NorDom

Boxers are not a good choice for first time dog owners because they are very independent thinkers which can make training them more of a challenge. They are extremely high energy and intelligent dogs as such owners must have the time needed to socialise and train their canine companion correctly from a young age. Owners also need to understand the specific needs of a powerful dominant and high prey drive dog so they never get the best of them.

Boxers are fun-loving dogs and they have “fighting dog” in their lineage as such they have a high prey drive and can be quite aggressive if not well socialised and trained correctly from a young enough age. Boxers are “bouncy” dogs and love chasing anything that moves in a joyful but often deadly way which often gets them into trouble especially if they are being walked in the countryside off their leads. Young Boxers must be taught the “no” and the “leave it” command from a young age to prevent them from taking off after other animals which includes other dogs when the mood takes them.

The Boxer is renowned for being the “clowns of the dog world” and thrive on being around their families and owners loving nothing more than to entertain with their silly antics and dances. They remain very playful throughout their lives which is another reason they are such fun to have around in a home environment.

Boxers need to have enough space to express themselves and therefore they are not suited to apartment living. They do a whole lot better when they have a large back garden to romp around in as often as they can making sure the fencing is secure enough to keep an athletic Boxer safely in.

Boxers are not known to be “barkers” although they are natural guard dogs and therefore they are quick to let an owner know when things they don’t like are happening in their environment. With this said any dog that’s left on their own for long periods of time would start barking incessantly to let people know how unhappy they are about the situation.

Some Boxers love being in water although they are not built to be “water dogs” and as such care should always be taken when a Boxer jumps in to take a swim. Because of their build and their shorter noses Boxers find it harder to stay afloat which is part of the reason why care should always be taken when these dogs are around swimming pools or ponds.

Other Boxers don’t even like getting their feet wet and it would be a mistake to make them go in water because it would just end up scaring them even more. Care should be taken when walking a Boxer that does like swimming anywhere near more dangerous water courses just in case they decide to leap in.

Boxers are exceptionally good natural watchdogs a trait that’s deeply embedded in their psyche which in short means they don’t need to be trained to guard over and protect anything which could end up making a Boxer a little too over-protective and could even lead to a dog turning aggressive.

Boxer puppies would have had their first vaccinations before being sold but it’s essential for them to have their follow-up jabs at the right time with the vaccination schedule being as follows:

• 10 -12 weeks old bearing in mind that a puppy would not have full protection straight away but would be fully protected 2 weeks after they have had their second vaccination

There has been a lot of discussion about the need for dogs to have boosters. As such it’s best to talk to a vet before making a final decision on whether a Boxer should continue to have annual vaccinations which are known as boosters.

We recommend spaying no earlier than the puppy is one year old. The dog must develop not only physically, but also physiologically.

Some Boxers gain weight after they have been neutered or spayed and it’s importan to keep a close eye on their calorie intake and the amount of daily exercise they get to prevent obesity. An obese Boxers would be put at risk of developing certain health issues which could end up shortening their lives by several years.

As previously mentioned Boxer are prone to developing hives which if left untreated can prove notoriously hard to clear up. Sometimes the reason why a dog has a flare up is quite evident but a lot of the time finding the trigger can prove challenging. The main goal is to make a Boxer comfortable as quickly as possible and to then investigate what might be the triggers. The most common causes of allergies and hives in Boxers are as follows:

• Environment
• A reaction to certain chemicals commonly found in household cleaning products
• Seasonal allergies which includes pollen and grasses
• Food which includes certain meats and cereals often used as ingredients in commercially produced dog food
• Tick and flea bites
• Dust mites
• Mould