any advice on boxer puppies?

Question

my daughter is getting a boxer puppie in a few weeks,although most of the time it will be going to work with her hubby there will be times it will be home alone for about 8 hours when he is away.What sort of space should she give her to wander around in when she is alone or would it be better to shut in a small room with loads of toys and chews etc,do cages work they seem a bit cruel but thats me ive never used one for my dog.How much excercise do they need daily.and has anyone had any horrible experience with one as they are known to destructive puppies

Answer 1

i have two indoor boxers and each one is different but they are generally considered to be chewers!!! with both of mine when they were little puppies i would put them in the bathroom during the day when at work with some toys and stuff. i got a huge scratch spot on my door and a lot of chewed up bottles and a huge mess every day to clean up!!! i now crate both dogs while we are away. crate training them was pretty easy. i got a kong and put some peanut butter in there with them when i put them in the crate to leave. as soon as i got home i would let them out to potty. dogs really don't have a concept of time and i only confine them to their houses when we are leaving. i let them sleep on a bed of their own in our room. i now just treat them with a dog treat and not peanut butter because it can put on weight. but to get them in their initial training state peanut butter works because getting it out of the kong takes time and concentration to occupy them.

also be aware that boxers are notorious for having food allergies and a good quality food should be chosen for them. something with little or NO corn. i feed my dogs raw food and they have been doing wonderfully.
also boxers who are fed "dog food" have very very very bad gas... like room filling nauseating smelling gas.
also they shed like crazy. are you planning on cropping the ears? neither of mine have cropped ears and one of them does have ear problems because moisture is more easily trapped in natural ears. feel free to email me with any questions you may have!!

george... 4 years old http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h18/justforbeth/camping%202006/100_9696.jpg

patrick... 5 years old
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h18/justforbeth/camping%202006/100_9674.jpg

Answer 2

Any dog that is bored or under exercised can be VERY destructive, it seems the more intelligent, the more destructive. A crate would be the best way to go, however a pup needs to 'go' about every 2 hours. A crate also prevents Mikie from going Cujo and eating the house!! And it will, if properly trained, become Mikie's 'den' and he will love to be in it. Most crates come with dividers that will adjust from puppyhood to adult.

If there isnt anyone that will ALWAYS be around to let pup out, neighbor, friend, family ect ....then I dont recommend getting a dog.

Horrible experience with a Boxer? Never! They are (in my opinion) one of, if not the most entertaining dog breeds. Do a little research on the breed, and you may end up getting one of your own.

Answer 3

Hopefully your daughter is buying from a reputable breeder who will give plenty of advice!
http://www.southwalesboxerclub.co.uk/sw_p3.htm
Cages are brilliant for training, but 8 hours is too long to leave a puppy in one without a break. Do NOT take it for long walks straight away - Boxers are a big breed & walks should start off very short - about 5 minutes walk for every month of age is a good guideline. Plenty of play & a little training to wear her out if she's going to be on her own for long periods.
To get her used to being left alone, get a cage & start putting her in it (with a few treats) for a few minutes at a time then gradually increase the time she is left.
I would definitely not leave her to wander, pups can get into all sorts of trouble, chewing electric cables, eating poisonous substances, not to mention eating your clothes & furniture!

Answer 4

When we had our boxer puppy, we didn't use a cage, however we did put a stair gate on the kitchen door until he was toilet trained, it always worked for us, i think we were lucky as he didn't chew anything. We always made sure he had toys with him, and was advised by my vet to give him pigs ears strips to chew on as they can have them from a very young age and it helps with teething. As for exercise, they don't need much at all when they are puppies, it isn't good for their bones, as an adult i make sure my dog has a good hour walk every day or take him to the field so he can have a run, this works for us and we have a very healthy well toned, mostly well behaved Boxer dog. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

No way can a puppy be alone for 8 hours. Anyone who is away for that length of time should not consider having a puppy. A pup is just as demanding as a human baby, and requires care every 2-3 hours or so.

Boxers are great dogs, but YES they do require lots of exercise. And socialization, and training.

Sorry if this isn't the answer you were hoping for. Toys and chewies can't take the place of proper care.

