Boxer Puppy Update

We picked out a Boxer puppy from a litter a few weeks ago for a family pet.  It was recommended that the dog stay with her mother until it is eight weeks old so we haven't brought it home yet.  The people who own the puppy's mom and dad live near the Lake Michigan shoreline on the other side of the state from us, but despite the distance we've gone out a few times to visit this future addition to our family.

A Boxer was the breed we decided to get because they are known to be protective of children as well as very playful.  They also are short-haired dogs that don't require much grooming which also was a nice selling point for me in picking out a Boxer. It is supposed to be the "kids' dog" ... though we'll see how much I end up cleaning up after her once we actually bring it home.

There are two boys and two girls in the litter. We choose one of the girls because the males can grow to be 80 to 100+ pounds while the females tend to be around 40 to 50 pounds.  This way the dog is intimidating enough to serve as a watch dog but yet small enough for my wife and kids to handle and be comfortable around.  Of the two girls to choose from, we decided to go with the one that had the most white coloring mixed in with her fawn fur.

Though she's currently living a 3 three hour drive away from us, we've gone out a few times to visit her.  We wanted to make sure the puppy was familiarized with us before just pulling her away from the surrounding she has been accustomed to since being born.  In fact, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends making an effort to socialize puppies with people as much as possible within the first three months of their lives. 

This is a time when sociability outweighs fear, and dogs' brains are most inclined to be comfortable with adjusting to new people and places.  Getting a puppy comfortable with the family they are living with during this early stage of life can have long-term benefits when it comes to shaping the dogs temperament.

Some tips on socializing puppies from the AVSAB include:

• Engage your puppy's senses through exposure to different sights, sounds, and smells as part of its day-to-day life;
• Gently handle and pet the animal so that it learns to accept the touching of all its body parts;
• Expose the dog to as many people, animals, places and situations as possible;
• Encourage your pet to explore and investigate the environment around it;
• and allow it to experience a variety of toys, surfaces and other stimuli.

The kids have been having a lot of fun playing with the puppy ... and the puppy seems to be enjoying getting to know them.  I'm glad we've made the extra effort to introduce her to our family's scents, sounds, and personalities instead of just suddenly bringing her home one day.  It looks like she is going to fit in just fine with our family.

We'll be bringing the Boxer puppy home in two more weeks when she turns 2 months old.  Stay tuned for more updates as we add this new addition to A Geek Daddy's family.