I am considering applying to adopt a Boxer. I have been reading about their temperament and health issues.
To make sure I would make a suitable owner I would appreciate hearing about your life with a Boxer.
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IME, they can be great dogs. Sweet, affectionate goofballs, very people centric. Short coat so low shedders.
Pretty high energy as puppies, but become cuddly couch potatoes as they age.
Like all brachycephalic dogs, they tend to have breathing problems/respiratory issues. They are not particularly temperature tolerant. I wouldnât have one in either extreme heat or extreme cold, and they are one of the breeds of dogs that may actually need a coat in winter.
Look for a responsible breeder with health guarantees and for dogs that donât have an underbite or an exaggerated smooshed face.
ETA: If you are adopting from a rescue, please be aware that well intentioned rescues label pit bulls and pit mixes as boxers or boxer mixes as they are more likely to be adopted.
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I agree with this â I adopted one of these myself. Around here, no rescue or shelter wants to admit that a dog is a pit or pit/cross. Theyâre always described as Boxer or Lab crosses.
Also agree about lovable goofballs â I grew up next door to Boxers, and babysat for the familyâs children, and this is exactly how I would describe them. Also, they can climb chain link fences.
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Iâve owned four boxers. One from a âbackyard breederâ in a country outside the US, one from a well-regarded British breeder, and two from a well regarded US breeder (using mixed US and Irish stock). The last two were âshow qualityâ but with undesirable/unfashionable coats.
All have had lovely temperaments. They grew up with my children in multidog houseolds, were very trainable, and received enough exercise to be relatively relaxed house dogs with outdoor play with my kids. My female boxers were definitely âNanaâ types when my children were small. My current male boxer is one of three dogs,with the other two being a pitbull mix and a shepherd mix. They love people. They are smart but âthoughtfulâ in their obedience decisions and require a smart and thoughtful owner.
However, all have also had health problems. Our first boxer outside the US had to be put down around 1 yo after contracting discospondylitis that was intractable. Our second boxer also contracted it but survived (probably due to being diagnosed and treated in the US despite contracting it outside the US). She was ultimately put to sleep at the age of ten due to bone cancer in her hips and lower back. Third boxer put to sleep also at the age of ten after a burst hemangiosarcoma in her abdomen. Fourth boxer is now 11.5 and has multiple allergies (but is comfortable with cytopoint shots), a seizure disorder marginally controlled with multiple medications and too many lumps and bumps to count.
They are wonderful dogs but will break your heart (and possibly your wallet!) with their health issues.
Another observation I have is that there are a lot of poorly bred boxers out there (some of which barely look like boxers) and that those seem to have temperament and trainability issues.
Iâm happy to answer any other more specific questions you might have.
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This is the boxer personality in a nutshell.
I laugh every time I see this video because it is SO typical.
https://x.com/therxckstxr/status/1499091310338351105
I call it âboxer interpretive danceâ
Note that the dog actually WAS obedient and did the exercise correctly, they just had to throw in the interpretive dance.
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Not a Boxer owner, but I am a purebred dog owner and active in my breedâs parent club.
Remember that unless a breeder is performing recommended health testing before breeding, the dog is more likely to have health issues. So, asking people their experiences is going to be a mixed bag - because just owning a Boxer (or any other breed) is not the same as owning a well-bred dog.
These are the recommended health screenings for Boxers: https://americanboxerclub.org/health-screening/
It might sound like a lot, but they are not unlike most other breeds which typically recommend 2-6 different types of testing for breeding programs. Most only have to be performed once, and some are cheek swabs, so the cost to a breeder isnât really that much to produce healthy puppies.
This is really also true for temperament - it is inherited, so if a breeder is not breeding to the standard for temperament, itâs really hard to know what youâll get. The breed standard for temperament is long and very specific:
Character and Temperament: These are of paramount importance in the Boxer. Instinctively a hearing guard dog, his bearing is alert, dignified, and self-assured. In the show ring his behavior should exhibit constrained animation. With family and friends, his temperament is fundamentally playful, yet patient and stoical with children. Deliberate and wary with strangers, he will exhibit curiosity, but, most importantly, fearless courage if threatened. However, he responds promptly to friendly overtures honestly rendered. His intelligence, loyal affection, and tractability to discipline make him a highly desirable companion. Any evidence of shyness, or lack of dignity or alertness, should be severely penalized.
I know this doesnât really help you - but I would be careful to take too much advice from others â a rescue Boxer may not have any of these characteristics, or they might. Other peopleâs experiences may or may not help you.
Did the other littermates get shown?
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My first Boxer was a shelter dog. She lived for 10 years and I loved her dearly. She had numerous health problems, but she was so wonderful. I lost her two years ago and my heart is still broken.
Now I have a boxer puppy, an eight month old female puppy. She is smart and funny and sassy and generally adorable! We purchased her from a show breeder. She is much bigger boned and calmer than my American-bred shelter Boxer.
Boxers are high energy, but it seems to be intense and then over. They donât go go go constantly like some breeds. There are minutes of absolute insanity followed by a few hours of napping! My Boxers have been very easy to train. They donât have the intensity of a border collie or the focus of a hunting dog, which I think makes them easier to work with.
