Boxer Suitable For Obedience/agility Sports?

[TUPS]

Hi, Im new to the agility sport & obedience although I have taken my dogs to puppy training and then taught them all to sit, drop, heal, stay etc and walk on lead & not pull...I am really keen to get into these sports and it's now the right time in my life. I had hoped to get a Dobe (LOVE the breed) but struggling to find one local who is suitable.

Soo, I was wondering if anyone has experience with Boxers & agility / obedience training? There is one at a pound who is 18mth-2 yrs and they said that they felt he would be suitable.

I have had very little contact with the breed, my nan had them when I was growing up and they were all wonderful dogs but unsure about their suitablity for this type of sport.

Would appreciate your thoughts

[dogdude]

My advice would be to look at a working breed if Obedience is what you are striving for. You see very few boxers in the ring, and most of the ones I have seen seem to have low drive. Maybe just the way they have been trained, as they have been used in police forces etc. If you must train a bull breed, I would look at a Stafford.

Starting from scratch from a pup would be ideal, as you never know what you are going to get from a pound (behavioral wise) . Very important if you are serious about competing at the higher levels anyway, but you know what will be more important to you.

[Vickie]

I have seen a few Boxers in agility & if trained well, I think they make brilliant agility dogs. As a handler & trainer I think you need to keep a sense of humour, but WOW, when they get it right, they are amazing to watch. There ued to be a lady in NSW who ran a few boxers. I loved watching them, they were well trained & very competitive. There are only a couple that I can think of trialling at the moment.

Boxers are on my "I want to get one one day for agility list"

Edited May 11, 2010 by Vickie

[Vickie]

Starting from scratch from a pup would be ideal, as you never know what you are going to get from a pound (behavioral wise) . Very important if you are serious about competing at the higher levels anyway, but you know what will be more important to you.

No so for agility. There are many competitors who run very successful rescue dogs. Many people like the advantage of adopting a 12-18 mth old dog whose temperament & body is already developed & feel that this is safer than starting with a pup who may grow up with an unsuitable temperament or body.

[VJB]

A German Shorthaired Pointer might thrive at it better, as some of them can be very successful. You may find a couple needing rescue too, plus they love their family and are nice big sooks (like the Dobe).

ETA: this is the first time I've ever recommended my own breed (so many people do, but really, it's my first time) :D

Edited May 11, 2010 by VJB

[helen]

My girl Bella had a Boxer friend about the same age and they were in puppy class together. When they were young they were the naughty pups of the class but they are the two dogs who went through and both got obedience and agility titles. The Boxer did a wonderful job, so if it is a breed that appeals to you you could certainly train it.

[luvsablue]

Boxers are graceful and fun-loving dogs. If you like the dog put that fact first, and put whatever activity second.

It doesn't have to be a puppy either. Sorry dogdude but starting from scratch with a puppy is no guarantee

really. I know several cases of expensive pure bred pups who've turned out to be disappointing and in a

couple of cases, physically not up to scratch. I think it is luck, to some extent anyway.

Go and see the dog; if you feel the "good vibes" get the dog and let happen what will. Sometimes these

rescue and pound dogs are brilliant - take the chance!

Good luck,

luvsablue,

(and rescue dog Beckie the Bluey)

[The Spotted Devil]

I suspect they'd be a little like training a Dally - not easy to start with but once you work out out what makes them tick they're a hoot Ziggy has really taught me to think outside the square.

[luvsablue]

Me again.

I meant to add don't be too concerned about what breed is suitable etc.

It is all in the training. Good trainers can make any sort of dog look really

great in competition, and lousy trainers make the same breeds look terrrible,

if you catch my drift,

luvsablue.

[dogdude]

Boxers are graceful and fun-loving dogs. If you like the dog put that fact first, and put whatever activity second.

It doesn't have to be a puppy either. Sorry dogdude but starting from scratch with a puppy is no guarantee

really. I know several cases of expensive pure bred pups who've turned out to be disappointing

Luvsablue, most pound dogs are in there for behavioral reasons, and bad owners that caused them. Sure there are success stories, but if you are serious about odedience trialling at the highest level then why would you start out with a possible basket case. To promote and nurture drive properly, it is highly advantagious to do so from puppyhood. From my understanding, the OP wants a dog suited for dog sports?

[Vickie]

Luvsablue, most pound dogs are in there for behavioral reasons, and bad owners that caused them. Sure there are success stories, but if you are serious about odedience trialling at the highest level then why would you start out with a possible basket case. To promote and nurture drive properly, it is highly advantagious to do so from puppyhood. From my understanding, the OP wants a dog suited for dog sports?

That is your opinion. There are no statistics to prove this & plenty would disagree with you based on experience. After 12 months volunteering at a local pound 1-2 times a week & having rehomed a number of pound dogs over the years for performance, I would be one to disagree. I am constantly astounded at how many solid temperaments there are in the pound each week. My first ever foster represented NSW at the National agility trial a few weeks ago. Sure...she had behavioural problems : she was too active as a 9 mth old BC pup to be stuck in a back yard.

