Narrowed it down to 2 breeders - your oppinions please?

[Aroura]

Ok, after a lot of thought, a lot of research and A LOT of emails to A LOT of breeders, I've narrowed my choice down to two :D

One breeds from mainly UK lines, the other breeds from Euro lines, so they are quite different and I like the looks of both of them! Not very keen on the American lines so I'm staying well away from them, as I like the more stockier Boxers (Lily was stocky).

The European Boxers are very common in Australia, so I'm wondering if that would be a bad thing in the show ring and using at stud because it isn't what people are breeding for, or a good thing because it is fresh blood? Any breeders care to comment?

Either way, he'll be a family pet before a show/stud dog so I want something that Josh and I like :D

So your oppinions please, of the following kennels?

[url]http://www.dogs.net.au/webs/boxberry/dogs.asp[/url]

[url]http://users.tpg.com.au/jverspay/page2.html[/url]

I have been in contact with both breeders, they are both very helpful. So what does everybody think?

[DogPaddle]

Boxberry? I think, but just for personal aesthetic reasons.

[Aroura]

Can I ask what they are?

Boxberry have a couple of litters due in January, so if I decide on them I might be getting a Boxer as soon as March next year! :D

[DogPaddle]

I'm no expert but I like the boxberry head, it seems to have the boxer features a little more emphasized. I also like the boxberrys because they have imo a nice strong looking chest and their backends are not overdevelped but not weak looking or overly slopey.

[Guest Anonymous]

wow lol your catching up to HF now!! how many animals do you have now?

[Cairn6]

I'm no help I love them all. :lol:

[Smooshie]

Honestly...I too am more partial to the Boxberry line. I find the Euros TOO heavy looking in the front. Again I am basing my opinion on personal aesthetic preference.. I think UK lines are gorgeous and athletic looking....stockier than American Boxers, yet not quite as 'blocky' and 'bull- doggish' as the euro lines. Its a nice compromise.
NOW...if I was looking for a [i]working[/i] Boxer...I would definately go with the Euro lines.

[zheelah]

I particularly like the build and look of the boxberry boxers better, but what Im not really thrilled about is how many dogs they seem to have, and all of them are under 5 years old. I personally don't really like it when dogs live in kennels, its ok from time to time, but

[SizzleDog]

I like the looks of the Boxberry dogs, but I really like the fact that the other breeder is actucally a boxer judge. Flying Dutchman looks like he's about to fall over (bad stacking)!

The Boxberry dogs ahve great muscle tone - some have so much that it makes them look faulty (broken toplines, unbalanced, etc.)

Tough call...

[Aroura]

Thanks everyone for your input!

You're right DAL, the pack is growing, but is is going to stop growing after this one :wink:

At the moment I have 3 rats, goldfish, a gorgeous kitten (who by the way I've decided not to breed, she's too cute! Gonna keep her gorgeousness all to myself!), and 3 dogs, this will make 4.

I hear where you're coming from Newfiemum, believe me, I've thought long and hard about this, keeping everything in mind, pro's and con's. There are a few reasons I decided that I will get another Boxer, firstly, Josh wants me to have a guard dog, its a long cry for help if anyone ever breaks in and attacks me or what ever here. Also, Diego needs a friend, I know its not always a great idea to get a dog a "friend", but Diego is going mental, always harrassing Montie and Cassie and I feel bad seperating them because then he's all alone. Another reason, I spend usually about $50 (or more!) for petrol alone to take Diego to shows, I may as well be showing two dogs for that. Last, but not least, I WANT one! I'm going crazy without a Boxer around, they are like people, and being on my own I need the company. I have endless time on my hands and plenty of love and affection to go around. Even if I got a job it wouldn't be full time, Josh's job is going to be bringing in more than enough money shortly, so when I get a job it will only be something part time so I'm not bored out of my brain studying all day. When we go on holiday I know that there are always people who can look after all the pets. So I can assure you, I have put months of thought into this and I'm certainly not making a rushed decision.

