Small dogs (Chis) with a bigger dog (boxer)...advice?

[tigeresss]

I was wondering if anybody/everyone who owns a boxer could tell me everything about them! I have read books, read breeders websites, read on all the boxer websites and the AKC/CKC and the UKC websites. I also have spent quite a bit of time with boxers with my work and through friends. That being said I have finally decided that the breed of dog I would like to purchase in the future will be a boxer! Apart from their health problems I can't find a fault with the breed!

For those of you that own a boxer could you please tell me anything and everything about this breed! Pictures are always nice too! haha.

Also I would like opinions/suggestions etc about bringing a puppy (boxer) into a home that already has two small dogs (Chihuahuas). Both of these dogs are ten years old and although they love life, love going for walks and are adventerous they can be reserved and cower a bit with certain larger dogs. Sometimes though they will go straight up to the large dog and be okay. I am feeling that assuming the puppy grew up with the Chihuahuas that the Chis would learn to accept him/her. This is my biggest concern about bringing a bigger dog into the family. I know it can work because most Chi people I know have very large dogs with their Chis. I would just like some personal experiences behind this. They would not be left alone together...for example if we were going out I would not leave the boxer alone with the Chis...simple precautions like that. Also at night they would be seperated.

Anyway I'm rambling now but any thoughts/advice/opinions would be wonderful! I am VERY exciting about the prospect of adding a boxer to the family.

 

[minie812]

I added a boxer pup this past March that I got at an auction for a couple of dollars. He was ill and scrawny and he has fit in well with our two Italian greyhounds-8lbs & 20lbs- he can get nippy but it is puppy play and disipline right away. Very smart and cute too...we put a bell on him so we would not lose him on the farm. He is now neutered after a visit to the puppy spa (that is what we told him) and is such a joy...protective but good with my g-kids and minis. :wubWe do put him on the back porch with his bones and toys at night and when we are gone as being a puppy he could be destructive but he is already housebroke. He can get rough with the little dogs so again they are seperated when we are gone. IG are fragile dogs.

 

[Witts Mini Horse Ranch]

I had a litter of Boxers back in Feb., my daughter took one and she has a very small Chihuahua and they get along fine. Boxers do want a lot of attention, and they for some reason like to stand over the smaller dogs. I have 3 boxers (mom and 2 daughter) and they are extremly affectionate, the older female went through a phase where she was extremly jealous of a spade large mix female dog we have. It was really strange, because she was VERY affectionate with my old female pug. And, she gets along fine now with the other female, don't know what was going on with her. So you might want to consider opposite sex of the dogs you have. Although both dogs of my daughters are males. The Chi is, I think a year old and the Boxer 4 months now, but she took him when he was weaned.

Boxers are my all time favorite, really cannot think of anything bad to say about them. They LOVE people, mine never met a stranger, so don't know about them being much of a guard dog LOL

 

[tigeresss]

Assuming we are speaking about spayed/neutered dogs I have been told that two males with one female is best, or all males. Apparently all females is not a good mixture. I have to be honest and say I don't know about that as the only female animals we have ever owned were a female guinea pig and one female APHA and one female TB. Both the Chis are neutered males.

That is something that I had wondered about, whether to have another male or to get a female. From what I have been told and read for boxers that females are generally easier to train but less affectionate than males. Whereas males can be a bit harder to train and more affectionate. I think that's a big generalization though. I don't mind about training level as either way we will be working with a trainer. Any advice on males vs females would be great!

 

[Ashley]

We had out boxer at a baseball game the other night where there was a small dog the size of a boxer. She didnt particularly care for her, she wasnt mean, but did growel at her a bit. She was a very yappy dog tho.

OUr girl is good with ever other dog she has been around. She is a sweet heart and my baby. You just have to make sure the bathroom door is shut when you go to the bathroom or she will come in and sit on your lap.

 

[MyLilShowGirl]

Good choice of breed !!!

My boxer LOVES little dogs, and is intimidated by the bigger ones (maybe because she is just 12 weeks old ). She knows how to play gently with the little ones (she already towers over them). The rare time I see her play with a larger dog, she seems to play rougher, so I think she knows. They are EXTREMLY smart dogs, sometimes too smart!! Be prepared for an A.D.D dog . They are always on the go and hyper, but will make you laugh every 10 minutes. They keep you active, which can be a good thing (for me it is haha).

One thing about the boxers is that they have VERY sensitive stomachs...be prepared, they tend to be picky eaters, not because they do or don't like it, but if there stomach will ahandle it. I have been having troubles with kibbles agreeing with her system and having loose stools, puke etc etc. Its all trial and error. They also tend to need more food than what it says on food bags as they are such high energy dogs. Right now, Ryleigh is getting 3 cups a day and is just 12 weeks old.

Also, a not-so-published trait of the boxer is that they tend to clear the room with there gas But its managable

I have a Sheepoo as well, and they get along fine. If a boxer pup is raised in a house with a small dog, or any other type of animal, they will get used to there company and learn how to treat them etc.

I also am on a boxer forum which is FANTASTIC, I strongly suggest you join or lurk around the posts. They have helped me with many little worries I have had. I love it because it is so breed specific.

www.boxerforums.com

Here is a picture of my female boxer for you...she is 12 weeks old!! Can't wait to hear when you get your pup home. Take your time with finding the right breeder for you...best thing is not to rush into it and find the perfect pup your looking for

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

I have a 6 year old boxer, and she is the best thing.. She has never bit, growled, or even acted aggressive (Except she will bark at strangers). She is the sweetest thing in the world, and adores children. She can be hyper, and she can be lazy. In all 6 years we have had her, me nor my family have not one complaint.

