A boxer puppy can be a lovely, enthusiastic addition to your family. However, boxers are large, strong and protective as adults and need proper care and training when they're young to ensure your safety and the health and happiness of the dog.
About the Boxer Breed
Boxers are medium to large dogs with square heads and short snouts. They have a muscular build and as adults will weigh around 60 to 70 pounds. Purebred boxers sometimes have cropped ears or docked tails to conform to show standards, although this is illegal in several countries.
Boxers are intelligent and loyal, but have a reputation for mischievousness. They are problem solvers, which can mean that they quickly work out how to open doors or snatch food from the table if they aren't properly trained. Boxers are a social dog and will not do well if left alone for long periods of time. They may chew on your household items if they are bored or lonely. Boxers should be walked at least twice per day and included in family activities as much as possible.
Caring for a New Boxer Puppy
When you first bring your new puppy home, you should keep excitement to a minimum while he adapts to his new surroundings. Treat him calmly and gently, and introduce him to a regular routine as soon as possible. He should be at least 8 weeks old before being separated from his mother, and will hopefully already have been socialized and put on a solid diet by a responsible breeder. From 8 weeks to 6 months, he should be given three to four meals per day. Either feed him a good quality puppy food, or make your own dog food at home, from meat, vegetables and rice. Boxers can be very stubborn, so if you don't have a lot of experience training dogs, it's a good idea to enroll your puppy in a training course. This will also help to habituate him to other dogs and people.
Boxer Puppy Health
Boxers can be prone to injury later in life if they are over-exercised as puppies, so don't push your puppy too hard in his first few months. Take him for walks or play with him, but don't expect him to keep up with you on a long distance run or cycling trip until he's older.
White boxers are often deaf in one or both ears, so keep this in mind when choosing your pup. Spaying or neutering your pet is the best option to reduce the chances of illness, as it can prevent uterine infections and cancer in females, testicular cancers in males and diabetes in either sex, as well as decreasing their stress and reducing the numbers of unwanted puppies in the world.
Boxers are short haired and short snouted, so they find it difficult to adapt to extreme weather. Even outdoor dogs will need shelter from rain, snow and heat, particularly as puppies. You should also be careful not to exercise your puppy in very hot weather, and to always give him access to plenty of fresh, clean water.
Boxers are loyal pets and as puppies they need love and attention to ensure they will grow into well behaved dogs. Feed your puppy well, give him a lot of exercise and take care of his health, and he will become a valuable addition to your family.