Answer 6

i have a 2 year old boxer and to be honest i wouldnt leave her for that long i know she has all the toys in the world but she still foes searching for sumthin she shouldnt have and dont think by puttin stuff in the cupboard will stop them she can open the fridge take out the salad box and then get the butter out and open it. they arent stupid dogs and although crating it for a wee while is ok they need lots of space to have a boxer moment which is when they run around like a daft idiot but they need to do it to burn up there energy u need to walk it at least 3 times a day and as they get bigger the walks need to get longer and harder u need to keep boxers minds and bodies active. maybe she should consider a different breed unless she wants her house destroyed and an unhappy dog and i would hate to think of that to happen! Godd luck if she decides to go for one and cam come up with a solution as they are great dogs to have around!!!

Answer 7

I would recomend taking the boxer for a long walk before leaving it cooped up in the house for long periods of time, to drain it's energy. And at first I would put it in a single room with some chew toys until you see how he/she reacts when left alone, a crate might also be a good idea but you want the dog to have a positive association with the crate by using treats or toys to associate it with. Then I would recomend taking the dog for a walk when they got home. I think atleast an hour each time should be sufficient. Boxers are very high energy dogs so they need lots of exercise. That's why many of them become aggressive because their owners buy them for protection and keep them locked in the house all day or on a chain. They don't have any way to release their energy so they become aggressive or destructive.

Answer 8

I would get a dog walker to come & take the dog for a walk when the hubby is away.8 hours is too long to leave a puppy alone especially when its normal routine is being disrupted.
Cages are great as long as they are large enough for the dog to walk around in.They stop the bad habit of being destructive when left alone.I wouldn't leave a puppy alone in a cage for that long though.It is important to remove the dogs collar in a cage in case it gets caught & strangles the dog.

Answer 9

Hi there, having owned boxers and breeding them, 22 pups in 2 litters!! Just had to have one put down after 9 years of loyalty. Please tell your daughter to make sure the hips are OFA certified on the parents, and get the background, boxers are well known to get cancer. They are the most loyal dogs, and love to please. They are very high energy dogs, that require lots of attention and training. You must be consistant with them while they are young. Crate training is the best while the pup is young, to help pass the time while crated and the owner is gone, or even while home to help with chewing, get a KONG, a rubber chew toy, I always filled mine with peanut butter. This will keep the pup busy for hours. Please do not crate with a collar on, they can get tangled and strangle the dog. To get the pup used to the kennel, start putting him or her in there while you are home, make it their home, not a place to go for punishment, you can also leave the door open for free roam, while you are present. Do not put any blankets or beds in the crate with the pup, they tend to rip them up, or even potty on them. It's too convenient for them to potty on the bed or blanket, which will soak it up, then to go to the other side of the kennel to lay down. For potty training, always take the pup out on a leash, to one spot in the yard where you want her to go, give a command such as "hurry up" or "go potty", do not wander around the yard during potty time, they will think you just want to play, and forget what they went out to do. Allow 5 minutes to do their business, and praise them up, even if they don't go. Only allow them to go to the end of the leash and stay in one spot, eventually, when old enough, she will go, off leash to her "spot" and when told to hurry up, will potty on command!! Seriously, this works great, but you have to be consistant!! Good luck to your daughter, and give her a congrats on her new "baby"!!

Answer 10

Buy a dog crate/cage and start training as soon as possible!boxers have tons of energy, and are really boisterous! If you start getting the pup used to his crate at a very young age, he will soon get used to it being "his " space. Put a few toys in, one of his blankets, and maybe one of your old sweaters that has your scent on it, and also get him used to being fed in it. That way, he will be used to being left alone in it while you're out, and he'll feel secure in his cage. It will also stop him destroying your house if he gets bored while he's alone! good luck!

Answer 11

crating is best. It is not cruel, most puppies actually like it. Its the most efective tool in housebreaking.

I should hope tho, that the pup is not expected to hold its bladder for 8 hours! Pups need to go out often to potty! If its shut in a crate for that long, it will eventually pee in the crate.. not by choice, but out of necessity!