Zheelah, that thought did cross my mind. I know of plenty of happy Boxberry Boxer owners though so the pups do get brought up well, inside I believe also. I think the reason they have so many dogs is that they have such an extensive breeding program, a lot of the bitches they place in new homes are also part of these plans. I believe this is for the betterment of the breed, so they can breed the quality ones true to their type.

Sizzle dog, you sound like you know what you are talking about! You're right about Flying Dutchman, I was thinking the same thing, you can't really see much conformation wise because it is all skewed.

By the way!!! I've just got another email from a breeder I contacted, one that I was very keen to hear from, so that makes the list out of 3 breeders! If I chose this kennel I will have to import, but I love their dogs and they feed a natural diet, so I'm definately considering this one too.

Here is the link: [url]http://www.geocities.com/chrislj15/[/url]

What do you think?

[DogPaddle]

The newest one looks very nice!

[treizi]

While I might not be the greatest person to give opinion since I'm not too familar with the Boxer and what the standard calls for, both of the breeders looked like they had amazing dogs and both kennels had dogs that I thought looked "nicer" than others. Do all of these breeders have waiting lists or would you be able to find out the stud/female that they will be breeding? I think that if you find a few breeders that you can narrow down to, then you should start to look at the individual dogs that they are going to breed, as well as their pedegrees to make your final decision. Just my 2cents worth I guess. :)

[zheelah]

Just from going over the information provided on the webpages it would be dificult for me to decide, I too really like the fact that the first breeder is also a judge, but I would prefer to get photos of the dogs descently stacked, so you can best see their conformation, bredder number two has really nice dogs, seems to have a lot of them according to their webpage, but that might also be because they are advertising dogs they are handeling and have bred, I would like to see their older dogs, because it usually takes a litle more time than a couple of years to get to know the breed well enough to be breeding on a large scale. Breeder number three is also very appealing, has good looking dogs and infomation on all their dogs, precent and previous, wich is also waluable for you, the buyer, because you can get information on the relatives of the dogs you are interested in.

So this kinda sound like a dating show, who will it be, breeder number 1, number 2 orrrr number 3....

It's all upp to you, we can only give our opinions, the choice of course is yours, good luck, I really wouldn't want to be in your shoes right now (wait a minute... I would love to be contemplating dog nr.3 so thats not completly true... :wink: )

[Aroura]

Thanks for the input :D

Here are the dogs that number 3 will be mating [url]http://www.geocities.com/chrislj15/Puppies.html[/url]

I think I'm definitely going to look into that one, I REALLY like the parents to be, ESPECIALLY dad, he is so gorgeous! :o

PLUS - That will mean I can get him docked!!! Apparently it doesn't cost that much for importing from NZ, a girl at training was telling me today that her Danes breeder was importing from NZ and it was only $1000 for the importing, plus $500 aus for a good dog, so I'm thinking that a Boxer would be less? Plus if he turns out as gorgeous as his dad he is sure to make the money back in stud fees!!!!

I'll have to talk to Josh about it, but I'm sure that if I give him "the look" he'll agree to it! :angel:

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='Aroura']Thanks everyone for your input!

You're right DAL, the pack is growing, but is is going to stop growing after this one :wink:

[/quote]

LOL good luck with whatever you choose :) lol

[mouseatthebusstop]

my heart rules my head when I want a puppy

[Aroura]

Thanks DAL, I think I will be happy with what ever I get, so long as its a Boxer! :lol:

Mouse you're right, it is so easy to let your heart rule your head, at least I know I have thought everything through though. Importing a dog from NZ though, I guess that is a case of my heart ruling my head! My heart says to get a dog that is a docked, my head can't work out why I'd pay double the price for it though! :lol:

[AllAmericanPUP]

[quote name='Aroura']Thanks for the input :D

Here are the dogs that number 3 will be mating [url]http://www.geocities.com/chrislj15/Puppies.html[/url]

I think I'm definitely going to look into that one, I REALLY like the parents to be, ESPECIALLY dad, he is so gorgeous! :o

PLUS - That will mean I can get him docked!!! Apparently it doesn't cost that much for importing from NZ, a girl at training was telling me today that her Danes breeder was importing from NZ and it was only $1000 for the importing, plus $500 aus for a good dog, so I'm thinking that a Boxer would be less? [b]Plus if he turns out as gorgeous as his dad he is sure to make the money back in stud fees!!!![/b]

I'll have to talk to Josh about it, but I'm sure that if I give him "the look" he'll agree to it! :angel:[/quote]

:o if you are thinking about breeding him and making money is something on your mind, you really should NOT breed. Money making is NOT something that should be on someone's mind, even if you are just studding him out.

