We have a one year old female boxer (spayed) and are thinking of getting another boxer at some point this year.
I was hoping to get some advice on a few issues.
First of all we live in a townhome which only has a small yard. This has not really been a problem for Maggie since she gets 1-2 walks a day and we live less than hundred yards away from a park. She has done quite well with this setup. However, my concern is whether two boxers in a townhome is too much. She is a very exuberant dog, which of course is what makes boxers endearing, but I am wondering if giving her a companion will create a situation where both she and the other dog become overexcited to the point of becoming unmanageable.
Second what recommendations do people have on adoption vs. getting a new puppy. I would really like to take in an abandoned boxer but I am concerned as to how well he/she would get along with our pup. Also how easy it is to crate train a dog that is not a puppy.
Third -- Is a male preferable to a female. In doing some research, it appears that the general consensus is that opposite sexes work best, but I was wondering if there were any other perspectives on that.
Fourth -- how do you introduce a puppy to a fullgrown boxer? Our dog does not have a mean bone in her body but she can be a little rough in how she plays with other dogs. It is not a problem with other big active dogs but I worry that she would be too rough with a small puppy. Are they instinctually gentler with puppies or is there some sort of way you gradually train them to take it easy on them?
Thank you for any feedback.
I was hoping to get some advice on a few issues.
First of all we live in a townhome which only has a small yard. This has not really been a problem for Maggie since she gets 1-2 walks a day and we live less than hundred yards away from a park. She has done quite well with this setup. However, my concern is whether two boxers in a townhome is too much. She is a very exuberant dog, which of course is what makes boxers endearing, but I am wondering if giving her a companion will create a situation where both she and the other dog become overexcited to the point of becoming unmanageable.
Second what recommendations do people have on adoption vs. getting a new puppy. I would really like to take in an abandoned boxer but I am concerned as to how well he/she would get along with our pup. Also how easy it is to crate train a dog that is not a puppy.
Third -- Is a male preferable to a female. In doing some research, it appears that the general consensus is that opposite sexes work best, but I was wondering if there were any other perspectives on that.
Fourth -- how do you introduce a puppy to a fullgrown boxer? Our dog does not have a mean bone in her body but she can be a little rough in how she plays with other dogs. It is not a problem with other big active dogs but I worry that she would be too rough with a small puppy. Are they instinctually gentler with puppies or is there some sort of way you gradually train them to take it easy on them?
Thank you for any feedback.