And⊠they have soft smooshy faces and velvety ears. Best dogs ever! I think you need one!
(edited to add a photo. And yep, thatâs a lead rope leash!)
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We had one growing up (in the 90âs) and he lived to be 14. (old German bred lines)
They are clowns in dog suites. Loyal, funny, smart, serious when need be, goofballs. I feel that Boxers as a whole need a leader, not someone gruff and rough, but someone solid to âlead the packâ so to speak.
The biggest issue I have with Boxers is their short life that can be riddled with heart issues, breathing problems, and lumps and bumps (tumors).
Would I get another oneâŠyes, but only from a breeder.
PS. I also had the âdreadedâ pittie/boxer cross from my local Humane Society (see profile pic). He was the best. dog. ever. Not a mean bone in his body and strangers were just friends he had not met yet. He lived to be 13.5 with several little lumps and bumps.
Both dogs also had heart murmers.
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Thanks for that. It was hilarious. I really appreciate good dog videos. I send them to my sister as well because she loves good dogs too.
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My BFF loves Boxers. She has had two, from local but responsible breeders , who were wonderful dogs, exactly like the video, and were healthy and lived long lives.
She adopted two from a rescue while grieving the death of the first one. They were not boxers, they were pit mixes. The male was other dog aggressive and couldnât be contained in her fenced yard, and ended up being put down; the female was sweet and easy, but plagued by health issues and died young.
So thatâs my cautionary tale.
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Yes, shown, taken to CH and bred.
Edited to add, all of mine have been spayed/neutered.
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I would kind of disagree about the high energy then couch potato idea. Iâve had two and both were/are VERY different dogs.
My first was literally a 3rd parent, insanely smart, well behaved, knew the English language well, perfect guard dog, hiking dog, great around horses, cows, etc. I bit reactive with some dogsâall dogs were guilty until proven innocent. Lived 13 yrs, had TPLO surgery in both knees. Was still a hiking fool her last week of life. She was fit, fit, fit and could go all day unless it was too hot.
Current boxer is a narcissist, hardest dog Iâve ever had to train (Iâve had GSPâs and a Springer Spaniel born blind and even trained a fish and turtle soâŠ). Climber from an infant. She can almost keep up with the GSP but she gallops like a dressage horse so doesnât have the natural ground covering ability, but will go for hours. Also a great hiker but not quite as sure footed. Much higher prey drive though. Iâm looking for a cow who will stand up to herâactually does well at herding cattle, when sheâs not supposed to. Smart in her own way for sure though. Fantastic with all dogs great and small but her endless energy gets annoying to some. Loves swimming.
Either way, boxers need LOTS of exercise. Iâve met a lot of people whoâs boxers didnât get to a grand old ageââcancer dogsâ. The only mellow boxers Iâve seen are a bit overweight. 
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My mutt is only 35% boxer (her biggest percentage) but she has been prone to many lumps and tumors over the years, which I think is something boxers are prone to get. At least four have been mast cell tumors - two removed years ago and two removed yesterday. She still has several other bumps/tumors which either didnât test as mast cell, werenât discovered in time, or are currently being biopsied to find out whatâs going on. This alone would probably make me wary of having a boxer in the future.
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My sister breeds them. Shecsaid they are called bixers because they spend so much time on their hind leks with their fronts in the air.
My brother has a Boxer from a different breeder. She has a heart murmur.
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My next door neighbors have a boxer. We share a doorstep (townhouses) so we know this dog well and have been a part of his life since he was 8 weeks old.
Heâs a sweet dog, but he is a a LOT of work. Needs tons of exercise, is very excitable and jumps a lot .They are very conscientious owners, have spent a ton of time and money on group training, classes, private training, dog walkers, day care, and heâs still a lot of dog. Heâs dog selective and if another dog starts it, heâs going to finish it. Heâs incredibly strong and easily drags around his young, fit owners. Not a bad dog, just not one I would want to own.
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My heart dog was a boxer. Incredibly in tune to humans, Velcro dog that had to be with me all the time, and needed mental stimulation or he would find something to do⊠which you donât want.
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Just curious. Itâs not uncommon for people to be told that dogs are âshow qualityâ but for some particular fault but really arenât. But good breeders often sell pets too, sometimes for no reason other than not having a show home lined up (in my breed that happens often because litters can be large - up to 10-12 is not out of the norm.)
I think people donât believe that - so they avoid good breeders because they think they only sell to show homes, and/or they will either have to sign a crazy contract agreeing to things they donât want. I know a lot of breeders that will sell show quality puppies to pet owners.
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I felt like this⊠I didnât think a reputable breeder would sell to a pet home. Friends who do agility with their dogs introduced me to the breeder where I bought my pup, and she was happy to sell to a pet home. Both my pupâs parents are imported to the US and have both American and European titles. I had to Google what all the titles are! The breeder felt my pup may not be competitive nationally in conformation, which is what she wants to produce. The breeder did offer to train and show my pup at the local/regional level though, and encouraged me to look into agility and other more performance based events.
