CHOOSING A PUPPY
READ THIS FIRST - IS A BOXER THE RIGHT BREED FOR ME?
ARE YOU LOOKING TO PURCHASE A BOXER
NOW OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE??
If so, then this page may be of assistance by providing you with this list of checkpoints and guidelines to help you when purchasing a puppy. If you follow these guidelines your pup will have a much better chance to live a long and healthy life.
The Search
My first advice to a prospective Boxer owner is ....Never buy on impulse!!
The old adage "Buy in haste and repent at leisure" really holds true for impulse buying of a puppy.
Many people when they first start looking to purchase a Boxer as a pet for their family want one that weekend and will either go to a pet store and ask if they have any Boxers for sale, or look in the "Dogs for Sale" pages in the local newspaper, or search the Internet for "Boxers for Sale" ads. This is definitely NOT the way to find you next "Best Friend" and the many reasons why this is a bad idea are stated below.
Pet Shops and Puppy Farmers
Pet stores deal in large numbers of different breeds and usually obtain their puppies from "Puppy Farmers". These breeders set themselves up only to make a profit. They breed from multiple bitches, usually to a stud dog they keep on their premises! Most of the breeding stock are kept in small pens, usually without the small comforts necessary to make life comfortable for the bitch or the puppies! They breed for quantity, not quality, and usually do not health check their breeding stock. It is rare that puppies from these places are properly socialized, wormed or vaccinated. They usually have no idea of true breed type or correct temperament.
Backyard Breeders
"Backyard breeders", are usually the ones that place advertisements found in the newspapers. Often these breeders are novices and just want their bitch to have a litter...
Because they think it is natural for her to do so.
Or they have a dog and a bitch and forgot to get the bitch spayed, and now they have puppies who need homes.
Or they think they can make some extra money by breeding.
These people usually have no idea what goes into producing a healthy Boxer of good type, with a sound temperament typical for the breed. They would never think to "Health Check" their bitch as it is too expensive....after all they need to make a profit, don't they? Plus they breed regardless of the conformation faults that both the dog and the bitch may possess.
The Cost
Although you may pay a little less from a pet store or backyard breeder than from a responsible breeder, in the end you may end up paying a good deal more in vet bills, plus you could end up with a broken heart should your dog have to be put down due to a health or temperament problem.
10 REASONS why buying your pup from a reputable breeder is the BEST way to obtain a puppy ...
1 .Most breeders of purebred dogs breed dogs because they love the breed.
2. Their goal is to constantly improve their stock from one litter to the next.
3. They NEVER breed just to make a profit.... as quite often they lose money on the litter. Health checking their bitch is expensive, plus the stud fees paid for the best stud dog suitable for the bitch (this may be hundreds of miles away...even in another state or country!) Then they have to ensure that the bitch is correctly fed before and after the litter, and the pups have been raised with the best food and care available.
4. Their litters are always bred not just to insure good health and conformation in the resulting progeny, but with correct and typical temperament. The puppies have been fully socialised and are often Temperament Tested.
5. They care about the welfare of their puppies; they choose the new owners carefully and ensure that they know the correct diet and care required for the breed.
6. They don't advertise in local papers because they usually sell their puppies through their breed club or by word of mouth referred by happy owners of their puppies. So be prepared to go on a waiting list of a responsible breeder to get a quality puppy.
7. Their puppies have been wormed regularly, inoculated and registered with the relevant authorities....whether the pup is for show, pet or Obedience/Agility.
8. Their puppies are sold with a Guarantee of money back or replacement should any problem occur that is hereditary. (NB: You must follow the diet and instruction sheet given with the puppy to ensure that the puppy stays healthy.)
9. They don't lose interest in you and the pup once they have been paid ....
10. BECAUSE - When you purchase your pup from a caring breeder, you have someone who will always be there to help and guide you throughout the life of your Boxer as the pups welfare is just as important to them as it is to you.