 

[CrescentMinis]

Well, you are definitely talking about my favorite breed. They pretty much love everyone but have a good radar on screening people who should not be around, and making noise about it. Kind of nice that their "look" can be a deterrent when you want it to be.

These are my 3rd and 4th boxers, and we will always have at least one. They are definitely happier with a dog buddy around, unless you are prepared to play play play till they wear out (that takes a lot of doing)

As far as male vs. female personality, our male is way more in-your-face and active, but both are very affectionate and shadow whoever is home constantly.

Have you been to the www.BoxerWorld.com forum? That's an excellent one. I have learned a ton on that one. As far as leaving your pup alone with the Chis at home when you are out, in my experience, crate training from the start was so helpful. Hoss wanted to play with the 2 cats constantly, much to their dismay. I think if we left him out when he was younger, there would have been trouble. Not that he wanted to hurt them, they were just fun squeaky toys he could never have. He's out of the crate now all the time and can be trusted about 99%.

This is Hoss (oversized 4 year old boxer boy)

And this is Jazz (8 year old very small girl)

They can be gassy, but lots of other dogs are as well, and I think it boils down to finding a food that suits them. Adding a spoonful of plain yogurt to their food is helpful too. And they need to eat twice a day; feeding a huge meal once can cause problems, and free feeding can blimp them out quickly. Horse poop is a delicacy in their eyes, and must be what makes their coats shine so nicely.

I hope you find a nice puppy soon! I strongly recommend locating a breeder through your local boxer club who is doing the proper health screening (this is completely different from the seller telling you the dogs are "vet checked") on their breeding stock. These tests (for heart and hips) can't be done until the dog is about 2 years old, and they are pricey, so anyone doing them is serious about bettering the breed, not just making money. Also, I have learned the hard way that paying extra for a pup from a breeder who is doing this right, is worth every penny as you are so much more likely to have a much healthier dog that way.

 

[uwharrie]

I would use caution when mixing large dogs with small. I have had Dobermans and IGs for over 20 yrs and until last year never had any problems. My dobes love the IG however they were all out in the yard and one zigged when it should of Zagged and crashed into one of the IGs breaking a leg

Surgery, lots of follow up trips to the vets 3 months of crate rest and $3000 later it is hard to tell. But I would have rather him nor me not go thru it.

The Dobes and the IGs never run together now.

Boxers are high energy and I would be careful that they did not play too rough with the small dogs.

My daughter's ex roommate's boxer accidently killed one of her kittens. The kitten went under the door and the boxer tried to play with it like she did the big cats.

Big and small pets can live together, just use caution

 

[Mona]

Well, I absolutely LOVE the Boxer breed!! We have had 3 in the past, and I just bought my fourth one and just got her home on Wednesday.

This is "Baron", our first. We had him while I was still raising and showing Chihuahuas. He was the best of the ones we have owned. Each one has a special place in our hearts, but this boy was beyond special!

He is shown here with a little 6 week old Chihuahua pup.

Baron was put to sleep just days before his 5th Birthday, due to Lymphoma.

This was our second Boxer, "Baylee". She was a female, and much smaller than Baron, and also far more haywire! She was with us for 11 years before we had to have her put to sleep. She lost all muscle tone in her rear end, making it impossible for her to hold her balance to walk anymore.

Our third Boxer was "Shimmer" We owned her for just a little over a year.

I had to sell Shimmer as she was chasing my horses, and it got real bad with the new foals, and even though she wasn't doing it to be mean, I thought I better sell her before it turned ugly. It wasn't bad if she was running WITH them, but if they got ahead of her, then it became a chase, and THAT was what worried me so badly, as she would "get in the zone" and ignore my hollering at her. I had to keep her tied up at all times when she was out, and to me, that is not what I like to see, especially when I want a dog to do chores with me and that I can trust to go out to the barn and pastures with without worrying the minute I turn my back. When my mom was here this Spring, she was saw Shimmer in action and she couldn't believe her eyes, and came out to holler at me to tell me. I guess she was relentless in chasing the foals!

This is Shimmer, shortly before she moved to her new home.

It was so hard on me, as Shimmer was truely my heart, and it made me physically sick to my stomach even when I thought about rehoming her. She was only about a year and a half old, so I know she will adjust, and the lady is keeping in touch and sending photos etc. She was running out of boredom so now has another Boxer there to play with, and she is doing well! But even 2 weeks after she was gone, I was crying constantly. It seemed worse than having a dog put to sleep, as I knew she was still "out there" and no longer mine. I miss her so very much but I hope this new baby (Abby) will help fill that void and at least focus my attention on something else. This is not typical of the breed, just circumstances that were wrong from the start, or at least that is my belief, so do not be afraid to get a Boxer for fear of that happening, as you will be missing out on a truely wonderful dog owning experience if you decide not to buy a Boxer.

This is our new baby, and my first "cropped" Boxer...all our others have been natural eared but Abby came to us already cropped, so this will be a new experience for us! I just hope I am able to tape her ears properly as needed to ensure they stand properly. I don't have any decent pics of her yet either. I guess because I think she looks so silly with her ear wraps on! I am looking forward to her first tape changing so I can see her without the taped ears! So here are a couple not so great pics of our newest baby, "Abby". She is 9 weeks old.

"Molly", our 15 pound Boston Terrier is NOT at all impressed with the new little hellion! OH!

Boxers are the most wonderful breed of dogs in my opinion! They are high energy, but they are also intelligent, and love to please. I have not encountered any problems with them in the past, other than with Shimmer wanting to play(chase) my horses. And even that, she was not aggressive, just wanting to play. It was not like she would chase them at every opportunity, but I never knew when she would, and if I was not with her, I couldn't take the chance on having something go terribly wrong.