The only restriction on my contract was that she needs to be spayed, or I have to send the breeder a bunch of money⊠a non-issue for me, as I have no desire to be a dog breeder!
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Understood. Both my US dogs had plain instead of desirable flashy coats, with my current one having a weird muddled kind-of-brindle-but-not-really markings. The rest of his conformation is absolutely gorgeous - thicker Euro body and his face is to die for, absolutely perfect. His breeder has told me many times she now regrets not showing/breeding him despite his coloring. Both my dogsâ parents and many of their littermates are DOMs and SOMs.
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I am looking for my last YOUNG dog (I will be 70 years old next month) with which to do obedience, agility, and maybe a couple of other dog sports.
At this time in my life, I DO have the money ($3500-$4500) to get a puppy from a responsible breeder, especially those who test their puppies for the various health problems that afflict the breed. Up until now, I have gotten my dogs out of shelters (five) or through rehoming (five), and only one from a BYB. (Yeah, I know NOW, but she was only my second dog. Seeing how she was being kept, I couldnât leave her there. [I have since regretted not taking her brother, too, the last of the litter to get him out of there.]) I have been lucky enough to have dogs of unknown heritage live long lives (thereâs a VERY healthy 15-year old here), and I have lost some WONDERFUL dogs to cancer, the Wobblerâs disease, and an aneurysm.
I want a cropped/docked, black/rust male. I have had eight natural-ears/docked dogs, two totally natural (uncropped ears, long tails), and only one cropped/docked dog (and one ear didnât stand). I fell in love with the breed for their intelligence and âtraditionalâ look. People used to say to me, âOh, how nice it is that you didnât do the earsâ, and I would always reply, âI takes 'em as I gets 'em.â And whenever someone would comment on Garnetâs cropped ears, I would tug on them and say, âOh, look. It doesnât HURT.â
Iâve digressed a bit. I think I deserve what I want at this stage in my life. However, hereâs the problem. The fashion now for Dobermans is for narrow, overly long ears. I donât like the look; I have seen in some dogs the ears âtipâ while the dogs are being gaited and even while standing. I prefer a shorter crop. HOWEVER, the fashion IS for the longer ear, and I donât think I could persuade a breeder to crop to MY liking.
I COULD buy from ANYONE with âpuppies for saleâ and have the ears done to my liking. However, I am afraid I would screw up the posting, and the ears wouldnât stand correctly. (I would prefer a Doberman with any kind of ears to one with cropped ears that donât stand properly.) I, also, donât want a really young puppy. Along with the puppy âpee and poop wherever, wheneverâ, I donât want to have to wait until that puppy is old enough to do some serious training (remember, I am going to be 70 next month!).
The weird thing is, if I ran into another Danteâ (learned extraordinarily quickly) or Peter (absolutely brilliant when he caught on), it wouldnât matter WHAT he looked like. But itâs important to me, also, that the dog âtakesâ to me. Danteâ was OUR dog after 20 minutes; he was the true definition of âvelcro dog.â For his entire life, Danteâ preferred the company of people to other dogs. But some of my âbestestâ dogs took a bit to bond to meâJack Baby, Katrina survivor, ignored me for three months; Dickens snapped at me and had to be dragged into a crate to get him out of the house (his owner had passed away); Darcy nearly escaped from my car when I was bringing her home from the animal shelter; and Brooklyn was SO reluctant to leave her sister that I had to carry her into my car. SO, sometimes the initial meeting is NOT a foretelling of what is to come.
But IF a dog showed that velcro-type personality to me from the first, I would be much more confident in what I would end up with.
I very recently went to look at a Doberman in a close (40 miles) animal shelter. He was a little older than I wanted (3 years old), and his picture showed natural ears. When I got there, I found that he was totally natural. He was actually a very elegant looking dog, and as long as I had treats or toys in my hand, he was Totally Focused On Me. But when the treats were eaten, and he had the toys, I became invisible to him. Obviously, he didnât come home with me.
Iâm a bit sorry to have my âpity party for myselfâ here, in someone elseâs thread. But in my closest circle of friends and family, I have people who have never had nor wanted a dog, and people who arenât particular about their dogsâ lineage or looks (wonderful pet owners). My barn owner (who is fantastic in his care of horses and CHEAP!) thinks I have âenoughâ animalsâone horse, two dogs, six cats (one is a âfosterâ), and the semi-feral group I feed every night. (I see three regularly, but I have counted a total of eight different cats.)
There is a young, natural-earred boy for sale/rehoming VERY nearby, but they want more than I would expect for him. And my heart is torn by a totally WRONG dogâwhite, cropped ears that donât stand, and a LONG drive away. Absolutely, the WRONG dog for me. He has the SWEETEST expression and is good with dogs AND cats. However, white Dobermans are known for vision and hearing problems, along with the tendency to sunburn. I could be starting with multiple strikes against him/me.
Well, thanks for letting me vent. I do tend to go on and on and on about things, both in writing and in person. But here, I believe there are so many people that DO understand what I am feeling, something I donât have in my âreal lifeâ HERE.
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