What do you mean by docked? His tail or his ears? or both?

[__crazy_canine__]

I have to say I was a little shocked to hear you want another dog right after getting your newest little boy but its none of my business as long as your heart is in the right place so good luck!

Docking refers to the tail... cropping is ears.

[Aroura]

Well I wouldn't be buying a dog to make money, but if I went through the effort to get the best dog from the best lines and spend hundreds on going to shows etc to make some money from studding would be a nice reward. Of course I would only stud to approved bitches etc but I don't see any problem in studding out a good dog from good lines to improve the breed and getting money for it.

Definitely the tail! No way, not the ears! :o
(Personally, I can't think of anything worse than a dog with cropped ears)

It is fairly short after getting Diego, but it gives enough time for me to train him etc so its not like getting two dogs at the same time. It also means he's still young and playful when I get the pup, he REALLY needs a friend, he will be the happiest dog in the world when he gets a friend.

[AllAmericanPUP]

What breed is Diego??

You may think you make money when you collect that stud money, but in all reality it all just evens out the money you have put into taking him to shows, and health testing, etc. :wink:

if your stud fee is more than the cost of showing and health testing, then you must be charging one hell of a stud fee :lol:

[Aroura]

Sorry, I think everyone has mis understood me, I don't mean MAKE money as such, just to get a little bit in return after spending so much. And of course I wouldn't stud him out if he wasn't up to standard, why would I do that? I didn't breed Lily when I began to see problems with her, why would I go back on everything I believe in now?

[imported_Kat]

Aurora I just have to comment and say that putting a delicate whippet with a boisterous boxer is a recipe for disaster.... Diego is likely to get hurt easily in the rough and tumble then you have to contend with vet bills for broken bones....just my take on things...

[kendalyn]

If you want a friend for Diego, why not a get a dog more his size? Boxer puppies are so rough, I'd be very nervous to let one play with a whippet. And it'll only get worse as the Boxer gets older.

Is there a reason Monty and Cassie don't play with him?

I'm also very concerned that you're thinking about breeding a [i]puppy[/i] you don't even have yet. But I suppose if you want to show him that is the point of showing... :-?

[Guest Mutts4Me]

[quote name='kendalyn']I'm also very concerned that you're thinking about breeding a [i]puppy[/i] you don't even have yet. But I suppose if you want to show him that is the point of showing... :-?[/quote]

It is, though, isn't it? To get the best representative of the breed possible, let it prove itself, and then continue its line by breeding it... for the betterment of the breed?

I'm not into breeding dogs, myself... But I've gotten really used to people talking about breeding their dogs here, and that's basically what I get out of it. You don't breed unless you're doing it for the betterment of the breed, and you can't tell if you're doing it for the betterment of the breed unless and until your dog proves itself with show titles. As breeders here have stated, there is no point in getting a show dog without the intention to breed it (if it proves itself) because that's a big waste of time and money, not to mention sanity.

I'm not going to comment on the timing of getting another dog, because I don't know the rules of multiple dog households, as we've only ever had 2. I know there are people here with 5, 6, 7 or more dogs, often of different sizes and shapes, and they mange to make it work. I also don't know enough to say anything about the idea of a whippet having a boxer for a playmate (though if whippets are as fragile as they look, I can see the problem).

I am puzzled by the attacks on the studding issue though. She made it clear she was going to use him as a show dog. She's not getting a boxer [b]for the purpose of studding him out.[/b] That's what people seem to be taking from this, and I don't get it.