Owning a Boxer, dog, advice appreciated

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

Talk to a quality breeder and you should be able to get what you want. Deerfield in MI is fabulous, though I’ve flown (and bought) from Soquel in the past and got fabulous looks and temperament!

I say this as the proud owner of the “pet reject” out of a stunning litter (think top 20)… I literally told the breeders that I will take whoever is left over as I just needed a pet puppy (though I confess I have shown in the past and benefited from those connections!! In even being considered as an option). Stunning ‘leftover’ pet ended up finishing his championship in 3 weekends, owner handled, as I was willing to go to a few local shows to see what we could do. Breeder was very happy that I improved her stats, though as top NA breeders multiple times over the past two decades that championship didn’t really make much of a dent in numbers.

Temperament? Though a dobie, very boxer like actually. Goofy, fun, great sense of humour, loves everyone but only if they are ‘allowed’ - once I say hello, best buds, until introduced he’s on guard and keeping an eye out as he was bred to do. A lot of dog, but very stable and confident in part because he did the agility/obedience/go everywhere route when he was younger and learned to love everyone.

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[S1969]

@Bay_Toby

I felt like this… I didn’t 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.

I also think that many quality breeders don’t advertise. It’s not that they are unwilling to sell puppies to pet homes, but they don’t make it easy to find them because they tend not to breed so often as to need flashy websites to attract puppy buyers.

Which is too bad, because the less good breeders often have very easy to find websites. My breed parent club has consistently failed in embracing technology, marketing to new people, or even making it easier to find member breeders - and then complain miserably all the time about declining membership.

It’s too bad. They are just starting to get it, but we’re about a decade behind the times and cash poor. Sigh.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

A friend of mine once joked that if a breeder’s website looked like it had been designed in 2006, you knew the breeder must be producing some awesome dogs (i.e., they had no need to advertise and probably had a waiting list a mile long).

[Cat_Tap]

Speaking of fancy web sites. While googeling I found Gilded Boxers. There were pictures of beautiful puppies. No indication of location or phone number. They stated shipping and delivery available. Puppies were 11 weeks old.

While on that site a notification popped up alerting of Boxer scams.

Got back on the site weeks later and found no change in the ad. They probably request money for shipping never to be heard of again.

[S1969]

Yes they look like a red flag breeder to me. The fact that they don’t identify where they are located or who they are is a problem. And yeah, $600 for a purebred puppy? That’s a greeder, or a scam.

[MunchingonHay]

Why do only some of the pups have docked tails; two do not?

I don’t think they are from the same litter.

[Mosey_2003]

@S1969

My breed parent club has consistently failed in embracing technology, marketing to new people, or even making it easier to find member breeders - and then complain miserably all the time about declining membership.

It’s too bad. They are just starting to get it, but we’re about a decade behind the times and cash poor. Sigh.

Chicken breeders are even further behind, and often actively hostile to newcomers, which is a shame. The American Poultry Association is finally trying to get with the times and make things more friendly, but it’s an uphill battle. At least dog breeders are generally friendly if you manage to find them.

[S1969]

Yes as individuals most breeders are generally friendly. As an organization we are old, slow and technologically impaired. LOL.

My friend said the same about goat breeders. She was in a local goat club that had 10 times their annual revenue in the bank and no plans to spend it. She kept trying to suggest events that would encourage people to join the club and got nowhere with it. That club will go down with cash in the bank when the entire membership (nearly all aged 75+) dies of old age.

[endlessclimb]

There’s a lot of this kind of stuff - the organization my husband competes our dogs in is dying. It’s a combination of old age and over-competitive hostile attitudes. Shame, because it has the potential to be very fun.