[Kavik]

I have also seen several rescue dogs do very well in agility, and a few foster dogs that would also do very well.

I keep my eye on the pound threads and the temperament information from testers and volunteers, and it seems quite a few nice dogs come through. Best bet would be to get a young adult dog where you know the temperament and structure, and make sure it gets a good temperament test from someone you trust and knows what to look for in a sports dog.

I got my rescue as a puppy, and before I knew anything about temperament ( she doesn't have a good temperament for sports). If I was to do a rescue again, I would get a lot more help assessing the dog first.

[huski]

Me again.

I meant to add don't be too concerned about what breed is suitable etc.

It is all in the training. Good trainers can make any sort of dog look really

great in competition, and lousy trainers make the same breeds look terrrible,

if you catch my drift,

luvsablue.

I agree... I do obedience with a beagle and my next dog who will be a "serious competition" dog will also be a beagle

[dogdude]

That is your opinion. There are no statistics to prove this & plenty would disagree with you based on experience. After 12 months volunteering at a local pound 1-2 times a week & having rehomed a number of pound dogs over the years for performance, I would be one to disagree. I am constantly astounded at how many solid temperaments there are in the pound each week. My first ever foster represented NSW at the National agility trial a few weeks ago. Sure...she had behavioural problems : she was too active as a 9 mth old BC pup to be stuck in a back yard.

You don't need stats to realise that a pound is not the best place to be looking for a sound dog. I am not disputing that some rescues end up great. Infact one of my trialling dogs is a rescue. When it was time to expand the furry family, I wanted to start with a clean slate, as it was bloody hard work ironing out all of the problems of my dogs previous life (sheep killer).

Vickie: Are your current trialling dogs pound dogs, and if not......why not?

[Kavik]

One of my friends (who is on this forum) has 3 dogs currently competing in agility, all of whom are rescues One of them currently has the following titles: ADX ADO JDM JDO GDX SD SPD HT ET

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Boxers need 1 to 2 hours energetic exercise a day, and obedience training.

I imagine anyone who thought they were getting a couch potato like a bulldog would be sadly mistaken. And those dogs could end up in rescue.

Boxers are great jumpers and love to run. I've seen a few doing agility and they do ok. Standard poodles on a "do my own thing day" now that's a tricky dog to train.

[ari.g]

Boxers need 1 to 2 hours energetic exercise a day, and obedience training.

I think my boxers must have been broken they never got 1-2 hours energetic exercise a day. They would have a 1 hour walk/run maybe once or twice a fortnight

[Vickie]

You don't need stats to realise that a pound is not the best place to be looking for a sound dog. I am not disputing that some rescues end up great. Infact one of my trialling dogs is a rescue. When it was time to expand the furry family, I wanted to start with a clean slate, as it was bloody hard work ironing out all of the problems of my dogs previous life (sheep killer).

Hmmm sounds like you have worked hard to fix issue that your rescue dogs came with. Well done. Since we are asking questions, can I ask how much time you have actually spent assessing temperaments of pound dogs? We are finding more and more that dogs are being surrendered for unrealistic breed expectations, owners moving house, owners unable to cope financially with dogs, puppies chewing, unwanted litters etc, the list of ridiculous reasons goes on & on. So many of the dogs we are seeing are in fact not there for behavioural issues at all. Of course some are, but I would not count them as the majority.

Vickie: Are your current trialling dogs pound dogs, and if not......why not?

I consider this off topic, but am happy to answer.

I trial 2 dogs currently from the same breeder. One I planned & purchased, one I did not. I wanted the dog I planned for a few reasons, primarily b/c I had never seen a family of dogs I totally adored so much & wanted one. Other considerations, I wanted to do sheepwork & my older dogs are inappropriate, so I wanted a dog bred primarily to work. At this point I was not involved in rescue & I mistakenly assumed pound dogs to be mostly dogs with problems.

My plans right now are that the next dog we add to our family as a competition dog for agility will be a rescue dog. The one after will probably, again, be bred for sheepwork.

Hope that answers your question.

Please don't think I don't know that some rescues don't have issues because they do. I just don't think they are in the majority and I see enough dogs from breeders with physical & temperament problems to know that there are no guarantees there either.

[Vickie]

PS sorry to opening poster for hijack.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

ari g

it's a wonder you don't have craters in your back yard and you do have a couch to sit on. The boxers I know would destroy things if they weren't exercised enough. I think there is one sad boxer around the corner from me who doesn't get enough exercise. She barks all day and trys to kill any dog she gets near - which explains why she doesn't get out much.

Not easy to do agility with a deer hound - they don't fit so well in the tunnel. So there are limitations.