me, I have 2 so I go thru a lot of food!!! But worth every dime.....

Manfred is a gorgous boy...Oh I would love to take him home!!!! Good luck and keep us posted....

 

[pawdad]

I am reconsidering about letting the dog upstairs.  I have very little carpet in the house, but what is there is a cream color.  Downstairs there is no carpet.  I only have it on my stairs and in 3 bedrooms.  I'm sure if I let him sleep right outside the open bedroom door, he would feel a lot better.  I will have to get a few doggie beds so he doesn't have to lay on hard floors.

That's really interesting about the staff at the Rescue place telling you what dog they think you should take.  If I give them a short list, I wonder if they will think any of them are right for us.  Who knows, they may have some that are not posted on the website...

I was looking at your pictures the other day.  They are soooooo cute.  I can't get over how boxers look!

It sure has been fun talking about all this.  What a great forum.

 

[samsonsmom]

The main job of all the people that work at the rescues is to make sure that they place the dogs in great homes, forever homes...I respect that, as most of the time they will know the dogs much better then we do and know what would be a good fit. Here in Bama, the boxer rescue is on a much smaller scale and the boxers are actually fostered out..Samson was with his foster mom for 3 mos before I adopted him and she became very attached to him...She made the decision whether I should adopt him..So they know these babies inside and out and can tell what would work...Sadly in LA, it's much bigger and the dogs are all kept in the one location, so it's not as personal..I'd go thru the dogs on the site. Make a short list of the ones that you are interested in and then when you call, tell them which you like...Then take it from there  

Definitely, get a couple nice doggie beds. One for downstairs and another for upstairs..I have a comforter on the floor in my office and both of mine love to sleep on it. Then I have a sheepskin by the kitchen along with a doggie bed....Heck there's as much dog furniture and stuff as there is human, esp if you include the toys   Get a couple rug runners for your carpet also. I found those work real well....

Thanks for the compliment on my pictures also...i appreciate that

 

[pawdad]

That's what I plan to do with the Rescue place.  I'm sure I won't have a problem falling in love with many of them when I go.

My wife asked me tonight...  "What was it that got you thinking about getting a dog at this point?"  I told her, "Mid-life crisis."     Really though, it's been on my mind for a long time.  I was thinking about waiting for retirement, but with life being so short, one should probably not wait for retirement - for anything!

Your dogs definitely are cute, whether sleeping, playing, just sitting there...  I can't wait to have a cute new face like that around the house.

 

[Honeyec]

Just a word on leaving the dog to sleep downstairs - Tink has slept downstairs on her own since the first night we brought her home, and it has always worked out fine.  In fact, the couple of nights I brought her up with me, she wouldn't settle and the two of us had a rubbish night's sleep!

 

[Nexu]

Welcome to boxerforums.

Look forward to the pics!

 

[pawdad]

[quote="Honeyec\";p=\"4838":1nld4tl5]Just a word on leaving the dog to sleep downstairs - Tink has slept downstairs on her own since the first night we brought her home, and it has always worked out fine.

 

[pawdad]

Welcome to boxerforums.

Look forward to the pics!

Thanks.  As long as I get the dog, you can count on plenty of great pics!