Im thinking of getting a Boxer Puppy however I have read conflicting information about them and wonder if anyone can help. Some say they need 2 hours exercise a day and others say they will take as much exercise as you can give them.

Some also say you should never leave them alone as they can be very destructive. If we get one it will only be on its own for 6 days of every month and then it will only be for about 3 hours. We will also try to avoid this when its a puppy. But is this too much time alone?

Im also a bit concerned that they suffer with alot of ailments, but some say they are quite a hardy breed.

Can anybody help?

hi There we have had boxer for more years then i care to remember as for being prone to illness they are no more ill then any other breed i have lost one boxer to cancer and the rest of mind i have lost through old age they do not need 2 hours exercise a day they need some free runs but a boxer will love to play and this is also excercise for them .they like to have there mind exercise ( what little brain they have ) we alway tell people when they get a new pup to get a cage and this with proper training becomes your pups home so when you go shoping the pup can go in his/her cage when i go shoping it takes me more then 3 hours and mine are left on there own. boxer can be destructive when they become bored and lonely. but all the problems with boxers i dont think are any worst then you would find in any other breed and for all there faults i would not be with out any of mine all the love thye give you outways a few teething problems . and if you do get a boxer pup your breeder of the pup should be able to help you with any probems you may incounter with the pup
hope this helps

hello there
im getting a 7 week old boxer on saturday. we chose the breed after reading countless books talking to boxer owners and to breeders, just to ensure that the boxer was the right breed for us. after two years of discussion with my partner (he previously owned a boxer in spain), 6 months of reading etc decision made. i believe its important to be as informed about such an important decision.
em

I have a 6 month boxer. She can be left alone for up to 2 hours without any problems. She lies and sleeps on the bed with the cat. I bought a crate and although she will sleep in it sometimes I have not had to shut her in when I go out. (Yet) Star gets left alone for 30 minutes each day while I pick kids up from school and she is fine with this.

I was told not to exercise her until about 9 months to a year. At the moment Star gets 2 runs a week at the park for about 20 minutes a time and free time in garden and walks.

She has not caused much damage to the house, she prefers chews and plastic bottles.

hi, who ever told you not to exercise your boxer until 9 months dosn't no what they are talking about.i have a seven month old white male, we have taken him for long walks and runs since he was 4 months old. they need lots of exercise they are so active. dosn't she get bored and get into mischief? sorry if i sound harsh, but people tend to give daft advice, i was told to keep mine out of the sun so he would'nt get skin cancer(rubbish) he will go deaf,(rubbish) i can only leave mine alone for two hours also after that he will destroy anything in his path.

It is well known that white dogs of any breed can be susceptible to skin cancer due to lack of pigment .
I have heard white boxers can have problems with deafness athough not knowing the breed I cannot personally say and It is recommended not to overwalk young puppies
lel

of course there is a risk of skin cancer in all white dogs, i didnt mean they could'nt get it ,its just was told never to let him sit in the sun which is silly, they should be allowed to enjoy it. i use sun cream on mine, as for the exercise, how can you not exercise a dog until 9 months ?especialy a boxer ,they need it they are just so active.

Hi
im sorry l just have to come in on this one. boxers do not need formal/long bouts of exercise from such a young age as 4 months, they can soon lose body condition and bone. they get enough exercise until the age of about 10 months from a 30min os so play at home in the garden. they do not need "proper" walks until 10/12months. So carle the advice you were given was correct, but l would not free run too much at 6 months, just some short walks to get him socilized and used to walking on a lead.
As for the sunburn on a white, they can burn and it is advisable to maybe put some suncream on the most delicate areas.
We have 3 boxers, 2 of which we show, and have researched the breed for a few years now. you can over exercise them at the crucial growing stage before 10/12months.
If the person considering a boxer wants any more info please feel free to email us, if we can't answer you we will know someone that can.
Ours are not destructive, but it is not advisable to leave them alone for more than 2/3 hours.
Julie

Hi Zac

How much free running would you recommend for Star. Am I giving her enough or too much. I think I am giving enough and not too much but would like more advice. She is quite content and does not get up to much mischief.

Hi Carle
The 2 x20mins are probably okay for just twice a week, along with some short walks. You can normally tell from the condition (weight etc, is she is gaining weight and growing okay she should be fine, but l personally wouldn't give any more free running than that until she is older because of her growing still. She sounds quite well behaved like ours. Its also best not to let them go up and down stairs too much aswell, l don't know if the person you got her from mentioned that.
Have you any boxer books? If not there are a couple of good ones that mention all about exercise and growing amongst other things from a couple of well known, good breeders.
hope this helps
Julie

We have the Boxer Handbook. At 5 months she weighed 36 pounds so she is gaining weight and last week her height was 21 1/2 inches. She still has a knuckle on her front legs so still has a bit more to grow. We have 12 stairs to get on to street level. She was carried until too heavy.

Could you recommend any good boxer books that go into detail about exercise and care as I am paranoid about over exercising her then ending up with bad hips and other problems.

Thanks

Hi Carle
There is "The Complete Boxer" by Tim Hutchings, "Boxer Blarney" by Marion fairbrother and another one we have is Boxers, "The Owners Companion" by Ivor Ward Davis (this one may be hard to get hold of).
Julie

Thanks.

Will have a look for them.

Another good place for Boxer info or chatting to fellow Boxerites is the
Yahoo Group UKBoxerdogs.
It's a great place to chat Boxer :)
I read the messages from the website as they are a VERY chatty bunch

Kind Regards
Boxacrazy :)